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The "Pastor's Corner" is a collection of essays written by Father McCreary on a variety of subjects including Church teachings, social issues of the day, and things to think about. They are published weekly in our Church Bulletin. Click on a essay title below to jump to that essay, scroll down to read them all or click on a subject above to view more essays. |
From
the Pastor's Desk  Very Reverend Glenn McCreary, V.F. |
St. Ann, (Mother of Mary),
archangels-Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael
Satan, September 24th, 2006
Nativity of Mary, Mother of Jesus, September 3rd, 2006
Christ the King, November 20th, 2005
All Souls' Day, October 30th, 2005
Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 5th, 2005
Pentecost Sunday, May 15th, 2005
May Crowning-in honor of Mary, the Mother of God, May 1st, 2005
St. Ann, (Mother of Mary),
archangels-Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael
Satan, September 24th, 2006
Usually we celebrate a saint's day on the day the person died-his or
her entry into God's kingdom.
But sometimes the details of a saint's life remain hidden in the mists
of antiquity. And we often choose another day-most often the day a church
was consecrated in their honor. Take, for example, St Ann. We know that
she lived and died. We know that she was the mother of Mary. But we
don't have details like the exact day she died. So we've kept her feast
in the middle of July, the anniversary of the dedication of St Ann in
Jerusalem.
And likewise with the feasts of angels and archangels. These mysterious
creatures don't have death anniversaries. And the feast of the archangels-Michael,
Gabriel, and Raphael-we celebrate this Friday was originally the dedication
anniversary of the church of St Michael in Rome.
That's the history. Legends, of course, won't leave things there.
The legend of Michaelmas claims that September 29 was the day when the
archangel Michael battled Lucifer, the rebellious angel, in heaven.
As we read in John's Revelation, Michael won the battle and the devil
was cast down to earth.
The story goes that Satan landed in a patch of blackberries. (Remember,
thorns were part of the curse after the fall of Adam and Eve.) Angry
at this painful and embarrassing turn of events, Satan cursed the blackberries
and they became bitter. And to this day, so the legend warns, blackberries
will be bitter after September 29.
It may just be a silly legend. It certainly has no claim over history
or science. But the story tells a truth: we may be living in a dangerous
and hurtful world. We may encounter pain. We may know some bitter turns
in life. But God will be victorious. And the work of his archangels
continues God's victory. Perhaps this Friday, we might pray again the
old prayer to St Michael:
| Holy Michael Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, thrust down into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. |
Nativity of Mary, Mother of Jesus, September 3rd, 2006
We all know about Mary. God chose her to the mother of his Son. She
said "yes" to God's plan and can be counted as Christ's first
and most faithful disciple. She stood under his cross and waited in
the upper room for the Spirit's coming at Pentecost. At the end of her
life, she shared his resurrection-her tomb turning up empty when the
apostle Thomas (late for the funeral) asked to see her body one last
time.
This week we celebrate her Nativity-nine months after the December feast
of her Immaculate Conception. Perhaps we might take for our reflections
on Mary's birth, these beautiful words of the English Jesuit poet St
Robert Southwell, martyred under Elizabeth I:
|
Joy in the rising of our orient star The patriarchs and prophets were the flowers For God, on earth, she is the royal throne, |
Christ the King, November 20th, 2005
Today's feast, Christ the King, brings us to the end of the church's
year. Next Sunday we begin another Advent.
This year, with Christmas falling on a Sunday, we have the longest Advent
possible-four whole weeks of waiting and preparing for Christmas. Let's
make this Advent truly four weeks of waiting and preparing for the Lord.
If you haven't done it previously, why not put together an Advent wreath
this year? Some greens, four candles and whatever prayers you want to
bring. Light the candles in the evening-at dinnertime or just before
bedtime for the younger ones. Yes, we have the Advent wreath in church
to remind us that we live in these Advent days, but the Advent wreath
really started at home. And it's at home that the wreath can really
set the tone for these days.
Take a look at the special Word Among Us books in the back of the church.
