Dear Parishioners,
“For every tree is known by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44).
Bearing fruit. We are called to be trees that don’t just look pretty and stand tall. We are called to bear fruit. Well, the ultimate fruit is God. Jesus hangs on the real tree of life–the cross–and his fruit is not the apple that brings death. His fruit is his Sacred Heart that gives life.
So, when we say we are called to be trees that bear fruit, we are saying that we are called to produce Christ in our actions and behaviors.
Now, speech is the behavior under the spotlight this weekend: “From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” Sirach too mentions speech: “praise no one before he speaks.” The question I’d like to put before us all this week is, are we producing Christ when we talk?
There is the easy, external way of answering this question. Are we literally talking about Jesus? Are we sharing our faith and talking about spiritual and holy things?
But this isn’t all there is to it. I have been part of plenty of “religious” conversations, where God and the Church were the topic of conversation, and I could tell Christ wasn’t present. We were talking about the politics of the church, the problem with leadership, the parish, etc. God and the faith was just a veil for gossip and criticism and frivolity.
And so, there is the harder, internal way to really produce fruit/God when we speak. Does someone really feel and experience God when we are speaking?
The only way to do this is to be vulnerable and real. The best speech and conversation is where I can really open my heart to you and tell you who I am and why I need God and love God; where I can tell you what is really going on in my life. And then you can do the same for me. I’m not trying to convince you of anything or answer your question. I’m just being with you. There is no agenda. I just want to unveil my heart to you. This is the idea of communion, and it’s something we all seek.
Real friendship is being authentic and vulnerable around each other. And if we can do that, well then, we have holy conversation, God will be present, and fruit will be born.
There is so much talking these days. I don’t want to just talk. I’ve had enough of mindless, empty “small talk.” I want “large talk.” I want God. I can have God when I pray, but I also want God when I’m in fellowship, in conversation and dialogue and friendship with you all, the people of God.
That’s what Jesus trained the apostles to do: not to be the Pharisees, who are proud trees who bear no fruit, but to be fruitful trees. He taught the apostles to trust in the goodness of their hearts and to share that with others. The Christian community was so strong in the early Church, even though they were persecuted, because they all shared authentic friendship. May we experience something similar in our lives and in the life of the Church.
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The SPC School Roundball Basketball Tournament begins this Sunday and runs throughout the week. All the best to the players, coaches, and parents organizing the festivities.
This Wednesday, March 5th is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Our Mass schedule will be: 6:25am, 8:30am, 9:45am (school Mass), 12pm, 3:30pm (no Mass, just prayer service with distribution of ashes), and 7pm.
The Apostolate of Women, our parish Women’s Group, is hosting a retreat this Thursday, March 6th from 8:30am to noon in the Holy Family Chapel. The theme is Reflect, Recharge, Renew and there will be some dynamic speakers, including Sally Blount, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and former dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. All women are invited (registration information on page 8).
Throughout Lent we will have Stations of the Cross Fridays at 7pm in the upper church. There will be a fish fry on Friday, March 21st and Friday, April 11th. And we will have our annual Lenten Almsgiving Appeal. I hope this season is a prayerful and grace-filled time for you. Please know I am praying for each of you in a special way.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. James Wallace
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