This morning my Pastor asked me to deliver a brief homily/message after we concluded Mass. All of this was part of our effort to live stream everything but today we had a rough morning. For some reason we had broadcast interruptions and buffering which made viewing the 10 am Mass and my homily difficult to watch. I won't even mention we were also kind of sideways, I guess it happens. For now I will attempt to recreate my homily so at least you may be able to read it:
Thank you for joining us this morning as I greet our St. Jane family and everyone watching by video. Live streaming, YouTube channels and Facebook Live have all been a great blessing for us and for the Body of Christ. Now you know, if you know me that I probably have a song lyric or two to share and indeed I do. The song is called the Big Yellow Taxi and is best known for the lyric: they paved paradise and put up a parking lot. That's not the lyric I have in mind this morning. Nope, instead listen to this: Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til its gone. Perhaps that is us today. We are missing many things today, especially our routines. Kids are missing school, many of you are missing work, most of us are missing opportunities to gather socially and we are most certainly missing our faith gatherings; holy Mass, going to Holy Communion, parish Fish Fry dinners, Stations of the Cross, Bible study classes. Indeed we miss all of this and more, in so many ways it simply feels "gone". Yet we know these things are not gone.
Father Ken and Father Charles have made sure we have mass via live stream everyday and we even have now heard from both of them with heartfelt messages and homilies and reflections. You know in a really beautiful way this separation from our parish church and our liturgies has actually sparked a renewal and increase in our faith. I hear from many how they are participating in video masses and devotions, are praying their Spiritual Communion and praying for one another, especially those directly impacted by this Coronavirus. Some, who have admitted their faith was lukewarm or had been taken for granted are now on fire for the faith. I even saw a story of an avowed atheist proclaiming she needs God! What I see and hear is a holy desire for the faith and a spiritual hunger and thirst for Jesus, and of course Jesus in Holy Communion. We are called to stay hungry, stay thirsty and persevere in prayer during this time of separation.
Today we heard the 3rd Gospel in a row from St. John that are Lenten staples: the man born blind, the woman at the well and the raising of Lazarus at Bethany. All these Gospels remind me of that scene in the move the Passion of Christ, whereby Jesus falls with the Cross on top of him and he sees his mother. He tells her: I make all things new. While the movie took a little license with this saying of Jesus it is in the Scripture but in the Book of Revelation, 21:5. In these three Gospels I am reminded of this line. With all things new we are called to rid ourselves of spiritual blindness, we are called to thirst for living water and finally we are called to trust totally in God through His Son, Jesus who can even raise the dead to life. You raise us to new life, Lord have mercy.
In the days ahead, maybe we can reread these powerful three Gospels. And by all means remember to pray that Act of Spiritual Communion. Add an Act of Contrition and perhaps pray the beautiful prayer, Anima Christi. By all means please pray for one another, for those impacted by this horrible disease, for the souls of those who have died and pray for every doctor, nurse, therapist and first responder out there fighting for all of us; sacrificing themselves so we may stay healthy and safe.
Finally, if you need your parish clergy, contact us through the website, the parish app and Facebook. We miss all of you greatly but know we are praying for each and everyone of you.
Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til its gone. Yep, there are many things temporarily "gone" but our faith is not gone, our church is not gone, Jesus is certainly not gone and faith, hope and love is not gone. Until we gather together again, stand firm, be strong, cling to the faith and pray, and oh yea, wash your hands and social distance.
We love you, God loves you, may God richly bless us all.
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