Pastor’s Letter: September 15, 2024

Pastor’s Letter: September 15, 2024

13 Sep 2024 | Posted by: chadmin

Dear St. Philomena Parish Family,

Blessed day to you all—I hope everyone is carrying their crosses well today! If that sounds like a strange greeting…let me back up a bit. Many years ago now, I had the opportunity to travel with Fr. David and a group of friends to the Holy Land for a pilgrimage. Even though there was a great deal of travel involved, security checkpoints in multiple places, different culture, and many other new things, it was one of the most peaceful and fruitful trips I’ve ever taken. To walk in the places that Jesus walked…to experience the dusty terrain…to be in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, etc., was an amazing opportunity that really brought the Scriptures to life in a unique way. Out of many memorable experiences, the one that continues to stand out to me in a unique way—carrying a wooden cross through the city, following the footsteps of Jesus on the way to the place where He gave Himself in sacrifice so our hearts could be free. In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus asks us to carry the cross and follow Him. So…let’s go back to that first question….how is it going with carrying your cross?

The next of the Five Foundations for our Diocese we are going to review through is Discipleship. Who is a disciple? A disciple is one who learns from, follows, and conforms his or her life to another. So, Christian discipleship involves following Jesus Christ. We follow the teachings of Jesus; they guide our life, and help us to know what we should do in any given situation. As the US Bishops have taught, discipleship is a commitment that is not just lived in a single moment…or even a series of moments…but is an entire way of life. Being a true disciple of Jesus means committing our entire lives to Him. If we understand that, it shouldn’t surprise us then that carrying the cross is part of following Jesus. He did it, so we also do it.

How do we become disciples? Very simply, we are called and invited by Jesus to follow Him. If we think of the stories of the apostles, Jesus comes to meet them where they are at: Peter, Andrew, James, and John were in their fishing boats; Matthew was at the tax collector’s table, etc. In the midst of their encounter, Jesus asks them to follow him. The Gospels tell us that they immediately left everything—they left behind their old lives, their old patterns of living.  Peter, Andrew, James, and John even left behind their boats and fishing gear…the Gospels even tell us James and John left their father by the seashore and followed Jesus. That kind of commitment in a moment might sound like a lot to us, but realizing the magnitude of the commitment helps us realize discipleship is not casual friendship. It isn’t just an occasional check in…it truly becomes a way of life. The apostles stayed with Jesus, traveled with Him, listened to Him, watched Him perform miracles…over time their hearts became more and more like His. More and more their hearts were prepared for what Jesus would ask of them. Of course they weren’t perfect, the Gospels tell us that from time time…like next weekend’s Gospel where they argue about who was the greatest. But in the midst of life together, Jesus continues to invite them to trust Him, live in His love, share that love together.

Jesus gives us the very same kind of invitation. Jesus says to us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened…” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus promises us rest.  He asks us to live in His love (John 15:9).  And he asks us to follow Him. As the Bishops highlighted, mature disciples make a firm decision to follow Jesus no matter what the cost. It means committing our whole lives to Jesus. It means living charity, generosity, mercy, and sacrifice—living in accord with what He taught us.  It means carrying the cross. But it also means that we are never alone! If we entrust ourselves to Jesus, then we have decided to live with the one who loves us best. We have decided to remain with the one who promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). For us as followers of Jesus, we can be confident in all things because we know we are strengthened by the love of Jesus. We can be confident in carrying the cross because we know He is with us. We can also be hopeful in sharing in the victory of the Resurrection and the peace of Heaven. If you have been carrying your cross for a while, take joy in knowing you are with Him. If you have been taking a break, maybe it is time to pick it back up. If you have been waiting for a while, ask Jesus to help you trust that He is with you.  Know of my prayers for you all this week!

In Christ,

Father Luke