Dear Friends in Christ,
It is hard to believe that Labor Day weekend is next weekend! Where has the Summer gone? As students return to school and the traditional vacation season draws to a close, we take a
moment to reflect.
The Third Commandment tells us “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.” God instituted the Sabbath to remind us of our limitations and humanity. We are not machines which constantly can be at work. Rather, we are finite beings, in need of balance and periods of rest. In our age of technology, we often forget to take time to recuperate and rejuvenate from our busy lives.
On the Sabbath, God tells us to take time to worship Him. On Sundays, we honor God and acknowledge our friendship with Him through our regular participation at Mass. Although Mass is
perhaps only 1 hour a week, our attendance at it is an act of love shown towards God and our neighbor. At Mass, we receive Christ’s Body and Blood in Holy Communion and the sacramental graces Christ wants to give us through the Eucharist. We bring to Mass our needs and petitions,
remembering that we offer these and our whole lives to God through this prayer.
Participation at Mass is one part of our Sabbath observance. In Scripture, God also tells us that the Sabbath is a day of rest. It is an opportunity for us to refrain from unnecessary labor and
spend time recreating with family and friends. The Sabbath helps us to find balance between frenetic activity and our innate need for quiet and restoration. If we are always hyper-busy then
we cannot ever “recharge our batteries” so that we handle the responsibilities of our lives with grace.
Although Labor Day is considered the traditional end of Summer, it should not be the end of us seeking needed rest, quiet and time with God. How will we approach the year ahead so that we give God and ourselves more needed time? Registration packets for Religious Education families have been mailed out and classes begin in less than a month. This year, our Religious Education curriculum will involve a monthly 6:30 PM Sunday Mass which will give students and their families
an opportunity to learn about the meaning of the Mass and its importance in the life of the Church. All parishioners are also welcome to attend these Masses when they are scheduled.
Prayer sponsors, thank you for your continued and sustained prayer for all of our students. As we soon begin classes, it is important that your prayer now include us asking God that students will have a good and fruitful year of Religious Education.
In Christ,
Fr. Michael