Don’t hold your breath!

Dear Friends,

The great celebration of Pentecost is upon us. The Church commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s first disciples. Filled with the breath of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were propelled out of their lockdown in the Upper Room. They took to the streets and the market places boldly proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. Their lives and the world would never be the same. 

In previous years, we would have marked the event of Pentecost by gathering inside our church for Mass, in our own “Upper Room”. But like the first disciples, having received the Holy Spirit in that sacred place, they would not be returning to the Upper Room any time soon. 

The “first parishioners” of the first church were sent forth into the world to fearlessly carry out their Christian mission in new and creative ways. The Upper Room, where they first encountered the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation was no longer the hive of Christian prayer and activity. The days that followed Pentecost were instead marked by missionary disciples planting seeds of faith in their own households, workplaces, and among friends and strangers. 

Yes, there would be, no doubt, a time when the disciples might return to the Upper Room where it all began. And that’s what we hope to do in the next few weeks ahead. However, in our preparation to return to church, don’t look at it as “picking up where we left off”. Nor should our coming back to church be like returning to a place of nostalgia. Our experience of being back will be different. But more importantly, we all should be different, even changed and matured in our Christian faith because of the very challenges we have all faced and the sacrifices we have made during these past months. In short, don’t come back as the same person you were!

My next communication will highlight how we can slowly begin to return back to church for Mass in public. But don’t hold your breath! Instead, allow the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, to continue to mold and shape your experiences, encounters and sacrifices with patience and perseverance. 

In the meantime, don’t be idle. You are a missionary disciple and there is still work to do in the outside world. The power of the Holy Spirit is not downloaded to the flock. It is poured out abundantly. The fire of the Holy Spirit purifies, it does not harm. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are freely given, they are not taken. You are His witnesses, not by phone or text, but instead by becoming Christ the healer and bringer of peace to a sick and fearful world. 

May Mary, Mother of the Church, always patient and always waiting, assure us we are never far from home. 

Good News In Sight

The word “ascension” describes an upward and onward motion. 40 days after Easter Sunday, having risen bodily from the dead and showing Himself by surprise at various times to His disciples, Our Lord now continues His upward and onward mission, this time alone, to His place within the heavenly realm outside of our normal spectrum of sight. From Christ’s perspective, He sees the big picture of God’s plan for all time and for the whole world. 

In our present circumstances, the best we can do (to use a shipping metaphor) is have someone climb up the mast to the “crow’s nest'' to see what is beyond the fog and communicate down to the crew any good or bad news. In short, is there any sight of land or do we continue to drift aimlessly?

I am glad to be able to tell you, “I see land! Land ahoy shipmates!”  

Of course, with the encouraging news that we are approaching a day when we can return to a public celebration of Sunday Mass, we still have some work to do. It will take a few weeks to navigate our ship to land. We’ll have to be careful and do so slowly and carefully. And when we get there, not everyone will get to disembark at the same time, even though the excitement of our hidden treasure is waiting for us. 

To that end, I have instructed the parish staff to begin immediate preparations and to form working and dependable teams who will be responsible for

1. Ensuring that the church building will continue to have all resources at hand to maintain optimal hygiene. 
2. Offering instructions as necessary regarding necessary social distancing, flow of foot traffic both inside the church and the piazza. 
3. Providing necessary updated and timely information to parishioners regarding special events, future Mass times and use of parish facilities.

We’re not ready to ascend the Altar of the Lord and light the candles just yet, but it’s in sight. When that day fast approaches, please be patient and await instructions for an orderly return. 

In the meantime, you can still come to the church any day of the week as the doors are open wide from 7am to 4:30pm and the clergy are always around every morning providing the assurances of God’s healing touch, spiritual nourishment and the assurance that Christ, although hidden from our sight, is still very much present. 

