What does Fathers’ Day Mean for Oblates?

The author Brian Camfield, pictured with his son, Jack

As Fathers’ Day approaches, it is natural to wish the dads out there a “Happy Fathers’ Day.”  For our Oblate friends and my mentor Father Guerin, they are referred to as “Father” every day.  Does one wish them a Happy Fathers’ Day as well?  I wasn’t sure and had to honestly think about it.  What characteristics make up the best fathers?

I’m past the biological designation of a father.  There are many courageous men who decide to become parents through adoption or are step-dads.  These fathers devote their lives and livelihoods to make a child’s life better.  They provide unconditional love to their kids and absolutely deserve the title of father.  Our Oblate friends certainly provide their unconditional love.  They are looking out for us and have answered the calling to watch out for all of God’s children. 

Fathers are selfless donating their time and energy to help their children.  My dad did this when I was growing up and continues to do so into his seventies.  He taught me to ride a bike, helped with homework, and helped me sand and paint my first home.  After a long work week, the energy isn’t always there but my dad always found a reserve to tap into.  He rolled up his sleeves and did whatever it took.  When I think of my Oblate mentor, he also exemplified selflessness. 

Fathers provide emotional support and encouragement.  Just watch any kids’ soccer or baseball game and you will see fathers in the stands cheering on their sons and daughters.  In my dad’s case, it was standing ovations for me at high school jazz band and marching band competitions.  Think about those in your life who have stood and clapped for you.  How can you not smile and feel warm knowing that you have someone on your team?  Father Guerin would ask me about my goals and no matter what they were, he would support me in achieving them.

Opposite of cheering you through wins, inevitably, someone is going to lose. The losses in the game of life are especially devastating. Job loss, divorce, or a passing of a loved one can knock the wind out of anyone’s sails and the best fathers are there no matter what. They are always in our corners and are patient with us as we rebuild, lending a helping hand or listening ear through times of grief. I’m so grateful for my dad, Father Guerin, and the Oblates’ support over the years.

So you know by now what the conclusion is.  I wish our Oblate priests, friends, and mentors an all caps HAPPY-FATHERS’-DAY and thank-you for all the years and selfless support they give.  Of course, this day and every day would not be possible without our heavenly Father. As Jesus taught us in the Lord’s prayer to say, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Brian Camfield

www.linkedin.com/in/brian-camfield-6bb67541

Note:  Father Guerin passed away in 2017 and is still mentoring me from heaven. 

Love of Neighbor

“Cordial love of the neighbor does not consist in feelings. This love flows not from a heart of flesh but from the heart of our will." 

These words from St. Jane de Chantal speak to the character of “love of neighbor” that she envisions for the Sisters of the Visitation and for all who embrace Salesian spirituality. 

The virtue of “cordiality” is central to Salesian Spirituality, for at its root is the Latin word for “heart.” “Heart love” is genuine, unfeigned, sincere, universal, and without condition.  It echoes the unconditional love that God has for every person, with neither favor nor preference.  He has made each of us to his divine image, the most loveable center at the core of each of us. 

This is how St. Francis de Sales expresses this love of others based on their divine image: “When we see our neighbor, created to the image and likeness of God, should we not say to one another, ‘Stop, do you see this created being, do you see how it resembles the Creator? should we not cast ourselves upon him, and weep over him with love? Should we not give him a thousand, thousand blessings?’”  

Francis goes on to ask why we should shower the neighbor with such love.  He assures us that it is not because the person is worthy of our love.  We cannot know that initially.  Why then? “It is for love of God who made him in his own image and likeness and therefore capable of sharing in his goodness in grace and glory.  I say it is for love of God, from whom he is, whose he is, by whom he is, in whom he is, for whom he is, whom he resembles in a most particular manner.” (Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 11) 

Please take a few moments to reflect on each of the phrases: God, “from whom he is, whose he is, by whom he is, in whom he is, and for whom he is, whom he resembles in a most particular manner.”  Francis had hoped to write a companion book to the Treatise on the Love of God, with one on the second commandment, the Treatise on the Love of Neighbor.  No doubt such a work would have elaborated on those phrases, for they say everything about how truly loveable each of us is and, that, solely by virtue of our relatedness to God as source, way, and destiny.  

Cordial love, then, is not conditioned on the feelings that we may or may not have for this or that person, or on our assessment of their worthiness or not of our love.  The only consideration is their relatedness to God and, this, in the most profound manner imaginable. 

It is for this reason that cordial love of others, as understood by Francis and Jane, does not flow from a heart of flesh that tends to condition the love of others on factors other than their divine image.  Cordial love, rather, flows from “the heart of our will,” that is, from our choice that is based solely on the neighbor’s innate resemblance to the Creator.  

Our love for God is absolute and without condition: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  So must be our love of others, all others, without exception, without condition.   

Such a love can only flow from “the heart of our will.” 

Fr. Lou 

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Resting in Christ’s Sacred Heart

Last July, in the aftermath of the upheaval that followed the killing of George Floyd, a large tent was erected in Minneapolis, in a parking lot along our northside business corridor. For 30 days people from all backgrounds gathered under this prayer tent for silent prayer for the healing of our city. As I come to this year’s celebration of the Feast of Christ’s Sacred Heart, I can imagine his Heart somewhat like that tent, a gathering place where there is room for all to bring their traditions, their expressions of devotion, and their desire to grow in Christ’s way of loving. 

I grew up entering this “tent” with the familiar images of the Sacred Heart from my youth, and the prayers and devotions that included First Friday Mass and the Promises of St. Margaret Mary. I was encouraged to “return love for Love”. Not really knowing how to do this, I was given hints: express love and care for those around me in little ways, trusting that Jesus’ love was near; and pray that all may know God’s forgiving love in their lives.

Later when I began to study Salesian spirituality as a Visitation novice, I discovered that for St. Francis de Sales, the passage “Learn from Me for I am gentle and humble of heart” is one of the foundational Scriptures for the Visitation. St. Jane de Chantal urged the Sisters to pray by resting their hearts on the breast of Christ… “remise en Dieu.” This is such a tender and loving image, and one that speaks of interiority and wholehearted trust.

