On the Buildings of Communities of Faith

It is probably apparent to most of us in our parishes that we have spiritual and material strengths, and some weaknesses. For example, Mass attendance, although not perfect, is generally quite good. Considering the size of St. Mark’s and our people’s demanding schedules, daily Mass attendance is excellent. It has been truly heartening to see how St. Mary’s, Raynesford, displays devotion for their small church and for that faith community; indeed, St. Mary’s is so vibrant that although it is a mission in church law, in reality it acts more as an independent parish. This year I plan to offer several special Masses at St. Mary’s, beginning on the Eve of All Saints (Halloween). St. Clement’s needs and will receive considerable effort to build a living community there once the beloved chapel has been removed to St. Thomas Camp. As noted, I will offer Masses there during summer months only. Holy Trinity, Centerville, a truly independent parish, has integrated parishioners from Great Falls with notable warmth and Christian charity. Also, I much appreciate the way parishioners who live in “the Gulch” maintain their facility, and assist the priest in every possible way. Holy Trinity is a wonderful faith community, and I invite all of our parishioners to attend there at least once in the next few months to appreciate them as part of our common community.

Because I live at St. Mark’s, Belt, and because this parish remains our largest in numbers, more services have been offered here.  Perhaps my largest disappointment with St. Mark’s has been the non-attendance of many of our children during summer months. We truly need to encourage better youth attendance. Although it seemed as though we could not offer CCD classes this fall at St. Mark’s, guidance from Lisa Jassen may help us find a good solution. Regarding our week-day Masses in Belt, so well attended, I invite each parishioner to attend on some occasion if at all possible, just to appreciate  the kind of close fellowship we experience in these more intimate liturgies.

What is most needed in our four faith communities, I believe, is ongoing spiritual development for our adults, who will then share their growth with their children and with other people living in this part of central Montana. In addition to our Eucharistic celebrations, I try to provide adult faith formation classes periodically throughout the year. A new series will begin sometime in mid or late fall; to date, I have not decided on our topic or text to study, so suggestions are welcomed. Furthermore, I have asked Fr. Owen to begin the NeoCatechumenate at St. Mark's, and that may happen in January. We will provide information in coming weeks of this program of intense faith-and-discipleship formation.

More is needed. We all need growth in genuine faith, which includes knowledge and practice of our Catholic faith within the context of the Diocese of Great Falls. We also need to develop bonds with Protestant brethren in this area, as we share our love of Christ Jesus.  In coming weeks, I encourage you to share with me thoughts you may have for helping us build up our common life together. Jesus tells us how to proceed:  “Ask, and you shall receive.” 

"Renounce All That You Have To Be My Disciple"

Recently we heard Jesus ask this question: “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on earth? No, I tell you, rather division....” Although no doubt puzzling to people used to illusions of “world peace,” and the like, a little reflection clarifies, to some extent, the meaning of Jesus’ words: Christ brings peace, but not an end to wars and human divisions; what he brings to a faithful disciple is “the peace of God that surpasses understanding,” and the peace of a cleaned conscience. But he also brings division, for anyone who seeks to follow Christ faithfully will encounter hostility from people who resist God. Furthermore, each of us discovers that as we obey Christ, there is often a division in our own hearts, for we must say “yes” to God and to genuine love of neighbor and “no” to our own selfish desires and strivings for power or prestige. So Christ brings peace to a human soul only to the extent that one is utterly faithful to the LORD.

The saying from St. Luke’s gospel on “renouncing all your possessions” is yet more challenging. It is an absolute demand, for Christ did not say, “renounce your excess possessions,” or “give up luxuries,” but that one must renounce everything that one has--not only luxuries, but all things, even human relationships, and “even his own life.” If a Christian wishes to take Christ seriously, than he or she would have to try to understand his meaning in these absolute demands, and respond accordingly. Christ gives a human being no place to hide from God or from his word. If we take the gospel seriously, we are exposed to the penetrating light of God who gives all and demands all.

 “This is a hard saying. Who can bear it?”  Many hear what Jesus Christ says, and choose to turn away. Others filter out the difficult sayings, and hear only words of “forgiveness,” “mercy,” “love.” To those who want Christ on their own terms, he says: “No one can be my disciple unless he hates father, mother, family, children, even his own life” (Luke 14:26). What does he mean? Does Christ actually want one to hate his own family, and his very life? He is speaking as a Jew to Jews, using a Hebrew form of speech. It is extreme in order to get the main point across without “wiggle room.” To be a disciple, one must choose and love Christ more than his family, himself, his “stuff.” To be a disciple means to place God and Christ first and foremost ahead of anyone, anything. What Christ keeps saying to us is that anything less than complete loyalty to God, perfect love, all-giving, all-costly love, is not genuine.

If anyone of us can hear Christ’s words and feel comfortable or satisfied with the quality of his discipleship, his love of God and of neighbor, he should at least realize that he is spiritually dull or even dead. More to the point, one satisfied with his love of Christ should wonder if he or she really loves Christ at all, but is just playing a religious game. On the other hand, to one who seeks to be an ever-better disciple, who strives to grow in God’s grace, that soul lives in the stream of God’s mercy, and despite failures, keeps on stretching forth into God. To one who “forgets what lies behind, but strains forward” into God, one knows well that in God’s time, everything will be stripped away, and the soul will be found stripped and alive in God alone.