Although our new pastor has been with us for a couple of months, he was officially installed by the Bishop on Sunday. I always enjoy these special events, because they are usually inserted into the middle of the Mass, which extends the service from about one hour to about one and a half hours. I love the liturgy that develops around these events, especially the music; which I’ll admit causes a sympathetic reaction in and around my tear ducts.
Our new pastor began his homily by quoting the Special Olympics Athlete Oath; “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt”. After a few thoughts, he followed this with St. Paul’s message from prison, “I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). His homily was inspiring and very close to my heart, because I am no longer concerned about winning the race; I just want to be brave in the attempt to do what I can.
We sang the song Christ, Be Our Light , by Bernadette Farrell, during communion that emphasizes what we can do for others. The refrain is;
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.
Sometimes when the present looks bleak, it’s important to focus on Jesus Christ and the future will look bright. We are not alone, but we do need to be brave. God isn’t asking us to win; he just wants us to do our best, keep the faith, and help each other do the same.
Our new pastor began his homily by quoting the Special Olympics Athlete Oath; “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt”. After a few thoughts, he followed this with St. Paul’s message from prison, “I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). His homily was inspiring and very close to my heart, because I am no longer concerned about winning the race; I just want to be brave in the attempt to do what I can.
We sang the song Christ, Be Our Light , by Bernadette Farrell, during communion that emphasizes what we can do for others. The refrain is;
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.
Sometimes when the present looks bleak, it’s important to focus on Jesus Christ and the future will look bright. We are not alone, but we do need to be brave. God isn’t asking us to win; he just wants us to do our best, keep the faith, and help each other do the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment