As most of you know, I celebrated my big 6-0 birthday this past Thursday. The one thing about these milestone birthdays is that it gives you a chance to pause and reflect on where the years have gone and where God is calling next. Looking back on the past 60 – one thing is very clear; the church girl grew up to become the church lady. I say this with a smile, because the church has been central to who I am as a person.
My first recollection of “church” was going to the convent in Milford to have tea with my grandmother and Sr. Pius. She was the dreaded principal at my elementary school that most people thought she was terrifying. Because of my experience, I had a very different impression of this woman. I knew her as a soft-spoken, kind woman who had a sweet tooth….then I went to grammar school!
I was formed as a Christian woman by my family; especially my grandmother, parents and extended family but also by my church family. Many of those relationships have been life-long. I met one of my closest friends, Mary while sitting next to her at the 5PM Mass each Saturday. Our friendship continues today as we celebrate turning 60 together! So many other special relationships have been formed right here at Sacred Heart – relationships that would not have been possible without our wonderful Catholic community. For this, I am eternally grateful.
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. It always sounded so gory to me. Yet, as I get older and start to understand what we celebrate, I realize how all the pieces fit. We truly “belong to Christ” when we are consciously and actively participating members of that Body, loving, serving, and caring for each other. We come together each week at Mass to celebrate being a community and our shared fellowship in Christ.
Sunday Mass is a measure of the quality of our community; our caring for one another. A living, vibrant community has members who want to come together to worship (give thanks to God) and to minister (serve others). How sad it is for me when I see the younger generation shying away from community and ministry. Our Catholic Community is something that we need to value and never take for granted. Like anything else of value, it needs to be nurtured and grown.
My prayer for this “Body and Blood of Christ” is that all our members will see the benefits in worship and ministry so that our Catholic Community stays vibrant. And for our younger members that they form the kinds of lasting relationships that I have that they can cherish when they hit the age of 60; friendships that start right here in the community.