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Fr. David's Notes |
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Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2008 - Year of St. Paul - 2009 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we recall the gift of St. Paul to the Church during this "Pauline" year, we note his timeless message to us in this Sunday's second reading from the Letter to the Romans. In it, St. Paul asserts that all things exist from, through, and in God. This reading is one of the scriptural roots of the great doxology used in the celebration of Mass at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer: "Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen." St. Paul has the unique ability to very simply and concisely proclaim the great truths of our faith. In the footsteps of St. Paul comes one of the great popes of modern times, who we celebrate this coming Thursday: Pope St. Pius X. He did much in his pontificate, but I want to mention only two. First, in the spirit of St. Paul, Pope Pius X undertook a reform of the clergy and encouraged priests to give simple homilies. Hopefully, Fr. Jack and I abide by this teaching! Second, in order to combat the heresy of Jansenism, which believed that Holy Communion should be reserved for a select few, Pope Pius X encouraged and promoted the practice of frequent communion. For the majority of persons in his day, and even for some time after, people would only receive Holy Communion once a year, generally at Easter. Pope Pius X was the first to establish the age of reason at seven, so that children could receive communion at this earlier age and he promoted the frequent reception of communion on Sundays and weekdays. We can thank him for promoting the practice of frequent communion, so that more people could encounter the Lord in the Eucharist, more often. This Thursday, the Memorial of Pope St. Pius X will be celebrated at the 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph in Chehalis. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will last all day long, concluding with Benediction at 5:45 p.m. This would be a wonderful opportunity to encounter the Eucharistic Lord Jesus as we honor St. Pius X and call on him for his intercession for a greater love of the Eucharist by all people. Please join us! In Christ the Lord, Fr. David Mulholland V. Rev. David Mulholland Pastor |