Father Giles Conwill, the Chaplain of Xavier University, will again be the celebrant for our Saturday Vigil and Sunday 10:30 am Masses this weekend. As many of you will remember, Father Conwill is a native of Louisville, KY, and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of San Diego in 1973. He holds a B.A. degree in Philosophy from the University of San Diego, a M.Div. from the Athenaeum of Ohio, and a Ph.D. degree in Cultural Anthropology & History from Emory.  Father Conwill came to Xavier from Morehouse College, where he began teaching in 1987 and eventually served as Chair of the History Department. Father Conwill was the Director of the Department of Church Vocations for the National Office for Black Catholics in Washington, DC from 1976-1980.  He has also served as adjunct or visiting professor at Xavier, Spalding University in Louisville, Clark Atlanta University, and Clayton State University.  Fr. Conwill is a former sermon-writer for a national interdenominational homily service, and a winner in a nation-wide interdenominational sermon-writing contest. Fr. Conwill's scholarly works and publications have been in the areas of Black Catholic Catechesis, History, Evangelization, Spirituality, and Preaching.

Check out the reunion photos.

When it was evening, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”

But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. (Mt. 14:15-17)
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The miracle of the loaves and the fishes is the only miracle that occurs in each of the four Gospels. It points back to the Old Testament when the Israelites were fed in the desert with Manna from Heaven; and it points forward to the Eucharist when we are fed by Jesus with the Bread of Life. But we can’t deny the implications of this Gospel passage to the social teachings of the Church, especially what the Church calls “the preferential option for the poor.”

Today’s Gospel today emphasizes how taking care of the poor should work. When the disciples saw the huge crowds, they wanted to send them away to fend for themselves. But Jesus wanted the disciples to take responsibility for their welfare. He tells them: “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” Very often, we can act the same way as the disciples. We might forget that it’s our responsibility to care for the poor. We might want to pass the buck: “I pay taxes; let the government take care of it.”  But that’s not what the Gospel says. Even the Code of Canon Law says: “The Christian faithful are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor from their own resources.”

We are blessed to be part of a parish that has a long and outstanding record of service to the poor. Since the time the parish was founded in 1849, the Vincentian family has had a special mission to serving Jesus in the poorest members of our society. In the Gospel today, Jesus could have done a miracle to feed the hungry without the help of His disciples. But He didn’t do that. He wanted to start with the generosity of the disciples, and have the miracle proceed from that generosity. As Pope Benedict XVI wrote recently: “love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind, is as essential as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel.”

Finally, don’t forget what Jesus said about the day of judgment when He’ll ask us what we did to help the poor and needy. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

(Rev. Msgr.) Christopher H. Nalty

You’re going to get used to seeing this logo. Because for the next forty days of Lent, the Archdioceseais running a program called “Catholics Come Home. As part of the program, the Church will run over 17,000 television ads, not to mention radio, print and other media encouraging fallen away Catholics to “Come Home” to the Church during Lent. And to what are they “coming home”? Well, it’s not to a building, a “denomination,” or simply our Christian “fellowship.” A clue is in the center of the logo: the Eucharist. They are coming home to our family of love gathered together around Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life. They’re coming home to a communion of love with the Real Presence of Jesus at its center.

How can we help? We can surely be more welcoming. We can embrace new parishioners. We can become more involved ourselves. We can reach out to some of our Catholic friends and neighbors who are away from their faith.

But a very quick and easy way to help would be to give us the names of any of your fallen away family, friends or neighbors. The Archbishop has promised to write a personal letter to each of them, inviting them to “come home.” You can simply write a name and address on a piece of paper, drop it in the collection, and we’ll get the name to the Archbishop.
 

While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” (Lk 9:34-36a)

Most of the Church Fathers saw the Transfiguration as a glimpse of the glory of Christ given to his disciples so that they might be strengthened to witness the scandal of the Cross. And this is certainly true. But three things immediately jump out of the reading.

