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Father Barry's August 2010 Pastor Pages
Assisting Those in Need - August 29, 2010
As you may know there are many individuals and families who live in our community who struggle to meet their most basic material needs (e.g. food,
clothing, shelter, medicine). In addition to this, there are many other people who travel through Concordia who need temporary assistance. One of the
greatest assets we have to respond to the needs of the poor among us is Manna House of Prayer. One of the ministries at Manna House of Prayer since its
beginnings in 1978 has been a ministry to the poor of Cloud County. This ministry is called "HELPING HANDS." Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and
the Catholic Thrift Shop have worked together with HELPING HANDS over the years through regular contributions; the Catholic Thrift Shop makes regular
monthly financial donations to this ministry. Other organizations and individuals, including the Sisters of St. Joseph, also give cash donations
on a regular basis.
Although HELPING HANDS has been around since 1978, many parishioners may not be aware of its existence. HELPING HANDS assists individuals with food,
utilities, medical emergencies, and lodging for transients, as well as other types of emergency needs. HELPING HANDS maintains a food pantry at Manna
House of Prayer that is supplied with goods purchased from the Wichita Food Bank. The purchases are made once a month and given out as needed. Donations
of food are often received from other groups and individuals as well. HELPING HANDS works in close cooperation with the Family Resource Center and the
Cloud County Food Bank so that services are not duplicated or abused.
As the cost of gas and utilities continues to rise and as the poor of our county become more desperate for basic needs, HELPING HANDS has found
funds falling short. HELPING HANDS invites everyone to be a part of their efforts to assist those most in need. How can you helP? Many parishioners
and citizens of Concordia already do! Volunteering at the Catholic Thrift Shop, giving food to the county Food Bank, or to HELPING HANDS, and donations
to HELPING HANDS are all ways that support this ministry. All of us are called to support God's poor. Or in the words of Jesus, 'what you did for
one of these least ones, you did for me.' HELPING HANDS may be contacted at P.O. Box 675, Concordia or 243-4428.
Sometimes the Catholic Church is accused of teaching that a person earns salvation by doing good works. The Church has never taught such a doctrine.
In fact, it has consistently condemned such a belief. This belief is a heresy called Pelagianism and was condemned by the Church at the Council of
Carthage in 418 a.d. The Church in the 4th century reaffirmed that only by God's grace is a person saved; God's love comes to us as a gift. In our Catholic
tradition this is seen most vividly in infant baptism. An infant has done nothing to earn or deserve God's embrace at the time of baptism but out of love
God sanctifies us and makes us a son or daughter. Our response to God's initiative in our lives is to have faith. It is through this faith in God
that salvation comes to us.
However, faith is more than believing in God with our minds or an intellectual exercise. St. James in the Bible reminds us that "faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead" (2:17). St. James goes on to write, "See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."
And later he says, "For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." In other words, faith is more than merely
believing, a faith that saves a person is always expressed in good works. And it is those good works which, when they become habits, keep us from bad works
or sin. Good works helps us to to continue to respond to God's love in our life and God's invitation to participate in the Kingdom of God which will bring us
to a glorious fulfillment at the end of time.
So good works by themselves aren't enough. The Council of Trent in the 16th century taught that it is impossible for anyone to be justified before God by
works, no matter how good a person might be. Some Catholics who might think they can qualify for heaven by praying a certain number of rosaries or
attending a certain number of Masses are mistaken. What makes us justified in God's sight is faith. If we have faith, good works follow naturally
and these good works help protect our faith by helping us avoid sin. With this teaching our Catholic Church avoids two heretical extremes--The one extreme
that says that intellectually agreeing with a list of beliefs is sufficient for salvation, and the other extreme which says it is by good works a person
is awarded salvation. Neither extreme is correct or in keeping with our ancient Christian understanding and current Church doctrine regarding God's
gift of salvation.
Many times you may hear people say "I don't need any guidance from anyone because I just follow my conscience." In other words, they claim that
their conscience will tell them what is true or false, right or wrong. They don't need any other input. More often than not, when people say this
what they are really doing is just following their feelings or personal preferences, irregardless of what may be the right or moral thing to do.
Conscience is often confused with the power or faculty of thinking and feeling. However, conscience is different than our power to think and feel.
Conscience is more than 'thinking through' something to arrive at a decision. And conscience is different from what we might feel about something.
