Lent and the Foundations of Evangelization and True Growth

Every morning before the Catholic Center at Boston University opens, one of the staff here and I pray a Holy Hour together.  At the end of that hour, our four FOCUS Missionaries arrive in order to pray their Holy Hour. It's a great way to begin the day.

A few weeks ago while I was praying, I found myself thinking that even though the BU Catholic Center already has six graduates currently studying in the seminary and one more entering in September, I'd still like for there to be more. I was thinking of the various guys who are part of our community and the likelihood of them entering seminary.  As I thought about them, I came up with reasons why each of them probably won't go to the seminary. This one has his heart set on this, this one will probably get a job doing this, this one . . . .  I recall looking at the Host in the monstrance and saying, "Lord, I'd really like for more men from here to become priests." 

It is rare in my own prayer experience to feel like the Lord clearly responds in an almost audible way. This was one of those rare times. When I told the Lord that I'd like for there to be more vocations from BU, the response was clear and immediate: "Ask Me."  

This reply should not be surprising. The Lord himself told us how it is that laborers are to be found for the harvest. "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest" (Matthew 9:38). In an age when so much of ecclesial life is focused on planning and rebuilding, we have to be on guard that we do not forget the primary posture of pastoral life is one of begging, receiving, and following. Without this posture, we set out on a fool's errand. Without this posture, attempts to evangelize fall flat or become like the seed that falls on shallow ground, springs up quickly, but then withers because of a lack of roots. 

What ails so many Catholic communities is not that they are lacking in activities, but that they are lacking in depth. They lack disciples who know how to pray, know how to beg, and know how to be moved. In our efforts to promote a new evangelization of the culture, we sometimes presume something that is not necessarily true. We presume that those whom we are trying to stir into action are themselves already living a life of intimacy with the Lord. We cannot share what we do not already possess ourselves. 

In the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus provides to us the beautiful image of the vine and the branches. He reminds us that "without me, you can do nothing." But, he also tells us, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you." Remaining in him. His word remaining in us. Asking.  This is the beginning of the New Evangelization. It begins firstly with our remaining in Christ and allowing his word to live in us. Then, we ask. This is the type of thing that we read and say, "Yeah, yeah, I know all of that. Now let's get on with doing something practical." But this is precisely the problem in so many of our Catholic communities. We skip over intimacy with Jesus. We skip over holiness and try to get to evangelization. But, without him, without remaining in him, without asking him, we can do nothing.  

I know that part of it has to do with their age, but one of the great things about being around the BU Catholic Center is that the young men and women here are starving for more intimacy with Christ. They don't evangelize because they want more numbers. They evangelize because they love Jesus Christ and want others to share in that joy. They are witnesses, not used car salesmen. They hunger to know Jesus more, to love him more, to serve him more, and to proclaim him more. 

Last week, we were all on retreat together and as an activity, we asked the students to write down what they were doing for Lent.  Afterwards, their anonymous Lenten disciplines were placed on a wall. It was truly impressive to read them. People giving up hot showers for Lent, fasting from all food on Wednesdays and Fridays, giving up pornography, giving up all liquids except water for Lent, praying a Daily Rosary, giving up coffee and using the money to help those in need etc. One person wrote, "Giving up my long distance relationship with God and spending time in prayer each morning."  The list goes on and on, but it was very moving because you see on that wall the evidence of people who want to live more closely with Jesus. This is where evangelization begins. When we grow in intimacy with Jesus, then we know that we can ask him for anything and he will give it.

During Lent, we are given the perfect season for the work of evangelization. We are given a season to grow in intimacy with the Lord through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This intimacy is the sine qua non of all true growth in the Church. Lent is the time to remember that without Christ, we can do nothing, and with Christ, we can do all things. 

I want more priestly vocations from the BU Catholic Center. We all want more converts to the Faith. We want people who have left the faith to come back. We want sinners to be converted. We want our churches to be filled with faithful witnesses and evangelizers. The first step in seeing that happen is to deepen our union with Christ through prayer (especially the sacraments), fasting, and almsgiving. These traditional practices deepen our union with Christ and make us more humble. These practices deepen within us the realization that without Christ, we can do nothing. And through this humility and union, we are then able to do that thing which will bear the most fruit in the life of the Church: Ask Christ.

The Day I Chose a Cardinal Over Jesus

Anyone who has spent much time around a Catholic parish would know that you get a lot of people who stop by looking for money. You would also know that a lot of the requests are scams. I've had men come in and cry telling me that there nine year old son just died and they don't have money to get to the funeral. I've had a woman come at 2am telling me that she was fleeing her abusive husband and needed money for gas. I've had a guy looking to buy a wheelchair for his disabled son.  In each of these instances, after just a little investigation, it became clear that the stories were all untrue. Some people have a knack for showing up just at the moment when you are most vulnerable. You're standing outside of church getting ready to get in the hearse to go to a grave. You don't have time to verify the rather desperate story that is always time sensitive.  Quite honestly, in my experience, these types of experiences have had an effect upon the way I view people. The second someone says, "Father, can I talk to you," I find my antennae going up. "Is this a scam? When are they going to ask me for money?"

Today's gospel comes from the 25th Chapter of Matthew's gospel. It concerns the final judgment when Jesus will condemn those who did not give him food, water, or clothing, or visit him when he was ill or in prison and he will welcome to eternal life all those who did. If there is any gospel passage that makes me nervous, it's this one. "As often as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for me."  When I meditate upon this gospel, it is always the same scene that comes to my mind.

A few years ago, while I was a pastor, the cardinal came to offer Mass at my parish. It was one of those big occasions when a parish tries to put its best foot forward. As soon as the Mass ended, we were trying to get the cardinal from the upstairs church to the hall downstairs for a celebratory party. As we were coming out of the sacristy, a kind of disheveled looking man appeared. He said, "Father, can I ask you a favor?"  My antennae immediately went up and I put this guy in the category of someone who was looking for money at the very worst possible moment.  My job was to get the cardinal downstairs, not to deal with this guy.  Then came his next line which went something like this: "I lost my cell phone and I just bought a new one. But, I don't know how to read so I can't read the instructions. So I thought, 'Who would help me to read the instructions? And I thought, 'I know, I will find a priest because priests are smart and nice and a priest will help me."  He might as well have taken out a sword and cut me in two.

Maybe it is from growing up as the son of a cop, but I can usually tell a scammer from a mile away. But, Jesus doesn't say in the gospel that our judgment will be based upon our ability to detect scammers from a mile away. He says that it will be based upon what we do or don't do for the people right in front of us. Throughout the gospels, people failed to recognize Jesus. His hometown people drove him away because they failed to recognize him. St. John tells us that he came to his own and his own knew him not. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us how to recognize him. He is to be found in those who are the least. 

One of the graces that Lent can bring us is to sharpen our spiritual antennae, making us better able to know ourselves, our weaknesses, the graces that God has given to us etc. But it can also make us better able to recognize Christ in the needs of others. As we grow in our discipleship, we become more familiar with the Lord and are able to recognize him when he appears before us. The Lenten discipline of almsgiving helps to free us from the cynical and worldly antennae that can often dominate us. Almsgiving frees us from our blindness to Christ's presence.  He is present in those who need food, clothing, water, a listening ear, a friend.

The man whom I encountered some years ago was unable to read. I won't be able to use that excuse on the day of my judgment. I can read Matthew 25. There is nothing unclear about it. If we find ourselves thinking, "I wish I could see more evidence of God," perhaps the reason we don't see him is because we are blinded by our possessions.  This Lent, let's become more generous and really learn how to give to those in need.  Jesus is very near to us. If we can't see him, it's not his fault. Perhaps we are blinded by our selfishness. The cure for this blindness is to become generous and give alms. There's a judgment coming.

Temptation and Growing Closer to Christ

Every year on the First Sunday of Lent, the gospel brings us into the desert as Jesus is tempted by the  Devil. We hear this gospel every year not just so that we can be reminded of the same old things again and again. We hear it because this gospel contains a treasury of spiritual truths. This year, I would like to focus on just four ways that this Gospel can help us. But, before I do so, I have to say that the only way this gospel can really be helpful to us is if we approach it as people who really are serious about our spiritual lives and who desire to grow closer to the Lord. (Since it is arctic cold outside tonight, I suspect that you are indeed serious about your spiritual life.  Good for you for being here tonight)!

1. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert immediately after his baptism in the Jordan by John. You will remember a few weeks ago that we heard that gospel. John baptizes Jesus and the Father announces, "You are my beloved Son." After this, Luke provides a list of the ancestors of Jesus. From these two passages, we see that Jesus is both God and man.  

