Our next parish open forum will be tomorrow, August 30, from 7pm-8pm via Zoom. I look forward to seeing many of our parishioners come together for this meeting.
If you have not already done so please make sure to sign up for either the virtual conference on September 11 or September 12 parish homecoming Mass. Signing up will help us prepare enough food for these events. As a reminder our bilingual outdoor Mass on September 12th will be at 11am.
In Christ,
Fr. Dustin Collins
Jesus instructs His disciples: “No man can serve two masters; for he will hate the one and love the other, or he will sustain the one and despise the other.” This statement should make us reflect upon duplicity and the harm that it causes the faith. It was of Nathanael of whom it was said concerning duplicity: “Here is a true child of Israel, There is no duplicity in him.”
This trait was pointed out concerning Nathanael because he was who he presented himself to be on the inside as well as the outside. To have duplicity is to say that one is both two-faced and cunning. If one is like Nathanael and no duplicity is found within them we are saying that they are honest and transparent. Nathanael then becomes a true example of not serving two masters because he served God alone and no division was found within him.
Each of us are called upon to follow in similar fashion. Week in and week out we are to frequent the life of the Church. There are those who solely come out of obligation. There are those who come out of habit. There are those who come because they are curious. There are those who come out of fear. There are also those who come out of true devotion and love.
A lukewarm Christian does so much harm to the Body of Christ for they are not moved one way or the other. Everything is not important unto them. As is said of these people in the Book of Revelation: “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. For you said, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
Therefore, we have those who serve one master who is God. They are those who are hot in their practice of faith. There are also those who are cold for they attempt to serve two masters. There are also those who are lukewarm who fail to move one way or the other. Again to repeat the words of our Gospel: “No man can serve two masters; for he will hate the one and love the other, or he will sustain the one and despite the other.”
We must realize that God is the master that we should serve. Seeing that this is the truth we should perform faithfully and zealously all that God asks of us according to our age and condition. We should respond to this call out of love for Him and His Church. When we act in such response to the Gospel we set out to serve only one master. The master who is good and holy other then mammon which always leave us lost and confused.
Let us truly set out to have no duplicity found within us, but only love for God and His Church. May this be who we are as an authentic disciple of Christ Jesus.
The whole purpose of the Law was to conform hearts to God. Nevertheless, so many practiced the commands, but forgot why they were doing these actions. It was for this reason that Christ instructed the Pharisees in the words of the Prophet Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.”
To put this Gospel into its proper context we would go back to the Book of Exodus. It was here that the priests were instructed to purify their hands and their feet prior to entering the Tent of Meeting. The Tent of Meeting was where the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the presence of God, was placed. As time went on some began to ritually wash before their prayers and meals. In other words, what was being pushed upon the apostles was something which was customary.
By quoting back at them through the use of the Prophet Isaiah He was forcing them to take a closer look at their motives. There is nothing wrong with these extra gestures, but more importantly they should be taking them back to what is important, God. Death was brought into the world through the eating of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Impurity brings upon the doer a form of death which must be cleansed by water. Therefore, this ceremonial washing called to mind the importance of being clean in the sight of God. So too we come to be washed in the waters of baptism in order that we would be claimed for Christ Jesus.
Through entering into the traditions of the Church we are being led towards God. So often we go through the motions of our life without considering why we do them. The Church invites us to enter into her traditions in order that we may gain sight of God and desire to never be separated from Him in this life especially through the death of sin. Within the Church there is nothing passive for we are always being invited to go out and lead others unto the Lord. If we are to do this then we must come to know Him and love Him with our whole heart and soul.
As Pope Francis had proclaimed: “Christian morality is not a form of stoicism, or self-denial, or merely a practical philosophy or a catalogue of sins and faults. before all else, the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others. Under no circumstances can this invitation be obscured! All of the virtues are at the service of this response to love.”
Therefore, let us come to consider these words for ourselves. Let us come to realize the invitation that we have been given in order to love God and to serve Him in our thoughts, words, and deeds. So often we can allow so many barriers get in the way of making this manifest. To enter into the life of the Church should actively transform us into becoming a true Christian disciple. May this reality always be made manifest within us and thus may we not only honor Him with our lips, but also with our hearts.
Our Parish Homecoming celebration will be September 12th. If your family has not signed up for the meal on that day I encourage you to. This meal will follow a 11am bilingual Mass which will be held outdoors. It is my hope that all parishioners will attend this celebration.
I know that not everyone will be able to be outside and might have other commitments for the day. Therefore, there will also be Mass September 11th at 5pm (English) and September 12th at 8am (Latin), and 5pm (Spanish). Again I encourage everyone to partake in our 11am Mass if possible.
Our parish will hold it’s next open forum on August 30th via Zoom. Due to now having Mass at 6pm this meeting will start at 7pm and end at 8pm. Long in information will be included in next week’s bulletin and on our social media accounts.
