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At Mass today, we hear this passage from St. John’s Gospel: “No one has greater love than this to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.â€This is what Jesus did and what we are asked to do. I believe that in all of our lives we have experienced the “laying down of one’s life.†Parents do this, families do this, friends do this. These are the times when we are asked, to not just observe what is happening to others, but to become involved and even to go out of our way. We put aside our own comforts and needs because there is something greater that asks for our attention. In our self-centered world, what Jesus did for others is needed even more. As followers of Jesus, we are the ones who “make a differenceâ€, who take seriously the command to “love one another.â€

The Gospel also says “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.â€

This Thursday, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. You may have lived in another part of our country where it is celebrated on a Sunday, but not here in the northeast. Our vigil Masses are Wednesday afternoon, and on Thursday we will follow our regular Mass schedule. We will also have our regular Confessions schedule Wednesday afternoon and Thursday.

Next weekend I will be accompanying members of our Filipino community and other parishioners on a pilgrimage to Boston. We will have Mass at our Franciscan St. Anthony’s Shrine, visit Holy Cross Cathedral and have a tour of the Kennedy Library. It will be a full two days. Pray for us!

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

“We hold the Jewish people in special regard because their covenant with God has never been revoked, for ‘the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.’The church which shares with the Jews an important part of the sacred Scriptures, looks upon the people of the covenant and their faith as one of the sacred roots of her own Christian identity. As Christians, we cannot consider Judaism as a foreign religion; nor do we exclude the Jews among those called to turn from idols and to serve the true God. With them, we believe in the one God who acts in history, and with them we accept the revealed word.

Dialogue and friendship with the children of Israel are part of the life of Jesus’ disciples. The friendship which has grown between us makes us bitterly and sincerely regret the terrible persecutions which they have endured, and continue to endure, especially those that have involved Christians.â€

 

John’s Gospel says: “I am the true vine and you are the branches.†Perhaps we’ve never considered our relationship with the Lord in these terms, but it points out the important “connection†that the Lord has with us and we have with him. He also says: “Remain in me, as I remain in you,†and “without me you can do nothing.†It is a very important “connection†that we have and any attempt to go off on our own might not prove to be wise. The purpose of our being “connected†with the Lord is that we may “bear fruit†and become his disciples. This Easter season reminds us of our becoming joined to the Lord Jesus. Every time that we are sprinkled with the Easter Water, we are reminded of our becoming part of the Body of Christ at Baptism. Let us be thankful for this blessing!

This Tuesday we continue with the 13 Tuesdays in preparation for the Feast of St. Anthony. It happens that this Tuesday, May 1, is also the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. In 1955 Pope Pius XII established the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, the same day as May Day or International Workers Day. The Holy Father wanted to emphasize the importance and dignity of work and the value of having a decent workplace. The day to day work of St. Joseph the carpenter serves as a model to workers. Come and celebrate St. Joseph!

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.