First, is the number of apostles. Not all of the twelve are present – only Peter, James and John, the same three apostles that would accompany Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane. Even though they were strengthened by their witness to the glory of the Transfiguration, they would still flee at the beginning of the persecution of Christ.

The second point is the encounter between Jesus and Moses and Elijah. Of course, an easy connection can be made to Jesus being the fulfillment of the law (represented by Moses, who received the Ten Commandments) and the prophets (represented by the prototypical prophet Elijah). But it’s important to note what they are discussing on Mt. Tabor. Shrouded in glory, they’re not focused on Heaven’s glory but on the “exodus that He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.” This exodus meant the passage Jesus would make from the slavery of death to the Promised Land of eternal life, a journey prefigured in the exodus by which Moses led the Jewish people out from the slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land of Israel. And the means by which Jesus would accomplish this exodus is His suffering and death. Once again, the Transfiguration points to the cross.

And then comes the third, penultimate point of the passage: God the Father speaks. He confirms His Son’s true identity. Jesus wasn’t John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets, as many people believed. He wasn’t simply the long-awaited Messiah. God the Father thundered from heaven, “This is my beloved Son!” Then he gave a command to the three apostles with Jesus on the mountain: “Listen to Him!” The command echoes to us to listen to what Jesus said about his suffering and death, and believe in Him.

The encounter on Mt. Tabor is given for us to remember where we are headed. Is it to the glory of Heaven represented by the transfigured Lord? We hope so. But we can only get there through the Paschal Mystery: the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Signing with Courage - Charles Carroll of Carrollton

The legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a committee with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams’ prediction was correct, but he was two days off! From the beginning, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress. And the Declaration itself wasn’t signed until August 2, 1776.

When the Second Continental Congress met to sign the Declaration, they knew the stakes. Although we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence as the beginning of our country as an independent nation, there was no assurance that the declaration would succeed. If the fortunes of war had gone the other way and George Washington and his ill-equipped Continental Army had lost, this document would have been a death warrant for the fifty-six delegates who signed. By signing the Declaration of Independence, they had committed Treason against King George III and the British Empire. Signing one’s name was an act of courage.

One of those fifty-six delegates was a man named Charles Carroll, an influential Maryland landowner and the richest man to sign the Declaration. Had we lost the war, not only would he have lost all of his money, but he would have been killed by being hanged, drawn and quartered.

The next time you have a chance to look at a reproduction of this famous document, notice one thing: only one signer put his address on it. The story is that when Charles Carroll had his turn to sign the document on that hot August day in Philadelphia, he first signed Charles Carroll and then started back to his seat. The story goes that one of the other signers noticed that he had a common name, so he risked nothing in signing the document. At that, Carroll returned to the document, picked up the quill pen, and added “of Carrollton.”

The addition of the title of Carrollton was done by Carroll so that there could be no mistake as to which Charles Carroll had signed the Declaration of Independence. He took full responsibility for his action and left no escape in the event the Revolution failed. He told them who he was and where to find him. He displayed unwavering courage and belief in the American enterprise.

So who was this courageous man? What made him unique? Charles Carroll was the only Roman Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. He was educated by the Jesuits, and his cousin, John Carroll became a Jesuit and later the first Archbishop of Baltimore. Charles Carroll had seven children, and his final distinction was that he was the longest surviving signer, living until 1832, over a half a century after that fateful August day in 1776.

Many people in the United States tend to think of Catholics as having come late to the United States, due to the immigration of Irish and Italian Catholics over a hundred years later. But Charles Carroll was there at the beginning, when our nation was born.

