Yes, Lent will soon be here. It is later than last year when Ash Wednesday was on Valentine’s Day. The book, God for Us, is a collection of writings by various contemporary spiritual authors arranged for each day of Lent. One of the writers says that “Lent…is not about becoming lost in feelings of brokenness, but about cleansing the palate so that we can taste life more fully. Lent and Easter reveal the God who is for us in all of life – forour liberation, for our healing, for our wholeness.”

The book begins with an Introduc- tion by the noted writer Ronald Rolheiser, a section on feasts and fasts of Lent, and an opening chapter on Shrove Tuesday. For each day of Lent, there is a commentary on the Scriptures and a prayer to fit the readings. This is a beautifully assembled source for anyone who wants to understand the season better and for inspiration for each day.

God for Us is available in the lobby of the Parish House.

I believe that we are committed to the sentence from today’s Gospel which says: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” But there’s more to this than what most people do: “love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you” and “stop judging; forgive.”These are some of the characteristics of those who seriously follow Jesus and it is challenging. Our first response and our natural inclinations are the opposite: “get even; get the upper hand; I’ll show you.” It takes a lot of humility to say, “I have a long way to go.”We can all think of those times and places where our automatic response was far from what Jesus expects of us, but just because other people do not show a good attitude or are nasty or pushy or inconsiderate, does not mean that we cannot do better. Carry this Gospel with you this week: in your car, on the subway, on the street and I can guarantee this Gospel will speak to you. Jesus believes in us or else he wouldn’t have given us the words in today’s Gospel.

I wanted to share with you what the May 2020 Pilgrimage is about and why we are advertising it so early and taking reservations. The highlight of this Alpine tour is our attending the Passion Play in the town of Oberammergau, Germany. It is held every ten years and features a cast, an orchestra and a choir from this town. In 1634 the Black Plague was wiping out towns throughout Europe. The people of Oberammergau promised God that if they were spared, they would put on a Passion Play every ten years and so here we are at 2020. It is a six hour enactment of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. There is a break after the first three hours for a dinner break and then back to the remainder of the play. This play draws people from throughout the world and the play runs only from May to September almost daily. This is why we are advertising and taking reservations now so that we will be guaranteed seats and a tour in addition. This is a beautiful part of Germany and Switzerland: the Rhine Valley, Lake Lucerne, Innsbruck, Salzburg and Munich in addition to the play. The price includes your flight, ground transportation, hotels, most meals, tickets to the play, and a tour guide. We’ll arrange for daily Mass. Think about it, but don’t wait too long to put down the required deposit.

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

Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”

This beatitude speaks of those whose hearts are simple, pure, and undefiled, for a heart capable of love admits nothing that might harm, weaken or endanger that love. The Bible uses the heart to describe our real intentions, the things we truly seek and desire, apart from all appearances. “Man sees the appearances but the Lord looks into the heart.” God wants to speak to our hearts; there he desires to write his law. In a word, he wants to give us a new heart.

Certainly, there can be no love without works of love, but this beatitude reminds us that the Lord expects a  commitment to our brothers and sisters that comes from the heart. For “if I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have no love, I gain nothing.”

A heart that loves God and neighbor genuinely and not merely in words, is a pure heart, it can see God…Keeping a heart free of all that tarnishes love: That is holiness.

Today’s Gospel from St. Luke is his version of the Sermon on the Mount although Jesus delivers this from “level ground.” It is shorter than Matthew’s version and ends with a series of “Woes.” The first part addresses those who are open to God because they do not find fulfillment now, but are dealing with life’s imperfections. These are those whose “souls are restless.” They recognize the importance of God in their lives. The “woes” are directed to those who are smug and have little need for God. These “Sermons” from Luke and Matthew are at the core of Jesus’ teaching and are at the heart of our lives. Compare this Gospel with the one from Matthew. See the Book Review below.

There are two Pilgrimages being advertised here at St. Francis. The first is this November and it will take pilgrims to the Shrines of France. We begin the pilgrimage in Geneva, Switzerland and then move into France, stopping at the famous Basilica of the Visitation in Annecy and the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere in Lyon, and on to chateaux country with the Cathedral of Chartres and the monastery at Mont St. Michel. We will visit St. Thérèse’s home of Lisieux and end up in Paris. Sign up now. Pilgrimage Information and registration forms are available at the reception desk or you may email me at areitz@stfrancisnyc.org.

