The Big Picture

Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told…   --Habakkuk 1:5 Prefiguring Christ’s Presence

Sometimes the extraordinary can become ordinary, and the fantastic familiar. To help combat this, one of the goals of the spiritual life is to adopt the spirit of the disciples who followed Jesus in his day: it’s to watch and listen and keep utterly amazed (see Mark 9:15; 12:17; 16:5 among others; when the crowd wasn’t “utterly amazed” they were “exceedingly astonished”! For example, see Mark 10:26.)
 
It’s something to contemplate as we continue to hear Jesus talk about “being bread”.  This week we hear him add this: “whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (John 6:51).
 
In our Catholic faith, we immediately begin to think about the Last Supper when Jesus instituted the Eucharist.  We discover that the bread he gives is himself—really and truly present to us in a sacramental way.  The Eucharist is one of the ways Jesus keeps his promise that he is staying with us until he comes again. (See Matthew 28:20).
 
So when we need God in our life, as Catholics we have more than prayer.  Jesus gave us a way to physically take him in so we can be as close to him as possible.  God has done something only God can do.  Through words, ordinary bread becomes life to us.  But they’re not ordinary words, they’re Jesus Christ’s.  They are the words of life.
 
Is it too good to be true?  Yes. Sometimes a ritual becomes commonplace.  But, when we stop to contemplate what it is, we come to a simple conclusion: It’s utterly amazing!
 
An Utterly Amazing Parish
This weekend, we launch our 2020 Vision Capital Campaign—an initiative that will help us accomplish some important goals to take us into the next decade. As I mentioned before, when I came to St. Hubert to pray with you on the weekends, I truly was “utterly amazed” by the community—the way we pray together, and the way so many people are actively engaged in the work of the gospel.
 
This campus was built up by families and individuals who believed in being actively involved and working together.  In fact, we still pray and minister side by side with some of the original parishioners whose roots go back to the 1950’s.  Since the early days, the community has come together to build, add on and renovate an amazing campus that has become a center and gathering place.  We’re very blessed to have what we have. 
 
We’re no longer in an era where we need to build. Instead, the goals of this project ensure that all that’s been invested in is taken care of—brought up to code, brought up to date, and sustained so that we can continue to be empowered to live the gospel.
 
St. Hubert is a special place.  Our 2020 Vision is simply to keep us empowered doing what we are committed to doing—being God’s people, becoming God’s people and building each other up.  God is working through us. 
 
Together, we are utterly amazing.  We have 2020 Vision.