In Christ,
Fr. Dustin Collins
I will be away from the parish from August 19 until the evening of August 25. If there is a sacramental emergency while I am away please contact the parish office to get ahold of Father Jesus. Seeing that I will be away the weekend of August 21/22 confessions prior to Sunday obligation Masses have been canceled and will resume the following weekend.
I welcome Father George Knab who will celebrate all of our Ordinary Form Masses the weekend that I am away. Father Adam Kane from Saint Patrick in Morristown will be celebrant of our Mass in the Extraordinary Form. Father Knab represents a ministry known as Unbound and will preach at each Mass during the weekend that he is here.
In Christ,
Fr. Dustin Collins
This Sunday we take a break from the liturgical color of green and the normal Sunday of Ordinary Time in order to celebrate this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. This solemnity is to state that Mary, when her earthly life came to its conclusion, was taken up body and soul into Heaven. This reality is possible because it is heavily rooted in the mystery of Jesus Christ. We must remember that Mary was chosen to be the pure and spotless vessel which would bring forth the Savior of this world. Thus in the word’s of the Archangel Gabriel we have those familiar words from the Hail Mary, “Hail, full of grace.”
This same reality of being taken up body and soul has taken place for other figures inside of Sacred Scripture. We are thus told in Hebrews of Enoch who was taken up to Heaven without first seeing death. We are also told of Elijah in 2nd Kings who was taken up into Heaven by chariots of fire at the end of his earthly life. If this can be said of these figures of scripture why would we find it to be so difficult to have the same said concerning another, especially one who was chosen by God to be the God-bearer, who did not sin throughout the course of her life, and one who would be the model of what it meant to be a Christian disciple?
Thus being rooted in the mystery of Jesus Christ we can see that Mary now enjoys that great joy which lies in wait for those who are judged as worthy of Heaven. We so often forget about the importance of the body when we think of Heaven. Heaven is not only for soul, but also for the body. At the end of time all those who have been judged as worthy of Heaven will be reunited body and soul. We profess in the Creed the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, this solemnity also comes to encompass what we should anticipate for ourself.
It was said concerning Mary by Pius XII: “The Mother of God, at the end of her life, conquered the corruption of the tomb, triumphed over death like her Son and was taken up body and soul to the glory of Heaven.” Likewise, the Second Vatican Council adds: “The Immaculate Virgin Mary, preserved untouched by original sin, at the end of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into Heavenly glory.” These quotations place there emphasis on the importance of body and soul and being taken up to Heaven.
Therefore, we should see what lies in wait for us through the celebration of this solemnity. We should see that sin destroys our relationship with God and that we are instead called to something greater. We are each called to the Kingdom of Heaven. This solemnity makes us realize that we ought to be oriented towards Heaven in this life for each of us are called upon to be numbered among the saints of Heaven. As we continue to rejoice that Mary has been taken up to Heaven may we foster devotion to her in this life in order that we may come to love her Son more intimately.
Saint Mary, pray for us.
We are now close to a month away from our parish homecoming celebration which will be on September 12th.
On September 12th we will have an outdoor bilingual Mass at 11am with a parish picnic to follow. There will also be Mass September 11th at 5pm and September 12th at 8am (Latin) for those who are unable to join us for the outdoor Mass.
In preparation of this parish celebration we ask that you send a picture of your family to clinenob2000@yahoo.com. Please put in the subject line “Family Photo Slideshow.” We will compile these photos into a slideshow which will play in our gathering area leading up to September 12th.
On August 13th we will have our 4th of 6 parish rosaries at 6pm. The 13th of each month lines up when our Lady of Fatima made her visitations to three shepherd children. We gather to pray for all those effected by COVID-19, that people may begin to return to Mass, that our parish community may continue to grow, and in preparation of our parish celebration.
Finally, next weekend will be the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. On this Marian day our parish will hold a ministry fair after each Mass. I know this weekend will be helpful in promoting the many ministries that our parish has to offer. If you are not already involved with a ministry I hope that you will prayerfully consider that ways in which you can get involved with our parish community.
In Christ,
Fr. Dustin Collins
Our Gospel presents us with the healing of the man who was deaf and dumb. This healing harkens back to the Prophet Isaiah who stated: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.” We can thus see the abundance of God’s grace which was poured out upon this man in fulfillment of the scriptures.
This miracle relates to the sacraments. A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ which bestows grace. In the midst of each sacrament there is something called matter and form.
Matter is the symbol which is being expressed within the sacramental action. For example, in the Eucharist we have unleavened bread and wine, in baptism we have the pouring of water, and in the anointing of the sick we have the anointing of oil upon the forehead and palms.
Form is the words which are to be used. For example, in the Eucharist is the words of institution, in baptism we have the command “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” and in anointing of the sick we have “May the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit; May the Lord who frees you from sin, save you and raise you up.”
