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| Dear Parishioners, The power of the spoken word. We all know how important it is to speak wisely, prudently, justly, lovingly. We have known the exhilaration, the joy the spoken word can bring...to tell another "I love you..." somehow makes real what has been perceived intangibly. The word spoken can also have the power to inflict hurt or cause division, we have all known this power of the spoken word as well. In the Passion narrative of this Palm Sunday weekend, the disciples of Jesus openly speak in acknowledgment of their belief in him. They do this in the presence and hearing of the enemies of Jesus. When some of the Pharisees protest to Jesus he replies: "...If they kept silent, the very stones would cry out." It is comparatively easy to bear witness to Jesus here in church - we are among our own, speaking a word of faith here is like "...preaching to the choir." But our world, the world beyond the doors of St. Robert's, often needs to hear a word of hope —- and yes, a word of loving challenge. Father Flor McCarthy puts it this way:
It is often difficult to speak in faith, to profess with the word of our lips a truth which may be opposed. Like the disciples who in the Gospel today acclaim him in the streets —- we acclaim him here and now in the community of the church —- let us be careful not deny him in the marketplaces of our lives. May the Savior and Lord strengthen us when we are inclined to be timid or weak, give us grace to bear witness to the Gospel with our very lives, and make our words faithful and true all the days of our days. To Christ be glory and honor in the Church today and always! AMEN. Father Tom |
