A Blessed Epiphany to All!

A Blessed Epiphany to All!

Posted on : January 3, 2025

You may have noticed that we did not give away a Christmas Book this year.  While we gave the Holy Moments book by Matthew Kelly away this past fall, I couldn’t put my finger on a specific book that would be helpful for our community.  This past week I finally realized why!  I am not sure if you have heard about it, but our Bishop Malesic has released his first Pastoral Letter called “A Flourishing Apostolic Church.”  In the first page he writes, “It is my hope that every parish council, finance council, priest support group, religious community, grade school, high school, youth and young adult group, all our Catholic Charities organizations, and every ministry that meets on diocesan property will become familiar with this letter so that we might recommit ourselves to a daily entry into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ so that the Church of Cleveland may truly flourish.”  The letter is available on the diocese website: www.dioceseofcleveland.org .  Bishop invites us to print it out and mark it up.  I have begun doing so and it has been a gift so far!  I plan to offer a study on this letter in the coming months.  But you don’t need to wait for me.  Here’s a great passage from Part II on Friendship with God to help get you started…

Perhaps the most important question we all need to answer is this: What kind of friendship do I have with God? Meaning, do I know God the Father? If so, what does it mean to be his beloved son or beloved daughter? Do I know Jesus the Son, and do I allow him to know and walk with me? Do I speak with the Holy Spirit often, and do I listen when he speaks to me in the recesses of my heart? Chances are that most of us reading this letter desire to deepen our friendship with God, with each person of the Holy Trinity, and with each other. But so often as Catholics, and especially as Americans from a hard-working diocese like Cleveland, we tend to want to focus more on “getting things done” than with “being with the Lord” (Lk. 10:38–42). For many of us involved in parish life, implementing a program, publishing a policy, or promulgating a pastoral plan seems like a better use of our time and energy than deepening our friendship with God. Outside of parish life, the secular workday, school schedules, and the challenges of raising a family can be all-encompassing, leaving us feeling pressed for time. Yet the Psalmist reminds us, “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:11). This pastoral letter will certainly present some practical guidelines and directives in later sections, but as your bishop I am convinced that none of those things will matter or be effective if we are not serious about deepening our friendship with God. I invite you, if it is not already part of your daily routine, to make time for God – at least fifteen minutes of prayer a day. Consider putting down your phone (unless you are praying with an app) and rest in the Lord. Read some Scripture. Give thanks for the blessings you have received. Review your day with him. Share your dreams and your joys. Share your fears, sorrows, and worries. Then listen for his response, which will usually be heard in the silence of your heart as Jesus speaks to you. I am convinced that there is no moving forward for us as a diocese unless we first move forward in our friendship with the Triune God, who will then allow us to enter into deeper friendship with each other as Missionary Disciples, people who have been blessed and sent out with the Good News of Jesus, the Savior. Plunging deeper into the Paschal Mystery, we recognize that authentic change of heart can be painful as we change direction from doing things our way to doing things God’s way, but the Lord is with us and promises good. Lavish love does not disappoint!

If you don’t have a new year’s resolution this year, perhaps spending 15 minutes a day in prayer will be the best starting point.  In the gospel, the wise men entered the house of the Lord, opened their treasures and offered their gifts to Him.  This year, let’s pray for the grace to enter His house more and open our hearts to Him so that our friendship with God can be deepened.

 

Befriend Him anew,
Fr. Jeremy

P.S.  If you want an Epiphany house blessing, please let Fr. David or me know and we will be happy to bless your home!  Chalk and blessing prayers will be available at Mass this weekend.

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