St. Libory Catholic Church

This Sunday is the Day of Families. It follows on the heels of Mother’s Day in recognition of a mother’s nurturing of the family! It’s frequently observed that the family in America is in serious trouble. The last 60 years have seen the breakup of half of all marriages. That number still holds but does not reflect the breakup of non-marriage relationships with children which basically goes unmeasured. We also see the distressing conditions of our inner cities. Occasionally some brave soul will point out the condition of families in these communities, of which the common factor is the absence of fathers in the home, which results in young boys growing up without good male role models. But this is not the only absence. Our busy, activity bloated family lives have also resulted in family members not being “present.” Yes, maybe physically but absence in emotional, spiritual, and common-sense communication between parents and children. But there is hope. It’s strange how something as difficult as the pandemic can also bring with it some positives. The confinement resulted in a lot of one-on-one time in households. It also resulted in parents observing and being involved with the school education via the internet. I think it’s accurate to say parents are more engaged in being parents. This has also spilled over into the spiritual faith lives of our families. At St. Libory’s there is definitely an upturn in children attending. It’s downright noisy during Mass. (I love it!) Parents I applaud you! Keep up the good example. You will reap great blessing as a result! Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.

This Sunday we observe Mother’s Day. Indeed, mothers are very special. Here’s a fun fact. Did you know that a mother retains some of the DNA of every child she conceives? Half of your DNA comes from your biological father and half from your mother, but the mother retains a very small amount of her child’s new DNA. There is an amazing bond between mother and child. It’s life long and forever. I recently had a conversation with a veteran in the hospital. He is far from home. His 80-year-old mother sent him a daily devotional. He said, “She is right. I need to be doing that.” Mothers are uniquely persuasive. This maternal bond and care are reflected in the unique role that Mother Mary has in our salvation. She is not our savior, but her son is. She was given all disciples by Jesus as he hung upon the cross. She uniquely looks after them with a mother’s care. And like a mother she intercedes for them. It must be clearly understood, Blessed Mary is not divine, and we do not worship her. But we do honor her as the mother of our Savior, Jesus, and as our spiritual mother by baptismal adoption. Our prayers directed to her are not acts of worship but pleas for help, intercession with our Lord and God for His merciful help. Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.

Although it is not our Gospel reading this week, I have always been fascinated with the encounter the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus gave instruction to them as to how the Scriptures applied to the revelation of Him as the Christ. Many years ago, when I was Protestant, I remember a preacher lamenting that we did not have what he said to them. At the time, I thought, how tragic that was because of how important that would be to understanding the Christ and His mission. But when I became Catholic, it was pointed out to me, that no, it was not lost. It was too important. The Apostles would never let such an important teaching directly from Jesus to be lost. It was immediately passed on to the Church in the teaching. The framework of the Mass is revealed in the Emmaus encounter. The two disciples went immediately to the Apostles with what the risen Jesus had said and done. Jesus encounters them. They share the Scriptures. Jesus explains them. They want Jesus to stay with them. He consecrates the bread and disappears. He is now with them and with us via every Mass throughout the world. Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the consecration of Russia to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In addition, the Blessed Mother requested that Mass be offered on the first Saturday of each month in reparation for the sins of humanity against the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Lord willing, we will continue to offer a first Saturday morning Mass here at St. Libory’s. Blessed Mary also requested that individuals pray a Rosary daily for this same purpose. This request was made in 1917. She warned that if this was left unheeded the “errors of Russia” would spread around the world. In the last century we have witnessed this tragic realization. As was predicted by Mary to the children of Fatima, a worst war followed WWII. Communism spread from Russia to Eastern Europe, China, Central America, Cuba and beyond. The Marxist ideas of Communism spread throughout Western Europe, Canada, and the United States and beyond. Nearly all the “crazy” social ideas we see circulating in our politics today, trace strait to God hating, family destroying, Marxism. So, what does this have to do with Divine Mercy Sunday? In 1930s Poland, a poorly educated nun by the name of Sr. Faustina, received revelations about the amazing Mercy of God. She was given a devotion called the Capulet of Divine Mercy. It is very simple and strait forward. It uses the Rosary to pray for God’s Mercy, primarily by repeating, “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” Every decade of the Rosary ends with, “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” There are some additional prayers, but you get the gist of it, a prayer for God’s Mercy! I want to earnestly encourage you to learn and pray this Capulet. It’s about as easy of devotion there is to be learned. You can pray it anytime, anyplace. Our world desperately needs it, we need it, you need it, God’s Mercy! Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.