Interiority, characterized by the virtues of humility, gentleness, interior renunciation, a community of charity, simplicity, liberty of spirit and joy, is key to living Salesian spirituality. Wholehearted trust is just that: a full-throttled confidence in Jesus’ way of love, and God’s providential guidance for our lives.

Stepping into the “tent”, the all encompassing Heart of Jesus where love and compassion, mercy and charity reside, and resting there will bring strength and healing to those who enter the spaciousness of Christ’s reconciling love.

Several years ago when one of our Sisters was having a brain tumor removed, she experienced herself in the recovery room as being in a hammock in the Heart of Christ where she could relax in his love. Whether we are in hammocks or tents or any other way of resting in the Heart of Christ, we can still rely on his words, “Come to Me and I will refresh you.” Let us meet each other this feast in such reassurance.

Sister Karen Mohan, VHM
Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis

The Church Online

Because the vast majority of U.S. states have eliminated Covid 19 travel restrictions, CNN recently announced that it would no longer routinely update this story. The consequences of the lifting of restrictions have been rather significant and far-reaching.

I walked into a major department store yesterday, and on every door, a sign in big letters declared those vaccinated against Covid no longer need to wear masks. This lifting of restrictions has reached everywhere. In the parish where I help on weekends in Adrian, MI, there are very few people wearing masks in church, and this weekend we are restarting the "sign of peace" at mass, albeit with the caution to do so safely. 

The lessening of restrictions is a great relief for many. I know there is much more activity in restaurants, at sporting events, and in our churches. Isn't it great? 

Maybe everything will soon be back to where it was before Covid. But, should everything be back to what it was? 

Several people in my parish have remarked, "Now we can end social media efforts, including broadcasting mass online." I responded saying, "Why would we do that?" That comment began a rather challenging discussion on the merits of continuing to do "churchy" things online. The conversation has given me time to reflect on this question and ponder the merits of online church events ranging from Pastor's Reflections to Sunday and daily celebrations of the Eucharist. 

Not that I consider myself the best source to find an answer to this issue, but I had to ask myself several questions when pondering it. Questions such as. What if St. Paul had decided not to go to Corinth, Galatia, Rome, Colossae, or the other places mentioned in his 13 epistles? Or what if Peter had never gone to Rome? What if they both decided that what they had in Jerusalem was good enough, and everyone should come to them. After all, this was where Jesus died and rose from the dead. 

Can there be any place better to live and follow Christ? 

Peter and Paul took a different track in evangelizing their world. It seems to me that Social Media provides a similar path for the church in today's world. Almost every citizen of the world is online. Where else can you reach so many people so easily. Unlike Paul, there are no long, arduous trips or shipwrecked boats in this endeavor. I think every parish, every religious community, and Catholic institution should be looking for ways to improve their social media footprint and become more effective in spreading the Good News and evangelizing the world. 

Francis de Sales used the technology available in his day to evangelize and promote Christian life by his use of flyers and books to convert Calvinists of the Chablais. His work published in 1609, The Introduction to the Devout Life, was written for laypeople, a novel idea. CatholiCity, a repository of "the Finest Catholic CDs, Booklets, and Novels," calls it "the most popular Catholic' self-help' book of all time." Francis also wrote a two-volume tome, The Treatise on the Love of God, and thousands of letters to those seeking his advice. In 1923, Pope Pius XI proclaimed him the "patron of writers and journalists, because he made extensive use of broadsheets and books both in spiritual direction and in his efforts to convert the Calvinists of the region." 

In our continued use of social media, we continue the missionary spirit we can trace throughout our church's history, beginning with the first disciples. It seems to me; social media is something deserving of our time and energy. Why not pause during your day and check into the mass broadcast from someplace far or near. We all need a shot in the arm once in a while, in addition to the Covid vaccine.

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

Transitions

In our culture we use hours, days, months and years to mark time. However, in our everyday lives we often use key moments to frame our experiences.

June is one of those key times of the year that present important transitions and unforgettable experiences. 

The end of the school year, graduation ceremonies for students, summer office hours for workers and family vacations and trips all signal the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another.

These transitions often are an opportunity for reflection. For Catholics, reflection takes on a deeper meaning when it includes our relationship with God. We call  this an examination of conscience.   In Salesian Spirituality, the examination of conscience is something Christians are invited to reflect on at the end of a task, an experience or even at the end of the day.  In many ways it is the conclusion to the Direction of Intention.

At the beginning of a task we ask God to be with us and to give us the grace to perform this action.  At the end of a task, we reflect on what we have done and what we have failed to do.   We ask forgiveness, mercy and the chance to start over.

When addressing a group of Visitation sisters who were about to embark upon a move to a new monastery, St. Francis de Sales told the Sisters "those who go, stay; those who stay, go."   He was reminding the community that the strength of their bond was not dependent upon staying in the same location, but on staying connected with each other by staying committed to their common way of life.

This assurance was the basis of a freedom of spirit that would help the Visitation community to grow all over the world.   It is the same spirit that inspired the early Oblates of St. Francis de Sales to go from their familiar surroundings in Europe and plant roots in the United States.   With this commitment and spirit, Salesian spirituality has bloomed in this country for over a century. 

As the month of June brings about many transitions and experiences for all of us,  may we have that same spirit of Francis, Jane and the Visitation to respond whenever and wherever God calls us to make moves in our own lives.

Temptations and Trials

“Lord, give us strength in temptation, endurance in trial, and gratitude in prosperity.”

This short but powerful prayer is from a Morning Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. 

“Lord, give us strength in temptation.”  Jesus himself was tempted by Satan in a 40-day desert struggle, as well as throughout his ministry.  His temptations took many forms.  Yet, he never sinned.  We are like Jesus in that we, too, experience temptations of many kinds throughout life but, unlike him, we often sin by giving into them.  So, our prayer is a petition to the Lord for the grace of his strength, not our own, in resisting temptations. It is a cry for help to one who is both able to help and eager to do so!

St. Francis de Sales had a wonderful remedy for the shame we feel in disappointing the Lord when, at times, we yield to temptations.  He writes, “You must forgive your heart; it fails not because it is unfaithful, but because it is infirm.”  This most compassionate of saints is, here, echoing the merciful compassion of the Lord Jesus himself.

