For the past five years, I have been so blessed to be with you here at St. Elizabeth Seton Church Parish as your Pastor and also as a parishioner. My time with you has been so fulfilling, busy, enjoyable, faithful and memorable. I want to thank all of you for your great kindness, your acceptance, your faith, your co-operation and your generosity.
The most important activity that we have shared together during my years with you is our worship of the Lord each and every week. How we stand before the holy altar of the Lord and how we worship the living God on the Lord’s Day is by far the most significant action of the entire week. Coming to Mass on Sunday (or Saturday evening) is so important. Coming as we are, honestly, gratefully, sincerely, contritely and hopefully is the only way I know to try to give the Lord the glory and the praise that his holy name deserves. Coming to Mass, well prepared in mind, body, soul and conscience opens us to the divine grace and the healing mercy of the Lord. Part of our worship of the Lord is our prayer for ourselves, for our family and our loved ones as well as prayers for others in the community, state, country and world, especially the Holy Father, Pope Francis. We come to the Lord to honor him, to be blessed, to be forgiven, to be instructed, to be refreshed and to be inspired. The Lord’s Supper is where we are truly one with the Lord and with one another. Part of our worship of the heavenly Father is to offer a sacrifice and to bring a gift to the Lord. We are not to appear before the Lord empty handed; we are to come with an appropriate gift to present to the Lord from the many blessings that he has bestowed uponus. (Deuteronomy 16:16-17) The collection at Mass is essential and important in our relationship with the Lord from whom all blessings and all good things come. How generous we are reflects our trust in the Lord and his providence for us.
As a Priest and as a Pastor, I have been so blessed to share with all of you, your families and loved ones and others the power of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. At Sunday Mass, at weekday Mass, in the confessional, in baptisms, in anointing the sick, at funerals, at weddings, at Confirmation and at Ordination and in other celebrations of faith, we have all shared in how the mercy of the Savior is present to us during our lives. The older I am and as I have been a Priest for over 48 years, the more humbled I have become to stand as a Catholic Priest and be in the person of Jesus Christ, the merciful, gentle and humble High Priest. Among the most fulfilling days of the year for me as a Priest, Pastor and believer in Jesus are the two afternoons when our children made their First Holy Communion. Those Sunday afternoons were so good to my heart and my inner spirit. What an awesome honor that is mine to share the Eucharist with the children for the first time! My prayer is that the children would share in Holy Communion many, many times with their families and the parish family here at St. Elizabeth Seton.
I am so grateful to all of you, the kind, hospitable and generous parishioners of St. Elizabeth Seton Church Parish for all you are and for all you do for the Lord and for the good of St. Elizabeth Seton. We have had a wonderful spirit in the parish, we have had many enriching programs and missions, we have shared our faith, our resources and our treasure with others locally and with other groups and missionaries. I thank you for your willingness to share in a faithful, responsible and thoughtful manner. I am especially thankful for those who are involved in the many ministries of the Church, those who are on committees that encourage stewardship and leadership. My heart is deeply thankful to the Staff of the Church for all that they do, for their commitment, for their devotion, for their diligence and perseverance. And of course, I am personally appreciative for the loyal service of our three Deacons here at St. Elizabeth Seton Church Parish: Deacon Nelson Schexnayder, Deacon Michael Morrison and Deacon Ron Chauvin. For all that they do, for their willingness to serve here and in other parishes, I thank them. Our three Deacons are true Deacons, they serve the Lord and the needs of his people.
May the Lord bless you and keep you in his mercy and in his guidance. Please keep me in your prayers in the days to come; be assured that you are and you will be in my thoughts and in my prayers. In all that we do, may we indeed strive to give to the Lord, the glory, the honor, the praise and the worship that he deserves.
SHALOM!
Fr. Gary
Homework for Week June 25 – July 1
Matthew 7: 1-5
