From Father Scott – Living and Sharing God’s Truths
I hope that this week finds you well and warm! During the bitter cold of January, we are reminded of our dependence on the objective truths given us by Almighty God. Cold temperatures can be uncomfortable; freezing temperatures can be deadly. That reality is an objective truth, time-tested and revealed as true.
In the reading from Ezra, the men, women, and children old enough to understand were presented with the Law, and they all listened attentively. It is important that the Church continue to teach God’s objective truths and the Laws of the Church. This is, as it has always been, a life-long process.
When we are very young, we have prayers to memorize and the postures of worship to learn. As juveniles, we begin to learn Bible stories and the catechism, and we become servers. As teenagers, we learn how to live out the Corporal and Spiritual works of mercy, putting our faith into action. In college, through groups like Focus and Newman Centers, we continue to learn about the faith while also learning to live on our own. As new parents, we learn about our faith as we teach our children. Often, the faith truly becomes alive as we journey as a family to live out the objective truths and laws we have been taught all our lives. As life continues, we find more time for Bible studies, prayer groups, and we have time to reflect on how we have lived out our faith life. We recognize times when we could have been stronger in our faith. We may even come to recognize where we rejected our faith and accepted subjective truths over God’s objective truths.
In writing to Theophilus, Luke testifies to the certainty of the teachings that have been given-that, according to his custom, Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Even Jesus kept the objective truth that we are to keep the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day. This is an objective truth that we, yes me included, can let our subjective truth talk us out of. There are many good reasons we may have for not attending Holy Mass: illness, weather, an emergency, etc. But to simply accept the attitude of “I don’t need to go” or “I don’t get anything out of it” is not OK. We have a duty to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation as part of keeping the Lord’s Day a holy day of rest, and that is an objective truth.
I hope that you also realize how important it is that we gather as a community of faith. When you are not at Mass, you are missed. Our communion is not full when people are missing. Many people who have been away from Mass for a long time are returning. People have found that subjective truth does not lead to truth at all and are again seeking God’s objective truths. There are many programs, apps, and books to welcome people back to the faith and to help them find the answers they seek. Let us also help by providing a warm and welcoming environment where God is found.
Catholic Schools Week is here! The theme this year is “Teach me your ways, O Lord.” I thank all of you for making St. Francis Solanus School a way for us to continue to pass on the faith we have been given. Offering a quality education in a Catholic environment is an important part of our parish mission, and I celebrate Catholic Schools Week with all of you.
St. Francis Solanus – Pray for us!
In Christ our Redeemer,
Fr. Bruce Scott