Sunday, July 3, 2011
(Feast Day is Friday, July 1)

Margaret Alacoque was born in Burgundy, France on 22 July, 1647. From her early childhood Margaret showed intense love for the Blessed Sacrament, and preferred silence and prayer to childish amusements. During her time before the Blessed Sacrament, Christ even made Himself visually apparent to her. This did not surprise her, because she thought others had the same Divine assistance! Although tempted by the luxuries and distractions of the world, Margaret Mary entered the Visitation Convent in 1572, where her visions became known. Because of her perceived “special status,” she was subjected to many trials to prove her vocation. She showed obedience, humility, and invariable charity towards those who persecuted her.

Margaret Mary was inspired by Christ to establish a Holy Hour during which she lay prostrate with her face to the ground from eleven until midnight on the eve of the first Friday of each month, to share in the mortal sadness Christ endured when he was abandoned by His Apostles in His Agony. She also made sure to receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month.

In the first great revelation, Jesus made known to her His ardent desire to be loved by men and His design of manifesting His Sacred Heart with all of its treasures of love and mercy, of sanctification and salvation. He appointed the Friday after the octave of the feast of Corpus Christi as the Feast of the Sacred Heart; He also called her His “Beloved Disciple of the Sacred Heart.” The love of the Sacred Heart was the fire which consumed her, and devotion to the Sacred Heart is the refrain of all her writings.

The discussion of the mission and virtues of Margaret Mary continued for years. All her actions, her revelations, her spiritual maxims, her teachings regarding the devotion to the Sacred Heart, of which she was the chief exponent as well as the apostle, were subjected to the most severe and minute examination. After a thorough examination, Pope Pius IX declared her Blessed in 1864. In 1856, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was inaugurated.  And in 1920 Margaret Mary was canonized by Pope Benedict XV.

Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." (Mt. 13:44-46)

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A few years ago, one of my friends who is in the construction business told me a story about a man who owned some property on the northshore of Lake Pontchartrain. It was basically swamp land that he used for hunting and fishing. At that usage, the land couldn’t have been worth more than $1000-2000 an acre. And then something happened. A survey found that there was a large vein of clay on the property. With all of the coastal protection projects going on, the need for local clay is enormous. Small amounts of clay are not that expensive, but clay is expensive to move in large quantities. If your clay is located only a barge ride away from a project, rather than a 200 mile ride in an 18 wheeler, then your clay is the clay of choice, and very valuable.

My friend asked me how much I thought the clay might be worth on this 500 acre site. I threw out a huge number: Five million dollars, I told him – effectively increasing the value of the land ten-fold. Nope, he said, try $500,000,000 – FIVE HUNDRED MILLION dollars.

Now imagine that you had the opportunity to buy that swamp property for it’s value – $500,000 – and sell the clay for FIVE HUNDRED MILLION dollars. You would mortgage your house, sell your car, cash out your bank account, beg, borrow and do anything to buy that property.

That’s how the parable of the treasure in the field would go today. And Jesus tells us that we should have that same urgency obtaining the Kingdom of Heaven. We need to see that every physical possession we have is of little value against what Jesus offers us: the forgiveness of our sins and Eternal Life.

Not to do too much moralizing, but we can probably examine ourselves and realize we spend much more time on our worldly lives and possessions than on our search for the Kingdom of God. Even priests and religious who pray much will probably spend more time eating and recreating than praying. The key isn’t always “time,” but where the heart is. We should always have it on our minds that there is a “treasure” buried in a field; there a great reward available for us. And it’s not a billion dollars worth of clay, it’s a lifetime with Jesus on earth, and the reward of everlasting life in Heaven. As Jesus tells us earlier in Matthew: “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be. (Mt. 6:31). If the story about the billion dollars worth of clay causes us to think how amazing it would be to have a billion dollars, then we might have our hearts set on the wrong treasure! Think about that one. Maybe there’s a treasure waiting for us at Adoration on Tuesday evening instead….

