Welcome Karen McHale to our Family Faith Staff
Please join me in welcoming Karen McHale as our new Family Faith Religious Education Coordinator. She and her husband, Michael, have been parishioners for several years and they have four children – Michael, Brendan, Margaret and Kevin. Karen has been a Catechist for the past six years and she brings many organizational talents with her through her extensive involvement with the city of Rolling Meadows. Welcome, Karen!
Looking Back
Last week I mentioned some resources in my homily to address toxic polarization in our nation, our church and our world. They are:
• A Book: The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization by Peter T. Coleman, 2021. Published by Columbia University Press. This is a resource for healthy conflict resolution and listening.
• A Non-Profit: Story Core founded by David Isay. This organization is dedicated to sharing stories of Americans from a very diverse group of backgrounds. It is a resource for story-sharing and expressing that we are not as different as we think.
• The Acronym THINK – When we talk with others with differing views, we should ask ourselves if what we say is: True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind. This is a resource for increased respect and decreased meanness
• The Eucharist (Mass): A deeply spiritual way to regularly celebrate so many things, including our commonality as the Body of Christ, and what Mother Theresa said, “We belong to each other.”
Looking Ahead
We hear more challenging words from this section of the Gospel of Luke this week. The question is asked to Jesus, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” His answer is that many will attempt, but will not be strong enough to enter the Kingdom of God. He indicates that many will seek to have the door opened, but will be looking in from the outside. He ends with the admonition, “Behold, some who are last will be first and some who are first will be last.”
Once again, physical images are used to make a profoundly spiritual point. They include the narrow door, eating and drinking, teaching in the streets and the four directions – North, South, East and West – are used to paint a picture that is critical to the challenge. These physical entities represent things that might lull us into assuming that we have some connection with Christ. Even the mention of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob represent the lineage of salvation (Abraham as father, Isaac as son, Jacob as grandson) and, particularly in Jacob’s case, someone who has reformed, reconciled and has converted from behavior that is contrary to admission in the kingdom.
Keep in mind that this message is first told to the earliest followers of Jesus and he must emphasize the challenge of following him. Similar to last week’s Gospel, some people will really believe in the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ, and some will not.
I believe that it is all about our belief in – and our living out – the Paschal Mystery. Can we look at our own sufferings and deaths through the lens of faith in our Triune God and be led to new life in whatever form that takes?
A Little Bit About Work
In our first reading this weekend from Isaiah (66:18-21) the Lord says through the great prophet, “I know their works and their thoughts.” Scripture is filled with the wide and varied use of the word works. It means activity, among other things, and this passage implies that God is watching our work. Other passages focus on the goodness of our work and even our partnership with God in our good work.
Ministry Spotlight
R.C.I.A . (The Rite for the Christian Initiation of Adults)
I believe that we all know someone who may be interested in becoming Catholic. The RCIA is the best of adult education, combining information with guidance, community building and a safe place to both share and grow in faith. Please know that there is no pressure whatsoever to become Catholic; rather adult learning about Catholicism followed by an adult decision to choose full initiation into the Catholic Church. We are hosting an information session on Wednesday, August 24 at 7:00pm in Breakout Room 1. Please contact Mary Whiteside at mwhiteside@holyfamilyparish.org