“Lord, give us endurance in trial.”  Throughout every life, there are trials of every sort: health issues, financial reversals, relational difficulties, and spiritual dark nights, just to name a few.  It’s never a question of whether we will have trials in this life, but how we will handle them and how we will get through them.  Once again, Jesus was no stranger to trials.  He was ridiculed, disbelieved, denied, betrayed, misunderstood, falsely accused, tried, convicted, and crucified.  Yet, he remained faithful to the Father; he trusted in the Father’s love and care for him even in the deepest darkness. From the cross, his final words are ones of trust: “Into your hand, Father, I commend my spirit!”  Jesus has gone on before us in every way and has shown us the way in every circumstance: “I am the way.”  His love will get us through anything and see us through everything.

“Lord, give us gratitude in prosperity.”  I believe these words may be the most important.  We go to God when we want to be forgiven, and we are quick to ask for his help in getting through life’s rough patches.  But we often forget to thank him when all is going well.  Remember how grateful Jesus was when one cured leper returned to thank him?  But he was also saddened by the ingratitude of the others who, also cured, did not return to give thanks.

Let’s have a grateful heart for divine strength received in temptation and trials, but especially when everything is just fine.   For God loves a grateful heart!

“Lord, give us strength in temptation, endurance in trial, and gratitude in prosperity.”

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

Remember the 27

The memorial ceremony has been held every year for 50 years at 8 AM on Memorial Day.

Each year as May ends and Americans begin the season of graduations, vacations and summer fun, our nation pauses to remember the fallen and honor their sacrifice on Memorial Day.

Throughout the country, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales will join their parishes, schools, and local communities to pray and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country.

In Philadelphia, the local Oblates will join the Father Judge High School community in an outdoor memorial service to honor and remember the “27.”  This tribute has been part of the school culture for over 50 years.   Father Judge holds an unenviable distinction: this Oblate school lost more graduates than any other Catholic or private school in America during the Vietnam War.

Memorial to the 27 at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia

At the entrance of the school, a large monument bears the names of the 27 Judge alumni who gave their lives. Surrounding their names is a carving of the Virgin Mary holding the body of her Son after the crucifixion. This is a silent reminder of the life, dedication, and sacrifice of these young men and their families’ modeling Mary’s grace and strength through life’s greatest loss. This memorial was erected and dedicated in September, 1971.  Every year since, Oblates have gathered and prayed with family, friends, and classmates on Memorial Day morning.  Even last year, in the midst of the pandemic, the tradition continued as Fr. Joseph Campellone, OSFS, and a handful of veterans paid their respects as the ceremony was streamed to alumni all over the country.

Three years ago, a feature length documentary was produced called "Remembering the 27 Crusaders." The film recounts the lives, military service and deaths of the 27 soldiers who went to Vietnam with a sense of duty, honor, and patriotism.  

Family members, classmates and Oblates are interviewed to tell the story of the young men who died, the parishes they grew up in, and the Christian and Salesian values they took with them to the other side of the world.

Remembering and honoring the dead is part of our Catholic tradition and remembering the “27” is part of the fabric of Father Judge High School.  The names of the 27 Crusaders are inscribed on the memorial and read aloud each Memorial Day.  More importantly, their names are inscribed on the hearts of all alumni and members of the Judge community.

The Lord reminds us that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend (John 15:13).   May all those who lost their lives in service to our country – our family and friends – be remembered this weekend.  May they forever rest in peace.   Amen.

*****

If you would like to join us, the memorial begins at 8:00am in front of Father Judge High School (3301 Solly Avenue, Philadelphia, PA). If you can’t join us in person, please join us in prayer for the families of the men who gave their last full measure.

The now closed Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia lost 64 graduates in Vietnam. Please pray for these men and their families on this special day.

Celebrating Those who Laid Down their Lives

I became the pastor of St. Alphonsus Church in Deerfield, MI, in 2000. In participating in the village observation of Memorial Day, I deepened my appreciation for the real reason we observe this holiday. Deerfield is a small farm community in SE Michigan. In the year 2000, the population was around 890 souls. In some ways, it is a typical American community, but in other important ways, it lives, closer to the heart, some things reflecting what it means to be American. Memorial Day is one of these things. 

The day always began with mass at 8 am in the St. Alphonsus cemetery, complete with mosquitoes and famous “noseeums” that drive folks crazy. We followed mass with coffee and donuts as we waited for civic groups from the village to join us. Those joining us included the volunteer firefighters and their trucks, representatives from the local VFW, the high school band, and other dignitaries. After this group gathered, there was a short ceremony where I welcomed everyone and provided a brief, inspirational talk. Then, with everyone at attention, the high school band played the National Anthem and Taps, followed by a 21-gun salute with VFW representatives dressed in their uniforms from WW II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam war. 

The next activity was a town parade, where those mentioned above were joined by anyone driving an antique car or tractor, kids on decorated bikes, the high school band, officials from the VFW in convertibles, fire trucks and anyone who had something to show off. Almost the whole town sat in lawn chairs watching the parade as kids ran around collecting the candy thrown by those in the parade. The parade passed through the entire town ending at the VFW Hall -a trip not much more than two blocks long, oh which the second block is called  “downtown” by the locals.

Before arriving at the VFW Hall, there was a stop on the bridge over the Raisin River with carnations throw over the side for those who died at sea. At the VFW Hall, a wreath was laid at the memorial for those who died in the service, and a reflection provided by some local dignitary - one time, it featured Miss Raisin River. Again, the high school band played followed by another 21-gun salute. This process was repeated immediately in the Deerfield Township Cemetery, another block to the west side of town. 

We concluded the annual event with hot dogs, sodas, and coffee back at the VFW. The whole event took about two hours. 

This annual observation by the village reveals the reason for Memorial Day, honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice - giving their lives in service of our country. Indeed, these words of Christ come to mind: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (Jn 15:13) Francis de Sales encourages us to believe that, Friendship begun in this life, will last for all eternity. Let’s make sure we don’t let this Memorial Day go by without pausing to remember, to thank, and to keep in prayers those who made this ultimate sacrifice.

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

St. Joseph: Supporting Role

Around the feast of St. Joseph this year, the well-known spiritual writer, Matthew Kelly, described St. Joseph as having the best supporting role in salvation history.  Obviously, Jesus ranks first and his sinless Mother second. But the loving cement of that little family, the one who, on the human level, made their family life possible was quiet, humble, hard-working and loving Joseph.

