Pastor's Message

November 28, 1999

OPENING DOORS

As I was unlocking the church doors before the early morning Mass, I was thinking about the many doors that we lock and unlock, open and close, each day. Most of us carry keys with us at all times. Most of us also have had the experience of forgetting a key and not being able to open an important door.
At St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, there is a special door that is sealed shut from one Holy Year to the next. (Although the Jubilee years used to be every fifty years, in more recent centuries they have been observed every twenty-five years.) At the beginning of each new Jubilee, or Holy Year, the Pope opens that door at the Christmas Mass. Pilgrims enter that door during the following year.
The symbolism of opening a door is striking. Our church door is to be open to all who need to enter just as we the church people must be open to all others. Likewise, we must open the doors of our lives to Jesus.
Here at St. Peter’s, Mansfield (the other St. Peter’s) we are sealing a door shut during the four weeks of Advent. You will note that the center door on the east end of church — the main door — will be closed from now until Christmas. It will be opened ceremoniously at the midnight Mass in four weeks.

- Fr. Herb

Pastor's Message November 28, 1999 OPENING DOORS As I was unlocking the church doors before the early morning Mass, I was thinking about the many doors that we lock and unlock, open and close, each day. Most of us carry keys with us at all times. Most of us also have had the experience of forgetting a key and not being able to open an important door. At St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, there is a special door that is sealed shut from one Holy Year to the next. (Although the Jubilee years used to be every fifty years, in more recent centuries they have been observed every twenty-five years.) At the beginning of each new Jubilee, or Holy Year, the Pope opens that door at the Christmas Mass. Pilgrims enter that door during the following year. The symbolism of opening a door is striking. Our church door is to be open to all who need to enter just as we the church people must be open to all others. Likewise, we must open the doors of our lives to Jesus. Here at St. Peter’s, Mansfield (the other St. Peter’s) we are sealing a door shut during the four weeks of Advent. You will note that the center door on the east end of church — the main door — will be closed from now until Christmas. It will be opened ceremoniously at the midnight Mass in four weeks. - Fr. Herb
November 21, 1999 INTENSELY EXTREME I drove past a bowling alley that advertised “Intense Bowling” on Friday nights. A day later a radio station promoted “Extreme Volleyball” for the coming weekend. I confess I am not sure how intense or extreme sports differ from ordinary ones. Is it that people are getting so bored with their ususal pastimes that they have to do those activities to an extreme measure? Or is it just an advertising gimmick that makes old diversions seem new? Perhaps we at the church should claim we have “intense prayer” and “extreme spirituality.” Somehow I fear that those phrases would scare people away. Some would think that they are not up to that level of faith. Truth is, however, that much of our prayer is intense. And any serious spirituality may seem extreme to others. Whenever people put energy into a relationship with God, that certainly requires an extreme commitment. The intensity of the relationship can become something very exciting and attractive. That will keep anyone from getting bored. - Fr. Herb
November 14, 1999 FINDING A TREASURE Several grade school children stopped by my office one evening last week. Their mother was involved in a meeting down the hall, and they were trying to stay out of her hair. I invited them to play some games on my computer. When one asked if I had internet, I told them I did. The next asked if they could go on line. I dialed up for them. Then they took over, clicking on different addresses faster than I could follow. It seemed that they all had the same thing in mind, knowing exactly what they wanted. Soon they pulled up onto the screen their treasure: the Pokemon official web site. Not knowing much about pokemon, I kept my eyes tuned to the screen. I learned there are over a hundred and fifty different cards and characters in the series. They flashed before me in brilliant color. The only disappointment the kids had was when I told them I don’t have a color printer with my computer. To the person reading these words, Pokemon may not seem to be the great treasure that it was to those kids. In fact, my computer may never search for pokemon again. But, like those kids, each person has treasures and each person probably exerts time and energy trying to find those treasures. During this week when we celebrate Thanksgiving, we have a chance to say thanks for the treasures of our lives. We also have a chance to thank God for the ability to search and seek what really matters. - Fr. Herb
November 7, 1999 WORDS OF ASSURANCE A pre-schooler came up to me after Mass and sang: “God if bigger than the bogeyman He’s bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV. God is bigger than the bogeyman And he’s watching out for you and me.” The child’s mother indicated that the song comes from a video series called the Veggie-tales. Since I don’t have little children in my house, I visited a family with little kids to watch one of these veggie-tales. Sure enough, the characters are all vegetables who are teaching simple lessons to children about faith and morality. Through songs and stories, they captivate the imagination of many children. Watching a children’s video can be a powerful experience for an adult. Two questions come to mind. One is whether or not the lesson is good for children to learn. Second, in hearing these simple messages through adult ears, we have to ask whether we accept those teachings ourselves. Children need to know that God is bigger and stronger than any scarey monster. Adults need the same message, the assurance that no matter how overwhelmed we may get from day to day problems, God is “watching out for you and me.” - Fr. Herb