(Rev. Msgr.) Christopher H. Nalty

You, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you. Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my pleading. (Ps. 85:5-6)
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The Gospel for this 16th Sunday in Ordinary time is the parable from Matthew 13 about the field sown with good and bad seed. We might have heard the expression “bad seed” as referring to someone who came from a “bad family.” While it’s true that one’s environment can have a serious effect on our personalities, attitudes and habits, the Church teaches that we are all God’s children. You might also hear the expression that someone is “beyond redemption.” This expression is contrary to Catholic doctrine. The catechism teaches that “There is not, never has been, and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer.” (605).

In other words, no one is beyond redemption. No sin, however terrible, is beyond God’s power to forgive. Since the time of Jesus, the Church has declared many men and women to be “saints.” But never in the history has the Church declared that anyone has been condemned to hell – not Pontius Pilate, not Judas, not Hitler, not Stalin, not Mao. So nobody goes to hell? No, that’s not true. Jesus said that some go to Eternal Damnation. But who?

Jesus gives us a clue one chapter back in Matthew’s Gospel: “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” What is “blasphemy against the Spirit”? The catechism says “there are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept His mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.” (1864)

So the moral is that God has unlimited mercy, but we have to seek it. We practice seeking it each time we attend Mass and “call to mind our sins” so that we might “prepare to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries.” And then we say “Lord, have Mercy.” But if our sins are mortal sins, we need to seek forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession. But if we have what we consider “terrible sins,” we might be afraid to reveal them. “You must hear some ‘terrible things’ in the confession, Monsignor,” I’ve sometimes been asked. And I don’t reply. But I do say this, “you know, the confessional is to sin what a car wash is to dirt. Have you ever gone up to a guy running a car wash and asked him about the dirt he’s cleaned? He’d just laugh at you: ‘The machine just washes it down the drain. We don’t save it; it’s just gone!’” That’s what happens in Confession. When we seek mercy from Jesus, He gives it to us. Our souls are clean, and the sin is just gone. I am always available for Confession, and I’m in the confessional on Saturdays (3:00pm – 3:45pm) and Sundays (9:30am – 10:15am). 

(Rev. Msgr.) Christopher H. Nalty

Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.  (Is 55:10-11)

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In the First Reading for Sunday’s Mass, Isaiah recounts the words of the Lord (above), where the Word of the Lord is likened to water falling upon the earth.  It’s an analogy that fits well for our summer, since it rains in New Orleans almost every day!  The bad news is that we can get caught in the storms, and the good news is that it keeps our plants and trees and grass nice and green.  After less than an inch of rain in May, June brought 5 inches of rain, which helped us out.

So if we understand what rain can do for our gardens and lawns, we ought to be able to understand how God’s grace acts upon our soul.  It helps it to be healthy, and it helps it to grow.  So where do we get that grace?  One important way is the Eucharist.

On March 13, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI issued a document called Sacramentum Caritatis – the “Sacrament of Love” – in which the Holy Father offered some basic directions aimed at a renewed commitment to Eucharistic enthusiasm and fervor in the Church.  In the document, he explained that Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass prolongs the sacred action of the Eucharistic liturgy and allows the faithful to express and extend their love for Jesus Christ truly present in the sacred species. He also called for specific churches and oratories to be set aside for Perpetual Adoration. It is very interesting to note that despite the intensive Eucharistic piety of the Popes of recent years – most especially John Paul II -  no Papal document specifically commends Perpetual Adoration to the laity in such a direct fashion.

In our Archdiocese there are 18 chapels where the Eucharist is adored 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Why has Adoration been embraced so strongly by the laity?  And why is it promoted so strongly by the Church?  And why do priests keep preaching about it?  The answer is simple.  The Eucharist is Jesus.  REALLY.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  To adore the Blessed Sacrament is to adore the same Jesus Christ that preached and teached and healed in Palestine in the first century.  In the Blessed Sacrament is the same God whom the apostles adored in Galilee.  This is an article of our Catholic faith.  But besides Adoration there is petition.  Not only is Jesus to be adored, he is to be entreated – just like He was entreated when he walked the earth:  “I want to see” (Mk 10:51)  “Increase my faith” (Lk 17:5), “Have mercy on me” (Mt. 15:22).  Those who spend time in front of the Eucharist in Adoration know that Jesus is there and that they can come close to Him, for praise and petition.  These experiences, shared by so many, have profoundly deepened the Church's realization of how literally Christ spoke when He promised to be with us until the end of time.  The experience is spiritual in that it gives light to the mind and strength to the will.  It provides intense graces for oneself and others.  It enables weak human nature to suffer superhuman trials, and it gives ordinary people supernatural power to accomplish extraordinary deeds.  Regular adorers can attest to these experiences.  Really.  Ask one.  Then come visit the Eucharist.