Kelly explains the secret to the holiness of St. Joseph as his total and complete availability to God and to whatever God asked of him or permitted to befall him and his family.  Our own Francis de Sales would be in total agreement with Kelly here.

When the angel told Joseph in a dream to wed Mary whose condition was suspect to some, he did not hesitate for one moment.  Her burden would now become his as well. God spoke and Joseph acted.

After the very challenging circumstances of the birth of Jesus, the angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt.  Immediately, he gathered the new mother and infant and journeyed as aliens and foreigners into a new and strange land. When God spoke, Joseph acted --without discussion, without delay.  At that moment, the Holy Family became one with all those who have ever fled to another land for safety.  

After the stressful incident in Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve, we hear no more about Joseph.  It is presumed that he died long before Jesus began his public life.  He was, in a sense, being asked to trust that God would now care for his beloved spouse and only son.  God spoke and Joseph said yes.  

Joseph was one hundred percent available to God’s will for him throughout life, in matters both large and small.  Mary uttered her “Fiat!”, her “Yes!” at the Annunciation and throughout her life.  Joseph did the same.  Jesus learned from both parents: “I do always the will of the One who sent me!”

How can we be more available to God’s will as were Jesus, Mary and Joseph?

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

The Birth of the Church and the Birth of a Church

Christians around the world will celebrate Pentecost this Sunday.

This major feast recalls the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Virgin Mary and the Apostles following the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ.

Pentecost also marks a birthday – the birth of the Catholic Church and the beginning of its mission to the world.

Like any birthday, we take time to celebrate what God has done up to this point in our life story and we anticipate God’s continued work in our lives. In celebrating the present, we consider both the past and the future.

Over 2,000 years ago God took a small, frightened group of people from a remote corner of the world and, against all odds, transformed them into an assembly of believers that is more than a billion people strong.

Therefore, Pentecost is the day to celebrate the church, the day to reflect on what Jesus has done in and through his church and to look forward to what he will continue to do as he continues to build his church.

On this day, as we think about the Lord building His Church on Earth we also recall Christians around the world – the local parishes and churches – who continue to build his kingdom.

This year the Oblates celebrate the people and parish of Holy Infant Catholic Church in Durham, North Carolina. Led by Rev. Robert Rutledge, OSFS, this community began their mission in the late 1960s, as the spirit of the Second Vatican Council was renewing the Church. In 1970 their first church was built and almost 50 years later, in August of 2019, the parish broke ground for a new church, chapel, and columbarium to meet the needs of the growing parish. The new church is almost complete and will be dedicated in the Fall.

As we celebrate Pentecost and the continued building of the Church, let us do our part to build up God’s kingdom in our own area of the world. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that “when the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.” Wherever we gather this weekend – in churches, chapels and in our homes – may the Holy Spirit come to us and help us to set the world on fire!

A Lifelong Road Trip

Grant Ferris is a retired Oblate Brother living in Delray Beach, FL. Originally from Lockport, NY, Grant moved to Florida thirty-one years ago to teach at a Catholic high school in Fort Lauderdale. Due to age and health concerns, Grant has decided to move to the St. Francis de Sales School community in Toledo, OH.

So, I will be flying to Florida to help Grant make the trek from Delray Beach to Toledo. As I've been preparing for this, I'm mindful that this "road trip" will probably be of a different nature than those I made in my more youthful days. 

When I was a kid in college, these trips were sometimes "all-nighters," complete with junk food, off-color jokes, raucous laughter, and the radio blaring. Many of them were from Western New York to the Jersey shore, where my young brother Oblates and I stayed at my grandparents' cottage. 

After the first year visiting with seven or eight guys, my grandparents took the sensible route and went back to their home in Philly for the weeks we visited in subsequent years. Our nights were too late and the noise too great for their comfort. I think they decided that not knowing what was going on was better than knowing. 

The image of this upcoming "road trip" with Grant brings to mind a different picture. Visioning us driving together for a few days reminds me of the movie "Grumpy Old Men." Here we'll be, two old codgers making our way north on I-75, forgetting to turn the turn-signal off, leaving the gas cap off, straddling two lanes of traffic, and forgetting what we were talking about. I can hear one of us quoting Walter Matthau saying to Jack Lemmon in the movie, "Why don't you do the world a favor and take your lower lip and pull it over your head and swallow?" Well, it won't be that bad, but it'll sure be different than those trips to the Jersey shore.

Grant and I have known each other for over 50 years. We have grown old together as Oblates. I can say the same about most other Oblates in my Province, at least those my age and older. 

In our years together, the men in my Province have shared many significant moments. There was the transition in the Church and religious life following Vatican II. This transition included years when many of our brother Oblates discerned that, even after years as ordained and perpetually professed Oblates, that they were called to another vocation - married life. There are also the years dealing with the sex scandal that rocked the Church and even our community. These were hard years. 

There have been other moments that have been wonderfully graced. The years we worked together on a Pastoral Plan for our Province provided goals, objectives, and more. More importantly, this work brought us together to talk about our lives and our hopes for ourselves and our community. These discussions and time in prayer transformed us into a much more cohesive group of men, appreciating and enjoying one another at a whole new level. There are our annual Assemblies when all who can come together for the sake of our community. Enjoying the fun that occurs as well as the work accomplished. 

The consequence of both the challenging and graced moments has made us a community of friends. There is an ease and comfort that is apparent among us when we come together. There is a sense of loss that we've been restricted from doing so for a while during Covid. There is a yearning to return to gatherings where laughter and song mark the moments of each day. 

St. Francis de Sales encourages us in the Introduction to the Devout Life, with the words: "This difficult life is only a journey toward the happy life to come. We must not be angry with each other on the way, but march onward as brothers and companions united in meekness (gentleness), peace and love."

Looking back over the years, I am grateful for the life I've had as an Oblate and for my brother Oblates, and I can say the words of Francis are right on the mark. 

God be blessed.

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

The Church of the Ascension and the Feast of the Ascension

Whenever the feast of the Ascension is celebrated, I always think of the church of the same name in my childhood Philadelphia neighborhood. Raised in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, I always thought my home parish of Nativity BVM was beautiful.  It was a large, Greek-style building that many visitors compared to a cathedral.

