27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B - October 7, 2012

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27th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Cycle B

October 7, 2012         All 8 Masses

Saint Margaret Parish, Bel Air

Michael

There’s a little story about a young man named – oddly enough – Michael.

Michael woke up one Sunday, tired and grouchy.  He blurted out to his mother, “I’m not going to church this morning.” 

His mother asked why not.  Michael snapped back, “I just don’t want to go.”

His mother continued, “Well, there has to be some reason.”  Again, Michael responded, “I just don’t feel like it today.”

His mother came back again.  “Look Michael, that’s ridiculous. 

“Besides, you have no choice.  You’re the pastor, so get moving.”

Why I Am Here Today

Well, unlike the Michael in the story, today I am happy to be here with you.

And yes, I am giving my annual talk on the offertory collection.  But what makes this enjoyable for me is that fundamentally it is really about Saint Margaret’s and the faith community we have developed together.

Programs, Services, Opportunities

For example, today one of the things I think about is our marriage preparation program.  Jesus in today’s gospel says that the bond between husband and wife is to be as enduring as God’s love is for us. 

Here at Saint Margaret’s we try to promote this by making marriage preparation a priority.  We have 18 sponsor couples who prepare other couples for marriage in a personal, one-on-one setting.

Then we priests and deacons plan the wedding ceremony with the couples and make this an experience of faith.  It is a helpful and enriching program.

Today I also think of the FiRE House that we opened this past year.  The parish for many years has owned a ranch home next to the Saint Margaret property.

With a few changes and a lot of splashy, bright paint, we converted that into a center for our high school youth.  Some of our young adults named this the FiRE House and that stands for Finding the Road to Emmaus.

Today I am also thinking of our outreach to those in need.  We host 5 Twelve-Step substance abuse programs here, including one for families – called Families Anonymous.

Today I also recall a middle-age man who thanked me for our ministry to the hospital.  When he was in Upper Chesapeake, each day one of our Eucharistic Ministers visited and brought him Communion and he found that so very helpful as he went through his treatments.

I could say a lot more about our parish, like the 31 adult faith groups, the 900 children and youth in faith formation, and the 700 children in our school.  We can be very proud of so many things.

    

Offertory Giving

Now, of course, we do need financial support for all of this.

You have been quite generous and I am very grateful to all of you.  Without your generosity, all of this would not be possible.

This weekend, I am asking us to renew our financial commitment.  Our budget for this year that we began on July 1 is balanced at $3 million.

It is well-thought out and tight, almost the same bottom line as last year’s.  So here is what I am thinking and what I want to ask.  

My Request

We are all aware of the troubled economy in our country. 

So I assume that some of us because of personal circumstances will not be able to contribute as much as we have been giving.  And I assume that some of us will be able to maintain our present level of giving but not increase it.

Given that, I am asking those of us who can to increase our giving to the offertory by 3% or even more if that is appropriate for us.  This will enable us to continue all of our programs and services and ministries. 

I also ask all of us, regardless of our level of giving, to complete a commitment card.  This card is a good-faith expression of what we intend to give and it also enables us to make sure that our budget is realistic. 

I mailed the card with my letter to you this past week and maybe you have already completed it.  If not, I would ask that you complete a card right now and drop it in the collection basket – there are cards and pencils available.

Conclusion

I thank you for your consideration of my request.

As I leave, I am reminded of another anecdote.  One day, a little girl and her mother stopped into church.

The mother said that she wanted to pray for just a few minutes.  So the mother knelt and prayed and the little girl was trying her best to be patient.

Finally, she tapped her mother on the shoulder and said, “When will that red light up there turn green so we can go?”  Well, it hasn’t turned green, but it is time for me to go.

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle B - September 30, 2012

PODCAST - Press sideways triangle below to listen

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Cycle B

September 30, 2012 4 and 5:30pm

Saint Margaret Parish, Bel Air

No Salvation

Have you ever heard the expression “Outside the church there is no salvation”? 

When I was a child, growing up in the 1950’s, I remember hearing that.  In fact, I think I was taught that in my religion or catechism classes.

This expression – “Outside the Church there is no salvation” – goes way back in the history of the Church.  Over the centuries, its original meaning became a bit distorted.

The result was that this saying was repeated right into the twentieth century, the 1900’s, in a way that was kind of exclusivist and elitist.  That is how I learned it as a child.

It came across as meaning that all non-Catholics, including other Christians, and certainly non-Christians, are not able to be saved.  Well, fortunately, along came the Second Vatican Council in the 1960’s.

Salvation for All

Pope John XXIII convened all the bishops of the world to this major meeting. 

The purpose was to do in-depth reflection on the Church and its direction.  This October marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. 

Well, one of the things that Vatican II did was to clarify the teaching about no salvation outside the Church.  Vatican II first recognized that there is a fundamental unity among all Christians based on our common baptism. 

Through baptism, the Holy Spirit is present and active in all of us.  The significant conclusion: all Christians can be saved.

And then the Council went even farther.  It recognized that 2/3rds of the world’s population are not Christian.

In some way, God must also draw to himself everyone to whom he has given life and breath.  Everyone must in some way be included in the mystery of God’s saving love! 

Well, at least for me, what a refreshing way to view God and what a positive clarification of our faith!  And how consistent this is with the revelation of God that Jesus gives us! 

Today’s Scripture

In today’s gospel, one of the apostles is upset because someone who is not in their group is doing good things in Jesus’ name.

Jesus tells them not to stop that person.  He makes the significant statement: “Whoever is not against us is for us.”

So Jesus sees God present and acting in others who are doing good even if they are not one of his followers.  He wants the apostles – and us – to resist the insider-outsider mentality.

He just wants us to look for good and affirm that as a sign of God’s presence.  So yes, salvation also happens outside the Church!

    

A Clarification

Now, I think we have to add that we Catholics still believe that Jesus is the fullness of God’s revelation. 

We believe that Christianity is the fullest and clearest way to God.  And we also believe that our Church, that Catholicism has authentically passed on the core message of Jesus down through all the centuries.

No question, in our humanity, we have made mistakes and done some things we are not proud of.  But, guided by the Holy Spirit, we believe that we have transmitted the authentic, core message of Jesus. 

So, we still want to invite everyone to our Catholic community.  It’s something like having a full-course, gourmet meal. 

We want everyone to be at this table and to have the full meal – of doctrine and moral teaching, of sacraments and spirituality and all the rest.  We want to invite everyone to this.

Conclusion

I want to conclude with what today’s readings lift up for us.

What a positive approach to God and faith and salvation we now see!  What an open approach to all of humanity!

We are not to give in to the temptation of seeing faith and religion as a who's in, who’s out, as an include, exclude exercise.  Instead, we positively cherish Catholicism and want to share it.

At the same time, we respect all persons and see everyone as on a journey back to God and to salvation.  This is the positive approach that motivates me and, I believe, should guide us in this 21^st century of Christianity.