Finding my Voice

Wow, what a weekend this was!  Filled with fun and challenges.  I did not get much time to rest this weekend, and not even time to have ‘quiet’ where I could pray in silence.

This weekend our Council of Catholic Women held its annual bazaar. Since I was a ‘runner’, that is, fill in wherever help is needed, I was on my feet all day (logged over 9,000 steps on my Fitbit Saturday) and stopped by all our vendor booths to thank them for supporting us.

One of our CCW members asked to seek out a lady who was asking for tips on how we made our bazaar so successful.  I found her in one of the vendor booths and introduced myself.   As we were talking about media resources, she told me that she was from a neighboring Lutheran church. I let her know that I’d send her our ‘logistics’ schedule of when we started planning, etc. and would help her women’s church group with where to advertise, and get started.  She looked at me in awe – “You will?  Really?” – and I said “of course why wouldn’t I?”  Her response shocked me: “Well you’re a Catholic and I’m not.”

I felt bad that she thought I would not help her just because she was not a Catholic!   Are we not all children of Christ? Are we not all the body of Christ?    Friends, our common belief should bind us together.

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One of our vendors at the bazaar was the Presentation Associates, who do wonderful work in Osceola County, FL.  The Associates run a backpack program to feed the hungry children of Osceola County.  Each child in the program is sent home every Friday with a backpack filled with food to last the weekend.  If these kids do not get a backpack, many of them will not eat until breakfast at school on Monday mornings.   I think at last count, 125 children each week are sent home with a backpack.   So, does your church or organization have a similar program?  If so, do you help out?  Or are you waiting for Uncle Sam to take care of it?   Be part of the solution, not the problem.  Do something.

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I went to Mass on Saturday afternoon during a slow time at the bazaar, since I was scheduled to be a cantor.  Part of the homily, towards the end of it,  was something near and dear to my heart, and I tell you, I almost broke into tears (not a good thing to do for a singer).  Our pastor was telling us how he hears complaints that ‘the sermon didn’t do anything for me’, or ‘the music is boring’, or ‘church is not exciting for me’.   He turned, pointed to the Crucifix and said ‘this is why you come here – this is the excitement, that this Man died so that you could have eternal life’. OMG!  I could have applauded.  The Mass is not a performance, it is a sacrifice.  Why is it that so many are looking to be entertained at a Mass or Service?   We are there to deepen and strengthen our relationship with God and with Christ. To receive grace, blessings and forgiveness. To participate in the Mass, to receive the Lamb of God. Not to hear the Doobie Brothers sing ‘Jesus is just alright with me’.

Just the fact that God gave his only Son to save us should make us want to dance in the aisles – we should not need anything more.

I wish you all a blessed week and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Abba, Father, watch and guide us. Our world is in a heap of trouble right now. The evil one has taken over the hearts, souls and minds of many, in every attempt to defeat you. Keep us strong, give us courage, keep us steadfast in our faith. Father, it is so hard to pray for those who have been consumed by evil, we want the head of the serpent to be cut off. We want to hate those that have killed our brothers and sisters, and yes, the evil one wants us to let that hate manifest. Fill our minds with you, Father, that the evil one is cast out through our prayer to you. Amen.

written by: Mary Anne O’Shea

November 15, 2015

I don’t go to church.  I have heard so much in the last months on social media, in the news, on the radio: “I am not into religion”, “I don’t need to go to church to be a good Christian”,  “I read the Bible, why go to church?” and on and on and on.

I don’t go to church.  I belong to a church, the Catholic Church.  I go to a building each day, which could be called a church building, but what I actually do is attend and participate in the sacrifice of the Mass every day, and am blessed to receive Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.  I go because I love my faith, not because I feel I am obligated to go.  I agree with those who say “I don’t need to go to church to be a good Christian”.  Going to church does not prove anything to anyone.  God knows who we are, that is for sure.

Attending Mass is different than ‘going to church’.  It is something I can hardly wait for each day, whether it is the 7:30 Mass, the 9am Mass or the lunchtime Mass at the Basilica.   I’ve learned that when I participate in the Mass, I am the one who receives the blessing, who receives the grace. I’m not attending Mass in order to please others, or to follow any rule book.  I go because I love the Mass and the fact that I can receive my daily bread there.   I never tire of the prayers, I have been saying them since I was a little girl. I love the celebration of the Eucharist, the celebration of the consecration of the bread and wine.  Not symbolic for me – it truly is Christ, right there in our midst.  Just waiting for us to come and receive his gift.