Next week, I will give information on our 2020 Pilgrimage to the famous Passion Play in the German town of Oberammergau performed every ten years since the 1600’s.

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

Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”

Mercy has two aspects. It involves giving, helping and serving others, but it also includes forgiveness and understanding. Matthew sums it up in one golden rule: “In everything, do to
others as you would have them do to you.” Giving and forgiving means reproducing in our lives some small measure of God’s perfection, which gives and forgives superabundantly.

In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the words, “Be merciful even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not so you will not be condemned; forgive and you
will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you… The measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Seeing and acting with mercy: That is holiness.

I wish to share with you some excerpts from a recent letter by Cardinal Dolan on the New York State abortion legislation:

“This chilling law, if you have not heard, insists on the right to an abortion up to the moment of birth; drops all charges against an abortionist who allows an aborted baby, who somehow survived the scissors, scalpel, saline, and dismemberment, to die; mandates that, to make an abortion more convenient and easy, a physician need not perform it; and could be used to suppress the conscience rights of healthcare professionals not to assist in the grisly procedure. All this in a state which already had the most permissive abortion climate, and one of the highest rates of abortion, in the nation…

In the ‘throw-away’ culture that Pope Francis so often decries, we saw actual celebrations at the passage of a bill that makes it even easier to dispose of a life that someone might find inconvenient or troublesome, for any reason at all. Those who told us that abortion had to remain safe, legal, and rare, now have made it dangerous, imposed, and frequent…

I’m a pastor, not a politician, and as a pastor, I am obliged to challenge our political leaders, to urge them to re-examine their priorities, and to respect and protect the unborn baby in the womb as strongly and passionately as we should the undocumented immigrant, the single mom worrying how she will feed her family, our dying grandparents, or the poor struggling to make it.”

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

Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Hunger and thirst are intense experiences since they involve basic needs and our instinct for survival. There are those who desire justice and yearn for righteousness with similar intensity. Jesus says that they will be satisfied, for sooner or later justice will come…

Jesus offers a justice other than that of the world, so often marred by petty interests and manipulated in various ways. Experience shows how easy it is to become mired in corruption, ensnared in the daily politics of quid pro quo, where everything becomes business…

True justice comes about in people’s lives when they themselves are just in their decisions; it is expressed in their pursuit of justice for the poor and the weak… (True justice) is
shown especially…toward those who are most vulnerable:

“Seek justice, correct oppression, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

Hungering and thirsting for righteousness: That is holiness.

To the Church of St. Francis Community,

Your warm welcome for Fr. Brian and me, when we came to preach about the Franciscan Challenge, was truly an example of the wonderful Franciscan hospitality for which your community is known.

Your care and support of the Franciscan Friars who serve you now, and those to come in the future, is evidence of the love you have for those who have served you in the past.

Thank you for your participation in our annual Provincial fundraising event. Your gift ensures that the Franciscan spirit will endure in our world and in our church.

Thank you for supporting the Friars and the people that we serve. You make our Love at Work possible for so many in need!

A special thank you to Fr. Andrew and all the friars, who faithfully serve this community, for welcoming us in such a wonderful, fraternal way.

Many blessings,

Fr. David Convertino, OFM

Executive Director
Office of Development
The Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province

Please visit our website for more information or to donate to the Franciscan Challenge at: www.TheFranciscanChallenge.org

When you hear today’s second reading, you may think that you have heard this reading before…and you have – probably at a wedding.

St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is famous for its use at weddings, but it is also very appropriate for our daily lives: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude…” (Read the rest yourself.) Where did St. Paul get this if not from Jesus?

In the Gospel for today, Jesus is in the synagogue and many were amazed at his words and teaching while others could not understand where this came from and even said in an insulting way: “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” It is amazing how Jesus does not react to this, but as the Gospel goes on to say: “…Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.” Love is patient, love is kind, it is not rude.

Last weekend our Franciscan brothers spoke to you about the Franciscan Challenge and asked for your assistance in providing funds for the education and training of our friars in formation,
care for our retired and sick and infirm friars and assistance to the charitable works of our ministries. We don’t receive any funds from any Diocese or Archdiocese, and over the years your support has made all these things possible. Thank you and all of our benefactors for your support over the years. I received my seminary education through these funds and in my old age will depend on them for the health care that I may need. Every day at Morning and Evening Prayer in the Friary we pray for our benefactors, living and deceased. May the Lord bless and keep you!

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