Tragedy, Grief, And The Lord

Dear Parishioners,

The past several weeks we have experienced more than our share of tragedies and funerals in our faith communities.  It is in these times that sorrow befalls upon us and tempts us to despair and hopelessness. But, do not give in to this darkness.  Let the light of Christ pierce the darkness with a light of hope that only God can give!   Know with the fullness of your being that God is at work, and his divine power and genius is more than capable of turning darkness and tragedy into light and triumph!

I am reminded of one of my favorite Scripture verses which is constantly opened to in my office.  The verses come from the Book of Lamentations and are the words of a faithful, yet suffering individual.  The whole book is one big lament, yet almost exactly in the middle of the short book, a piercing ray of hope is uttered about the truth of God:

"My life is deprived of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is; My enduring hope, I said, has perished before the Lord...
But this I will call to mind; therefore I will hope:
The Lord ’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; They are renewed each morning—great is your faithfulness!
"The Lord is my portion, I tell myself, therefore I will hope in him.
The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one that seeks him;
It is good to hope in silence for the Lord ’s deliverance.
(Lam 3:17, 21-26)

Yes!  The mercies of the Lord are not exhausted by the grief and sadness that befalls us.  The word "mercy" translated in the New American Bible comes from the Hebrew word, Hesed which signifies an unchanging, constant devotion, a loving kindness that forgives with a divine mercy.  Even when one our youngest members tragically dies in an accident, as happened this past week, God is active, alive, and ready to catch us when we fall.  

It is for these things and more that our Lord suffered so much.  It is for these things that Jesus desired to die so that we would not have to die eternally.  Our God is mighty to save and full of compassion.  So, do not be afraid when tragedy strikes, when loss is so great that you do not know what to do.  Simply lean on our Lord.  Shout out to him who listens with perfect understanding. Share the entirety of your grief.  Even your anger... let him know of it.  Just remember, he loves you.  He suffers with you.  You don't need to be anything other than yourself when you approach him.  You don't have to have the "right " words.  Just give him your broken heart.  And by his amazing grace, he will triumph over the darkness so that you can rejoice with him.  

So, let God sit with you in your grief.  Let him turn your sadness into joy.  Listen to the Lord while he speaks his words of love to you. Yes, he loves you even when you are lost.  Let him be your way, truth, and life.  May all glory and praise be to our God who is our Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Baptism: What Is It? What Controversies Surround It?

Dear Parishioners,

Happy New Year once again! With each day, we will be receiving roughly one more minute a day longer of sunshine. With each day becoming longer, the nighttime is shortened and pushed away. So too does Christ, our light, our hope, our faith bring light to our hearts. Last week we celebrated Epiphany, a celebration of Christ’s manifestation to the Magi and the whole world. This weekend, we wrap up the Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord.

Did Christ need to be baptized? No. He needed no forgiveness of sins nor repentance since he was sinless. However, he did so to show us the way. We are to follow him as was St. Paul (1 Cor. 11:1). We need baptism. But, this Sacrament is often misunderstood.

Baptism forgives the one being baptized of original sin as well as any personal sin, makes the person a “new creature” in Christ, incorporates the person into the Church, the Body of Christ, creates a bond between all Christians, and is sealed with an indelible (think permanent) mark (think character) that the person belongs to Christ. All this commits the person to a life dedicated to living a life different than those of the world. This event is not repeatable and is the first step towards full communion with the Church which is completed in reception of the Eucharist and Confirmation.

Baptism is also a source of controversy. One such controversy is that of infant baptism. For some, baptism is some- thing that follows one’s commitment to Christ. For adults this is true. But, for infants it is not possible for them to make a personal assent. So, the parents and godparents make such commitments for them. Even then, baptism is one of the most radical Sacraments in that in infant baptism, the child receives all these gifts (charisms) without any merit or personal choice on their own. In fact, such baptisms demonstrate the incredible radicalness of God’s free grace.

Also controversial is the Church’s claim that baptism is neces- sary for salvation. This theological statement is not something the Church made up, for indeed Christ himself affirmed this where he said that we must be born again of water and spirit (see John 3:5). This is the normative way we receive baptism. Yet, the Church also recognizes other unusual forms which include a baptism of blood (martyrdom) or desire (someone who is a catechumen or desires baptism but dies prior to receiving it).

For further reflection, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1217-1284. If you have an unbaptized child who has not reached the age of seven years old, simple classes are required for the parents and godparents. If the person to be baptized is seven years or older, they have the right to take in-depth classes and receive not only baptism, but first Eucharist, and Confirmation. These classes are part of what we call the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults/Teens/ Children also called the RCIA, RCIT, and RCIC respectively. Please seek out Terry Knouff, our Coordinator of Faith Forma- tion if you or a family member is seeking out the Sacrament of Baptism.

Blessings,

Fr. Williams Holtzinger

Pastor