However, just a mile away was another large parish that was even more magnificent:  The Ascension of Our Lord Church.  With high columns, wide steps, and a beautiful bell tower, parishioners saw it as a glimpse of God’s kingdom here on earth.  Neighbors recognized it as the real jewel in a section of the city that seemed to have a Catholic church on every corner.  Many simply called the Church of the Ascension the “Cathedral of Kensington.”

The Ascension of Our Lord Parish was founded in 1899 in a temporary chapel inside a former candy store in the working-class Kensington neighborhood. Dedicated in 1900, the church  could hold over 1,300 worshippers. The parish thrived and, within twenty years, was the third largest parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

As the parish flourished, so did vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  Many Oblates grew up in the parish and some Oblates believe it was the parish that produced the most vocations of priests and brothers for our community.  Over the years, many Oblates ministered at Ascension as it was less than a mile away from the Northeast Catholic High School Oblate community.

The social and economic issues of the 1960s and 70s led to decreasing church attendance and the Catholic community in Kensington did not have the financial resources to maintain  the parish.  The buildings began to crumble and weekend masses were moved into the school auditorium and even the rectory.  After many years of decline, the church finally closed in 2012. 

Almost ten years later the church is abandoned and crumbling.  For many people, the former church has become a symbol of urban decay and abandonment. However, the spirit of the Ascension still permeates the lives of the people who grew up in the parish and made it their home.

Former parishioners share memories and keep connected through social media sites, reunions, and community events.  “The Ascension” – as many people refer to the parish – is always with them.

The memories, mission, and spirit they experienced at that “Cathedral in Kensington” will never leave them.  The building may fall apart and fade but their ties to each other remain strong.   The people of “the Ascension” remind us that the Church is not simply structures and stained-glass, but rather relationships and remaining connected.

As the Church celebrates the solemn Feast of the Ascension, we are reminded that Jesus always stays connected to us.   Even when he is no longer physically with us, he will never abandon us.  The mission and spirit that he gave to his first followers did not leave them when he ascended into heaven. He promised he would remain with them always and gave them instructions to go and spread the good news to all nations.

The story of “the Ascension” parish can help us to appreciate the feast of the Ascension event in our lives today.  Wherever we worship, we know that the building, no matter how beautiful or majestic, is the outward sign of the inner life of the community. Buildings expand and grow; they flourish and inspire.   They also struggle, crumble, and eventually decline.  Yet the spirit of the people who built them, the mission of the members of the parish and the life of the community continues on – even when the bricks and mortar are no more.

The land at “F” Street and Westmoreland Street in Kensington has seen many changes over the last century.   There is hope that out of the ruins of a once awe-inspiring edifice new life will come and the whole neighborhood will be transformed.

The mystery of the Ascension promises that loss will be changed into life and a new reality will be open to those who see only decay and despair.  Jesus remains even when parishes are closed, when buildings are torn down.

St. Francis de Sales tells us: “Let the world turn upside down, let everything be in darkness, in smoke, in uproar—God is still with us.”

The Church of the Ascension was a sign that we can catch a glimpse of God’s kingdom in this world.   The feast of the Ascension is a sign that God’s kingdom is already within us, calling us to be a sign of his life at work in the world.

Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS

St. Joseph: A Good and Faithful Servant

On occasion throughout this year that is dedicated to St. Joseph, I will reflect on that very special saint and universal patron of the entire Church. In grade school, I was taught by the St. Joe Sisters. Over those eight formative years, I learned from them to love the foster father of Jesus.

When I became an Oblate, I learned that St. Francis de Sales was utterly charmed by St. Joseph. Along with all of us, Francis was in awe of Joseph’s lofty status as the foster father of Jesus Christ and the loving spouse of Mary, the Mother of God. He used to marvel that St. Joseph was “closer to Mary and Jesus than anyone else” (OEA, XV, p. 33), and he admitted that “nothing excites me so much as the title of foster father of Jesus Christ” (A.S. III, p. 473).

But I believe that what impressed Francis de Sales most about St. Joseph was his quiet fidelity to the everyday responsibilities which were his as husband, father, provider and protector of his little family.  Francis used to teach that the deepest love for God and, thus, the perfect fulfillment of the first commandment, was attained by our continual union with the divine will for us.  And he went on to teach us that God’s will for us is found, above all else, in the many duties and responsibilities that cluster around our vocation or state in life.  As parent or priest; as spouse or religious; as the CEO of a major company or a farmer or factory worker or teacher—no matter what our state in life may be, so long as we embrace it as God’s will for us and are faithful throughout life to its many obligations, duties and responsibilities, large or small, it can lead us to the highest degree of holiness.  To underscore this teaching, when Francis gave examples of saints, he frequently included lay saints, husbands and wives, single men and women, and children.  For de Sales, one of the greatest of those lay saints, is St. Joseph, which is why he presented him as a model for those who embrace the Salesian spirit. 

Although he was the foster father of God’s only Son and the spouse of Mary, the Mother of our Redeemer, St. Joseph was first and foremost a humble carpenter who earned the daily bread which nourished and sustained his family by hard work and the sweat of his brow.  By human standards, he did not accomplish much, nor did he rank high on society’s social ladder.  By God’s standards, however, he was a “good and faithful servant,” and his quiet fidelity to the demands of his daily life delighted the heart of God.  When Joseph lay dying, God surrounded him with Jesus and Mary, along with a host of angels.  They comforted him, preparing him for the heavenly happiness that he was soon to enjoy.  Such a holy and happy death was God’s way of blessing a life well-lived because during that life countless little things had been done with such great love. 

St. Francis de Sales holds up to us, his followers, the life of St. Joseph as model for our own lives.  Like him, we too are to bloom where we are planted, faithful to whatever is asked of us in each passing present moment of life.  If we are faithful in this way, we too will delight the heart of God and merit a holy death, accompanied to heavenly glory, as he was, by Jesus and Mary. As it was for St. Joseph, such a happy death will be for us the crown of a life well-lived in love!

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

A Perfect Mom…or not?

St. Francis de Sales wrote, “The one who can preserve gentleness amid pains, and peace amid the worry and multitude of daily life, is almost perfect."

