Making choices

Today, the scriptures present a variety of choices.  In each case, someone was asked to make a decision.  In the first reading (cf 1 Kings 19:16-21), the holy man Elijah invited Elisha to follow him, but Elisha was free to choose whether he would accept Elisha's invitation, or whether he would remain in the fields (cf 1 Kings 19:19).  As enticing as it might have been for Elisha to accept the invitation to follow Elijah, he managed to present an excuse, a reason why he could not immediately turn away from his former life (cf 1 Kings 19:20).  How often does the Lord invite us to follow him, to set out on a new adventure?  And how often do we respond to God's invitations with excuses?

The gospel passages are filled with such stories.  They often begin with the details of an encounter between Jesus and what seem to be ordinary folk.  In today's gospel passage for instance, Jesus set out for Jerusalem (cf Lk 9:51).  Jesus is constantly setting out, travelling with us as we make our way from day to day, from one adventure to another.  Each day, he sends us ahead of him (Lk 9:52).  We enter into people's lives so that we can invite others to prepare their hearts to welcome Jesus, but each person, including us, is free to welcome him or not (Lk 9:53).  How many of our own family and friends have we invited to welcome Jesus?  When others appear to refuse our invitations, we can often react like the disciples.  When ... James and John saw it, they said: 'Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' (Lk 9:54), but it is not up to us to judge.  Our task is to create the circumstances so that others can become aware of the Lord's invitation.  It's up to each person individually, including us, to make the choice to respond.

Human hearts can be slow to respond to the Lord's invitation, but sometimes we can also be overly zealous.  As they were going along the road, someone said to Jesus, 'I will follow you wherever you go (Lk 9:57), but when the enthusiasm is not the fruit of God's invitation, we can also get ourselves into trouble.  This is why we must always take time to discern, to open our ears and our hearts in prayer and to do our very best to listen so that we can be sure that God is calling.  If the call is not from God, then the invitation is not authentic, and following down a misguided road will lead us into an adventure that will tire us out rather than give us life.

Along the way to Jerusalem, Jesus called a number of others to follow him.  In some cases, they truly wanted to but they found themselves tied down to other responsibilities (cf Lk 9:59-62).  It does happen at times that when Jesus calls, we feel as though we must leave everything and everyone behind, but most often, when Jesus calls, the adventure he has prepared for us is meant not only for our good but also as a source of inspiration and an invitation for others to come along with us.  If the call to follow Jesus is authentic, there will never be a need to say farewell to those at home (Lk 9:61); rather, we should invite them to join us on the journey.

As Saint Paul explained to the early Christian community at Galacia, we have been called to freedom, but we should never use this freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but rather through love to become slaves to one another (Gal 5:13). Jesus is inviting us to be living witnesses of his presence today, in this community or wherever we may travel, and each of us must make a choice.  Choose to accept the invitation to follow Jesus.  If we do, he will teach us how to love as he loves us, so that we in turn can love one another.

Fed and refreshed

The first reading for today's liturgy describes a homecoming celebration.  After Abram's return, King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine ... and furthermore, he blessed Abram (Gn 14:18-19).  We are not living in the time of Melchizedek and Abram, but each time we gather around the Lord's table, we are invited to partake in the wonderful celebration that is known as the Eucharist.

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.  We focus our attention on these two precious gifts which have been given to us by our Lord.  The details concerning the origin of these gifts are explained in Saint Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.  He says: the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my Body that is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me'.  In the same way, he took the cup ... after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my Blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me' (1 Cor 11:23-25).  Each time we gather, each time we repeat these words, the Eucharistic celebration is a homecoming for us, a chance to touch the body of Christ, to receive this special food that keeps us united to Jesus, food that nourishes our faith.

Even in the beginning weeks of this new parish of ours, we need to understand the importance of nourishing ourselves with the body and blood of Christ.  This heavenly food will help us to go out into the community week after week and to spread the light that Jesus instills in our hearts with others by sharing the joy of this moment with those we encounter.

We can do this because Jesus has already shown us how to go about it.  At the end of a day of speaking with the crowds about the kingdom of God, and healing those who needed to be cured (cf Lk 9:11), the disciples wanted to send the people away, but Jesus had a different plan.  Jesus often has another plan for us, and we must always try to be attentive to his plan because his plan is always for our good and for the good of those around us.