Sometimes, when we experience temptation, it throws us into a panic. If I''m baptized and washed clean from sin, why do I still experience temptation? In going into the desert to be tempted, Jesus is teaching us something. He goes immediately after he is baptized. He is showing us that temptations will still occur after our baptism. The devil is always trying to insert himself between God and us. He likes to cast doubt on our relationship with God. He said to Eve, "Did God really say not to eat from any tree in the garden?" He likes to sow doubt. He approaches Jesus and says, "If you really are the Son of God . . . ." He likes to sow doubt. When we try to live a holy life, the Devil tries to convince us that we are wasting our time. He tries to convince us that it is really kind of silly to "follow all of these rules."  

In moments of temptation, let's not be thrown off our guard. Remember, as soon as the Devil heard God say to Jesus, "You are my Son," he began to tempt him. I believe it was St. John Vianney who once said that we should not fear being tempted. He said that what we should really fear is not being tempted because if we are never tempted, there is good reason to believe that the Devil already looks upon us as his property.

2. The second thing we might take away from tonight's gospel is that Jesus prepared for these assaults of the Devil by fasting. Fasting is one of those words that makes us cringe. As soon as we hear it, we start coming up with excuses like, "Well, I'd fast, but when I fast, I get really hungry." Yeah . . . that's the idea! Fasting is a spiritual weapon that most of us employ far too infrequently. When we fast, our spiritual senses become much sharper. We are able to see spiritual things with much greater clarity. I can see how weak I am, how much God's grace helps me, what my faults are, and how much God loves me. Jesus didn't fast because he needed to fast. He fasted in order to give us an example. Don't be afraid of trying to fast. Even if you fail . . . it's okay. Give it a try.

3. The Devil tempted Jesus while Jesus was alone in the desert. Of course, we know that he wasn't really alone because he was with the Father. But, we can learn from this that the Devil likes to tempt us when we are alone and isolated. This is why we need to have good Catholic friendships, friendships where you pray with and for one another. This is why it is so important for us to be together on Sundays. (Sometimes when people say, "I don't need to go to Church to worship God. I can do that at home." I always say, "Yeah, but I bet you don't!") We need each other. I know that Lent is much better for me when I feel like I am living it with others, praying together, fasting together, growing in charity together.  We are stronger when we are together.

4. Lastly, we can take joy in the fact that Jesus conquered all of these temptations. He was subjected to every temptation and resisted them all. Now, we might say, "Well that's nice for Jesus. I mean, he's Jesus. But what good does that do for me?" That's a great question! It has everything to do with us. It brings us back to the first point. Jesus was tempted after he was baptized. When you and I were baptized, we became members of the Body of Christ. So, we are united to the One who has conquered every temptation. We can resist every temptation. We can be victorious because we are united to Jesus Christ. His victory can be our victory too. Sin is not inevitable.  And, even if we do fall to temptation, Jesus can turn even our defeats into victory. If we do fall into sin, then we go to Jesus with hearts full of sorrow and contrition. He will take that contrition and lift us up. We are sons and daughters of the Father. In Christ, every temptation has already been defeated. When we are in the midst of the desert and are being assaulted by the Evil One, we rely upon the Son of the Father and our union with Him.

As one last word, I'd like to say this: If you haven't chosen a Lenten discipline yet, don't go to bed tonight until you have one. The Season of Lent is an awesome time to grow closer to Christ, to become more like him, and to receive his graces. He is offering us great graces this Lent. Don't be afraid to accept them.  You've already accepted a grace today. I bet some of you were tempted tonight not to come to Mass. Maybe you heard that whisper in your ear, "It is freezing cold out. God would understand if you didn't go to Mass tonight. What kind of God would expect you to go to Mass in such cold weather."  But, you received some sort of grace to resist that temptation. And in doing so, you became a little more like Christ. Lent is filled with opportunities just like that. Opportunities to become just like Jesus. Let's make the most of it.

Soldiers and Ambassadors For Christ

Fairly often, the four FOCUS Missionaries who are part of our team at the BU Newman Center "table." They set up a table in one of the main buildings on campus and engage students in conversations. It often involves them handing out free cookies to students who are willing to engage in a friendly conversation.  This past week, the FOCUS team handed out Mardi Gras beads to students.  The Mardi Gras beads had an Ash Wednesday Mass schedule attached.  