Some final words, and very important. The seniors in our immediate neighborhood want me to communicate to you their gratitude for the food baskets. So far, Deacon Chuck and I have been able to deliver food to around 70 homes. Please continue to help in this essential work of charity. Non perishable food donations are still very much welcomed and needed. Continue to keep in your prayers those who are homebound, the sick, those afraid and all the vulnerable who have a special place within the sight of God on high. 

And on the threshold of Memorial Day, our prayers and gratitude are extended to all those who served in our United States Armed Forces and give their lives in the service of our nation. May we never forget the sacrifices they made for the blessings we now enjoy and must never take for granted. Through the mercy of God may they Rest In Peace and one day ascend to where Christ our Lord reigns both now and forever. Amen. 

Pre-Boarding Announcement

Somewhat like Noah, getting the Ark ready, I am presently developing a strategy for a phase-by-phase return of the flock to Sunday Mass here at St. Margaret’s. It’s not a question of “when” Mass inside the church will return, be assured it will. When? I don’t know. But I want us to be ready and prepared. The question is “how” we will be able to do so while also responding prudently to evolving public health requirements. 

A few things to keep in mind:

1. When Mass returns publicly to the church, there will be likely limitations on how many can gather in the church at any given time. It will be sadly inevitable that not everyone who wants to attend Mass will be able to at first.

2. Those who have been waiting for their First Sacraments will naturally be invited first to any public Mass offered. 

3. Public Mass times will likely have to be revised and Mass will be offered in a very simplified form. 

4. Those who attend may still have to wear a mask and respect social distancing protocols. 

5. Holy Communion will likely be offered only after the Final Blessing. 

6. Confession will be offered outside on Sundays from 8am to 11am and on Saturday afternoons before the vigil Mass when it returns. 

In the meantime, so that we do not jeopardize our own and each other’s health or peace of mind, I am asking your consideration of the following:

A. If you have any underlying health issues, please follow the advice of your doctor before leaving your house. Don’t become your own doctor! 

B. Anyone who enters the church grounds, (unless you are from the same household), please continue to maintain social distancing requirements at all times (as expected by the State). 

C. Please do not linger or gather in the parking lot or the piazza, and if entering the church building, don’t spend more than ten minutes inside. 

D. Confession: Because of time constraints and especially to allow those who have been away a long time from the sacraments, please, please, prudently consider if you can defer your confession to a later date. 

You will always be in a good place if you make an examination of conscience every day followed with an act of contrition. Don’t let fear, scruples or mere habit dictate how you approach the sacraments. Doing so, often frustrates one’s free will to cooperate with God’s grace. 

Many of you have been bringing food baskets and we have been distributing them to the seniors who live nearby the church. Many of those I have spoken to at their doorstep have been truly appreciative and very grateful. Please continue to bring food packages to the church. The doors are still open every day from 7am to 4:30pm. 

As I continue to offer Mass every day in my home chapel, know that the grace of Christ’s Sacrifice flows out in every direction from my little altar towards you and your loved ones. 

Mother’s Day Church

One of the scripture lessons assigned for this Sunday highlights the beginning of the Church’s ministry reaching out with food and essential supplies to local seniors. From the Book of Acts beginning at chapter 6, you can read how the Apostles responded by appointing and ordaining the first deacons of the Church.

Not only are we grateful to the works of charity all deacons minister in various ways  on behalf of our mother the Church, and to our own deacon in particular, we all can likewise extend the maternal care of the parish, especially during these times around our local neighborhood. 

For example, during the week we were able to prepare thirty food packages and deliver them to those who live in senior housing beside the church grounds. Although we should have been doing something like this for years, the pandemic has forced us, not only to be careful for our own health, it has also rightly forced us to reach out in charity to the most vulnerable in our community who might not have family or many friends to support them.

If you are passing by the church, consider bringing with you a care package that we can deliver to more of the senior residents nearby. Perhaps in a shopping bag or small box you can place a few non perishable food items or toiletries that you think a senior might be able to easily use, such as canned food, oatmeal, pasta, cereal or snacks. 

The church doors are propped open every day from 7am to 4:30pm and on Sunday’s mornings both Deacon Chuck and Father Victor and I will be there, in one form or another responding to the spiritual hunger of the people of God. 