My mother, Marleen Brown Riley, is almost perfect. 

Imagine eight children in 13 years. Imagine getting her first born’s cancer diagnosis when her youngest was six months old. Imagine being married to a man required to relocate every two years.  Think of moving from New Mexico to Northern California with two toddlers, eight months pregnant, and the closest family members 2,642 miles away. 

Imagine working the nursing night shift so every child could attend Catholic schools. Imagine financial loss, countless ER trips, nursing our broken bones and broken hearts. Imagine schlepping eight kids to mass, serving on parish council, volunteering for countless church ministries. Imagine graciously welcoming seven in-laws and two dozen grandkids.  Imagine sculptured birthday cakes and homemade Easter outfits.

Now, you may just be able to imagine my incredible mother.  Sounds almost perfect doesn’t she? 

In my mind she was almost perfect, but surely, she would never ever describe herself as such.  She would say she didn’t give us enough attention, yelled too much, served too many mushy green vegetables (she did), and lost patience too quickly. 

My siblings and I would disagree with her, and we would find Francis’ words most appropriate for her. She preserved gentleness amid pains – like when she opted to ignore our infractions or held us together as we buried our dad and bid our sister farewell.  She preserved peace amid worry and multitude of daily life – like when she broke up our fights, made us feel loved equally, held us after disappointments, and pulled us together for family dinner.  A perfect mom. 

St. Francis reminds us of the risks of living lives in the pursuit of perfection.  He tells us that “perfection consists in fighting against them (our imperfections).” 

Today, I am a mother to four children aged 12-18.  Like other moms, I have longed to be that perfect mother. I want my children to reflect on my role as a mother with the deep adoration and respect I have for my mom.  But in pushing for perfection, I find that I lost some perspective. 

Francis has helped me out here.  

When I feel defeated by my imperfections as a mom, I am reminded of his words, “Don’t be disheartened by your imperfections, but always rise up with fresh courage.”   He teaches me that in keeping my imperfections in mind and accepting them, I can be the mom I want to be.

Francis also has taught me this simple truth: Every act (including mothering), when done so with as much love as I can possibly offer, is a perfect act. 

And so, on this Mother’s Day weekend, as us moms reflect on how we are doing in our vocation as mothers, let’s look to Francis and remember that in simply loving ourselves and in acting with love, we are almost perfect. 

Paula M. Riley
Communications Consultant
Paula M. Riley LinkedIN

We are the Remnants

Every time I hear the word “remnant,” I think of my sister and her husband. The two of them own a floor covering business, or carpet store, in Western New York. They always have remnants of carpet they sell or give to family members for all kinds of uses. My brother-in-law has them spread on the floor of his home workshop. There are remnants in front of washing machines, kitchen sinks, on basement steps, in car trunks, and every other imaginable place. 

I’m sure you’ve dealt with remnants of some kind or another. If you sew, you have remnants of cloth. If you party on New Year’s Eve, you have remnants of that event that need cleaning up, probably all through your house the following day. If you’re a carpenter, there are remnants of wood, which can be utilized in other projects.  A remnant is something left-over, the remainders.  

There is a beautiful and vital scriptural understanding of the remnant that is important for our consideration. In scripture, a remnant is a small surviving group of people. They are a people who are faithful to the Lord despite the lack of faith and dishonorable living of those around them. 

Throughout the history of humankind, GOD HAS ALWAYS LEFT A REMNANT. Think of Noah and his family after the flood, or Lot and his family after Sodom and Gomorrah. With the famine in Egypt, it was Joseph’s remnant that saved the nation. 

The remnant is found in the Old Testament and also the New Testament: Romans 11:5, “Even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

I remember packed churches as a child growing up in the 1960s: If you didn’t get there early, you’d have to stand. I remember waiting in long lines to go to confession. If you put up four walls and advertised a scripture class, Catholics would fill the room. There is no way to describe what this change means to us personally or as the Church community. It is just so different. 

I wrote a few weeks ago about the diminishing attendance in our churches, in parish continuing education programs and in the service activities of the Church. I mentioned that this diminishment has dramatically increased during the pandemic. What will our future be? What can we do to reverse this trend?

In our time, remnant theology can give us some insights and bring us some hope. There is a biblical precedent that God has frequently seen fit to thin His ranks, to prune and purify his people. I believe today we can consider ourselves “the remnant.” 

We are few, but we are firm in faith and commitment to the Church. The wonderful thing about “the remnant” is that it is always forward-looking. From the crisis of the Church today, a new and vibrant Church can evolve. We may be small today, unable to fill the great Churches built in our heyday, but we can be dynamic and alive in our faith and our commitment to live like Christ. We can be the seed sown by the Lord, which will bear much fruit. 

So, my friends, do not lose hope, be optimistic, and join with others like you to become the emerging Church of this century. I believe our call in this challenging time is to be steadfast in our faith and consistent in our participation in prayer and the life of the Church. It is incumbent on us to live Jesus and persist. Our witness, our good works, our lively community, and the service we provide to others will stand as a beacon of hope for others and build anew the Church we love. 

St. Francis de Sales has words of encouragement and guidance on this matter found in his book, The Introduction to the Devout Life: 

“The order of God’s Providence maintains a perpetual challenge of this world; day is continually turning to night, spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter, winter to spring; no two days are ever exactly alike. Some are foggy, rainy, some dry, or windy, and this endless variety greatly enhances the beauty of the universe. 

And even so precisely, is it with man (who, as ancient writers have said, is a miniature of the world), for he is never long in any one condition, and his life on earth flows by like the mighty waters, heaving and tossing with an endless variety of motion; one while raising him on high with hope, another plunging him low in fear; now turning him to the right with rejoicing, then driving him to the left with sorrows; and no single day, no, not even one hour, is entirely the same as any other of his life. 

All this is a very weighty warning and teaches us to aim at an abiding and unchangeable evenness of mind amid so great an uncertainty of events; and, while all around is changing, we must seek to remain immovable, ever looking to, reaching after and desiring our God.” 

We are “the remnant,” and it is a blessing to be so. We have a clear and critical task in front of us. Do not dwell on the past. We are a forward-looking people.    Persist, be faithful. Let the “remnant,” those who have a vibrant relationship with God, sanctify our Church and build it anew.

