Dear friends,
This weekend we celebrate “Catechetical Sunday,” and the theme is “This is my body given for you” (Luke 22:19). This is the opportunity we are afforded to reflect not only on the wonderful work of our catechists, but also on the mystery of the “Great Commissioning”; a reflection upon our own baptism promises.
In our parish family, Catechetical Sunday is the great kick off for our Faith Formation Program as well as the commitment to our Annual pastoral Ministry. We reflect on the meaning of the mission Christ has entrusted to all of us. Hence, we define ourselves here through our Parish Mission statement as “A Community of the disciples of Christ called to be witnesses to the glorious victory of the Cross.”
This mission statement is the roadmap for our commitment as followers of Christ here at Holy Cross. I am inviting all of us as individuals as well as community to reflect on the implication and the meaning of our Parish Mission Statement.
First of all we are “A Community.” This means that we make a family founded by and around the Eucharistic Christ. As such, we care for one another because we see only Christ in each other. A Community is made of individuals who accept to die to oneself for the sake of the kingdom. A grain of wheat, if it does not die will remain, but if it dies, it bears fruits, says the Lord. Out of many, Christ has made us one community, one family.
Secondly, we are “disciples of Christ.” The word disciple means learner. So we learn from Christ as we strive to follow on His footsteps. For we are “called” as Christ said, “It is not you who chose you, but I who chose you and commissioned you; so that you may go and fruit…” Christ calls each one of us to embark on that mission, which is His own, because it is “Missio Dei,” “God’s Mission,” not our own to make.
The fact that it is “God’s Mission” brings to light the truth about the purpose of the call we have heard from the Lord. We are “called to be witnesses.” A disciple bears witness to His Master and His Mission. The victory of the aforesaid mission is revealed on the tree of the Cross where the Lord won and still wins over death and the powers of evil. “You are my witnesses,” says the Lord.
Friends, this journey is the one I would like all of us to embark on throughout this Pastoral year here at Holy Cross. Our Parish Mission Statement is a reminder of who we are meant to be as well as what we are called to do. Reflecting and meditating on it at the beginning of this pastoral year gives us an impulse to get committed to serving God and those he sends us to minister to. It helps us as individuals and community to respond to the question: “Who do you say that you are?” Today we are called once more to move from being a maintenance church to a missionary church with intentional disciples.
Let us continue to pray for one another and for our parish family.
Fr. Emery