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Tuesdays Reflection

01 30, 07  Go as Representatives                

"We go as representatives of our local churches to share the gifts

we have. We are in solidarity with the church that sends us and have

a commitment to return and share the gifts and riches which we have

received. We see that we are part of a church which is a human

institution, struggling to respond to its mission, and ever in need

of growth and renewal."

                                                           Spirit and Lifestyle

I had a lot of time this weekend to observe the "church" in action.

Saturday morning, I went to the parish to practice the skit a small

group of us was presenting to the parishioners on Sunday. I noticed

quite a few cars in the parking lot. We were not alone. A marriage

preparation course was going on. It was led by a couple from the

parish, a large commitment of time and energy. At 10:45, someone

banged on the door. It was an older couple who was wondering why

there weren't more cars and why the doors were locked. They thought

it was Sunday. I recalled then all the work different parishioners do

with the elderly in our parish.

Sunday morning, I arrived 50 minutes early. There were lots of cars

in the parking lot. The Knights of Columbus and helpers were in the

kitchen preparing the monthly brunch and as I went over the reading I

would do, I had a chance to see a young woman and an accompanist

practicing the music for mass. We have 12 different music ministry

groups. Each one does one mass a month.

Before mass, there were three announcements: the young people

going to Nicaragua during Spring Break were selling tickets for a

fundraiser; the volunteers with the library were doing their annual

drive to buy or replace books, films, music for the parish library.

Most of our borrowers are children. Now we have a computer

system to check books! Fantastic! It took many volunteer hours to

 enter the books and to teach old folks like us to use the system;

and there was our skit on the action of Canadian  mines in the Global South.

The reading from Paul was 1 Corinthians 12:31 - 13:13 on Charity. " I

may be able to speak all languages, but if I have no love, my speech

is not more than a noisy gong..... If I have no love, I am nothing."

Today it is sometimes hard to be in solidarity with the church. We

sometimes feel tempted to blame the church and others for all that

goes wrong.

One summer at Seattle U. I took a course in Hispanic

Ministry. Every time we voiced a complaint about the church, the

instructor would reply: "Who is the Church?" We quickly learned to

shout out the only acceptable reply: "We are."

Yes, in all the waiting I did this weekend, I reflected that we are

the ones who work and share our gifts and we must often remind

ourselves why we are doing this.

The answer must be for LOVE or CHARITY.

Cecily