1. Church Schedule. Beginning this Monday (May 11) we are going to have all of our churches open during the day, so that people can step away from their chaotic lives and visit the Lord in the Tabernacle. The schedule is as follows:
OLA
Mon - Fri: 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Sat/Sun: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
St. Elizabeth's Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sat/Sun: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
St. Anthony's Open 24/7
Before you leave, please use the disinfectant wipes that will be provided.
2. The Mass on Saturday was offered for the repose of the soul of Eugenia Dupee (by the Conards). Today's Masses were offered for the intentions of Maria Parker (by Mike and Emily Parker) and for the intentions of all of you, the parishioners! If you missed the livestream, you can watch it on the website:
https://ourladyvt.org/sunday-mass
3. Mass sign - ups. There is one slot open tomorrow, and many on Thursday and Friday. Anyone is now welcome to sign up at the website (
https://ourladyvt.org/sign-ups) or with this
Sign Up Link.
If the editing of the google document does not work for some reason, feel free to email me or call to ask about a slot reservation.
4. Other Happenings:
Tuesday we'll do a Through Saintly Eyes (from the parish facebook page.)
There will
not be one on Thursday, because I'm doing a virtual theology on tap that the diocese young adults minister is organizing.
Friday will have confession slots available.
5. Phase one of the work around the rectory here in Bethel has been completed! The driveway on this side, between Church and rectory, is back in functioning order, so feel free to use it. The other side will be having some work done on it soon, so then you'll have to use the one on the rectory side.
The first reading gives us a snapshot of a few goings-on in the early Church ... and they aren't particularly pretty! They are mundane and human, perhaps a little petty. There are complains that certain widows are being left out of the charitable distributions. This is something of a consolation. Even in the early Church, with the winds of Pentecost still blowing, and the Apostles themselves governing, there are difficulties, complaints, problems.
Who is it that is at the center of the mix? The first reading describes them as the Hellenists who are raising the concern. Hellenists here most likely refers to Jews, converted to Christianity of course, whose cultural heritage and language is Greek. Hellenic refers to all things Greek; applied to a Jewish person it means someone living outside of the Holy Land and imbued with their language and culture. So the situation is similar to what we had in America with national churches, organized on language and cultural lines. So too in 1st century Jerusalem the Greek-speaking Jewish-Christians are complaining that their widows are being left out.
The Apostles respond promptly. They ask the community for recommendations, receive the proposed men, and commission them as deacons. Interestingly, all the men have Greek names. It seems that the Apostles respond with especial care, commissioning men who will definitely have the care of the Hellenists close to heart.
In the course of the deliberations, however, the Apostles refer to a89999987 ahem! (sorry, that was Bustopher walking on my keyboard). The Apostles refer to an important principle that clarifies the very nature of the Church. They say
, It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. ... we shall appoint [others] to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.
They insist open the necessity of prayer and the ministry of the word; in fact, they rank it highest among their duties. To pray and to preach; to worship and to teach; these two tasks dominate the mission of the Apostles. In so doing the Apostles remind us that the Church cannot neglect these two things; to be a Christian includes the privileged mandate to worship God in prayer and believe in God's word. In addition to these two things, Christians serve the poor, as the deacons are assigned to do in today's reading. All three offices are necessary, and included in the mission of Christianity. Each one is incomplete without the others. In our own time, however, that undervalues the worship of God and the divine truth of his revelation, we must especially lay to heart the Apostles' ranking prayer and God's word before all else.
This brings us to the Gospel, which opens up profound truths about worship. Jesus begins by comforting his Apostles, telling them that In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. Now, to what does Jesus refer when he mentions his Father's house? For all of my life, I figured that Jesus is referring to heaven. He's about to die (he's speaking at the Last Supper) and by his death he will go to heaven, where God the Father is, and prepare a place for the Apostles. And it's not that this idea is incorrect, but it's incomplete. It leaves out something quite profound that underlies the passage.
What is the Father's house? Do you remember where Jesus is, earlier in the Gospel, when he uses that phrase? He's in the Temple. He laments that the money-changers have abused his Father's house. His Father's house refers to the Temple, the place of God's dwelling.
But Jesus isn't heading to the Temple.
So why would he tell his Apostles that he's going to his Father's house? Well, actually he doesn't. Jesus says that in his Father's house are many dwellings, but that he goes to prepare a place. He goes to prepare the place, so that the Apostle's can come and dwell in the Father's house, where there are many dwellings.
But still, then, is Jesus going to prepare the Temple?
Yes.
Remember that Jesus says, destroy this temple in three days, and I will raise is up. The Gospel then makes sure we understand that Jesus was speaking
of the temple of his body. Jesus always connects the idea of the Temple with himself. He is the new temple, the new place of worship, the new dwelling of his Father.
Once we understand this, the rest of the passage clicks into place. Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father, and Jesus laments that Philip does not understand. He says, Philip, don't you get it? I am the temple. Don't you know
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? Don't you get that it is
the Father who dwells in me. Philip says, Jesus, where are you going? Show us the way to the Father. Jesus says, Philip, see who I am.
I am the way, and the truth, and the life!
He who sees me has seen the Father.
If Jesus is the new temple, the dwelling of the Father, the Father's house, then what does he mean when he says that he goes to prepare a place? He's speaking of his passion, death, and resurrection. His utmost act of obedience and love prepares the temple to be a place of perfect worship. His body will offer perfect sacrifice of praise to his Father. The paschal mystery accomplishes the perfect offering in the temple of his body.
And in that temple, the Body of Christ, there are many dwelling places. We are invited to enter into the Body of Christ and offer our worship together with Jesus. Like a pair of majestic doors at the entrance to the temple, Jesus spreads his arms wide open. He invites us in through his open side. His open wounds are many dwelling places. At the Mass Christ's sacrifice in his Body is offered anew and lifts us up into heaven. This is the new temple. This is the place of worship. This is the Father's house.
As John says,
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
May God richly bless you, the members of his body and ministers in his temple!