April 2004
April 24, 2004
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Have you read the comments of Cardinal Arinze in Rome regarding John Kerry’s receiving communion in Catholic churches? In response to a reporter’s question, Arinze said that it is objectively clear that Kerry is “not fit” to receive the eucharist on account of his stand on abortion rights. Arinze aligns himself here with St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke who has declared that he would deny Kerry communion should the senator present himself to receive the sacrament in the archbishop’s diocese. The American bishops have established a committee to study how they should relate to Catholics in public positions. Susan Gibbs, spokesperson for Cardinal Theodore McCarrick (archbishop of Washington, D.C. and chair of the bishops’ task force on these issues) said that McCarrick is unlikely to deny communion to Kerry or any other public figure who contradicts church teaching. “Your goal is to bring them into the faith, not push them away,” Gibbs said. Cardinal McCarrick’s approach is not only less reactionary but is also more faithful to the nature of the eucharist than is Archbishop Burke’s stance.
Efforts and measures that make a battle ground of the eucharist or, worse yet, some kind of reward for orthodox political views, are contrary to the nature of the eucharist and will most likely weaken and not strengthen the church’s position on issues as important as the right to life. The comments of Cardinal Arinze and Archbishop Burke feed the notion that some are worthy of receiving the eucharist and others are not when the plain truth is that none of us is worthy of receiving the body and blood of Christ. We affirm this every time we come to communion when we say, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” We make this confession, this protestation of unworthiness, but then approach the table to receive a gift we have neither earned nor merited but which is, rather, God’s gracious gift to us sinners.
The first eucharist was shared by Jesus with those who would, within hours, betray, deny and abandon their Lord in his time of greatest need. Here there was no test of orthodoxy or fidelity: Jesus did not even withhold the eucharist from Judas, his betrayer. From the beginning, the eucharist has always been given to offer mercy, to nourish conversion in the hearts of sinners and to deepen the unity of the Holy Spirit among those who share in the Passover meal of the new covenant in Christ’s blood. We believe that the eucharist is our sacramental sharing in the sacrifice of the cross, a sacrifice offered for sinners, offered precisely for and to those unworthy of so great a gift.
I am not suggesting here that we approach communion carelessly, nor that we invite anyone at all to join us, as if there were nothing sacred there to recognize and receive. Neither do I mean to downplay the need for and efficacy of contrition, penance and the sacrament of reconciliation - all of which are vital components of the spiritual life of Catholic Christians. Least of all do I seek to defend or promote any politician’s views or sacramental practice. My effort here is simply to clarify some of our ideas about the gift of the eucharist in our lives. Without question it is a healthy spiritual exercise, in preparation for receiving the eucharist, to reflect on one’s moral life, one’s prayer life, one’s generosity in charity and forgiveness and -when necessary- to leave our gift at the altar until we go to be reconciled with our neighbor. Understanding the vital connections (and disconnections!) between one’s daily life and one’s communion at the Lord’s table is fundamental to our understanding of the place of the eucharist in the life of the church community and in the lives of its individual members. Such self-inventory reveals both our need for conversion and for the eucharist whose sacred food nourishes in us an even deeper change of heart. Approaching the Lord’s table to receive the eucharist should give each of us pause, every time we do so.
The Pope’s theme for the millennial celebration in 2000 was “Open Wide The Doors!” Have we so quickly forgotten the Holy Father’s prayer for the third millennium? Unfortunately, the church seems, in a number of ways, to be doubling the guard at the doors if not closing them outright. Whatever might be the good intentions of our church leaders, the message being heard by many is that the Catholic community is more and more closed and judgmental, not open and affirming. Since we believe that we have, in Christ, a truth which sets us free we must ask: how can we best invite others to hear that truth? to understand and learn it? to share in that truth with us and make it part of our common life? Is the truth well served by isolating ourselves from those who do not understand or accept it? from those who reject it? Or is the open door the better way to welcome others to hear what Christ offers through his body, the church? What is lost in guarding and closing the doors to our table? What is gained in “opening wide the doors?” Does wisdom lie in the difference?
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
So many people contributed to the beauty of our Holy Week services: our dedicated sacristy workers who do double and triple duty at this time of year (and the men who joined them for special tasks in preparation for these holy days); our music ministers who never fail to use their gifts to deepen our experience of prayer; our readers and ministers of the eucharist who offer us the Lord’s presence in word and sacrament and who brought communion to the homebound in this holy season; our altar servers and ushers who serve quietly in our midst week after week; our faithful collection counters; our parish initiation team, our catechist for children’s baptism, and our Sunday dismissal teams for our younger members; those who baked for our post-Easter Vigil reception; and our faithful hosts for coffee and donuts after the 9:30 liturgy - especially nice last Sunday outdoors!
The liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil are the most important on the church calendar, are celebrated only once a year and have a beauty not equaled by any other feasts or season. I was as disappointed in the smaller congregations who participated in these services as I was thrilled by the overflow crowds on Easter Sunday morning. At the risk of boasting, I believe our Holy Week liturgies are among the most beautiful celebrated in the archdiocese of Boston. I say that not to brag, but simply to clearly indicate what a wonderful opportunity so many of you are missing. I need to work harder next year at warmly welcoming you to these services. If you were with us in Holy Week - please share with your friends what the liturgies meant to you and encourage them to join us in 2005!
Our Evening Prayer services on the Sundays of Lent and on Easter Sunday night were oases of prayer and peace for those who joined us. I’m grateful to Ellen Oak for her participation in cantoring, presiding and preaching at these liturgies of candle light, incense, song and prayer.
During the Easter season we will sing the Eucharistic Prayer at those liturgies
when other sacraments (baptism/first communion) are not being celebrated.
When singing the eucharistic prayer, we will observe the more ancient practice
of standing for the whole prayer. My Holy Week homilies are posted on the
parish website at www.olhc.org.
Sincerely,
Fr. Fleming
////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Peter, Paul and Mary in Concord???
(Well, Paul and Mary won’t be here)
- BUT - Peter Yarrow will be!
What? A concert for all ages! Where? Concord-Carlisle High School Auditorium
When? May 5, 7:00 p.m. How Much? Just $5.00 for adults - children are free!
You and your family are invited to this special performance celebrating
Operation Respect
sponsored by Network for Women’s Lives
(Our Lady Parish is a co-sponsor!)
TICKETS: 978-318-1540
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||