Through the healing of the deaf and mute man we are given this glimpse into the sacramental life of the Church. Matter is used when the Lord puts His finger in the ear, spits, and touches His tongue. Form is used when the Lord commands, “Ephatha!”
We must remember that the Lord works through His Church by the celebration of the sacraments. Christ is the primary minister of the sacraments and continues to be present with us in the sacraments. There is a grave temptation to believe that we are able to do something on our own. Instead we must remember that the Lord continues to be present with us and continues to provide us with the grace which is necessary to lead us to conquer every failure, disappointment, and discouragement of this life.
What was given to the man who was left deaf and dumb was a gift. This is the same gift that we receive through the outpouring of God’s grace. From this gift we grow and bear the abundant fruit of holiness in order that we may always give praise and glory to God. Let us come to appreciate this gift in order that we may always allow our heart to be open to do the will of God in order that we to may be opened to receive God’s grace.
Please keep the students, teachers, and faculty in your prayers as they begin this new school year. Teachers will return tomorrow, Monday, and students will return on Thursday. We will have the first All School Mass of the school year this Friday at 8:30am. In the weeks to follow we will resume having the All School Mass on Wednesday.
Please keep Deacon Matthew Donahue in your prayers. He will be ordained to the priesthood this Saturday, August 7, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus at 11am. Due to this ordination there will not be 8:30am Mass nor confessions at 9am on August 7.
In Christ,
Fr. Dustin Collins
The pharisee and the publican give two totally different approaches to the life of faith. The pharisee goes through the motions of faith without allowing them to penetrate into his heart. The publican allows the Lord to penetrate into his heart because he was found to be a humble man. As people of faith we cannot be like the pharisee for the actions which he does points back to him rather then being done out of love for God. Rather, we must be like the publican for he realizes his sinfulness and thus his need for God and His mercy.
The way of the publican is the way of authentic faith for nothing that he does is done for his own glorification. When we come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we must remember that we enter into God’s presence as He offers Himself out of love for us upon the cross. We do not come here in order to glorify ourself and our own desires, but in worship and adoration of Him. In our modern world the definition of worship seems to place ourself at the center and not God.
This is a grave problem for if we take up this notion our life will never move towards God as the publican was able to do. When we receive the sacraments we receive the gift of grace as God extends grace unto us. Therefore, with complete reverence should we encounter Christ present with us in the Eucharist. Therefore, we should long for the forgiveness of sins as is extended to us in the sacrament of confession. So many receive our Lord in Holy Communion as if it is owed to them, but forget the seriousness of sin. So many do not make use of the sacrament of confession for they find no use to this sacrament in their life of faith.
The example of the pharisee leads us down such a path for in these examples faith is about me and not God. The publican realized the importance of humility and thus he struck his breast saying: “O, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Let us stand with this publican in his humility and grow in our love and longing for God. May all the motions of faith that we undergo build up this most important of relationships. The more we enter into this humility the more we grow and are formed towards God in the ways that we approach Him and one another. Truly, let all pride be extinguished from our heart in order that we may lower ourself like the publican and join with him in exclaiming: “O, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Saint Paul exhorted the Ephesians: “you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.”
From Exodus we were reminded of the grumbling of the Israelites who when liberated from their slavery so easily desired to return to it. The answer to their grumbling came in the form of the manna that came down from Heaven. This Heavenly food gave them the strength to continue to move forward with their sight set upon the Promised Land.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that we are to be “incorporated into Christ by Baptism, Christians are “dead to sin and alive to God Christ Jesus” and so participate in the life of the Risen Lord. Following Christ and united with him, Christians can strive to be “imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love” by conforming their thoughts, words and action to the “mind… which is yours in Christ Jesus,” and by following his example.”
Therefore, we too are being called upon to put away the old self and thus enter into a constant sense of renewal. Through our baptism we were claimed for Christ and now through the rest of our life we are called upon to continue to strive to live our life for Him. Thankfully none of us have to do this alone for the Lord has given us the gift of the Eucharist and of the other sacraments. The sacraments are such important gifts for they impart grace upon the receiver. Grace which is a gift that only God can give.
We are thus being called upon to live our life for Christ. If we are to live for Christ we must also be imitators of Him. Nevertheless, in our world we can think of the many voices which attempt to win us over. Before we know it we may be moving away from Him and towards that life which we once knew before our baptism. As the Lord stated to those gathered around Him: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.”
This is an invitation that has been extended to each of us. Let us not continue to live for the world, but rather enter into the world to live for Christ. In Christ alone will we be able to find our fulfillment. We do not follow after Christ because of fear, but rather because we are in love with Him and thus desire to follow wherever it may be that He leads. When our emotions and passions attempt to move us towards evil we must come to reject our old self in order that we may live for Christ.
Let us live for Christ always!