Tabling is hard work. They are seeking the fallen away, the mildly interested, the uninterested, and even the strongly opposed! Despite the hard work, the missionaries maintain a joyful and fun attitude.  On Ash Wednesday, the missionaries were here early and were tabling for the entire day.  The last of our Masses for Ash Wednesday was at 8pm and the missionaries were out shaking the trees until the last possible moment.  

This year, they had a little competition.  While they were tabling in order to encourage people to get to Mass for Ash Wednesday, there were other groups in the same area just distributing ashes.  It made it difficult to engage students in conversations about getting to Mass when the tables around them were giving out ashes on the fly.  The missionaries who never give even the slightest hint of discouragement were feeling a bit frustrated.

While all of the Masses on Ash Wednesday were well attended, the 8pm was packed. As I looked out at the congregation, I noticed that some of the students already had ashes on their foreheads.  It seems that even though they had already received ashes elsewhere, they still came to Mass. While I never had the opportunity to ask any of those people why they came to Mass if they already got their ashes, I suspect that the answer is because of our FOCUS team's efforts.

On Ash Wednesday, I often joke with the congregation that I am letting them in on a very big secret. "These are not magic ashes." In and of themselves, the ashes do nothing except make one's head dirty. The ashes are only an exterior sign of our interior repentance. They are a reminder that I am a sinner who needs God's grace. The ashes are not the sign that "I'm really one of the good people." It's a sign that I am one of the sinners who wants to turn my life around by the grace of God. 

On Ash Wednesday, the ashes that we wear are the credentials of our being ambassadors for Christ. Our ashes are a sign of Christ appealing and imploring through us to all whom we encounter, "Be reconciled to God!" 

As I looked around at our Masses on Ash Wednesday, I was moved to see hundreds of young men and women, adorned with the mark of repentance. I was moved because I could see in their faces a recognition that they need to repent and be reconciled with God. I was moved because we are all in this together. The prayers of the Ash Wednesday liturgy have strong militaristic overtones to them. They speak about us beginning a campaign together and being armed with the weapons of self-restraint. We are comrades on the field of battle together. Sometimes, we find it difficult to keep up the fight. This is why it is so important to do it together. Maybe we can't always have the energy to fight for ourselves, but that's when we ought to look around and see our comrades who stand with us. We should fast, pray, and give alms not only for ourselves, but also for them. We want to be loyal to those who fight at our side.

Living Lent is great. But, living Lent together is much better. Our sacrifices, fasts, self-denials, prayers, and works of mercy not only benefit us as individuals, they make us a stronger army. They are used by Christ to strengthen us and to draw others to Himself.  I am encouraged by living Lent with the students here. Their increased willingness to take up the weapons of the spiritual life during Lent encourages me to stand fast on the field of battle.

On Ash Wednesday, our four FOCUS Missionaries armed themselves with prayer, fasting, and with hearts filled with the joy of the Gospel. Their willingness to stand strong, despite what appeared to be insurmountable conditions, is truly apostolic. Christ wants all to be reconciled to God. When we live Lent together--taking up the spiritual arms that the Lord gives to us--we become His ambassadors. Our lives are then placed at the service of Christ who implores others through us, "Be reconciled to God!"

John Henry Newman and Cardinal Sarah: Friendship and Holiness

Robert Cardinal Sarah

For a good number of years, without really knowing too much about him,  I have felt an attachment to the person of Blessed John Henry Newman. Like other saints that I've met along the way something about him attracted me.  It's not because I've read much about Newman or by Newman. Somehow, somewhere along the way, I've just felt a kinship with him. A few months ago, someone sent me a biography of Newman which I picked up but never finished.  A few weeks ago, however, after another friend suggested that I read a particular sermon by John Henry Newman, my interest was once again piqued, and I flew through that biography. Reading about his life made me feel all the more attached to him and interested in learning more about him and deepening our spiritual friendship. My intuition for the past twenty years or so has been that what is needed in the life of the Church is a more profound experience of friendship. When people live and experience true Christian friendship, it draws them closer to the Lord. We want more vocations, more active parishes, more conversions, more communion among prebyterates and bishops . . . ? The answer is friendship. Newman knew how to live friendship and that friendship bore fruit in the life of the Church.