(Rev. Msgr.) Christopher H. Nalty

50th Anniversary of his Priestly Ordination

As many of you know, Father Tom is resident here at the parish. He is a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, and lived at Sacred Heart Church on Canal Street until it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.  Father Tom is the past president of Our Lady of Holy Cross College on the West Bank, and he is currently President of the Willwoods Community (www.willwoods.org), an entity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans that ministers in the areas of faith and marriage, affordable housing, and assisted-care living (Malta Park in our parish). Willwoods also co-owns and operates WLAE public television station.  The slogan of Willwoods is “rooted in prayer, united in service,” and that could best describe Father Tom!  Father is regularly present at our Tuesday evening Holy Hours and Mass, but will also be taking part in other parish activities according to his schedule. So if you happen to see him, give him a hearty “Happy Anniversary, Father Tom!”

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are gifts which assist us in furthering our sanctification and help “complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them.” The term “gift” means that the Holy Spirit bestows them; they are supernatural gifts operating in a supernatural manner. They are not gifts one simply invokes in times of emergency. The gifts are enumerated in Isaiah 11:2-3.

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:
Wisdom – The gift of wisdom allows us to see God at work in our lives and in the world. For the wise person, the wonders of nature, historical events, and the joys and sorrows of our lives take on deeper meaning.

Understanding – The gift of understanding allows us to comprehend how we should to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. A person with understanding is not confused by the conflicting messages in our culture about the correct way to live. Similar to “common sense,” the gift of understanding perfects a person’s speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. St. Thomas Aquinas described it is as a gift “whereby self-evident principles are known.”

Counsel (Right Judgment) – The gift of right judgment allows us to see the difference between right and wrong, and to choose to do what is right. A person with right judgment avoids sin and lives out the values taught by Christ. This gift of truth allows the person to respond prudently and happily to God’s commandments.

Fortitude (Courage) – The gift of fortitude allows us to overcome our fears and to be willing to take risks as a follower of Christ. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, condemnation, or even physical injury and death. Courage gives us the firmness of heart to do good and endure evil.

Knowledge - By the gift of knowledge, we understand knowledge of the meaning of God’s Revelation, especially as expressed in the life and words of Jesus Christ. A person with knowledge is always learning more about Scriptures, Sacred Tradition and the teachings of the Church. It is not simply an accumulation of facts and figures.

Piety (Reverence) – With the gift of piety or reverence, have a deep sense of respect for God and the Church. A person with reverence recognizes our total reliance on God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that Piety “is the gift whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father.”

Fear of the Lord – Fear of the Lord is more closely related to “awe,” and allows us to be aware of the glory and majesty of God. A person with wonder and awe knows that God is the perfection of all we desire: perfect knowledge, perfect goodness, perfect power, and perfect love. This gift is described by St. Thomas Aquinas as a fear of separating oneself from God. He describes the gift as a “filial fear,” like a child's fear of offending his father, rather than a “servile fear,” that is, a fear of punishment.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are something for which we need to pray. We beg the Holy Spirit to give us these gifts! And here is a good traditional prayer:

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thy Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy love.

Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with Thee, and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God, and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Thy true disciples and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. (Jn 3:16)
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I don’t believe in “coincidences,” a word that means “the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection.” No, I believe in “God-incidences,” where God gives us two events at the same time and asks us to make a connection – to see that there are no “accidents.”

