Dear Friends:
In the Gospel for this Sunday, following up on the text from last Sunday, the disciples return from their missionary journey and report to Jesus on all that they had done and taught. Having received their report, Jesus, always considerate and compassionate, invites them to “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” These words should have a resonance with us. They lead us to consider, as we should from time to time, just how we observe (or do not observe) Sunday, which is supposed to be a day of rest, a day to step away from “those labors and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord’s Day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body” (taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ¶ 2193).
The proper observance of Sunday has become a matter of concern in our time as more and more people stay away from the proper worship of God, which in the Catholic tradition, always takes place, first and foremost, at Sunday Mass. For many, Sunday is just another day, with little to nothing special about it. A proper observance of Sunday should be centered, first and foremost, around Sunday Mass, along with adequate time for personal prayer, and time for rest and relaxation, which means avoiding unnecessary work. Critically important is time spent with family and loved ones, which is time that is never wasted. How many of our parish families start Sunday with Mass, and then gather later in the day for a traditional Sunday dinner? When I was younger, Sunday Mass and Sunday dinner were staples in our family life, and they are, even now, the source of many warm and happy memories. Perhaps we can all take a moment, based on what Jesus invites us to do today, to consider how we observe Sunday and perhaps make some adjustments or even radical changes where they are needed.
We all heard with horror last weekend about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. While assassinations and assassination attempts are not new in our history, they have been rare and they are always to be condemned as inconsistent with our values as a people. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued this statement, which echoes my own sentiments:
“Together with my brother bishops, we condemn political violence, and we offer our prayers for President Trump, and those who were killed or injured. We also pray for our country and for an end to political violence, which is never a solution to political disagreements. We ask all people of goodwill to join us in praying for peace in our country. Mary, Mother of God, and Patroness of the Americas, pray for us.”
Finally, the Baby Bottle Project conducted by the Helping Hands for Hurting Hearts ministry of our parish, has collected over $6,000 from the people to help the ministry in its important work of assisting mothers in need of help for their babies up to their first birthday. I thank all who contributed to this effort.
Have a good week.