Dear friends,
This weekend’s gospel reading focuses on one of the pillars of our Christian faith, namely, kindness and hospitality. It is with sadness that we saw Father Pius move to another parish for a new pastoral experience within our diocese.
On behalf of our parish family, we bid farewell to Fr. Pius assuring him that Holy Cross will always be his home parish. We will miss him, and we will continue to pray for him and his ministry.
Now back to the gospel reading. Jesus challenges our ways of looking at each other today. First of all, he wants us to see in every person in front of us nothing else but a messenger. And a messenger represents the sender. In our context the sender is no one else but the Lord himself. For he says, you did not chose me, but I chose you and commissioned you to go, and bear fruits which last. Thus, for us as disciples of the Lord, hospitality is the first step.
Have you thought about the impact you could have on someone just by sharing your smile and showing him or her concern? Imagine someone coming for the first time to Holy Cross and encountering or experiencing that broad and genuine smile with outstretched hands welcoming him or her at our church. That is the welcoming spirit Jesus would like us to cultivate and implement in our parish. That is the kind of church the Lord wanted and still wants us to be.
Today is the first Sunday of the month. It is Name Tag Sunday in our parish. This is one way to work towards community building as we strive to know each other and to break the glass of indifference and introversion. As we turn towards one another to interact with one another, we are no longer anonymous but brothers and sisters who call themselves by their names to build a church of living stones.
Let us pray that the Lord nay continue to strengthen us on this discipleship path as he transforms us through this holy encounter with him in the celebration of the Eucharist. The Lord embraces us here to afford us the opportunity to embrace one another. And let us continue to pray for one another and for our parish family.
Happy Independence Day Weekend, and may God bless America!
Fr. Emery