Praised be Jesus Christ! Do you remember the Swedish Chef from the Muppets? One of my favorite videos is watching him prepare popcorn shrimp. Whenever I’m having a long day and need something to put me in a better mood, this video is an infallible source of mirth (you can easily find it on the Internet – it’s been viewed nearly 40 million times). I mention this because of the recurrent theme of Jesus encouraging us to become more like children so as to be able to one day enter His Kingdom in Heaven. While there is some latitude in understanding Jesus’ teaching, it’s clear He would never condone the adage about “young once, immature forever.” Just the same, Jesus is intentional in setting children before us as role models for how we best approach Him and His Father. This brings me to one of the best parts of a new school year: celebrating Mass with our youngsters. Catholic school kids have it made, as they get to go to Mass every week. Our CCD students have Mass too and even if it’s not as regularly scheduled, it’s still a source of hope and peace. I never cease to be amazed at how open children are to the reality of God and His plan for them. Sadly, this time in our life passes and then it becomes more challenging to believe that we were made by a supremely good God who loves us and always cares for us. As a parish we should always do our best to invite young families to bring their children to Mass on a regular basis, as this is most formative experience the Church offers. As one wise adage put it, the faith is more caught than taught – the witness of others who believe and practice their faith is crucial if we hope that our children and grandchildren will believe in the good God. All of us know family and friends who do not practice and this is typically a source of sadness and discouragement. Our best response is to harness the power of intercessory prayer and ceaselessly pray for them to return to their spiritual home. This often feels futile but we must remember that God hears and answers our prayers, even if His timing is decidedly slower than we’d prefer. The Adoration chapel is second only to daily Mass in its power to win grace for our loved ones. For those who adore Jesus one hour a week, a gentle peace comes that staves off the devil’s accusations of this all being for naught, that we’re wasting our time, and that prayer is just mental gymnastics after all. For those who do not pray, it’s easy to succumb to these voices (a.k.a. “stinking thinking”). And that’s precisely what the evil one wants – give up, your efforts are in vain. But for those who trust in the Lord, they become instruments of hope and joy, and because these things are so good for us, such friends of God have a more youthful spirit. When a small group of us American seminarians met Mother Teresa in 1995 we were impressed by her infectious sense of humor and the inner glow of a peace that did not originate in this world. Looking back, we now know how much Mother Teresa suffered from the spiritual pain of darkness and loneliness. And yet, her fidelity to prayer transformed that suffering into one of the most beautiful lights our world has ever seen. Mother Teresa continues to attract souls to God because she became more childlike as the years passed. And this can happen to you and me if we but imitate Mother Teresa’s love of Jesus in the Eucharist. If you feel your heart hardening at times because of the many struggles of this world, the Lord invites you to come to Him and find rest. Maybe you know an older person who is authentically kind and at peace, the kind of person who is a joy to spend time with... the secret is always Jesus. He will keep us young in our heart if we simply spend time with Him and trust in Him. So many people will never discover this truth – we see this every day and it can make us sad or discouraged. Mother Teresa decided to bring these people to Jesus when she prayed and that changed her in all the best ways. And so, while a video about a Swedish Chef and popcorn shrimp is cathartic at times, only time with the Lord brings true and lasting peace.
May God bless our children and help them to find His path for them! Your friend in Christ, Father Martin
May God bless our children and help them to find His path for them! Your friend in Christ, Father Martin
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