Pastor's Letter

It Takes Time

As we reach the half way mark in our Lenten journey toward Easter, Jesus gives us a couple of things to think about and pray through: one involves the mystery of tragedy, the other involves our spiritual journey.  Both involve what’s happening in our heart.
 
Last week, we heard the news of the loss of life in the mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand as two faith communities gathered for prayer.  It brings to mind all the similar acts of violence that have happened going all the way back to Columbine. 
 
In the gospel, Jesus eludes to 18 innocent people who lost their life when a tower in the town of Siloam fell on them.  In those days, people of faith connected a tragedy like that with sinfulness—that perhaps they lost their lives because they greatly sinned.  But Jesus doesn’t go down that route.  Sinfulness is within all of us.  Natural tragedies, or events that aren’t the result of someone’s intent to end life but happen, are part of the human experience. They’re tragic because innocent people’s lives end short. And appropriately, we grieve because of it.
 
Jesus is concerned with the tragic events that are caused by sinfulness.  And as we know, some sin is greater than others, like the horrible violence of mass shooters that’s directly meant to end innocent life.
 
The Church has always taught that sin affects more than just the person committing it.  Sin affects all of us in some way or another.  When the mass shootings stir sadness, anger, fear, compassion, a cry for justice, or whatever emotion that arises within us, it reveals a truth about who we are as people.  Humanity is connected through God, the creator of life.  God hates sin because it creates barriers.  Now, the Ten Commandments create boundaries, that’s true, but boundaries that allow life and relationships to flourish, not end.
 
Jesus’ parable about the fig tree is a story about spiritual growth.  In the story, a person wants what looks to be a dead tree, cut down.  It’s the gardener (Jesus perhaps?) who says, “let’s wait. Let me tend to it so that it has a chance to grow.”
 
Jesus believes in the human spirit; he wants us to flourish.  Sinfulness is a part of our human life, but Jesus gives us the chance to grow and overcome it in our desire to be good people—good to others and good to ourselves, which will bring us closer to Christ. 
 
As we were planning the liturgies for Lent, one our team members put it this way: “Jesus knows our growth takes time, that it’s a process.  And it’s ok to take the time.  But Jesus also says, ‘I’m working for you, but I can’t do everything.  You have to work with me.”  Amen.  
   
Odds & Ends

• I hope you can make our Multi Parish Mission taking place Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings beginning at 7:30 PM.  We welcome our neighbors from Church of the Holy Spirit, St. Marcelline and St. Matthew. Tuesday will provide an opportunity for individual confessions—a great way to begin again.
• Please see the Cardinal’s letter about the recent abortion legislation introduced into the Illinois Congress and how we can use our voice to help the unborn.
• The St. Hubert Family Fest is April 13.  Come for dinner with your family, or consider purchasing a raffle ticket to win $5000! Proceeds will support our school.