God be blessed!

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

“Ordered to God”: Human Dignity

“Endowed with a spiritual soul, with intellect and with free will, the human person is from his very conception, ordered to God and destined for eternal beatitude.”  

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1711)

This quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us all we need to know about the unique, precious and innate dignity of every human being.  Easter is the season of new life, resurrection life, and the life of grace --gifts added to the fundamental life of conception and birth, and gifts that lead, in faith, to “eternal beatitude.”

Endowed with a spiritual soul:  Our faith refuses to reduce the human person to body, that is, to what can be known and experienced through our senses alone.  We are more than meets the eye or the touch, or any of the other senses.  We are ensouled bodies.  Our bodies may wax and wane and eventually slip away in death, but our souls live forever, destined one day to be reunited with our glorified bodies “in the joy of a blessed eternity,” in the words of St. Jane de Chantal.

With intellect and with free will:  We are reminded that, because of the Fall, our intellects are darkened and our wills weakened.  I think we all know what that means from our own experience.  The truths of scripture and faith enlighten our intellect and the practice of virtue strengthens our will.  Still, don’t we often act in a manner that we know we ought not to?  We look to grace to heal and strengthen both intellect and will.  But this is a life-long struggle, which is why St. Francis de Sales so wisely reminds us that “holiness consists in our willingness to keep struggling for it,” to just keep working at it! We can all do that; we can all begin anew each day.

From our very conception we are ordered to God:  Francis de Sales compares our natural inclination toward God to a shepherd’s crook, by which God gently grasps hold of us and lovingly pulls us to himself, doing so within the delicate coordinates of human freedom.  God will never force his love upon us, but, oh, how much he desires our love!

From our very conception, we are destined for eternal beatitude:  we are created to be happy with God forever in heaven.  Heaven is what we are made for!  It’s that simple. We are only pilgrims here.  We have been created in such a manner as to be able to realize that destiny.  Yes, the Fall has made that realization difficult, but grace makes it possible.  And heaven is worth our life-long effort to attain it!

Notice when all this starts for us --at the moment of our conception.  Hence, the Church’s strong and unyielding affirmation of the dignity of human life.  From conception to natural death --the seamless garment of life!

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

The Risen Christ

Throughout Easter Season, we have several appearances of the resurrected Christ presented in the Sunday and daily gospel readings. 

In these Resurrection appearances, Jesus reveals Himself to one or more disciples and instructs them to tell others that He has risen. He encourages them to believe that it is he, risen from the dead. Jesus offers them the peace that the world cannot provide. He greets those who abandoned or denied him with love and forgiveness and empowered the people with hope, consolation, and finally, the power of his Spirit. 

We see these events occur in the account of Jesus meeting Mary Magdalene in the garden. Again, on several occasions, Jesus appears in the upper room, meeting the fear-filled group of disciples, once when Thomas is absent, and again the well-known account of Jesus inviting Thomas to put his hands in his wounds and encouraging him to believe. There is the story of Jesus meeting two downcast, depressed men on the road to Emmaus. There's the appearance of the Resurrected Christ, standing on the shore, watching the disciples in their boat after a fruitless night of fishing. Jesus tells them to try one more time, and after reluctantly following his instructions, they get a boatload of fish. 

Through these appearances, the Lord cares for this group of disciples, broken apart and scattered by His crucifixion and death. He is reweaving them together around the truth of His Resurrection. Jesus is bringing to those who are downcast, hopeless, and desolate the Good News and transforming their hearts into centers of joy, hope, faith, and love. 

Jesus is building up the Church and preparing these disciples for the challenging task of proclaiming the Good News that God is among his people in the Risen Christ. He reveals through His Resurrection there are no barriers to the joy of God's kingdom and that we have been claimed again by God as his own forever. This truth takes a small band of fearful men and women and miraculously transforms them into a force that has changed the lives of millions and millions of people in the light of the Risen Christ.  

I cannot help thinking that the experience of these early disciples is, in some small way, reflected in our own experience after months of quarantining and living with anxiety and fear of Covid. With this thought, the resurrected Christ spent his time repairing that which was broken apart and scattered by his crucifixion and death; perhaps this is the mission we have, as the Church, as we begin to live in a post-covid church. 

All of us have wondered if people will return to our pews, if the number of our members, already diminished before Covid, will be even more diminished. We wonder if we'll have the energy and life within our community to pick up where we left off, or will we face other struggles and challenges to maintain what we had or have currently? 

Perhaps the example of Jesus responding to his broken community as the Resurrected One can provide some hope and direction for us. The Resurrected Jesus persists in his desire to build the community of disciples he prayed for before his passion in John's Gospel. We will hear this prayer on the final two Sundays of the Easter season. You're familiar with it: 

"Jesus said to his disciples: "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you." (Jn 15: 9-12)

And on the feast of the Ascension: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. (Mk 16: 15-16a)

We have my friends between Easter and Pentecost, the last will and testament of Christ in these weeks. He leaves us his word that he will remain with us and in us. He promises that in our union with him, we are one with the Father. 

Christ leaves us the mission to live the hope, joy, and faith of those men and women who left that upper room and dared to speak something essential and life-giving to non-believers, to those who scoffed and persecuted, but also, to those who believed without seeing. Finally, Christ left us his own Spirit to guide and inspire us in this mission.

Perhaps as we wonder what this Church will look like in our post-covid world, we should take our cue from the Risen Christ and be the word to others of hope, faith, love, and forgiveness. 

Perhaps we should listen carefully to God's word proclaimed each Sunday and pray that we may all be inspired and courageously respond to the command of Jesus to "go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature."

The first disciples did this; we can do it too. We can build the kingdom of God with the Easter faith we continue to celebrate every time we come together to hear the gospel and share in the gift of the Eucharist – the presence of Christ in and among us. 

Let us be of good faith and build God's kingdom together.

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

Witnesses of the Resurrection

We find ourselves in the octave of Easter, during which we spend some days reflecting in wonder on the reality, the beauty, the power and the meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus for the first disciples and for us today.

