We are beginning a new homily series entitled “Talking About Stuff that Really Matters!” It is hard to focus and keep focused on the things that really matter. The many distractions that clutter our thinking may prevent many of us from focusing on the important. Take the hazy, hot and humid weather for example. Due to the weather, which we can do nothing about, we focus energy on how HOT it is!
So, what really matters? PANDEMIC is one of the most intimidating terms in our modern vocabulary, but all that it represents is challenges by another word’s power: COMMUNITY! We have chosen to call ourselves “The Catholic Community of Sacred Heart”. The stress is on community, our common union. Walking together steeped in the Word of God is essential to keep focused on the things that really matter.
I think of the “secret” of the downfall of the Soviet Union and the Solidarity Movement begun by Lech Walesa in Gdansk, Poland. The “secret” was the necessity of working together. Walesa in an interview made it clear that the seeds of solidarity were planted in him and all in the shipyard by the Gospel they heard each and every week when they went to Mass. Working together as faithful disciples, encouraging each other to live the Gospel helped us to stand together and not be overcome by the division we were experiencing from the Soviet government.
Community really matters, and we need to put our heads together to discover how we will be “community” in a new way during this pandemic. At the next meeting of our Pastoral Planning Team (PPT) we are going to be discussing how we will be community (church) in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. Why? Because community is important. Life may not get back to “normal” as we knew it before covid-19. We need to be flexible and adaptable for the “new normal” coming our way. So, I am inviting you to share your wisdom in how we will walk in solidarity as The Catholic Community of Sacred Heart. How will we be “church” in the years ahead?