The disciples were tired, the people were tired, Jesus too must have been tired, but he wanted to show the disciples that even when we are tempted to give in to human limitations, God's possibilities are always limitless.  When we are involved in doing God's work, there is always enough energy to accomplish what is needed.  Jesus knew that it was possible for the disciples to provide what was needed.  You give them something to eat, he said (Lk 9:13), and when they looked at him with questioning eyes, he astonished them with a miracle.

Jesus needed the disciples to help him that day.  He asked them: Make the people sit down in groups ... (Lk 9:14).  Jesus always knows what we are capable of, and he invites us to do what we can to prepare the way so that he can perform miracles in our midst.  Because they cooperated with him that day, he was able to feed the multitudes.  Today, he invites us to do what we can, and then to be attentive to the miracles that take place all around us.  Our God is always ready and willing to respond to our needs.  When we are hungry, he wants to feed us with special food and with encouraging words so that we can be refreshed and made ready for the journey that lies ahead: a journey of encountering those who are hungry, always ready to share with them the gift that we ourselves have received.

His Word Today: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (9 March 1568 to 21 June 1591), an Italian aristocrat who joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  While still a student at the Roman College, he died as a result of caring for victims of a serious epidemic.

The self-giving love demonstrated by Saint Aloysius is a concrete example of Jesus advice, given in today's gospel passage: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth ... but store up treasures in heaven (Mt 6:19-20).

Today, let us ask Saint Aloysius to intercede on our behalf so that we may continue to possess the conviction of our faith.  Enlightened by this faith, may he teach us how to store up heavenly treasures by seeking not to amass tangible wealth but rather the wealth that comes from knowing and loving our brothers and sisters as Jesus loves us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: With purpose

Good morning everyone,

How often have you paused long enough to consider the importance of the words you speak?  Words have great power: to praise and to demean, to build up and to tear down.  The same is also true of God.  The relationship we are invited to cultivate with our God can be strengthened by the words we choose to use or weakened by those same words.

In today's gospel passage (Mt 6:7-15), Jesus warns his disciples not to use words frivolously when they are praying.  Instead, he encourages them to use words constructively, in order to strengthen the relationship they have with our loving Father.  He says: This is how you are to pray ... Our Father ... (Mt 6:9).  The words of the Lord's Prayer - as we have come to know it - are very intentional.  Each phrase is meant to strengthen our relationship with our God, with others or with ourselves.  If we based our ideal for living on this prayer, we would be well on the path to being fruitful disciples.

Today, let us attempt to put the words of the Lord's Prayer into action.  People who experience us praising God, trying to do the Lord's will in our daily lives, contenting ourselves with that which is provided for our daily nourishment and forgiving those who have wronged us ... will surely see in these words and actions, the presence of our living and loving God.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Serene

Good morning everyone,

Consider for a moment the people in your life who appear to be the most serene.  There is a calmness about such people that can sometimes be mysterious and can at times draw us to ponder what it is that drives them.  In most cases, those who are serene are well aware of who they are, what they do and why they do these things.

Jesus invites us to discover such serenity through the practice of some simple practices: When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet (Mt 6:2) ... when you pray, do not stand in public places so that others may see you (Mt 6:5) ... when you fast, do not put on gloomy looks (Mt 6:16).  In other words, when you observe the practices that are meant to train you in becoming a follower of Jesus, do not make a show of it.  Instead, let your actions be motivated by sincere desire to put your faith into action.

Who are the people in your life who provide such examples?  Give thanks today for each of them and be aware of your own honesty in wanting to follow in the footsteps of our greatest Teacher.  Before you know it, others will recognize your serenity ... and perhaps they too will want to be more faithful disciples.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Love and pray

Good morning everyone,

Have you ever noticed how easy it is for us to love those who say good things about us, or to want to spend time with those who we get along with?  I wonder if the human tendency to stay away from those who we don't get along with is born out of a desire to protect ourselves or whether there is some other motivation for this.

Jesus always challenges his disciples to live differently, compared with the majority of those we encounter.  In today's gospel, he asks us: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Mt 5:44).  This might seem like a tall order, but remember that nothing is impossible for God, and what seems to be impossible for us can also be made possible because God is always at our side, ready to help us to do what he has asked us to do.

