“Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light.”
In my lifetime, I was able to meet two people who would later become revered saints in the life of the Church: Pope Saint John Paul II and Saint Theresa of Calcutta (i.e. Mother Theresa). In audiences that they held with pilgrims to Rome, they commanded the attention of everyone present. All eyes were upon them; no one said a word; and people radiated with joy at being in their presence. What was it? Was it the wisdom they offered in their discourses? Was it their public renown? No, it was something deeper . . . it was their holiness. They had a luminosity that filled the audience halls and penetrated every mind and heart. It was much like Jesus on Mount Tabor in His Transfiguration: as His divine holiness was revealed, the apostles were in awe and did not even know what to say.
While not in such a dramatic manner, we still have the opportunity to impact the lives of others through holiness in our lives. We know from experience that certain people have touched our lives because they radiated the goodness and holiness of Jesus to us. Could we be such a witness to others as well? Let us always remember that saints are persons who make it easier for others to believe in God.
Lesser Known Virtues, The Virtue of Silence
This past week, as three jackhammers were going in the basement of the parish rectory on a project to eliminate water seepage problems, I was reminded of how we often take something sacred for granted . . . silence. I realize how much I love silence and need it and how it is under attack in a very noisy contemporary world.
It wasn’t long ago that we lived in a much more hushed environment. Noise levels were noticeably lower in homes and in public areas. Remember the good old days when you could visit in a restaurant, because there was no piped-in music? Remember when you could visit your friends before a game or at halftime, but now you have to talk (no yell) over the booming music? Remember when bars didn’t have multiple tv’s blaring and when people talked to each other at the café, rather than on their cell phones? Indeed, the world used to be a much quieter place.
We didn’t seem to mind the lack of noise back then; it was actually welcomed. On Sundays, people used to enjoy the peace of fishing at the lake, hiking in the country, or picnicking at the park. We used to have a slower pace of life, which enabled us to be more centered and together with ourselves. Sometimes change is good, but not always. The constant chatter, continuous music, and consistent busyness of our world have taken away the beauty of silence and along with it, our peace, calm, serenity, and composure. Our age’s emphasis on perpetual motion, commotion, and the need for noise is eroding our quality of life. We need to reclaim the virtue of silence, by which the soul abandons all purposeful activity for a time, so that it can reap many spiritual benefits, namely the following.
First, silence has the ability to lift us up when the toils and struggles of life bring us down. Silence allows people to unearth plaguing problems which they have always wanted to address, but never did. Once addressed, the weight that is lifted from them creates a freeing, unloading experience. We become like the infant in Psalm 131, who is stilled and quieted in his mother’s arms, without a care in the world. When we are weak, afraid, and burdened, silence restores our spirit by gathering together those inner powers that can help us overcome any of life’s difficulties . . . great or small.
Second, silence allows us to minister more effectively to others. When people come to us with their problems, we are often quick to offer advice: “Snap out of it”; “You’ll be just fine”; “There, there, it’s not so bad”; “Try just a little harder”, or “I know what you’re going through”. We do so without malice and we believe that we have offered sound advice, but such statements can come across as rather insensitive. Sometimes the best response is the wisdom of silence. We need to silence our compulsion to talk and just be quietly present to others who are in need. An embrace, holding another’s hand, allowing another to cry . . . these help to alleviate the pain. We must learn to be still and allow our interior sight to look into the other person so that we can be of comfort to them. This is a powerful way to bring life to a person who feels dead.
Lastly, and most importantly, silence allows for growth in one’s spiritual life. From the very beginning of His public life, when He went out to the desert, to the night before His death, when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus often went to deserted places to pray. Jesus chose silence and solitude as His primary means for building a bridge between His Father and Himself. We need the same for our prayer lives. Silence steadies us and allows us a singular focus in prayer, blocking out all distractions. Silence teaches us how to meditate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual, and to be open to the voice of God. A well-ordered spiritual life requires the virtue of silence, for in the stillness of the heart, the Lord speaks.
The soul that is growing in holiness is the least lonely when it is most alone. The only loneliness to fear is that which comes from being detached from God. If God is our friend, silence is our friend as well, for it brings us closer to Him and dispels the fear of loneliness. Silence draws us to the peace that only God can grant and thus, it is the path to eternal peace.
One of the Last Chances Before Easter
This Sunday, March 12th, there will be a Penance Service at Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Know that this opportunity to receive God’s love and mercy in the Sacrament of Penance is open to parishioners from both of our parishes. We are blessed to have another confessor that evening, Father Teji Thanippilly, the pastor of Saint Bridget’s Parish of Parshall. Inside this bulletin, you will find an examination of conscience, to assist in your prayerful recollection of personal sins before you enter into the confessional.
