Pastor's Message

March 26, 2000

DESTROYING THE BEAUTY

I stopped my car on one of the back roads behind Malabar Farm to enjoy the beauties of nature. The jagged cliffs cascaded down to a small creek. Last fall’s leaves carpeted the forest floor.

As I looked down the ravine where the stream was flowing, my eyes were offended by a large truck tire that had been thrown there. Further down, another tire was resting among the rocks. Why these were there and who was responsible is beyond me. All I know is that their presence was ruining the site.

Anyone who loves nature or simply loves beauty would have reacted as I did. I wanted to find someone who could clean up the ravine. Tires, discarded buckets and cans, and other debris simply don’t belong in the stream-bed.

The Lenten season is a time for us to look at our own lives to see the thrown-away tires and other garbage that mars the landscape of our souls. I am referring to our own sinfulness and sinful habits. They are there, and they are ugly. Our first step is to discover their presence.

Then we have to acquire a spirit of repentance to deal with and clean up such eyesores. Fortunately, we can become reconciled with God and have an opportunity to start over.
Please use this Lent as a time for beautifying your life!

- Fr. Herb

Pastor's Message March 26, 2000 DESTROYING THE BEAUTY I stopped my car on one of the back roads behind Malabar Farm to enjoy the beauties of nature. The jagged cliffs cascaded down to a small creek. Last fall’s leaves carpeted the forest floor. As I looked down the ravine where the stream was flowing, my eyes were offended by a large truck tire that had been thrown there. Further down, another tire was resting among the rocks. Why these were there and who was responsible is beyond me. All I know is that their presence was ruining the site. Anyone who loves nature or simply loves beauty would have reacted as I did. I wanted to find someone who could clean up the ravine. Tires, discarded buckets and cans, and other debris simply don’t belong in the stream-bed. The Lenten season is a time for us to look at our own lives to see the thrown-away tires and other garbage that mars the landscape of our souls. I am referring to our own sinfulness and sinful habits. They are there, and they are ugly. Our first step is to discover their presence. Then we have to acquire a spirit of repentance to deal with and clean up such eyesores. Fortunately, we can become reconciled with God and have an opportunity to start over. Please use this Lent as a time for beautifying your life! - Fr. Herb

March 19, 2000 NINE POINTS TO CONSIDER I recently came upon the following list that I want to share with you. Just as we ask God to forgive us, we pledge ourselves to forgive others. Many, however, do not know HOW to forgive. These nine points help in that process. 1. Admit the hurt and acknowledge the pain. 2. Make a decision to forgive although you might not know how to forgive. 3. Remember that forgiveness is a process and that it takes time for any hurt to heal. 4. Forgiveness is not easy, nor is it pleasant; forgiveness involves a ‘small death’ in ourselves. 5. Reflect on those who have modeled forgiveness for you and identify the source of their courage to forgive. 6. Forgive yourself and try to see the good in yourself even as you disapprove of your behavior. 7. Visualize the positive aspect of the people who have offended you and try to experience pity or compassion for them. 8. Recall a time in your own life when you were forgiven and the gratitude you experienced. 9. Consider the consequences of not forgiving — the spiritual, physiological, and emotional effects. This is certainly something that is worth working on during Lent. - Fr. Herb March 12, 2000 THE ELECT By the time you read this, many of you will have voted in the Ohio primary election. This Sunday, however, there is another election taking place that affects all of us. It is the election of those in RCIA to prepare for the Easter sacraments. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process for men, women, and children to enter the Catholic Church. Some have never been Baptized and are called Catechumens. Others, who were Baptized in another Christian denomination, are called Candidates (for Full Communion in the Catholic Church). The first Sunday of Lent brings a special two-part process. At the 9:15 a.m. Mass those who are found to be sufficiently committed to joining the church are “enrolled” in the Book of the Elect. Then this afternoon, at a gathering of those in RCIA from a number of parishes, our enrollees will be presented to the Bishop, who will “elect” them to use the season of Lent as a final step in preparation for the Easter sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. For the next six weeks we will be praying for the “elect.” Certainly if it good to pray for civil officials who are elected to office. But when you hear our prayers for the elect, please hold before the Lord our brothers and sisters who are in one of the holiest and most important times of their lives. As their journey of faith continues, it is a time for us to recommit ourselves to our own journeys of faith. Fr. Herb March 5, 2000 FEELING GOOD Within an hour’s time one morning I heard the following three comments. The first one, from a friend, was, “You sure look tired, Herb.” After that another person added, “How are you really feeling, Fr. Herb?” And finally, from a stranger, “I hope that you get over whatever-it-is soon.” Up to that moment, I had been feeling quite well and rested. Usually our external appearance is expected to indicate an internal state of well-being. So, if I look sick, I should be sick. Similarly, our internal health is very often reflected externally. If I feel great, it ought to show. With the ancient custom of receiving ashes on the first day of Lent, Christians attempt to unite the internal and external parts of themselves. The outward symbol of ashes is meant to represent an inner change of heart that is sought during Lent. As the inner transformation takes place, it likely will be manifested outwardly by appropriate actions and a Christ-like style of living. In that way, those who become renewed will be known not merely by what they say or do, but for who they are. - Fr. Herb