Are you willing to be an instrument of Hope for the world? That was the question asked of you as you received ashes a few Wednesdays ago here at Holy Family to mark the beginning of the Lenten journey. How are you doing with your commitment to fulfill that promise? I encourage all of us to give extra prayerful reflection on our response to that commitment!
Additional questions for reflection include:
- How have the traditional disciplines of Lent – additional prayer, intentionality or fasting, and charity or sharing resources with those in need – helped you to be an instrument of Hope?
- How have the following words that we have processed in to church and displayed near the ambo been barriers to Hope for you?
Despair Doubt Anger
Two more will follow:
Judgment Fear
This weekend we welcome Cardinal Blase Cupich to Holy Family as the celebrant for the 9:00am Mass on Sunday. We thank him for starting the Violence Prevention Initiative, and we are proud to be the first and only (so far) parish to join him in this important endeavor. We also thank Fr. Mike Pfleger for his presence and informative presentation last Thursday evening on the “Strong Futures” program at St. Sabina and the related issues of violence. We share a vision with both of these strong leaders and continue to seek more information on our role in Violence Prevention going forward.
The Cardinal has gathered members of Catholic Charities, St. Sabina Church on the South Side of Chicago, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls and the City of Chicago in supporting programs that address some of the root causes of violence, not only in some areas of Chicago, but also here in our community.
Sue Geegan, our Director of Human Concerns, Ro Geisler, our Parish Manager and I started with some research, but members of our worship community and others have carried out the message concerning the needs of two initiatives, specifically the “Strong Futures” program at St. Sabina on Chicago’s south side in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood and “The Peace Corner” on the west side of the city in the Austin neighborhood. Both of these programs help young men by creating opportunities for them to address gang affiliation, drugs, guns and other weapons and unemployment, just to name a few, as factors contributing to violent behavior. Thank you for both considering and supporting them with your generosity so far.
Anti-Violence is our intent but our method or approach is to create Peaceful Pathways, which, again is not solely focused on violence in the city of Chicago, but forms of it right here in our area, even in our own homes and amidst our families. We will use the word “Hope” as a guide throughout the Lenten season. We want to hold up Hope in the midst of experiences and emotions such as, but not limited to, the ones listed previously. Many of you have commented that the word Hope displayed on the walls that flank the sanctuary with the associated words darkness, humanity and violence, along with the pictures of the two programs that we are supporting displayed in the back of church, have assisted you in your spiritual journey
In addition, I hope that you are noticing the growing display in the narthex which not only shares information, but makes a creative urban statement about the challenges of being an instrument of hope.
HOWEVER, as we move toward Easter I would like to encourage you to reflect on the struggles that you have experienced in being an instrument of Hope. Perhaps some of the presentations, words, prayers or images have not only touched you, but REALLY touched you. I would like to plant a seed through the words that you are reading now with an invitation for you to consider sharing how any of the messages here at Holy Family this Lent have helped you to identify barriers, impulses, unhealthy patterns, sins, mistakes, addictions and more in your life. Specifically, would you consider sharing your triumphs or other experiences of HOPE that you have experienced in the midst of those struggles? In short, would you be willing to share how you have traveled through the Paschal Mystery of suffering and death to new life with others and be a part of the Easter message of Hope Alive here in our midst? More details will follow.
Let us continue to pray for and support our Candidates and Catechumen who are on a journey towards full communion with us here at Holy Family and the Church throughout the world:
Anthony Suubi (Elect/Catechumen)
Andrea Ruetten
Amanda Cummings
Timothy Esposito
Penelope Ffitch-Heyes
Randall Gurvitz
They are on retreat along with members of the Footsteps (RCIA) Team this weekend.