Believe that these words can come true.  Pray with conviction today and ask the Lord to help you to love those who you may perceive as not loving you in return.  Pray for those who have been persecuted, that they may not be silenced but rather that they may be strengthened in their faith.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Generous

Good morning everyone,

The advice that Jesus gave to his disciples is just as relevant today - two millenia later - than it was at the time when he first offered it.  We have a prime example in today's gospel passage.  Jesus knew very well that the society they were living in was very self-centred.  In some ways it had to be, especially when it came to those who had been oppressed, but he challenged his disciples to adopt a different attitude: one of surprising generosity.

You have heard it said, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  But I say to you ... if anyone wants to go to court with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well (Mt 5:38, 40).  Someone who thinks that he or she is taking advantage of another will think twice if the response to oppression is surprising generosity, but this is the way that our God acts with us: when we think according to human standards, there is always a tendency to remain focused on self-preservation, but God thinks far beyond the confines of our reasoning.

Today, dare to ask for the grace to think like God thinks.  Dare to stretch your horizons if you can so that you can begin to look beyond the limits that you may be used to.  Consider the possibility that responding to life with surprising generosity is possible because our God always responds to us with such limitless generosity.

Have a great day.

Something old and something new

Last weekend, we inaugurated the new parish of Saint Bernadette.  When we walked through the doors, we entered into sacred space, for in this place, we encounter our God.  Here, we give thanks for the many blessings we have received; here, we receive the special food of the Eucharist that helps us to grow in our faith.  This parish is new, but God, who we meet here is anything but new.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity and we contemplate the mystery of our God who is One in a communion of three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  This is an occasion for celebrating with ever-renewed awe, our God who is love, who freely offers us his life and asks us to defend his life in the world (Regina Coeli, 27 May 2018).

The first reading for today's Mass, taken from the Book of Proverbs, tells us that God's Wisdom was created at the beginning of his work ... before the mountains had been shaped ... when he had not yet made the earth and fields (Prov 8:22, 25-26).  Our God is anything but new but we are eternally renewed in his presence.

This is the power of love, the power of the gift that our God offers to us whenever we meet in this place, whenever we open our hearts in prayer and invite an encounter with the One who has created us.  Here in this holy place, we gather week after week.  Each of us brings with us the stories of our own lives: some of us are happy when we come through the doors, others are perplexed, some may be hurting and others may be searching.  Wherever we are, whatever we bring, our God meets us where we are and teaches us how to follow in his footsteps.

In this place, we hear the words of scripture proclaimed: stories about Jesus, the Son of God; stories about his disciples and others who listened - like us - to his inspiring words.  How strange it must have been for the disciples to hear Jesus say to them that day: I still have many things to say to you, but ... when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you ... (Jn 16:12-13).  Jesus had already shared so much with them.  It was quite natural that they should expect him to continue teaching them more and more lessons.  Is this not what we still do when we encounter someone we have come to know and love?  Do we not expect that person to be around forever, to inspire us, to teach us?

Thankfully, Jesus' teachings did not end when his earthly life came to a close.  Last weekend, we celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost: the day on which the Holy Spirit, the gift of God, descended upon the apostles.  The Holy Spirit continues to live among God's people, enlivening us and making it possible for us to constantly have the love of God poured into our hearts (Rom 5:5).

Today let us give thanks to God for the gift that He has given.  May our God, who is One in a communion of three persons, continue to pour his love into our hearts so that we can go out from this place, renewed in our faith and ready to be witnesses of love for others.

His Word Today: Radical

Good morning everyone,

In today's gospel passage (Mt 5:27-32), Jesus challenges his disciples to be radical about their choice to follow after him.  He knows the human heart very well.  He knows that there is always a part of us that will say yes to him and another part of us that will constantly be tempted to live a hidden life where we are not quite willing to give ourselves completely to the commitment that we have spoken.

Jesus uses one of the teachings that his disciples have heard before to make his point: You have heard it said, 'You shall not commit adultery, but I say to you ... (Mt 5:27-28).  What Jesus was asking his disciples, and what he asks us today, is to be radical about our choice to follow him.  If we want to be his disciples, we must be completely honest about our commitment.