This year we have two different editions. One is the regular Word Among
Us with daily meditations for Advent. The second edition includes the
readings and prayers for every Mass of the Advent season-a way to help
you pray with the church in this season.
Think outside the box of your own existence. Christmas is not all about
us. Christmas is all about a God who gave himself, gave himself to live
in poverty, and gave himself for others. Check out the opportunities
for giving in our own community: the Sharing Tree in the back of the
church, the Touch a Heart program.
Take stock of your own life. We're all sinners. We all make mistakes.
We all need to grow. And Christ has given his church the grace to forgive
sin, to wipe the slate clean, to give each of us a second-and a third,
and a hundredth, and a thousandth-chance! Next week's bulletin will
include the listing of our area penance services. Don't let Christmas
come and go without making it to confession.
Come to Mass more often. The scripture readings and prayers of these
four weeks are among the most beautiful of the year. Listen to the longing
of God's people as they seek salvation. Hear the tender promises of
a loving God. And know that this same loving God is here among us in
word, sacrament and community.
All Souls' Day, October 30th, 2005
Catholics believe that the Christian life is a process. It begins with
baptism, it grows through our experiences, it deepens when we suffer,
it becomes broader as we learn more, and it takes a shape from the celebration
of sacraments. We find it hard to point to any one moment when we could
be called "saved," as if God's work in us was definitively
finished at some point in time.
Catholics believe that the Christian life in the next world is a process
as well. Death doesn't automatically turn everybody into Mother Teresa.
Some us come to death with all sorts of imperfections, with faith partly-held,
with rather limited love in our hearts. We believe-and have always believed-that
the growth that marks the Christian life on earth continues after death.
Our knowledge expands, our love deepens, and our repentance becomes
more sincere.
That's why Judas Maccabeus could tell his soldiers it was "a pious
thought to offer sacrifice on behalf of the dead." That's why St
Paul could mention-without criticism-the first century Corinthian practice
of being "baptized on behalf of the dead." That's why Jesus
speaks of the forgiveness of sins "in this world and in the next."
And that's why we talk about Purgatory-that journey land between earth
and heaven. That's why we pray for the dead, something we do in every
celebration of the Mass. And that's why we keep each year All Souls'
Day.
This year All Souls' Day falls on our monthly evening of adoration,
giving us even more opportunities to pray for our beloved dead. Come
to Mass, offered for all the dead, and communion that night. Come to
Evening Prayer and/or Night Prayer and hear psalms that speak of our
sorrow and our hope. Pray the rosary and entrust the faithful departed
to Mary's powerful care. Visit the cemetery during the day. Spend some
quiet time in church. Pray that God will continue the process of saving
those we have loved.
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Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 5th, 2005
This past Friday we celebrated the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We don't often talk about the Sacred Heart on Sundays-the feast and most of the devotions to the Sacred Heart fall on Fridays. But I'm sure we understand the concept. We honor the human Heart of Jesus, a symbol of his obedient love for his Father and his saving love for the human race. We remember how often Jesus' heart was moved with compassion for the crowds-hungry, sick, longing to hear God's word. We ponder that mysterious scene near the end of John's gospel when blood and water flow out of the Lord's pierced side-a symbol of the church's sacramental life founded in the event of the cross and resurrection.
One of the practices honoring the Sacred Heart is the custom of "enthroning"
an image of the Sacred Heart in the home. This custom is much more than
simply buying an icon or statue and giving it a prominent place in the
living room. Enthronement of the Sacred Heart invites families (and
single people as well) to reflect and pray on the place of Jesus in
their home life. The act of placing the image and blessing the home
is only a beginning. Those who live in that consecrated house strive
to order their lives in closer conformity to the values of Jesus himself.
The diocese has recently sent out information about Sacred Heart enthronement.
There is a preparation time for the family or householder-you do that
part largely on your own. The priest or deacon comes to help you to
suitably and prayerfully "enthrone" your image. And then,
once more, with the Lord's help, the family or householder works to
make their home truly a place where Christ dwells.
