Dear friends,
I said Mass today in an empty Church. No music, no procession, no responses, no servers, no bells, no communion. It was devastating. I can tell you that when I put the notices on the doors the there were no public Masses my heart was very troubled.
I took comfort in the Word of God. The first reading is about then calling of King David. God tells Samuel to fill his horn with oil and go to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem because he is to anoint the new king. The first son is tall and strong. Samuel thinks to himself, “Surely this is the one!” But God tells him no. And so it goes for the next seven sons. Samuel is confused and he asks Jesse if these are all his sons. No, there is the youngest tending the flocks. When he arrives the Lord tells Samuel, “Him. That’s the one!” The wimpy little brother.
We are like that. God has chosen us. Whether we like it or not, expected or unexpected. He chose us, otherwise our parents would not have had us baptized. He chose us. We have to say, “Yes.” As the Blessed Mother did when the Archangel Gabriel told her she was to be the mother of our Lord and God. She did not shrink with fear. She boldly accepted God’s will for her.
Next Wednesday we will celebrate the feat of the Annunciation. The Holy Father has asked us all to pray the Our Father at noon on that day.
I invite you as well to pray the Angelus which commemorates the feast we will celebrate. Gather your family around you and pray this ancient and venerable prayer. We open every daily Mass with this prayer at St James.
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, etc…
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to Your Word.
Hail Mary, etc…
V. And the Word was made flesh, (kneel or bow)
R. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, etc…
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord,
Thy grace into our hearts;
that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son,
was made known by the message of an angel,
may by His Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of His Resurrection,
through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
Many blessing to you.
May Our Blessed Mother cover you with her protective mantle off stars.
Fr Michael