Homily – Feb. 6, 2022 / 5th Sunday ● Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 ● Psalm ___ ● 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ● + Luke 5:1-11 ●
Title: Stop (Worship), Listen (Word), Look Out (Works)
__ Click Here for Audio of Homily __
__Click / Watch Video: "Mass Feb. 6, Recorded"___
[__00-b_] In the Gospel this Sunday, which I'd like to
reflect on, there are moments of -- stopping --- looking -- listening.
And I'd also like to reflect on this relative
to the annual appeal of the Archdiocese, which I will also speak about in these
in these words, God's way is not my way. And God's way is not your way. And
unfortunately, we may feel distress that this happens sometimes. And this
happens to Peter in this gospel, because Peter wants to stay in shallow waters,
and God wants to call calls him out to deep waters, Peter wants to fish only in
the dark. Jesus invites him to fish in
the light, in the brightness.
Jesus is calling Peter to go out to find what
is below what is below the
surface. Jesus is also calling Peter to find what is in the brightness to seek in the
brightness of the light. God asks all of us to stop, look and listen to search
in the brightness of His light, not in the brightness of our own light. And not to stop at the surface or be
discouraged or dissatisfied only or be only satisfied with material things,
which can be satisfied, satisfying. But Jesus wants to lead us to a greater
depth in our faith and in our love. Regarding
the annual appeal, I'm calling this listening to the Word stopping and learning
to worship and looking out with good works.
[__00-b_] [PPT_1] I’m Father Jim Ferry from Our Lady of Lourdes
and here to introduce the Annual Appeal for the Archdiocese for 2022 to you and
explain a bit about what your gifts of money to our church pay for I’m calling
this –
1.
Listening
to the Word
2.
Stopping
/ Learning to Worship
3.
Looking
out with good Works.
[__01_] [PPT_2] I have a confession to make that for some
time I have been telling you and others that before I was assigned as parish
priest to Our Lady of Lourdes of West Orange (LL-W) that I did not know where
LL-W was.
That’s not entirely true. Guilty!
I had driven in a car through our
3-way Main Street intersection several times but was so overwhelmed – as an
outsider – by the complexity of the turns and signals and lights that it took
me a while to realize that Lourdes is here.
It is no EZ Pass out there.
You have to STOP – LOOK – LISTEN.
It’s my hope here to connect our
Catholic faith and calling to STOP – LOOK – LISTEN to our responsibility to
support the church with our gifts of money and why we do so, and I’d like to
thank you and explain how your gifts support our Gospel mission.
[__02_] [PPT_3] What is our mission, for God … Father, Son and
Holy Spirit
·
LISTEN to the WORD
·
STOP / LEARN to WORSHIP
·
LOOK-OUT w/ love + good WORKS
[__03_] [PPT_4] WORD.
Jesus is the Word made flesh who dwells among
us (John 1:14)
We come to listen to his Word and receive his
Word– the Body of Christ – in Holy Communion. And, then to imitate and be like
him for others and to listen.
Who is calling you for the Word of God or
asking you to listen?
We read in Romans 10:17, “faith comes
from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.”
While it is true that actions speak louder
than words, love begins by listening to God’s Word and also listening to those
we care about.
[__04_] [PPT_5] WORSHIP.
By stopping, we learn to worship. In
the Garden and elsewhere, Jesus himself often stops to worship or wakes up his
disciples (me too) when they fall asleep. Jesus “gets”our human weakness. We are all beginners at prayer.
(Thomas Merton)
[PPT_6] We learn what to worship and what not to
worship.
Did you hear that a famous sports star
with NFL Super Bowls and MVP’s, a quarterback retired 22 years.His name is Tom
Brady. Is the
Is
he “Greatest of all Time” ?
Possibly, but it’s also possible that
we have learned to say (worship?) with this term “greatest of all time” too
casually, or learned to say “worst of all time” too casually also, regarding
both GOOD + BAD material things.
Coming to church, we learn both what
to APPROACH and what to AVOID – and to AVOID turning material things – which
are fine as they are – into idols or false gods.
We stop, to learn to worship.
Jesus teaches us to pray.
[__05_] [PPT_7] These
2 priorities of WORD and WORSHIP are what your regular weekly contribution to
Our Lady of Lourdes pays for.
We cannot and will not “charge” anyone to
receive a sacrament. While there is tuition we ask for Religious Education, for
1st Communion, Confirmation,
this does not cover the full cost.
Also, while families do make gifts to the church, on the occasion of a
weddings, a funerals, a baptism, we to welcome everyone regardless of paying.
You support listening to the the Word
and learning to WORSHIP by your regular weekly giving.
I am deeply grateful. We need your
continued support.
[__06_] [PPT_8] Your gift to the Annual Appeal also supports
Listening to the WORD and Stopping / Learning to WORSHIP, and Looking out with
good WORKS – or charity.
And, our good works or charity are meant to be RESULT of
listening to the Word, and learning to Worship.
And, the annual appeal of Archdiocese is about this as well
– examples:
[__07_] WORSHIP: Persons with Disabilities RCAN has a Mass in Essex County (and other
counties) for the hearing impaired to stop & learn to worship – including 1
Sunday Mass plus social gathering at St. John’s Newark.
WORD At the Seminary, Listening to God’s Word is a
key. The Archdiocese relies on our support for men to educate them, help them
to listen to God’s call. Father Bob
Suszko (Lourdes weekend assistant and former parochial vicar), works at our Seminary
at Seton Hall University.
WORD College Campus Ministry.
Priests of Archdiocese do
outreach – such as Father Jim Chern at Montclair State University – to build up
Catholic community on 9 campuses, so that young people may listen to the Word.
WORKS
Catholic Charities serves the most vulnerable with food, nutrition, shelter,
job training and more.
[__08__] [PPT_9] The grants and money collected through the
appeal have come back to help us at Lourdes including …
“Dig underground”/ environmentally of old oil tank.
Sealing up inside church/ caulking of church windows.
“Tearing up” – cancelling money/bills owed to Archdiocese.
This DIGGING / SEALING / TEARING = about $125,000 to
Lourdes – from Archdiocesan funds - over the past few years.
WORKS/Lookout Catholic Charities – on our property rents out
our school building to teach children with special learning needs, many of whom
are on the autistic spectrum. The rent paid by Catholic Charities to Lourdes
comprises more than one half – more than 50% of our total income. We would be
in a very different situation if we did not have this rental income.
I ask your prayerful
consideration. Our goal this year is
$28,210. We need your continued support so that we may all listen to the word
and stop / learn to worship. The Annual Appeal exists to look out for good
works that we could not do on our own.
You may also give online. (https://support.rcan.org/a/donate)
You may contact me at anytime via phone or
email with questions, or see me at church. Thank you…
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