Today, let us ask Jesus to give us the resolve to be radical about our choice to be like him.  Let us ask him to help us not hide part of ourselves from him, but to bring everything about us into the light.  Our God constantly wants to strengthen the relationship He has with us.  He is always inviting us to open our hearts and to share our hopes, our dreams, our fears and our disappointments with him.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Anthony of Padua

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua.  Born in Lisbon, Portugal on 15 August 1195, Fernando Martins eventually joined the Friars Minor and went with them to Italy.  There he gained a reputation for being a particularly gifted preacher.  He was particularly gifted at helping people to understand the Word of God and at helping them to apply it to their own lives.

Jesus too was a gifted preacher.  In today's gospel passage, he reminds his disciples: ... unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5:20).  Only someone with a keen ability to explain such truths can challenge his hearers to aim high.  In this case, it was a matter of not falling into the trap of false righteousness, but rather setting their sights higher, believing that they had enough integrity to remain faithful to the teachings they had learned.

We too must constantly strive to live up to a higher expectation: the expectation that we will do our very best to believe that we can do better than second best, that it is possible for us to follow Jesus even if he should ask us to believe in ourselves and not to settle for anything less than the dream of eternity in heaven.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Law

Good morning everyone,

In today's gospel passage, we encounter one of the most prophetic of Jesus' words.  In order to understand the reason for these words, we must first comprehend the fact that the disciples - like all other Jews - were expecting the arrival of the Messiah: the anointed one, the promised one of God.  Given the fact that at the time, the Jews were being oppressed by the Roman empire, the commonly held hope was that the Messiah would free the Jewish people from their oppression.

In contrast to this way of thinking, Jesus explained to his disciples: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets (Mt 5:17), as though he might have been in a position to overthrow the law makers and the prescriptions that they were enforcing.  Instead, he explained: I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.  Jesus came to live among us in order to bring to fruition the Law of God (which was first given to us in the Ten Commandments) and the predictions put forth by the Prophets.

In seeking to fulfill the Law, Jesus sought to demonstrate the enduring love of our God, because the truth of the matter is that our God has always loved us, and every word that he has spoken is aimed at demonstrating the truth of his love for us.  Today, ask the Lord to reveal the gift of his love, to fulfill the Law that has been planted in our hearts so that we in turn can demonstrate divine love in his name for the sake of others.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Barnabas

Good morning everyone,

The holy man who is honoured in the liturgy today started out in life with one name and ended up with another.  Like Simon Peter, Joseph of Cyprus was one of the prominent Christian disciples living in Jerusalem.  He was among the earliest followers of the Way and eventually travelled with Saint Paul on some of his missionary journeys.

Saint Barnabas provides us with a reliable witness of what it means to be salt for the earth (Mt 5:13) and light for the world (Mt 5:14).  It took great courage to undertake the journey of a missionary, and it was because of his commitment that others were able to hear about Jesus.  We too need to be missionaries today.  We too need to have the courage to share the gospel with others.  We too need to tell others about Jesus, about who he is, about our own experience of knowing him and about our own witness of lives that have been changed because we have chosen to follow in his footsteps.

Today, let us as Saint Barnabas to pray with us, to strengthen our resolve to set out along the journey that the Lord needs us to travel so that we can be modern-day missionary disciples, ready to set out, ready to face the challenges that all missionaries have known but also ready to commit our lives to Jesus so that others may come to know him.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Mother

Good morning everyone,

On 3 March 2018, His Holiness, Pope Francis issued a decree establishing a new liturgical Memorial in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.  The practice of referring to Mary as the Mother of the Church began in the fourth century A.D.  It was Saint Ambrose of Milan who first used this title, and it has continued in the tradition of the Church to the present day.

Pope John Paul II stated that overall the title indicates the Blessed Virgin Mary's maternity of Christ's faithful, as deriving from her maternity of Christ in that Mary is present in the Church as the Mother of Christ, and at the same time as that Mother whom Christ, in the mystery of the Redemption, gave to humanity in the person of the Apostle John (cf John 19:27). Thus, in her new motherhood in the Spirit, Mary embraces each and every one in the Church, and embraces each and every one through the Church.