Blessed John Henry Newman

No sooner had I finished Newman's biography, I picked up another book entitled, "God or Nothing"
by Robert Cardinal Sarah and published by Ignatius Press.  I knew very little about Cardinal Sarah before I began reading his book (which takes the form of an interview with him). I have been really struck by his humility, sincerity, and intelligence. Cardinal Sarah is the Prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Among other things, what is so remarkable about Cardinal Sarah is that he has no business being where he is! Born in a remote village in the African nation of Guinea, Cardinal Sarah should not even be Catholic, never mind a Cardinal in the Vatican!

What is so striking throughout the book (which I am only halfway through) is Cardinal Sarah's profound spirituality. Cardinal Sarah repeatedly returns to an urgent plea for all of us to grow in intimacy with God. I have been reading quickly through his book, but could read even more quickly were it not for the fact that I have to keep putting the book down so that I can go and pray. Cardinal Sarah's insistence on the need to grow in holiness and in a life of prayer continually causes me to pause reading so that I can go to the chapel and pray. His words and his example drive me to my knees.  As I read his reflections, I am moved by his life which is clearly nourished at the fountain of prayer. When I read what he writes, I think, "I want to be a better priest. No, I NEED to be a better priest."

Blessed John Henry Newman's life is one that was centered on the person of Jesus Christ. Cardinal Sarah's book, thus far, is centered on the need of every person (especially priests and bishops) to be close to Jesus Christ. We need to be holy. The Church needs men and women who are in love with God, who live life close to God, and who are able to communicate to others the good news that God is near us. Additionally, both men have suffered in various ways for their love of Jesus. In this way, they remind us that holiness is always achieved through the Cross.

If you are looking for some good spiritual reading that also has profound reflections on the current state of the Church and the culture, I highly recommend to you Cardinal Sarah's book, "God or Nothing." All I know is that as I read his book, I keep thinking, "I want to be holy." That, to me, is a sign of an excellent Catholic book.

We all need to grow in holiness. Surrounding ourselves with good witnesses--be they here on earth or in heaven--and good Catholic books can help us towards our own growth in holiness. Today, I'm grateful for two such witnesses and books. Blessed John Henry Newman and Cardinal Sarah, thanks for reminding me what it's all about: living a life of holiness, friendship with God and with one another.

Gollum, Herod, Satan and the Feast of the Epiphany

St. Matthew tells us that when the star came to rest over the house where Jesus was, the Magi were overjoyed. They entered, saw the child with Mary, His Mother, prostrated themselves, gave homage, and offered their treasures.  Yes, the Magi experienced "overjoy." They saw, prostrated, gave homage,  and offered.  There is something so pure and beautiful about this scene. Imagine, they had travelled all of this way and were met not by a choir of angels--as were the shepherds--but by the familiar scene of a child in the arms of his mother.  The Magi were not disappointed by the simplicity of their discovery. It moved them to their depths, causing them to fall down and worship and to offer their treasures. The Magi were able to be overjoyed because they were humble. They were men who sought the truth and worshipped the Truth and recognized that they were not masters of the truth but rather servants of the truth. It was humility which caused them to leave one place and to go to another. It was humility that caused them to pause at Herod's palace and seek the counsel of others. 

And what of Herod? Was not the same star visible to him? When he heard of this news, could he not have followed the star himself and gone with the Magi in search of this new king? No, Herod instead sends others on his errands. He is content to let others go and search while he rules over his petty kingdom. There is, I think, a similarity between Herod and the Devil. Recall later in St. Matthew's Gospel, when the Devil tempts Jesus and takes him to a very high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the earth. He promises Jesus all that is below. The Devil can only look down. He refuses to look up and see God. Similarly, Herod can only look down and see his small kingdom.  If only he would have looked up, he too would have been rewarded with the vision of the star. But, he was trapped in his own small world.

Herod reminds me of Gollum in the Lord of the Rings. Possession of the ring and its power caused him to become a distorted and pathetic creature. Instead of contributing to his happiness, it destroyed him and was the source of violence and suffering to many others. 

