I begin by drawing your attention to three items in this weekend’s bulletin beyond the lines of my “Note...”
1. You will find a notice from me concerning a “Report of Capital Work and Expenses for Winter/Spring 2018.”
2. It is noted for Thursday, May 10 that this day will be the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord, a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass will be celebrated at 8a.m. and 7p.m. on this day.
3. We have received notice of the assignment of a seminarian for a 10-week internship with us. Christian Cortes will arrive in Rockdale on May 19.
Now, to the Sixth Sunday of Easter...!
When the Scriptures speak of “giving yourself” as the total gift of love, what does that mean for each of us? To give ourselves as “an offering,” as Jesus has done for us is, in some ways, the same for all of us, and in other ways as unique as each of us is. We all seek to be more mindful of others, to discipline ourselves to put the needs of others ahead of our own when and as we can, to realize and truly believe that the sacrifice of Christ, shared with us from the altar is a sacrifice meant to take flesh in all of us, for my sake, for your sake, for the sake of the promise of salvation for the world!
The “trickier” part comes when we look more deeply into the heart of loving sacrifice that takes place not “in the flesh” in some general, vague sense, but really in the flesh, yours and mine. What does my voice sound like when it is more finely tuned to the voice with which Jesus speaks? How does my strength, powerful and/or gentle look and feel when it is being applied to the needs of those in the world around me? What sacrifices in my life are consistent with the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary?
I want to thank Andy Lemoine for initiating last Saturday’s furniture pick-up in collaboration with the Central MA Housing Alliance, and Peter Sabourin for being on hand to assist so many of you who dropped what became an entire truckload of donations!