Be assured that as you pray in preparation for your confession, I am praying with you and for you. I want you to experience the beauty of the Father’s mercy, for your peace of mind and heart and to prepare you for the great joy of Easter. May God bless you and your families this Sunday as we experience His love and mercy in the confessional, the first taste of these gifts which we hope to experience eternally in heaven.
Taste of the Nation
This year, we will again be hosting a Taste of the Nation youth fundraiser meal at Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish. It will be held on Sunday April 2nd, after the 11:00 a.m. Mass. This year, there will be a new spin on the meal, as we celebrate the diverse cuisine of the United States. We are a nation of immigrants, and each ethnic group has left its mark on our great nation, including its great foods. We are asking our wonderful cooks to consider signing up to make a dish from one of the nine regions in one of the three categories: appetizers, main dishes, and desserts.
Does your heritage or ancestry lend itself to one of these cuisine regions? Do you have a favorite recipe from one of these regions? Or would you just like to learn more about a region by creating a new dish from a region? Either way, we need your help to put on this fun, informative event. Know that if you are from the Philippines, you can make lumpia (Filipino egg rolls) as a dish of the Midwest, to replace some of the old school foods, like lutefisk. We welcome lumpia, because we want this to be a meal with taste and flavor. Lutefisk has its place in American culture, maybe as a means to ward off vampires, but not at a meal for people with taste buds.
Please take a look at the sign-up sheets on the table in the gathering space of the church. There are some sheets with the states for each region and helpful information if you can help us prepare for this event. Thank you for being part of this fun event and know that it benefits our youth activities, so it is a win-win for everyone. Saint Lawrence, patron of chefs . . . pray for us.
Still Looking for Ideas? Things to Give Up or Take Up for Lent
Now at week two of Lent, we may want to change course or challenge ourselves to go deeper in our penances and sacrifices. Consider the following:
1) Take the worst parking spot you can find and allow the elderly and the disabled the choice parking spots
2) Go to daily Mass on a weekday, in addition to Sunday worship
3) Don’t use the dishwasher and make doing the dishes a family event, with time to visit
4) Go out to eat if you wish, but choose the lowest priced items on the menu and the money you save, place in the Rice Bowl
5) Shut off the TV and watch only wholesome and faith-filled movies
6) Say a family Rosary every day and have each family member take turns leading the Rosary
7) Have dinner as a family each day
8) Read a story to your children every night
9) Eat up the food that’s in the back of the freezer or the pantry
10) Give up all sweets and desserts
11) Say the Morning Offering when you wake up; the Angelus at noon; and do an Examination of Conscience before you go to bed
12) Read the Sunday readings before Mass and take part in the Rosary before Mass as well
13) Research a new charity to give to
14) Go to Confession at least once during Lent
15) Invite the priest over on Sunday for supper. As Sunday does not count as a day of Lent, make sure the cup of coffee and the piece of dessert are humungous
Thank You for Your Generosity
May God bless all who have generously and sacrificially offered their gift to this year’s African Mission Appeal. Thank you for your loving concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Kisii, Kenya, who rely upon our diocesan mission for many of life’s fundamental needs: food; clothing; health care; education; and above all, faith. Know that there is still time to donate to this year’s appeal; take it to prayer and discern what the Lord asks of you. Remember, the Lord blesses those who serve as a blessing to others.
NFP, Myth vs. Reality
Myth: Couples who use NFP have sex less often than couples who use contraception.
Reality: Frequency of sexual intercourse is based on a couple’s intentions and desires. NFP couples have sex as much as married couples. They just have it on a different schedule, according to whether they wish to avoid pregnancy or not. When spacing births, they would abstain from sexual intercourse during the fertile time of the woman’s menstrual cycle. Keep in mind that every woman is unique and every cycle is unique, so the days of abstinence will vary. But, it’s important to ask if the “frequency” of sexual intercourse is the right measurement of fulfillment in a marital relationship. Most married couples would say that it is more important for their sexual relationship to reflect the quality of their marriage, that is, healthy, loving, intimate, and respectful. NFP can be a great help to couples who are interested in building a strong marriage because NFP supports the gift of one’s spouse, the gift of life, and God’s design for married love.
Triduum Choir
The Paschal Triduum is the heart of our liturgical year and celebrates the heart of our faith. We would like to extend an invitation to you to be a part of the Triduum choir this year. Our first practice is Wednesday, March 15, at 8:00pm.
Come share your gifts by joining the Triduum Choir!
Reminder: Altar Society Meeting March 30th at 7:00pm and membership dues are due.