There is a little Herod in all of us. And, like a little poison, a little Herod can do a lot of harm. We too can be trapped in our petty kingdoms. Have you ever met someone who is obsessed with money? They always think that everyone is trying to steal from them, charge them too much, or pull one over on them. Because that is how they treat everyone else, that's how they think everyone else is. Or the person who is envious experiences sadness when others do well. Or the person who is obsessed with pleasure thinks that everyone else is living in that same perverted world. Or the person who is obsessed with power thinks that everyone else is a threat to their power.  Whether it's our power, our pleasures, our kid's sports teams, our careers, our money, our entertainment, our hobbies, our grades, or even our relationships, all of us have our kingdoms. These are not bad things, but, when they dominate our field of vision, become our gods, and enslave us, they can make us incapable of doing what is most noble in our nature. They hinder us from looking up, from being overjoyed, from seeing, prostrating, and offering. 

Herod refused to go out from himself and his petty kingdom. He refused to look up, to look beyond himself and the things of this world. Herod placed his confidence in his power and in his politics. His confidence was misplaced. No earthly power, no political alliance, no political leader, no promotion, no possession, no pleasure, no position, no anything that the Devil promises us as he takes us to the heights and points below will bring us true and lasting joy. 

True and lasting joy is found only in those who are willing to humble themselves, look beyond the world below, and follow the Divine light of Faith. Herod stayed at home and guarded viciously the absurdity that his life had become. The Magi humbly followed. They looked up. They found God in the arms of His Mother. They worshipped and opened themselves. 

The Feast of the Epiphany presents to us two paths. It points out the path of Herod which is the path of Satan. It is the path that leads one into the depths of Hell, a life that is closed in on itself, going from one level of self-centered pettiness to the next, causing all manner of warped and distorted behavior. The other is the path of Faith. It is the path of humility that leads one from pettiness to grandeur. It leads one to the house of God where God is discovered in the arms of the Virgin. It leads one to fall down before the Majesty of God and to open one's whole life before Him. 

As we consider our own lives, perhaps all of us can identify the kingdoms that have been shown to us by the Devil.  Much like the ring in the Lord of the Rings, these kingdoms can become an obsession for us, causing us to lose our way and, under the guise of a false happiness, can drag us into the abyss. The grace of Epiphany can awaken in all of us the memory of what has been given to us. We too have seen His star. We too can look up again and allow the light of Faith to lead us to the Kingdom that lasts forever. The grace of Epiphany draws us away from our earthly kingdoms and gives us the great joy of worshipping the One who alone is worthy. The grace of Epiphany moves us to offer all we have to the Kingdom that never will pass away, the Kingdom that is found in the arms of the Blessed Virgin, Jesus Christ, the Lord.

Without the Friendship of the Church, I Forget What Matters Most

One of the things that I do pretty well is remembering texts, especially hymns. I can remember verse after verse of most Catholic hymns (the good ones, anyways).  Today, at the beginning of our daily Mass, I began singing one of the easiest hymns there is: "O Come O Come Emmanuel." I mean, everyone knows that one. It's like the national anthem of Advent.  

I began the song and the fifteen or so students who were with me joined in. But, around the third line, it all just suddenly stopped. It was like all of us forgot the words at the same moment. So, I just started it again. And sure enough, we got to the same line and everyone faded out!  But finally, one student softly sang the words we were forgetting and we all immediately remembered and went back to singing.

This small, comical event reminded me of something. It reminded me of why I need the Church and why the world needs the Church. Alone, we sometimes forget what is most important. Sometimes, caught up by our own anxieties and distractions, sins and failures, sorrows and pains, and responsibilities and efforts, we forget the greatest song ever written; the song of God's nearness. Emmanuel--God is with us.  What could be more important, consoling, or life changing than this central truth of the Christian Faith--God is with us in the person of Christ Jesus? But alone, we can forget God's nearness.

This is why we need the Church, why we need each other. So that the song never dies out. Even if everyone else around us forgets that God is with us, there will always be someone in the communion of the Church to remind us. The friendship that we live in the life of the Church is like a fellowship that guards a valuable treasure--the treasure of God's nearness. Through our communion with one another, we constantly remind each other that something amazing has happened, God has come to dwell among us.

The world also needs the Church. Our mission is to announce to a world that has forgotten God, "God is with us." The world has forgotten the words of the song that has the power to save it from its sorrow, sin, and death. Wherever Christians live the communion of the Church together, we become like a small voice that reintroduces the beautiful notes of the Incarnation into a dreary, cold, and empty existence. When we build a world that excludes God, we build a world that destroys man. It is the Church's mission to remind the world that God is with us.

As another semester comes to a close, I am grateful for the friendship that we share together in Christ. Together, in our friendship, we ensure that the song of the new creation continues: God Is With Us.