When I was first ordained, I was told jokingly of “an old Chinese curse: ‘May you live in interesting times.’” It’s amazing how much things have changed in just these few years that I’ve been a priest. At the time, that saying was humorous. But now that we’re living in “interesting times,” the humor hits a bit uncomfortably close to home. 

These words from this weekend’s second reading, from the letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians, seem to be a good lens for this column… that we acknowledge the difficulties of our situation, but in the light and joy of the Holy Spirit. After all, God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.

You may have noticed a new sound coming from the choir loft on High Street during Communion. This new sound is, in fact, a very old sound. With the reintroduction of the distribution of the Precious Blood at Mass, Communion takes quite a bit longer than it did in the Covid days.

The world can be a frightening place. Of course, we know we made it scary, by failing to trust in God and his loving wisdom, and instead, we trust the serpent in his temptations to substitute God’s ways with our own fallen ways, with our darkened intellect and misdirected will and inordinate appetites of our desires.

Lord, we ask you to help us to repent of any unfruitfulness in our parish, in valuing anything over your direct and immediate call to go and make disciples, of being prepared to give reason for the hope that is in us, of welcoming foreigners and sinners into our midst as you gave us by your example.

“He guides the humble to justice, and teaches the humble his way.”  This line from this weekend’s responsorial psalm reminds us, as our Lord reminds us repeatedly through his life, and through all the scriptures, that humility is the key to everything.  

“Strengthen the bond of unity between the faithful and the pastors of your people, together with [Francis] our Pope, [Timothy] our Bishop, and the whole Order of Bishops, that in a world torn by strife, your people may shine forth as a prophetic sign of unity and concord.”  These words come from one of the Eucharistic Prayers available for the priest celebrant to use in the Mass.

In our first reading for this weekend, we hear this strong advice against harboring wrath and anger. When Sirach says “These are hateful things,” we can take it to mean we should hate wrath and anger. But we can also take it to mean that wrath and anger against others operate on principles of hate.

In the Mass, the people are not passive, but receptive. This was a significant point made by Fr. Mike Schmitz in his “Catechism in a Year” series. In those other settings, we sit and listen as the audience (from the Latin word “to hear”).

“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God…” This excerpt from our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, is applicable in every generation. The Church, responding to controversies in every age, pores over the scriptures anew, although she knows them intimately, as well as divine and human principles, and consulting applicable knowledge and wisdom (including subject-matter experts in various sciences), all, as it is said, on her knees in prayer.