9th Week of OT 2018 - Thursday - Imparting the Truth without deviation

Last night, I attended the installation of the new pastor of St. Patrick Church in Ohio City, Fr. Mike Gurnick. Bishop Perez reflected on the importance of vibrant parishes in the life of the Church, and the pastor’s role in leading, nurturing, strengthening, comforting, and challenging his parishioners. Bishop Perez drew from the words of Pope Francis, in his 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelium Gaudium.

Pope Francis writes, “The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters”.

With the Holy Father’s words in mind, the bishop reflected how the parish is a place of arrival and gathering. We gather from our homes, some of us from foreign lands, as God’s people, to hear the Word of God preached and to experience the presence of Christ in the Sacraments. But the parish is not simply a place of arrival, it is a place of sending. We go out from her to bring the word of God to others.

St. Paul writes to Timothy, as we heard in the first reading today, Timothy, who is a pastor. The letters to Timothy are even known as the pastoral letters, because Paul is giving pastoral advice to Timothy for ordering his flock.

“Remind the people” Paul says, of who they are, that since they have died with Christ, they are to live with him, and if we deny him, he will deny us.

That’s a challenging message. That in everything we do, we are to reflect that Christ is Lord. Timothy was to prepare the people for the real possibility that they will be pressured to deny Christ. Pressured by who? By the culture. By the anti-Christian culture. They will be pressured to forsake Christ, to hide their Christian faith, to pretend just like they are everyone else.

But Paul, like Pope Francis, like Bishop Perez, reminds us that we are not to abandon the word, leaving the Word here in within the walls of the church building, but as missionary disciples, we are to carry the word, and infuse the culture with the Word.

My favorite part of the installation mass, is when the new pastor stands at the altar, and promises, using language reminiscent of today’s reading, “to impart the word of truth without deviation.” The priest, the pastor, imparts truth, so that members of the flock, will be equipped to live and spread that same word of truth in their own lives, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Pope Francis and all bishops and clergy will help defend the Church against error, and lead her always in the pathways of truth, righteousness, and charity.

For the conversion of all those who perpetuate error or set bad Christian example for young people and those of weak faith.

For the grace to spread the Word of God with clarity, patience, and courage.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

Homily: Jan 26 2017 - Sts. Timothy and Titus - "The work left undone"

Following the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul yesterday, today we commemorate two of Paul’s close co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord: Timothy and Titus.  St. Paul wrote to his coworkers in what are called the New Testament Pastoral letters. They are called “Pastoral” because Paul addresses the letters to Timothy and Titus who were pastors, who had pastoral oversight of their respective churches.

After accompanying Paul on a missionary journey, Paul named Timothy the first bishop of Ephesus. And Titus, who had been with Paul at the Council of Jerusalem, was given care of the Island church of Crete.

So Paul writes to Timothy and Titus to discuss their great task of pastoral oversight of their churches: their structural organization, their tasks of teaching governing and sanctifying, ensuring the teaching of authentic Christian doctrine, and exercising pastoral leadership with true love for their flock.

We read from Paul’s letter to Titus this morning, and how in Crete, Titus was to continue to go from town to town appointing presbyters, priests for the local churches. This was one of the tasks of the bishop going back to the 1st century, naming priests for particular parishes. As the letter progresses, Paul teaches Titus to be wary that teachers of false doctrine are not allowed in his diocese, and to admonish those who had fallen away; as bishop, he must encourage families to be faithful, and to teach young people to practice self-control; he was to instruct the people in what we would call today “faithful citizenship” that the faith guide their civic responsibilities, and to encourage the people in good works, what we would call today the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

It's fascinating to think how the work of bishops and the work of priests are essentially the same as they were nearly 2000 years ago, and that we in diocese of Cleveland, pray now for the Pope to send us a bishop who will have the same characteristics and perform the same tasks as Paul outlined for Timothy.

As the letter said, Paul left Titus to continue the work in Crete which had been “left undone.” The work of the Lord is “left undone” in this place isn’t it. It continues in this place for all of us. Praying for and inspired by great leaders in the faith, may we be faithful to the work to which Christ has called each of us, setting good example and spreading the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For our Holy Father, Pope Francis, as he selects the next shepherd of our diocese;  for our Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Daniel Thomas, as he serves the pastoral needs of our diocese while we are in transition;  for Bishop Richard Lennon, as he adjusts to a new stage in his life and ministry; that the Holy Spirit will enlighten and empower all the leaders of our church with faith in the promises of Christ, hope for the years to come, and charity that knows no boundaries.  We pray.