Message from our Administrator

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, February begins with the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus by his parents, Mary and Joseph, in the Temple, to fulfill the custom of the Jewish people of that time. It is known as Candlemas Day from the tradition of blessing candles and taking them home to represent that, for us, Christ is the light of the world. His presentation also reminds us that Jesus was truly human in nature, without losing his divine nature as Son of God. He is greeted by two prayerful people who had spent their lifetime praying to live to see him! On being allowed to hold Jesus in is arms, Simeon (the other was Anna), uttered these memorable words: "Now Lord, you may let your servant go in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation and the glory of your people!” After that, St. Luke tells us Jesus returned to his home in Nazareth, with his family, and “grew in wisdom and grace” (Luke 2:24-40).

As we leave Christmas behind, and recall our excitement at his birth, the visits of the shepherds and wise men to Bethlehem, may I ask, did you visit him and bring him the gift of your faith in his redeeming love? Did you bring him to your home in a heart filled with hope, after Communion at your Christmas Mass? Is he now the hidden guest at every meal, and the silent party to every conversation, which ensures that, at all times, others will sense his presence in your home and heart? This is the gift Christ, Mary and Joseph want us to take from their humble Nazarene home to ours each year! Jesus wants to be part of every aspect of our daily existence, lighting up our lives and blessing all our joys and sorrows, songs and sufferings, inviting us to turn everything to a prayer of thanksgiving for his blessing.

This is what is meant by the term “the domestic church!” With Christ present, each daily action and thought becomes a prayer and every member of the family, like Jesus in Nazareth, “grows in wisdom and grace!” How different life looks from this perspective! As we move through Mardi Gras to Lent and onward to Easter, we watch our children grow gracefully, spring breakthrough with nature surprising us with new growth, and birdsong lifting us up in praise of our creating, loving God! We truly are “the light of the world.” And the world never needed this light more than now!

Saint John Paul II explained all this in a homily in Ukraine (yes that war torn country), much better than I can so let me quote his wonderful words:

"You, dear young people, be brave and free! Do not let yourselves be taken in by the deceptive mirages of an easy happiness. Follow the way of Christ: He is demanding, certainly, but he alone can help you to savor the full meaning of life and enjoy peace of heart. You, dear parents, prepare the way of the Lord before your children. Bring them up with love and set a good example by living the principles you teach. And you, teachers and leaders of society, deepen your commitment to promoting the complete development of the human person, fostering in the young a deep sense of justice and of solidarity with the less fortunate. May you be, one and all, a light to the nations!

Now there is a recipe for living out our faith to the full! And, of course, we don’t have to do this alone. Our parishes are there to support us with our Sunday Mass and many other ways. In this year of Eucharistic Renewal, we also find support investing in Jesus through the Blessed Sacrament during the week, even for a few moments. Pope Francis has invited us to pray for his intentions for February, which are “that parishes, placing Communion at the center, may increasingly become communities of faith, unity and welcome toward those most in need.” The parish is the family of the domestic churches of your homes. Communion leads to union in Christ and each other, and lights up our society with Christ’s presence.

As I conclude this reflection, I must also add a very personal note about our editor of many years, my dear friend, Lawrence Chatagnier. As he retires, I want you to join me in prayers of thanksgiving for his heroic service as photographer, recorder of events in our lives for posterity, and working for this magazine for 30 years. From my heart, Lawrence, thank you, and enjoy your well-earned rest. You have been such a blessing to our diocese.