If you're interested in knowing more about Sacred Heart Enthronement,
please call the office (546-3900). We'd be glad to give you further
information and help you begin the process of giving your lives more
completely to Christ.
Pentecost Sunday, May 15th, 2005
Today, Pentecost, we conclude the Easter season. We celebrate the Holy Spirit. We marvel that the risen Lord breathes his own life into our hearts. We hear the church throughout the ages speaking the gospel in so many ways to so many people, to so many cultures. We see the Spirit's presence in the beauty of the sacred liturgy, in the works of justice and mercy done by God's people, in lives that proclaim truly good news to the world.
And we see the Spirit's presence in the church's journey towards unity. Our holy father, Pope Benedict XVI made the full and visible unity of all Christians the first priority of his ministry as successor to Peter. We know that much work has been done, much understanding achieved between Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Anglican Christians. Even in our community we see the effects of a Ministerium who gathers the community for worship at Thanksgiving and during the Lenten season. We combine our efforts to offer a summer Bible School for our children. We strive to respond in Christian charity to the spiritual and temporal needs of people in our community.
In Lycoming County for nearly sixty years, we have been particularly
blessed with the United
Churches of Lycoming County. The United Churches have provided formational
opportunities for clergy, for laity, and for youth. The Shepherd of
the Streets ministry offers an incredible support for the poor and marginalized
members of our communities. Religious issues have been regularly aired
in the Williamsport Sun Gazette, on radio, on local television and on
devotion line. This past year, the United Churches began a Campus Ministry
program at Pennsylvania College of Technology.
Next weekend, Trinity Sunday-another feast that shouts "Unity!"-we
will take a second collection for the United Churches. Please generously
support this collection. These monies stay in our area. They support
the needs of our neighbors and neighborhoods. They help our congregation-along
with so many other Christian congregations in the county-to deepen our
unity in Christ through the Holy Spirit.
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May Crowning-in honor of Mary, the Mother of God, May 1st, 2005
At today's 9:00am mass, we celebrate the May Crowning-a ceremony in
honor of Mary, the Mother of God.
Dedicating the month of May to Mary and crowning her image with flowers
is an old custom, but not an ancient one. And May devotions stand in
some creative tension with the liturgies of these days. For most of
this May, we continue to celebrate the Lord's resurrection. For the
second half of the month, we keep feast days that honor some of the
deepest mysteries of our faith. On the surface, these liturgical celebrations
aren't about Mary. But they do offer a way to reflect on and celebrate
the Mother of our Savior.
These late Easter weeks, we hear Jesus speaking to the disciples at
the Last Supper. Now Mary wasn't present in the upper room. But she
was a disciple-the first disciples, first to hear the angel tell of
God's saving plan, first to say "yes" to that plan. Mary's
life embodies the mission that Jesus gives his followers.
Pentecost tells of the Holy Spirit's powerful approach to the early
church. And the Holy Spirit is, after all, the Third Person of the Holy
Trinity. Mary is not divine. But she was present for the outpouring
of the Spirit. The flame danced over her head. The wind gave her a voice
to proclaim God's mighty deeds. The Spirit who conceived the Christ
in her womb conceives the church in her prayerful presence.
And Holy Trinity speaks the mystery of one God, revealed in three persons
of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mary's life is tied up with this mysterious
God. The Father claims her as daughter, sharing the divine likeness
of all the children of Adam and Eve. The eternal Word, incarnate in
her womb, calls her mother. And the Holy Spirit, overshadowing her at
Christ's conception and at Pentecost, makes her heart a temple.
Finally, the feast of Corpus Christi focuses our attention on the gift
of the Lord's body and blood in the Eucharist. As our late holy father,
John Paul II, reminded us, Mary is a Eucharistic woman. She gave flesh
to God's Word. Her body tabernacled the Lord's real presence. And, as
part of the church, she was fed at the sacrificial table. She shows
us how to receive and adore and to live the immense gift of the Eucharist.