St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Parishioners of SJW:

How did our year progress to the middle of July?  Summer is passing way too quickly.  Sometimes, I wish summer would last 10 months, at least!

If you have a good memory, you will know that each summer I give my column on Mass attendance.  Guess what?  The time for that is NOW!

I guess I could say that for many of you reading this, I am “preaching to the choir.”  To those who are “regulars” at weekend Mass, I say THANK YOU.  You help our parish community to be a community of faith.  You enable our celebrations to be joyous and prayerful.  Your commitment to the 3^rd Commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day should inspire all those who do not come.

I ask those who are there each weekend to pray for those who are not there. 

I ask those who are there each weekend to ask someone you may know, from family or office or school or neighborhood, to join you at Mass.

I ask those who are there each weekend to grow in love for the power of the Eucharist in their daily lives. 

I ask those who are there each weekend to share the joy of receiving the Lord’s Body & Blood in their actions and in their speech.

NOW— those who are reading this who do not come to Mass regularly—I ask that you change your lives and come.  Please take that big step and enter our church building.  You will not be disappointed.  The Lord is there waiting for you.  Your fellow parishioners are there waiting for you.  The Scriptures and Communion are waiting for you. 

In the summer, some Catholics take a vacation from Mass and the Lord Jesus.  I can’t understand why that happens.  The Lord Jesus never takes a vacation from us.  That being so, why would anyone respond by vacating Jesus?  Shouldn’t we be there each weekend like He is there for us?  In no way do I mean this to sound or come across as flippant.  I am just trying to be logical.  If Jesus is there for us, we should be there for Him.  And the best way to “be there” is to BE THERE at 700 East Spruce St.

The greatest gift that Jesus gave to us, besides His own very life on the Cross, is the gift of the Eucharist.  He wanted us to celebrate His Presence and receive His very Self, so He gave us the Mass for all ages.  Our response to this gift should be THANK YOU.  And in addition to saying it, we should show our thankfulness by occupying a pew whenever we can.

See you in church, as they say!

Your Pastor, Father Joe