Today, we have two events happening: the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and Father’s Day. I can’t help but make a connection. Do you realize that almost all of the “solemnities” and “feasts” of our Church point to some “earthly” event? Think about it. They’re either focused on an event in the life of Christ (His incarnation, His birth, His death, His resurrection, His ascension) or an event in the lives of His Mother, St. Joseph or one of His followers – the Saints. But only one event in the Church calendar points to something that can only be described as “other worldly.” That’s Trinity Sunday. It points to a Heavenly Reality – the reality that God is three persons in one God. It’s a mystery that has been revealed to us by God Himself. And it’s really the only day on the Church calendar that we specifically point to God the Father in Heaven.

And today is also the secular occasion of “Father’s Day.” And it should cause us to reflect upon the Fatherly role of God. I was fortunate to have a very special Father who passed away only two years ago. I know that my image of the Heavenly Father is heavily influenced by my memories of my earthly Dad. But it was also my earthly Dad that pointed me to my Heavenly Father. He did it by his life as a deacon; he did it by his love for my Mom and my siblings; and he did it specifically by his words to me. I remember being in a discussion with one of Dad’s friends about my vocation to the priesthood, and his friend said: “I’m sure your Dad had something to do with your vocation.” Far from taking the credit, Dad said: “No, that’s a call from His Heavenly Father.”

Dad was certainly right that my vocation to the priesthood came from God. But Dad’s recognizing the work of my Heavenly Father in my life was part of what helped me understand even the “concept” of a vocation. If Dad hadn’t pointed me “upward” to the Father, I’m not sure I would have ever even understood what a “priestly call” sounded like!

I sure miss my Dad, but I’m happy that he’s waiting for me in our Heavenly Father’s house! Happy Fathers Day to all of our Dad’s, and thanks to Our Heavenly Father for giving them to us.

Rev. Msgr. Christopher H. Nalty

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt 11:28-30)
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“Come to me,” the Lord asks us in today’s Gospel. The word used for “come” in the original Greek is “Δεῦτε” – pronounced “dyoo-teh.” It’s a command, and it’s directed to the entire group to whom Jesus is speaking. The same word is used by Jesus a number of times in the New Testament, speaking to a past event, a present event and a future event. 

In the past event, Jesus first used to word when He saw Simon and Andrew mending their nets: “Come, after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mk 1:17). In the future event, Jesus gives us the parable of the talents, and uses the word as a future invitation to Heaven: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mt 25:34).

In today’s Gospel, we point to the present event: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Both of the other uses of the word “come” imply a place. “Come, follow me” implies walking along the road with Jesus. “Come . . . inherit the kingdom” implies a place in Heaven. The very word “come” implies a destination. So when Jesus says “come to me” in the Gospel today, He speaks to us. But where is He? Since He’s God, he’s certainly everywhere, but we have to constantly remind ourselves that He’s present – Really Present – in the Blessed Sacrament. “Come to me” means to “come to the Eucharist.” After celebrating Corpus Christi last weekend, we should remember that Jesus comes to us in the Blessed Sacrament, and we can respond to His invitation to “come to me” by arriving early for Mass, by going to an Adoration Chapel, or by even coming to Rectory anytime during the day and asking to spend time in the chapel. It’s the place where we can find rest from our labors and burdens.

This Sunday is the 12th anniversary of my Ordination to the Priesthood. I’ve now officially been a priest twice as long as a I practiced law. And believe it or not, I actually work longer hours than I ever did as an associate at Jones, Walker. Yet, I rarely feel weighed down by labors and burdens as I did practicing law. Why is that? It’s because I respond daily to Jesus’ command to “come to me.” Every day I try to spend an hour in His Presence. And He lifts my labors and burdens. And He gives me rest.

(Rev. Msgr.) Christopher H. Nalty