The first disciples had a really hard time accepting the bodily reality of the risen Jesus.  Behind those locked doors, and in the face of their doubts Jesus asked for something to eat and then ate the piece of baked fish before them.  He did this to convince them that, yes, he was flesh and bone, real and alive, and not some ghost or figment of their imagination.  The absent and doubting Thomas was the hardest one to convince.  Jesus made him place his hands in the wounds of his hands and feet and in his pierced side to prove that the Jesus who was crucified, died and was buried on Good Friday was indeed risen, real and standing before him on Easter Sunday.

Obviously, all this turned the world upside down for those first disciples.  The hard and cold reality of death had been robbed of its dreaded finality, and a sinful world had now been offered the promise of forgiveness, newness, grace and eternal life!

Those first disciples were indeed a privileged lot.  They saw the risen Jesus with their own eyes, and they spent many days with him, eating and talking, learning and reflecting, before the day of his glorious Ascension.  They became the official “witnesses” to the truth, the reality, of the resurrection.  Their testimony through preaching, gospel and martyrdom became, for us, the path to faith, their faith, in the reality, the beauty, the power and the meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus.

We believe in their witness to the resurrection, but we also know that our faith needs to travel from head to heart to our everyday life with one another.  How does that happen?  Prayerfully and quietly read the accounts of the appearances of the risen Jesus to his first disciples. Place yourself there as one of those first witnesses.  React as they did.  Be changed as they were.  Go from an encounter with the risen Jesus, as they did, into your everyday life with others and, like them, make a real difference in your everyday world. 

Let how we live today proclaim that Jesus is indeed risen and that that fact of faith changes everything – everything!

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province

The Paschal Mystery

We begin the high point of our Church liturgical year today. What a Sunday is to the week, the Triduum is to the whole year. Today, Holy Thursday, tomorrow, Good Friday, and Saturday at the Easter Vigil, we immerse ourselves in and celebrate the “Paschal Mystery.”  

The phrase, the Paschal Mystery, is familiar. But sometimes, we can think of it in shorthand fashion and reduce it, more or less, to the dying and the rising of Jesus. The trouble with that is it can mistakenly imply that our participation in the “Paschal Mystery” happens when we die. We’re supposed to lead a good moral life so when we die we can share in the resurrection that Christ won for us. 

But the Paschal Mystery is far, far greater than that. The word “paschal” comes from an Aramaic word that means “pass over,” and we use it to refer to two things: 

First, it refers to the night the angel of death “passed over” the homes of the Jewish people, who put the blood of a lamb on their doorpost. 

Second, it includes the great passage of Jesus from God to the human race: his passage through life through suffering, through death, his ascending to God, his sending of the Spirit upon us, and his gathering of all creation into the reign of God. In the Triduum, we immerse ourselves in, and we celebrate this “great passage” (which might be a more precise term).

This “great passage” of Jesus is not complete. It is a colossal enterprise, and it’s going on now, as we speak. The entry of Jesus into creation, his life, death, rising, ascending, sending of the Spirit, and gradual gathering of creation into the reign of God has changed everything. 

This colossal enterprise is beyond our understanding. It is the Lord who is accomplishing it. It’s good to keep that in mind, especially in bad times:

• when our hopes for the world or the Church are unfulfilled

• when we face huge problems

• when everything seems futile

During those times, we realize that it isn’t our enterprise. It’s the Lord’s, but we have a part in it. 

The Lord carries on this great passage by working through us. Each of us was created by God and purposely put here on earth to be part of this enterprise’s working out. Each of us has a role that is precisely our own. I don’t care what color your skin is. I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman. I don’t care if you’re rich or you’re poor. I don’t care if you’re a layperson or a bishop. I don’t care if you’re married or single. I don’t care if you’re healthy or sick, educated or uneducated. Each of us is created and placed here by God and called to play our part in making this passage happen.

We accomplish our purpose simply by trying to live the Gospel in whatever life circumstances we find ourselves. In the words of St. Francis DeSales, “Live Jesus,” remembering that every single day of our lives is part of this remarkable passage. What we accomplish may not seem important to us, but it is essential, like a tiny jewel in a grand mosaic. We may not fully understand its meaning in this life, but we will in the next.

The Triduum is a beautiful liturgical moment in the year. We celebrate the “great passage” that Jesus began when he became part of this world and the great enterprise he calls us to share. Let us begin this day rejoicing. 

Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province

The Annunciation: Obedience as True Freedom

Today’s feast of the Annunciation recalls the moment the angel announces God’s intentions regarding the birth of his Son and God’s invitation to Mary to become the Mother of God.

Between the invitation and its acceptance, all of creation and especially salvation history holds its breath. For God invites, enables and awaits but never forces or compels human freedom.  Mary could have said no.

I like to situate the moment of the annunciation in the context of Mary’s entire life.  Yes, this was a very special moment, arguably the most important moment in all of history.  But the special moment of annunciation is situated in a lifetime of moments in which Mary stands ready, on her tiptoes as it were, arms wide-open and outstretched to welcome whatever God asks of her.  Mary is always ready, eager, and responsive to God’s will for her, in little everyday matters as well as in life-changing circumstances and events.

Years after this moment of annunciation, Mary’s Son would affirm that, “I do always the will of the One who sent me.”  Now, where, humanly speaking, did Jesus first learn the lesson of a ready openness to the divine will, an eagerness to do whatever God asks of him and to accept whatever God permits?  He learned that lesson from his parents, and especially from his Mother.

Yes, Mary is free, but her freedom is always situated within a ready obedience.  So, once she knows what God wants of her, she says “Yes!” 

We Americans love our freedom.  But we tend to think of freedom only in terms of freedom of choice.  The example of Mary at her annunciation and Jesus throughout his ministry show us another understanding of freedom, one that flowers through obedience.   Was Mary lessened or diminished in any way by her fiat?  Hardly.  She is Mother of God, Mother of the Church, Queen of Angels and Saints!  Was Jesus lessened by his ready “Yes!” to the Father’s will for him?  I think you know the answer to that. Mary and Jesus become the best of who they are through a freedom that blooms within a ready obedience to the divine will!

At her annunciation, then, Mary becomes a model for every Christian.  Her response must somehow become ours as well: “Yes, Yes, always Yes!” Loving obedience to God’s will for us is how we become the person we are truly meant to be.  Ask any saint.

V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province