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Urban Impressions of the Stations of the Cross

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

March 22 - Tuesday of Holy Week

Called from Birth

Today Holy Name Cathedral celebrates the Chrism Mass, one of my favorite Masses of the year. If you appreciate the priesthood as I do, then the sight of these generous and holy men gathering together and renewing their commitment to the Church and to us is sure to swell your heart. Each one gave up having a family of their own to father the family of God. We should thank them, and we should pray for them daily.

In Isaiah we hear that “the Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name”. We have a shortage of priests, but God must be calling enough men and wanting to name them in persona Christi. What is preventing more from saying “Yes”? Should we simply accept that we will have fewer priests in the future, or can we do more to encourage and support those who are called? We know the reasons why we have fewer priests, and some of them are hard to talk about, i.e. the priest scandal or why our families are now on average so small. Should the Church reflect the culture or should we work even harder to get the culture to reflect the Church? Isaiah says we do not toil in vain, even when we think we do. Our recompense is with God, and we are called to bring light to the nations. 

Our own nation needs the light of Christ more than ever. Ask yourself “How can I be formed into what Isaiah calls “a polished arrow” and hit a bullseye for the Lord?”

From Barb R

Liturgical Minister at HNC

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