The First Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving in America was celebrated in St. Augustine in Florida when a Spanish priest said the first Mass on the newly discovered continent. That would have been about a century before the Pilgrims landed.

The word eucharist is a Greek word that means thanksgiving. Its root, from which our word charity is derived, literally means a gift of love, in particular a gift of divine love. The earliest Fathers of the Church used the word Eucharist to describe the Sacrifice of the Mass. Holy Eucharist means Holy Thanksgiving.

The Mass consists of two parts: a liturgy of the Word, and a Liturgy of the Eucharist. The second part begins with the Offertory. Members of the congregation, representing the entire assembly, bring up the gifts of bread and wine that will be offered to the Father. What is the purpose of the procession? What is the nature of these gifts?

It is a natural thing for people who have been blessed or gifted to want to give back. As the Psalmist says, “What return shall I make to the Lord for all that He has given me?” Here we have the basic reason for attendance at Mass. We come not to get something out of it but to try to give thanks to the Lord for all that we have been given.

What can we give back? A few dollars? A tenth of all we earn? What do a few coins or pieces of paper matter to the Creator who has given us every good thing? The only thing we have of any real value is our immortal soul. Again the Psalmist says, “a soul contrite and humble You will not spurn.” Ultimately, the gift that we bring to the altar at the Offertory is the gift of our very selves, the promise that we will give our whole life in service to God and our neighbor.

After the Offertory procession the priest goes up to the altar and prays that the bread might become “the bread of life,” and that the wine might become “our spiritual drink.” Then he prays that our sacrifice “may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”

Please note that it is “our” sacrifice. The priest acts as our agent, our representative, our ambassador in presenting our offering to the Father. Will the offering of ourselves be acceptable?

After the completion of the Offertory, the priest begins the Eucharistic or Thanksgiving prayer. He asks us to “lift up our hearts,” and says, Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Thanksgiving is the theme of all that follows. In the Preface we pray: “Father, it is our duty and our salvation…to give you thanks through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.”

Again, is our gift worthy? The priest understands his own unworthiness and introduces a new priest or ambassador. “We come to you Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son. Through Him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice.” In other words, our gift, our sacrifice, the gift of our very selves must be merged with the gift of our Lord, with His own Sacrifice on the Cross.

We then proceed to the Consecration of the Mass. The words of consecration in our missals were being used by the earliest Christians even before they were written down by the four Evangelists and St. Paul. Our Lord had said to “do this in remembrance of Me.” When we hear the words of Consecration we are taken back to that first Eucharist which our Lord celebrated on Holy Thursday. When the priest pronounces the words of Consecration not only does the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, the celebrant becomes Christ. We believe that at every Mass it is our Lord himself who is he celebrant, our agent, our ambassador.

If we believe this, we have been given a great gift, the gift of Faith. At the end of the Eucharistic prayer we join in the acclamation or “Great amen.” Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father.”

Now we can proceed to Communion. We have brought our gifts to the altar. The sacrifice has been offered and accepted and now we publicly prepare to receive back more than we could ever give—the Body and Blood of Christ. To prepare ourselves we first recite the Lord’s Prayer to ask for forgiveness and healing. In the Rite of Peace we offer the Kiss of Peace to our neighbors as a sign of reconciliation.

Just before the reception of Communion we say two more prayers asking for peace and forgiveness. First, the ancient Agnus Dei or Lamb of God, and then we paraphrase the words of the roman centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” Now we are ready to receive the body and Blood of the Lord.

After Communion there is very little left to be done in church. Our Eucharist or thanksgiving has been accepted. Our gifts have been returned to us a hundredfold. The priest dismisses us telling us to “Go in the peace of Christ to love and serve the Lord.” We have been transformed and now we are dismissed to go and transform the little corner of the world in which we live. ###

You are the Christ

Simon of Cyrene
Bears the Cross
Assumption Church
Fifth station
Fairfield, CT

                 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                                  

          

In this Sunday’s first reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah, the speaker is the famous suffering servant who has always been identified with Jesus.

I gave my back to those who beat me,

My cheeks to those who plucked my beard;

My face I did not shield

From buffets and spitting.

Isaiah’s account of the suffering servant serves as an introduction to today’s gospel. It has always been believed that the evangelist Mark was a protégé of St. Peter who plays a prominent role in today’s account. Mark was not present and it is possible that his account is based on Peter’s remembrance. Walking along to the villages of the area of Caesarea Philippi, our Lord engages in conversation and asks his disciples for some feedback. “Who do people say that I am?”, he asks. They mention some names they have heard but then Jesus asks what they think?