This is how the parish church can also be a mother church, not only for those who cross our threshold, but also to those who literally live around us, our extended family whether we know them or not. 

As our Lord once told a crowd He was teaching when He was reminded that His own family had shown up, “And who is my mother and family?” And stretching out His hand to those around He said “Here is my mother and family - whoever does the will of my Heavenly Father is my brother, my sister and my mother”. (Gospel of Matthew 12:48).  

On Mother’s Day, we give thanks to God for the gift of life. We thank Him for the gift of motherhood that brought us into the world so that we too, with our common mother Mary, may share the love of Christ to others. 

If you are local, drop off your individual food or care packages inside the church Sunday to Saturday 7am to 4:30pm. Or visit your own local parish what you can do for the least of your brothers, sisters and mothers, out of love for our Heavenly Father.

Get Outside

It is refreshing that, after the storms and rains, the present sunny weather gives us a hint of summer round the corner. Of course, blue skies and cool ocean breezes are no cure for families and individuals hit hard by physical illness or financial hardship. Yet, at the same time, God gives each one of us opportunities to appreciate that a slow and careful emergence of life and new growth is not restricted to necessary lockdowns, stay-in-place orders or social distancing. 

The month of May is dedicated to Mother Mary. Within her, every cell of her body, infused with the grace of God from the first moment of her conception, responded without restraint, to the movement of divine light. Like a seed that responds to light and warmth after the rain, Mary emerges as a most beautiful flower, gracefully leaning towards the sun, opening up towards its rays. With her whole body and soul, she responds with praise and reflects the simple glory of the God of all creation. She leads the way of the natural world in our response to the God who draws us out of darkness through Christ who is the enduring light for the world. How do we translate this into the present circumstances of our life?

“Spring cleaning” is what we often call getting rid of all the clutter we have accumulated in our homes, wiping away the hidden layers of dust around us or wiping away the smudges on our windows. Naturally, we also want to respond to springtime's tempting new light, that beckons us to move out carefully from the shadows of confinement. This natural movement to the outdoors is important not only for our mental and physical health, but equally for our spiritual well being that holds everything about us together. 

I have been encouraged by seeing many who are slowly getting out of their homes and apartments, not simply to go inside stores or sit in their cars. Even if it’s just to walk around our own garden, a stroll around the neighborhood or a visit to the local beach or open park, springtime is no time for hibernation. As the great, often quoted Saint Irenaeus would say, “the glory of God is man fully alive”, fully awake body and soul. 

On a personal note, when the confines of being indoors become too intense and threaten the health of body and soul, I am delighted that our local neighbors, visitors and parishioners passing by, can still look to St. Margaret’s as a safe place to respond in body and soul to the growing warmth of God’s gentle and strengthening light. 

If you need some open space, we will continue to maintain the church grounds for you. We’re even going to patch the asphalt and re-stripe the parking lot. The church doors are still open every day from 7am to 4:30pm if you need shade from the heat of the day, to drop off canned food for those experiencing hardship, to light a candle and say a prayer for your loved ones and especially for the sick, pick up a Mother’s Day novena card or drop of your usual Sunday offering. 

And as usual, on Sunday mornings, you’ll always see a priest or deacon around the parish grounds, either outside under the shade of a tree or inside by the Blessed Sacrament. 

Despite any fear or anxiety, give thanks to God that His light beckons us to respond with Mary, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior”. 

Social Distancing & Christ

Meeting Christ

While Social Distancing

If our Lord were to return to walk among us as He did in the past, maybe now would be a good time. But He would have to be careful!

First, He was never one to stay indoors. Even the four walls of the tomb could not contain Him. 

Second, He would have to wear a mask while in public and it would hide His full identity. But then again, many who met Him the first time failed to recognize Him immediately. 

Third, He would have to practice social distancing. This He had already mastered after forty days in the desert when the devil tried to tempt Him. 