Pope Francis has often used the image of a loving mother to refer to the entire Church.  This image is rooted in the enduring belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary is indeed the Mother of the Church and our heavenly mother.  Today, let us turn to her with grateful hearts.  We thank her for all the graces and blessings we have received, especially during the Easter season that ended yesterday, and we thank her for her continued guidance as we continue the journey of walking through this world as joyful disciples.

Have a great day.

Something new

Fifty days have now passed since we began the celebration of the Easter season.  Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, this time of celebration draws to a close.  For the past six weeks, the scriptures have invited us to reflect on the experience that the disciples encountered in the days following Jesus' resurrection and while they waited for the gift of the Spirit, even though they really didn't understand what this new gift would look like.  When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place (Acts 2:1), just as they had done on many other occasions.  Human beings are creatures of habit, but God had something new in mind for them, and the same can be said for us.

Without any warning, suddenly ... there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind ... Divided tongues ... something like fire ... appeared among them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages (Acts 2:2-4).  Something unexpected, something new, something wonderful was taking place.  At first, the disciples did not understand what was unfolding, but they recognized the fact that whatever this was, it was a gift, the gift that had been promised.

Today, we have gathered in this place to begin a new chapter in the history of the Catholic faithful in the city of Elliot Lake.  As it was in the time of the disciples, we too have been waiting for this day, not understanding fully how it would all come to pass, but trusting that it would indeed happen.  We have come a long way in a relatively short period of time.  Two years ago, when I first arrived, people told me that there were great needs among the people of this city.  People told me that there were increasing struggles to find enough people to fill all the roles that are necessary for the healthy functioning of a parish.  We have known for quite some time that something needed to be done.  The process that has led to this day has not always been easy, but it has been necessary.  Today, we can begin to look forward to a brighter tomorrow.

Saint Paul reminds us that there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit (1 Cor 12:4).  We give thanks to God for all the gifts that have been so freely and generously shared at various points along the road that has led us to this moment, and together, we ask the Lord to journey with us on the path that lies ahead.  For just as the body is one and has many members ... so it is with Christ (1 Cor 12:12).  We all come to this place, at this moment in time, bringing with us our own histories, our own experiences, our own gifts - and all of us have gifts to share, and no gift is insignificant in the eyes of our God.

When Jesus appeared to the disciples in the Upper Room, he gave them a gift.  He said to each one of them: Peace be with you, but that peace was not meant for them to keep for themselves.  In the same breath, he told them: As the Father has sent me, so I send you (Jn 20:21).  Here, in this church, Jesus offers a gift to the new parish community of Saint Bernadette.  He says to each one of us: Peace be with you.  Our world is very much in need of the gift of peace, and it is up to us to go out from this place and to share the gift of God's peace with those we meet.  Together, let us ask the Lord to look lovingly upon us, to breathe the breath of his spirit upon us and to fill us with new life so that we can go out to the places where he sends us, to be his witnesses of joy, compassion and love in the world.

His Word Today: A second chance

Good morning everyone,

In today's gospel passage (Jn 21:15-19) we see a wonderful side of Jesus.  He gives Simon Peter a second chance, and he is also willing to give us a second chance.  This was great consolation for Peter's wounded heart and it is the source of great consolation also for us.

Peter was more disappointed in himself than in anyone else.  He had thought himself to be great.  After all, even Jesus had chosen him, had trusted him, had dreamed of great possibilities for him, and then Peter had denied Jesus: not once, not twice, but three times.  The shame!  And yet, after Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples, ... he said to Simon Peter: Do you love me more than these? (Jn 21:15).

Jesus is just as merciful with us.  Whenever we have thought ourselves to be worthy of great importance, only to have come up short and disappointed ourselves, Jesus finds a way to come to us and to give us a second chance.  He simply asks: Do you love me? ... and patiently waits for us to respond.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Time

Good morning everyone,

All those who pray the Liturgy of the Hours are participating in the continual prayer of the Church.  Given the fact that there are devotees of this form of prayer in all time zones across the globe, it can sometimes be enriching to consider that at all moments of the day and night, there is someone at prayer.

In addition, since there have been people at prayer since the time that Jesus taught us how to pray, and even before that moment, it is equally stunning to consider that there has always been a voice at prayer throughout all moments of history, and presumably, as we go forward in time, this tradition will also continue.