It is Peter who replies, “You are the Christ.” They must have been shocked when Jesus then explains that his mission is to suffer and be killed, and then rise after three days. Peter can’t believe it and rebukes Jesus. Rebuke was a very strong word in those days. It’s like a Marine sergeant dressing down a new recruit. But Jesus rebukes Peter. “Get behind me Satan,” meaning, get out of my way.

Today people like to think of Jesus as a wise and good man who performed many good works. Even non-Christians regard him as one of the greatest men in history. However, he made it clear that that is not what he is. He is the Christ who has come to give his life for the world. Not only that, Jesus insisted that our mission was like his.

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,

Take up his cross, and follow me.”

What does it mean to take up one’s cross? Recently, I attended a funeral service in a local Baptist church. The small church was packed for the deceased woman had made many friends in her 58 years. There were traditional hymns and beautiful scripture readings and then the pastor gave a very fine sermon. He noted the woman’s extraordinary life of service to others, and even wondered if her own life had been shortened by her lack of concern for her own well-being.

The pastor then reminded the congregation that despite all of the woman’s good works, it was not those works that had merited her salvation. It is Jesus who saves and it was the woman’s belief in Jesus that saved her. I thought to myself that I am in a Catholic church for the pastor was preaching traditional Catholic doctrine although religious propaganda wars have tended to exaggerate the differences between Catholics and Protestants on the importance of faith and good works.

But who is a believer? At one point in the gospels Jesus said that not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. At another point, he told the story of the man who asked his two sons to work in the family vineyard. One said “yes” but never showed up. The other initially said “no”, but then changed his mind and did the work. Which one was the believer? Isn’t it obvious that it was the one who did the work.

That is the message of today’s second reading from the letter of St. James. No one knew Jesus better than the Apostle James. Scholars identify him with the James who was present at the Lord’s Transfiguration, who became the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and then died a martyr’s death. Here is the wisdom of James.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,If someone says he has faith but does not have works?Can that faith save him?...Indeed someone might say,“You have faith and I have works.”Demonstrate your faith to me without works,And I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

The woman commemorated in the Baptist church dedicated her life to the service of others. She demonstrated her faith through her works. How is it possible for billions of people in China to be saved if they have never even heard the name of Jesus? Isn’t it possible today that many people who think they have rejected Jesus are even doing his work and bearing his cross in their daily lives? So, there really is no separation between faith and good works. They are not opposed. Taking up your cross and bearing it is the work of faith. ###

 Reading 1.  Isaiah 50: 4c-9a

Reading II. James 2: 14-18

Gospel. Mark 8: 27-35 (Get behind me, Satan)

           

           

           

           

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Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

                                   

                                    

Crowning of Mary
Assumption Church
Fairfield, CT*

In 1950 when the world was still recovering from the ravages of the Second World War, Pope Pius XII promulgated the doctrine which we celebrate today, the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. Now Catholics didn't start believing in the Assumption only in 1950. Think of how many churches were constructed before 1950 dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. Belief in Mary's Assumption can be found in the writings of the early Church Fathers and for centuries artists have delighted in rendering the scene of Mary being taken up into Heaven.

Of course, Catholics have always loved images of Mary. In today's first reading we have the famous image from the Book of Revelation of "the woman clothed with the sun" who was about to give birth to a son, "destined to rule all the nations." In today's gospel we have St. Luke's famous account of the Visitation. Almost immediately after the Annunciation Mary embarks on a journey to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who is herself expecting. Artists have loved to portray this tender scene of the meeting of the two women. The young Mary, barely pregnant, greets her elder cousin whose pregnancy is well advanced.

St. Luke is the only evangelist to describe this meeting but, of course, he wasn't present. How did he get his information? It's possible that he was merely relating an earlier oral tradition and giving us an account of what the early Church believed Mary would have said on this occasion. Perhaps he talked with the Blessed Mother herself after the death and resurrection of her Son. In that event, this passage would represent her profound recollection of the Visitation in the light of everything that came after.

Nevertheless, what image does St. Luke give us of Mary? We certainly can't take from his account that Mary was a bewildered, frightened teenager. The very name, Mary or Miriam, means "the exalted one." Scholars tell us that the expression "leaped for joy" is only used in the Bible when one is in the presence of the Almighty, such as the time King David danced in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Elizabeth's greeting,

            Blessed are you among women,

            and blessed is the fruit of your womb...

which we repeat every day in the "Hail Mary," proclaims that from Mary will come the Savior of the world.

The beautiful prayer of Mary which we call the Magnificat is a collection of verses from many sources in the Hebrew scriptures, especially the Psalms, those beautiful hymns of praise. We all know the beginning,

            My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

            my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

            for he has looked upon his lowly servant.

