Friday, July 16, 2021
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Dear Friend,
I recently had the great privilege of installing the new pastor of Saint Mary in Williamston, Father David Fons. The parish in Williamston has roots in the 19th century. The history books tell us that in 1866 two local Catholic brothers, Messrs. James and Jerome Waldo, struck a deal with Bishop Peter Paul Lefevere of Detroit (1804 – 1869) according to which they would sell a plot of land in Williamston for 25 cents in return for the Diocese of Detroit erecting at church worth, at least, $1000 within three years. The diocese duly delivered and a church was built by 1869 at the cost of $1100.
The present church building in Williamston was erected in 1985. Since then, the good people of Saint Mary have continued to generously lavish their prayer, love, time and treasure upon their beloved parish church. Upon my recent visit, for example, I blessed their new baptistry. I also offered Holy Mass upon the church's recently renovated sanctuary, the main artistic focus of which is a rather remarkable reredos. Here it is below.
As you can see, it’s a triptych which, I am told, was created by an artist in Spain. The central canvas portrays Christ crucified accompanied by a mournful Virgin Mary and Saint John the Apostle. It is flanked by two other paintings depicting two saints of great love and penitence: Saint Peter, who “wept bitterly” following his denial of Christ upon Holy Thursday (Luke 22:62) and Saint Mary Magdalene.
“Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:47). Love begets penitence begets love.
In all candor, even being a priest, I am always astounded by Christ’s grant of forgiving authority to human beings: “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained,” (John 20:23). Angels being forgivers I could see! But sinners forgiving sinners! It just doesn’t make sense. And yet, that is what our Lord did.
We know that forgiving sins was the crucial aspect of his own ministry. He came to reconcile us with his Father and that meant that our sins had to be forgiven. From the beginning of his ministry until his last words on the cross, forgiveness of sins was his work, his ministry. In order to stand in the presence of the Holy One, we need to be freed of all that has alienated us from the Father, all those negative choices we have made which have been contrary to real love but have instead been expressions of our selfish love.
When those neighbors in Capernaum lowered that paralytic man through the roof so that Jesus would heal him, they heard Jesus say, “Child, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). It was as though Jesus was telling the crowd that the forgiveness of sins was his first priority with physical healing coming afterwards. This was only one occasion when he forgave sins. There were many others. And his wonderful story of the prodigal son is all about the forgiveness of sins and being made one again with the father. In fact, it was Jesus’ own death on the cross which opened the floodgates of mercy, if we but repent and seek that healing forgiveness.
Jesus wanted this ministry of reconciliation to continue. He gave Peter the power of the keys, telling him, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19). He extended this authority to all the apostles later in Matthews Gospel (18:18). But John’s Gospel captures this the best. On Easter evening, Jesus appeared to the eleven and breathed the Holy Spirit on them saying, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (20:23).
Brothers and sisters, if forgiveness was so important to Jesus, then it must be important to us. Let us flee sin, seek the forgiveness which Jesus has empowered sinful men to offer us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and thus may we be one again with the Father.
Assuring you of my prayers, I am sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Earl
Bishop of Lansing
+ Earl
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Happy feast day! What is the significance of today to us? Click on the image below to read a lovely personal reflection by Bianca Murray who is an Administrative Assistance with the Diocese of Lansing and a Third Order Carmelite.
Watch: Here’s Diocese of Lansing seminarian Thomas Crowley explaining his path to seminary and, Deo volente, the sacred priesthood. 20-year-old Thomas hails from the parish of the Church of the Resurrection in Lansing and is presently studying at Saint John Vianney College Seminary in Minnesota. In this brief video, Thomas explains how the call to the priesthood struck him while a student at the University of Michigan.
Watch: Today Bishop Boyea's Year of the Bible began a new book: Saint Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians. It was written in Corinth by Paul to the Church in Thessalonika before 50AD. Hence, this is likely the oldest piece of writing in the entire New Testament. Here's a brief video by Bishop Boyea on why he's chosen this book to read over the next five days.
Watch & Read: Click here to read the latest Realign Resources for Mission Update in which Father Karl Pung, Rector of Saint Mary Cathedral, and watch Father Bob Bacik, the new pastor of Saint Gerard in Lansing, as they give their reflections upon the theme of this week's Realign Resources for Mission Weekly Update: "A parish in the Diocese of Lansing makes and forms missionary disciples by offering much greater access to sacraments and devotions."
Read: In this month's FAITH Magazine, popular Catholic writer and speaker, Pete Burak, ponders the great significance of faithfulness in the small, daily things of life as modeled by the Blessed Virgin Mary.
All missionary activity, all fruitful evangelistic work, all expansion of God’s kingdom begins with a hidden “yes,” a quiet amen, a simple “thy will, not my will.”, writes Pete. To read the article in full, click here.