The excerpt from John's gospel that appears in today's liturgy reminds us of these realities.  In his own prayer, Jesus was mindful not only of his own disciples, but also those who will believe in me through their word (Jn 17:20).  As we pray today, let us also be aware of the fact that through time, Jesus - and many others - have also been praying for us, and that we in turn can pray for all those who will come after us to follow in the footsteps of our divine Master.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Boniface

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Boniface, and eighth century hero who was born in Crediton (Devon) England and who eventually played an important role in the mission to share the gospel with people who lived in various parts of the Frankish empire (the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe).

Jesus call to continue the mission has also been passed down to us.  Like Boniface and like so many others who have continued the work of spreading the gospel, we too have been entrusted with the opportunity to realize that Jesus' prayer - offered in the gospel today - is not only about him and about his disciples, but equally about us.  He protects us ... in the name of our Father ... and guards us so that none of us is lost (cf Jn 17:12).

It is a great source of comfort for us to know that as we face the daily struggle of trying to face the world - which can so often be filled with more than its fair share of struggles - we can always count on the enduring presence of Jesus who protects and guards us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Know

Good morning everyone,

Today's gospel passage reminds us that the ultimate gift that our heavenly Father promises is eternal life.  Immersed as we are in day to day existence, we can easily become distracted by the worries that this world tries to place before us.  All the more reason why we need to stop and spend some time with our heavenly Father.

We need to hear him whisper in our ears every day: This is eternal life: that you should know your Father, the only true God, and the one who he sent - Jesus Christ (Jn 17:3).  We can only do this if we develop the habit of spending time with our Father and with Jesus as often as we can.  It is in the regular meeting of prayer that we can grow in our understanding of the love that God has for us, and strengthen the relationship we are meant to have with both God the Father and Jesus his Son.

Today, let us open the ears of our souls and let us try to be attentive to the presence of our God who is always near to us.  Together, they are constantly anticipating our divine homecoming ... so that one step at time, we can learn to celebrate the joy of knowing them.

Have a great day.

The next step

Today, the Church celebrates the Ascension of the Lord.  After having been raised from the dead, and having appeared to his disciples in order to open their minds to understand the Scriptures ... and their predictions that the Christ was to suffer and to rise from the dead ... he also instructed them to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins ... in his name, beginning from Jerusalem (Lk 24:45-47).  Strengthened in their conviction of these truths, Jesus ordered them not to leave Jerusalem (Acts 1:4), but to wait until the Father had baptized them with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5).

Even after having been instructed in this way, the disciples were still uncertain about how their future would unfold.  When they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?' (Acts 1:6).  They still clung to human understandings of what the kingdom of God would be like.  In fact, they probably found it difficult to envision any other possibility.

Today, we have gathered in this church to celebrate the final Mass with parishioners of Our Lady of Fatima.  Like the disciples, we have some understanding of what the future will hold.  We know, for instance, that next weekend, a new parish will be established, a parish that will gather all Catholics in Elliot Lake.  Still, there is a part of us that remains uncertain about how our future will unfold, because very few of us have ever experienced this kind of change.

These are very interesting times for our community.  While one chapter is coming to an end, there is another that is about to begin, and - at least at this point in time - it's ok for us not to understand all the details.  We can look back over the past six decades and we can recall many occasions when we gathered in this place, when we celebrated significant moments in our lives, and there is a part of us that still may be reluctant to believe that any of this should change.

When he was about to leave his disciples, Jesus assured them that they would never be alone.  You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).  At this precise moment in history, Jesus is also assuring us that we are not alone.  Like the disciples, we too can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit; something new is about to take place, and we too are being called by the Lord to be witnesses of his presence, witnesses of his forgiveness, witnesses of his joy ... in Elliot Lake, in Northern Ontario ... and beyond.

The disciples could not grasp the concept of the Holy Sprit, but at some level, they trusted that what Jesus had told them was true.  They agreed to stay in Jerusalem until they had been clothed with power from on high (Lk 24:49).  Like those disciples, we too must remain faithful.  Not knowing completely what the future holds for us, we must also trust that we are not alone, but that we will have the guidance that we need.  What we are doing today is an act of faith.  Let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of Our Lady, under whose patronage we have gathered until today, and let us ask Saint Bernadette to intercede for us too, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give us a spirit of wisdom (Eph 1:17) so that together, we can continue to walk in faith and trust, hand in hand with him.