Bulletins by St. Clare Parish (Page 4)

When we think of the coming Reign of God, we may wonder why Jesus did not bring it about in its fulness instantaneously, why we still live in an imperfect world with all the problems which plague us. Why are there wars, injustice, poverty, hunger, illness, famine and climate change? The list could go on and on. Jesus used parables and images common to his hearers to teach them about God’s reign. In this Sunday’s gospel, we hear of seed scattered in a field and the small mustard seed that becomes a large plant. In both cases, the Lord invokes the miracle of life to explain the kingdom of God: it is organic, it takes time, and “once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches.” The Death and Resurrection of Jesus was not some “magic bullet” to put an end to what ails humanity. God’s reign is not imposed on the world; it is an invitation to conversion made to each person. Only when people allow themselves to be changed or converted will our world stand a chance of conversion. It takes time and we need to be patient with ourselves and with others. Sometimes, we call this “the already, but not yet.” Jesus has planted the seeds of God’s kingdom, but those seeds have not matured into what they will become. We cultivate the virtues of peace and justice in our lives and in the world around us, doing so in hope and trust in the Lord.

We resume Sundays in Ordinary Time this weekend. Since the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday (February 14), we have observed the seasons of Lent and Easter; in addition to this, the two Sundays following Pentecost are devoted to the Holy Trinity and the Body and Blood of the Lord. Here is a concise description of Ordinary Time, found in the Universal Norms of the Liturgy, 43: Besides the times of the year that have their own distinctive character, there remains in the yearly cycle thirty-three or thirty-four weeks in which no particular aspect of the mystery of Christ is celebrated, but rather the mystery of Christ himself is honored in its fullness, especially on Sundays. These weeks are not called, “ordinary,” because they lack a special character, but because they are “ordered” by number, from 1 to 34. During this time, except on feast days and commemorations of the saints, the liturgical color is green.

On this Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), we reflect upon the multi-faceted reality of the Body of Christ (not only in the Eucharist, but in what each of us is called to be and to become), for we are called as members of Christ to be His Body, alive in the world today. In the fourth century, when Saint Augustine was Bishop of Hippo in north Africa, he offered these thoughts for our understanding of the mystery of the Body of Christ: So now, if you want to understand the body of Christ, listen to the Apostle Paul speaking to the faithful: “You are the body of Christ, member for member” [1 Cor. 12.27]. If you, therefore, are Christ’s body and members, it is your own mystery that is placed on the Lord’s table! It is your own mystery that you are receiving! You are saying “Amen” to what you are: your response is a personal signature, affirming your faith. When you hear “The body of Christ,” you reply “Amen.” Be a member of Christ’s body, then, so that your “Amen” may ring true! But what role does the bread play? We have no theory of our own to propose here; listen, instead, to what Paul says about this sacrament: “The bread is one, and we, though many, are one body” [1 Cor. 10.17]. Understand and rejoice: unity, truth, faithfulness, love. “One bread,” he says. What is this one bread? Is it not the “one body,” formed from many? Remember: bread doesn’t come from a single grain, but from many. . . And thus it is with the wine. Remember, friends, how wine is made. Individual grapes hang together in a bunch, but the juice from them all is mingled to become a single brew. This is the image chosen by Christ our Lord to show how, at his own table, the mystery of our unity and peace is solemnly consecrated. We are pleased this weekend to celebrate with Father Victor Trinidad the Fifth Anniversary of his Ordination as a Priest. By virtue of our Baptism, we are all members of Christ. That is our first calling, and within the vocation of our Baptism, some are also called to ministries of service as ordained, vowed, married or as single members of the Church. We rejoice in Father Victor’s continued response to the Lord’s call and in the many ways he has served the Body of Christ, first at the Cathedral Basilica Parish, and for two years now at Saint Clare. We welcome the Trinidad Family and Father Victor’s friends who join with us this Saturday. At the same time, we offer thanks to our Parish Pastoral Council for the work the councilors have done in organizing our celebration.

The Holy Trinity is a mystery. On Trinity Sunday, we celebrate God as God: Father, Son and Spirit, three Persons, one God. We use other words to help to define/explain God: one, equal, and undivided. Still, we can ask ourselves: “What does this mean?” and “How can this be?” That is the nature of the mysteries of faith. They are not like the mysteries in books or shows we try to solve. To proclaim mysteries such as the Trinity and the Eucharist is an admission that we cannot fathom the heights and depths of what they are. We must allow God to be God. When we try to explain Who God is through our human constructs, we limit God to merely “superhuman” qualities, when God is actually more than we can even begin to imagine. In the end, we profess our faith in the ways we pray: “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was, is now and will be for ever. Amen.”

On the great feast of Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles was fulfillment of the promise made by Jesus: “The Father will send you another Paraclete,” [also called “Comforter” and “Advocate”] “to be with you always” (John 14:16). This same Spirit comes upon us in Baptism, Confirmation and, in fact, in every moment of our lives. The Spirit comes upon our gifts of bread and wine, to change them into the Body and Blood of the Lord; the Spirit also forms us into “one body, one spirit in Christ” (Eucharistic Prayer III). On Pentecost, the frightened group of Jesus’ followers suddenly became bold in proclamation, speaking in ways that everyone understood, no matter where they came from. The Spirit gave them courage not only on the day of Pentecost, but for the rest of their lives.

As we celebrate the Lord’s Ascension into heaven, it is easy to overlook the significance of Jesus’ return to the Father: “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). Jesus’ work on earth did not conclude with His Death, Resurrection and Ascension; through the power of the Holy Spirit, He continues to be with us, as he promised. This same Spirit comes upon our gifts of bread and wine, transforming them into the living Body and Blood of Christ, broken and poured out for the life of the world. Through the indwelling of the Spirit, the Lord invites us to share the holiness of God and sends us out into the world to proclaim God’s goodness by our very lives. Without the Ascension, there would be no great feast of Pentecost, which we will celebrate next weekend. Let us rejoice in the Lord who is with us – always.

Jesus invited His disciples to follow Him, to live as He lived: This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:12-13). On this, our second weekend of First Communion for some children of our parish and school, Jesus’ words remind us that the Eucharist is our ultimate way of sharing God’s life while we are still here on earth. As we share the life the Lord has “laid down” for our sake, He also urges us to a love so great as His love for us. We thank and congratulate parents and other family members whose self-sacrifice has helped bring their children to the Lord’s Table these weeks. Though it may not always seem so, the lessons you teach by your love are establishing the pattern of love and service that your kids will follow for the rest of their lives. Again, our thanks to you. On Saturday, June 1, Father Victor will celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of his ordination as a priest. He will be the celebrant of the 5:00 pm Mass that afternoon. The celebration continues with a reception in the Rectory Garden. All are welcome to be part of this milestone in Father Victor’s life and in the life of the parish. Details will follow during this month.

“I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. . . Remain in me, as I remain in you.” Using the image of the vine and the branches (chapter 15, Gospel of John), Jesus describes the connection between Him and believers and, by extension, between and among believers. It is impossible to be connected to the Lord without being connected to others. Just as the branches are joined to the vine, so are they joined to one another. Faith comes through a community, in fact by means of various communities; first among these is the family, then the parish, perhaps the school and sometimes from one’s friends and classmates. Faith is also nurtured by these relationships. We should never discount our role in the faith life of others. Not only by our words, but especially by our example, others can come to – and remain – in Christ, the vine.