Dear Saint Mary Friends,
Well, it was a wonderful weekend to reopen. The weather may not have always cooperated, but the Holy Spirit did in spades. There are so many to thank for all the support and heavy lifting they did in these months. First of all, the Lord and his Blessed Mother. We’ll publicly thank others in the weeks to come, but for the time being, thank you to everyone for the prayers, wisdom, ideas, and financial support.
Several Parishioners have asked me to print the quote I read during the homily at all the Masses. It’s from St. Caesarius of Arles, Bishop of the Diocese of Arles, in what is now southern France from 503 to 543. At the Mass of Consecration for his new cathedral he gave a wonderful sermon - part of which I quoted. He connects the beauty and holiness of a church in which the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass takes place and the parishioners who are themselves temples of the Holy Spirit.
We are indeed living & true temples of God. God does not dwell only in structures fashioned by human hands, in homes of wood & stone, but rather he dwells principally in the soul made according to his own image & fashioned by his own hand. Therefore, the apostle Paul says: The temple of God is holy, and you are that temple….
My fellow Christians, do we wish to celebrate joyfully the birth of this temple? Then let us not destroy the living temples of God in ourselves by works of evil. I shall speak clearly, so that all can understand.
Whenever we come to church, we must prepare our hearts to be as beautiful as we expect this church to be. Do you wish to find this basilica immaculately clean? Then do not soil your soul with the filth of sins. Do you wish this basilica to be full of light? God too wishes that your soul be not in darkness, but that the light of good works shines in us, so that he who dwells in the heavens will be glorified. Just as you enter this church building, so God wishes to enter into your soul, for he promised: I shall live in them, & I shall walk the corridors of their hearts.
Lastly, this weekend is the Solemnity of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the Church Year. Deacon Rick’s reflection and this week's suggested videos can help to prepare.
