September 11, 2016

 Last Sunday, September 4, Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa of Calcutta in a memorable ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This week for my note in the bulletin, I would like to use most of the Pope’s sermon about St. Teresa of Calcutta:

“Following Jesus is a serious task, and at the same time, one filled with joy; it takes a certain daring and courage to recognize the divine Master in the poorest of the poor and those who are cast aside, and to give oneself in their service.  In order to do so, it is out of love for Jesus that we serve the poor and the needy, do not expect any thanks or recompense. And each one of us can say, ‘Just as the Lord has come to meet me and has stooped down to my level in my hour of need, so too do I go to meet Him, bending low before those who have lost faith or who live as though God did not exist, before young people without values or ideals, before families in crisis, before the ill and the one imprisoned, before refugees and immigrants, before the weak and defenseless in body and spirit, before abandoned children, before the elderly who are on their own.  Wherever someone is reaching out, asking for a helping hand in order to get up, this is where our presence, and the presence of the Church which sustains and offers hope, must be.’ And I do this, keeping alive the memory of those times when the Lord’s hand reached out to me when I was in need.

Mother Teresa in all aspects of her life was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through her welcome and defense of human life, those unborn and those abandoned and discarded. She was committed to defending life, ceaselessly proclaiming that ‘the unborn are the weakest, the smallest, most vulnerable.’ She bowed down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity; she made her voice heard before the powers of this world, so that they might recognize their guilt for the crime, the crimes!, of poverty they created.  For Mother Teresa, mercy was the ‘salt’ which gave flavor to her work, it was the ‘light’ which shone in the darkness of the many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and suffering.

Mother Teresa’s mission to the culture and to the times in which we live remains for us an eloquent witness to God’s closeness to the poorest of the poor. Today, I pass on this emblematic figure of womanhood and of consecrated life to the whole world of volunteers: may she be your model of holiness! I think, perhaps, we may have some difficulty in calling her ‘Saint Teresa;’ her holiness is so near to us, so tender and so fruitful that we continue to spontaneously call her ‘Mother Teresa.’

May, this tireless worker of mercy, help us increasingly to understand that our only criterion for action is gratuitous love, free from every ideology and all obligations, offered freely to everyone without distinction of language, culture, race or religion. Mother Teresa loved to say, ‘Perhaps, I don’t speak their language, but I can smile.’ Let us carry our smile in our hearts and give it to those whom we meet along our journey, especially those who suffer. In this way, we will open up opportunities of joy and hope for our many brothers and sisters who are discouraged and who stand in need of understanding and tenderness.”

Beginning today and for the coming weeks, the second reading for Mass will be from the two Letters of St. Paul to his young protégé, Timothy.  Take a look at those Letters and learn more about St. Paul and his relationship with Timothy whom he had brought to the Lord Jesus.  In our reading today, St. Paul honestly admits to Timothy how he persecuted the early followers of Jesus and how mercifully the Lord treated him until and after he saw the light on the road to Damascus.  St. Paul’s sincerity and contrition are so helpful to us to face our own sinfulness and trust in the mercy, the patience and the forgiveness of Jesus, the Savior, Teacher, Shepherd and Redeemer.  Like St. Paul, may we see how trustworthy is the saying: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

My appreciation, to the many, many of you, who were so generous in supporting the Special Collection last weekend for the Flood Victims.  You gave over $15,000! Wow!! May the Lord bless you for your goodness of heart and your willingness to share with those in need.  My love, best wishes, prayers and gratitude to you and to your loved ones for who you are, for all you do for the Lord and for all you do for the good of St. Elizabeth Seton Church Parish.
SHALOM!

Fr. Gary

Homework for the week of Sept 11 - Sept 17
Philippians 2:1-11