            From this day all generations will call me blessed:

This is the song of a great Queen who has accepted a great mission.

In artistic renderings of the Immaculate Conception Mary is portrayed as the woman clothed with the Sun, with the Moon at her feet, and stars in her crown. Her dress is white but she is covered with a blue mantle. Ordinarily, she is pictured with a red dress covered with the blue mantle. Now "red" is the symbol of earth or humanity but "blue" is the symbol of divinity. The artists follow the teaching of the Church. Mary is human but she has been cloaked with immortality. In the vigil Mass for today's feast, the words of St. Paul apply not only to Mary but to any who put on the mantle of her Son.

            When that which is mortal clothes itself with immortality,

            then the word that is written shall come about:

            'Death is swallowed up in victory.

            Where, O death, is your victory?

            Where, O death, is your sting?'

 Reading 1. Revelation 11: 19a; 12: 1-6a, 10ab

Reading II. 1 Corinthians 15: 20-27

Gospel. Luke 1: 39-56 (Visitation)

        

         

           

           

      

           

           

           

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Transfiguration of the Lord

                                    

Transfiguration,
Assumption Church
Fairfield CT*

The gospel account of the Transfiguration is always used on the second Sunday in Lent, but the actual feast, the Transfiguration of the Lord, is celebrated on August 6. The morning prayer taken from Psalm 76 sets out the theme of the day. 

God is made known in Judah, In Israel his name is great.         

The morning prayers also include the account from Exodus of God’s appearance to Moses on Mt. Sinai, as well as the famous Canticle of Zechariah from Luke’s gospel.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to his peole and set them free
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
Born of the house of his servant David

            

In the Mass itself the first reading is from the Book of the Prophet Daniel and Daniel’s vision has always been seen to prefigure Jesus. Daniel saw:

One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; when he reached the ancient One and was presented before him, The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory and kingship...

This reading reminds us of St. Mark’s account today of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Jesus is far along in His mission when the event occurs. He has given the Sermon on the Mount, healed the sick, driven out devils, and raised the daughter of Jairus Earlier Jesus had fed the multitude with five loaves and two fishes. After this incredible miracle, He asks the disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" Peter answers, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Our Lord commends Peter and says, "thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church. But then He reveals the mission of the Christ:

            From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem

            and suffer many things...and be put to death, and on the third day rise again.

Characteristically, Peter cannot accept this shocking news and our Lord rebukes him--"get behind me Satan"

Immediately after this prophecy of our Lord's suffering and death, we go to the scene of the Transfiguration where we get a  glimpse of the Resurrection. "Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John. and led them up a high mountain by themselves," just as He would later do in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the mountain,

            he was transfigured before them,

            and his clothes became dazzling white,

            such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

Then two great figures from the history of Israel appear to Jesus and converse with Him. In his account St. Luke tells us that Jesus was speaking with them of the "exodus" that He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. The word "exodus" is full of meaning. Moses led the Israelites out of slavery to the promised land--Jesus was about to do the same for us. Older translations say that Jesus was speaking of "his death, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem." But what does death and rising from the dead have to do with this glorious event?

Mark tells us that as they were coming down from the mountain Jesus told the there Apostles not to tell the vision to anyone until “the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” They were obviously confused but Mark tells us that “they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.” Of course, Mark wasn’t present at the Transfiguration but he must have gotten his information from his mentor, Peter. 

Today's second reading is from Peter’s second letter where he specifically recalls the event of the Transfiguration, and relates it to all that followed.

We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “this is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.             .

Nevertheless they could not stay on the mountain. Jesus came down to continue his mission, his own exodus, and so too did Peter. It is our mission as well. Right before the Transfiguration, after Jesus had spoken of his crucifixion, He told the disciples and us that we must also bear our cross.

If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For he who would save his life will lose it; but he who loses his life for my sake will save it. for what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but ruin or lose himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory...

The morning prayer for today's feast includes this little hymn.

'Tis good, Lord, to be here!
Your glory fils the night;
Your face and garments, like the sun,
Shine with unborrowed light.
'Tis good, Lord, to be here!
Your beauty to behold,
where Moses and Elijah stand,
Your messengers of old.
'Tis good, Lord, to be here!
Yet we may not remain;
But since you bid us leave the mount,
Come with us to the plain. 

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*Image by Melissa DeStefano

 Reading 1. Daniel: 7: 9-10, 13-14

Reading II. 2 Peter 1:16-19

Gospel. Mark 9:2-10 (Transfiguration)