I hope everyone had a very blessed and merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, even in the cold and the snow. I want to thank everyone for their kind wishes, cards and gifts for Christmas. I also want to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year. May 2018 be good to you and to our parish as we celebrate our 90th Anniversary.
We are beginning our 90th year as a parish. We are looking for more history of the parish as well as ideas on how to celebrate this great anniversary. Why not spend a little time looking at the pictures of the priest and deacons who have served here? Maybe you will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit to contribute a great idea or two for this coming year.
There is a new community organizing effort taking shape in Northern Indiana. It is called NE-ICAN. I have attended two clergy meetings. It is an interfaith organization looking at systemic change for the better. The diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend backs this with groups in Fort Wayne, Elkhart and St. Joe counties. It should develop into a lay led organization to make things better for everyone. If you would like more info on this group, please see me, Father Len. This is a leadership development process. Three parishioners have already shown interest, but we could use many more. As small as we are, we have a big reputation in the city.
Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. This is like Christmas for the Gentiles. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were Jews. The shepherds, too, were Jews. But today he is welcomed into the world by us Gentiles.
Isaiah tells us in the first reading about Jesus: “the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.”
This is fulfilled in today’s Gospel, when the Magi or wise men from the east arrive to worship Jesus. “They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Gold symbolizes his kingship, frankincense his divinity and myrrh foreshadows his death for our sins.
Saint Paul in our second reading tells the Ephesians and us: “that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Jesus came to save us all, Jew or Gentile. We are now one in him. As the Responsorial psalm says: “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.” This is the message of the Epiphany. This is the message of the Church.
One of the hallmarks of a Christian is joy. True joy comes to us when we are doing the work God created us to do, when we are being holy by bringing God’s love into the world around us. Come, Lord Jesus, help us spread your joy to the world!
The National Black Catholic Congress has published a Pastoral Plan of Action. It can be found on their website.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us also pray for vocations to the church. Let us pray for the sick of the parish. Let us pray that all will come to respect life. Let us pray for one another and for the canonization of Father Tolton.