Conscience is a unique faculty or power given to us by God to guide us to what is good, right, true and just. The purpose of conscience is to lead a
person to the truth. Our Catechism describes conscience as a person's "most secret core and sanctuary" where a person can sense the inner
voice of God calling them "to love and to do what is good and avoid evil" (#1776). But conscience does not work in a vacuum. A person must first
have to learn what is right and what is wrong, and that's the job of the mind/intellect. If a person informs their conscience, their conscience will serve
as a good and dependable guide. If a person does not inform their conscience, then it won't be trustworthy. For example, if a person learns that stealing
is no sin, and if a person really believes that, then that person's conscience won't bother them when they rob a bank. The problem is that the person's
conscience has been inadequately formed or informed.
We have a duty to make sure our conscience has been formed rightly. The Catechism reminds us that "the education of the conscience is a lifelong
task." We do this by studying Sacred Scripture, by knowing the moral teachings of the Church and our Christian tradition, and through prayer.
If a person neglects these sources of knowing the truth, then a person will end up either with an empty (ignorant) conscience, which won't be able
to guide him or her rightly, or a scrupulous conscience, which sees sin where there is no sin. Either way, a person suffers from a malformed
conscience. Having a malformed conscience could be compared to 'flying blind' where there is no point of reference for a person to
discover the path of truth and love God has revealed.
Pope John Paul II once said that what was important about him was not the fact that he was the pope. What was more important was the fact that
he was baptized. It is through our Christian baptism that we come to know who we are and who we are to become. Baptism is the sacrament that
actually defines who we are. Remember that baptism isn't some event that happened many years ago. We are baptized at this very moment. Baptism is about
the present, not about the past. Baptism gives us our most basic identity. Baptism tells us who we are today, how we are to live today, what we are to
value today, how we are to love this day, and how we are to perceive life and death.
Through Christian baptism we affirm that we are sons and daughters of a loving God, and brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. We also become a dwelling
place for the Holy Spirit. This is who we really are. Throught the rest of our lives, we live in such a way that this basic identity becomes stronger
and stronger. If we are faithful to our Christian baptism, then everything we do grows out of the fact that we are baptized people. If we are faithful to
our Christian baptism, we will begin to see, think, and act more like Christ. Baptism is intended to transform us so that Christ can live in and through us.
We have other identities besides our basic identity as a baptized person; we have identities such as being a husband, wife, father, mother, brother, sister,
grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc. This is where we learn how to live both as a son or daughter of God and also one who is deeply immersed in the things of the
world. Our baptismal identity serves as a foundation for what it means to be a loving spouse, a good parent and a caring friend. Our identity as Christians
serves as support and foundation for the other vocations we fulfill in our lives.
In short, our life's work must be done within the framework of our Christian baptism. It is through our baptism that we become a son and daughter of God
and a member of Christ's family. It is this identity that remains with us after our death. It is the most fundamental identity that we are to protect,
nurture and live out. Christian baptism, if we are faithful to it, will give shape and focus to our lives.
Of all the objects associated with worship and prayer in our Christian tradition, candles are one of the most familiar features. Originally candles
were used for both functional and symbolic purposes. When Christians gathered in secret in the dark catacombs during times of persecution to celebrate
the Eucharist, candles were a source of light. However, lit candles also had a symbolic meaning. For the first Christians, burning candles at the Eucharist
were symbolic of Christ, who described himself as the Light of the world. Burning candles at the graves of martyrs and images of saints was a reminder that these
holy men and women share in the divine light and life of Christ.
In most places today where people gather to pray there are other sources of light and so candles no longer serve a practical purpose. However, burning
candles continue to have a symbolic meaning. Candles serve as a symbol of divine light, purity and holiness. The large Easter or Paschal candle in
the sanctuary which is lit during the Easter season as well as at baptisms and funerals is symbolic of Christ, who is our Light. The red sanctuary
candle next to the tabernacle is a reminder of Christ's ongoing presence. Burning candles are used around the altar at the celebration of the Eucharist
to remind us of Christ's light and love that flow from the Sacrament. Votive candles are lit in Catholic churches as a way of prolonging a prayer. They
represent the prayerful vigilance for someone with faith who is anticipating God's response to a prayer. These burning candles also remind us of
how our prayers are always before our loving God.
Burning candles in Church serve as visible signs to inspire greater faith in God and the love of God made visible in Christ, who comes to be our Light.
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Pastor Pages Archives
Symbolic Meaning of Candles 8/1/10
The Importance of Our Baptism 8/8/10
'I just follow my conscience' 8/15/10
Salvation and Good Works 8/22/10
Assisting Those in Need 8/29/10
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