Even though many parishioners might feel the absence of Christ, be assured He is not very far away. Our Lord is well versed in avoiding public places when He has to, covering His face and keeping a discreet distance, even from His own disciples, when He needs to. 

All three of these behaviors we are now well versed in. But they align perfectly in the Gospel account assigned by the Church for this Sunday, commonly called “The Road to Emmaus”. It is well worth reading and reflecting upon (Gospel of Luke 24:13-35). 

This Gospel prepares us all when we venture outside to stretch our legs, go to the store to pick up food or swing by the church for a quick visit on the way. 

This is how He teaches us, albeit the long way round, to prepare for, to receive when ready and to enter into Holy Communion with Him. 

What a surprise it will be and a joy worth waiting for as we now find ourselves on the Road to Emmaus accompanied by Christ along the way Who is preparing our hungry souls for Communion with Him. 

Father Cávana Wallace

Pastor

Your House to God’s House

It has been just over a month since public gatherings have been restricted. During that time, the number of non-related people authorized to share the same space got smaller and smaller. If we, perchance, find ourselves in a public place with a number of others, it is natural to pick up on a collective but silent sense of nervousness, frustration or even anxiety. How close can we get to someone we see to communicate to them effectively. We are essentially becoming more and more observers of the world rather than participants. 

A week after the first Easter, the disciples of Christ found themselves in much the same situation. Some, but not all of them, were visited by the resurrected Christ. Think of the women who went to the empty tomb on Easter morning. They wanted, no doubt, to tell everyone, but the apostles and the whole city was experiencing its own religious and political pandemic from the lingering fallout after the crucifixion of Jesus. St. Mary Magellan tried to be a breath of fresh air, but her efforts were first met by social distancing, sadly first by the family of apostles who had taken her into their company. 

Natural caution forced everyone to be careful about what they said in public. For those who had met the Risen Lord, it was now like trying to go about your ordinary business wearing a mask over their mouth!

Other disciples, who had only heard news and rumors of Christ’s resurrection from the dead with no first hand evidence, such as St. Thomas. He had no problem dismissing the reports at first and relied solely on science to heal all the world's ills. Being under lockdown with the other apostles was probably also driving him a bit crazy. Finding an excuse to leave the confinement of the Upper Room (maybe to buy essentials), Thomas was, no doubt, very careful with whom he came in contact with and likely tried to stay away from any public gatherings as he wandered through the deserted back streets. 

Even St. Peter, a fisherman now forced to stay indoors in a city far from his familiar lakes or shoreline, was also getting restless. He was probably not used to being still, inactive or unproductive. Now under a self imposed house arrest, he had time to think and reflect, and maybe too much time. This was something a man like him was maybe not used to doing for too long. In his isolation he would have been forced to revisit memories surrounding his own cowardice during Christ’s trial. Could we imagine him in our present situation binge watching movies, television shows and continuous scrolling through the internet in an effort to distract himself from the reality of the world outside or his own past sins or weaknesses?

The approaching Lord’s Day is providentially called “Divine Mercy Sunday”. It is timely to recall that one week after our Lord rose from the dead, when the first disciples dared not to leave their house, even to visit their usual place of worship, the crucified but now Risen Christ instead entered into their home. He did so, not by cable or WiFi, nor by a holy image on the wall or by a page of Scripture prophecy fulfilled. Instead, when our minds, hearts and souls are finally ready to reflect and admit to our sheer inability to heal our own wounds bruised by our sins or from injuries inflicted through life, only then can the presence of Christ the Divine Mercy of God enter. 

In preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday, reflect, even imagine how St. Mary Magdalene, St. Thomas and St. Peter where each reconciled to the Risen Lord, other only after first experiencing anxiety, doubt and denial. Maybe this what should happen first when we are under stay-at-home orders and the Lord of Easter wants to prepare us to venture out when the time is right. And if we do, the image of the Divine Mercy hanging behind the tabernacle in the church, will remind us that the Eucharistic Presence of forgiving Christ is always within reach.