“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.”
- Anonymous
There is a notion in the spiritual life that we should strive to live in the “sacrament of the present moment," meaning to be engaged, alive, aware and attuned to God’s presence here and now. In life we spend an unduly amount of time rehashing and rehearsing our past, mistakes, regrets, sorrows and losses. On the other hand, sometimes we are preoccupied with the future and unknown: Will we have our health? Will we make ends meet? Will we be well provided for? Will there be someone to care for us? We must trust in God’s Divine Providence and Plan and believe that we are working out our salvation day by day, here and now.
Erma Bombeck once said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that not one single bit of talent is left, and I could say, ‘I used everything You gave me.’” In John Robinson’s book, "Time for Life: The Surprising Ways Americans Use Their Time," he notes the average American spend 80%, or 133 hours, of the 168 hours in a week in so-called “obligatory activities." One spends 20%, or 35 hours a week, in free-time functions. Said another way, we spend 20 years sleeping, 5 years dressing, 6 years staring at the television, 3 years waiting, 1 year telephoning (add 50% if you use a cell phone), and 3 months tying our shoes. The average American spends in his lifetime, just waiting for traffic signals, an astonishing 6 months!
Instead of fretting and frittering life away, let us not allow time to be a thief. And let us use the most of our time with our priorities in tact. Time is a precious gift. We don’t control it, earn it, or are entitled to it. But how often do we say “I coulda, I woulda, I shoulda." The late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin of Chicago wrote to his priests just before he died, “Get away from paperwork. Ask yourself, ‘When people come to church are they finding Jesus?’ If they are not, then they are wasting their time.”
Last week, Bishop Zubik confirmed 45 eighth and ninth graders here at St. Joseph. I admired and was enriched by the half-hour he spent before the ceremony to review with the youth the importance of the Christian maturity, witness and strength they were about to receive through full Christian initiation in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Zubik encouraged the candidates, sponsors, parents, grandparents, Godparents, aunts, uncles and the entire assembly, to seize the grace of this special sacrament and live it fully. Bishop Zubik also took time to explain the meaning of all the symbols of associated with a bishop, the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese: the miter (bishop’s hat), crosier (staff), zucchetto (skull cap), pectoral cross, and even the bowl containing the Sacred Chrism which was from Bishop Richard Phelan, the third bishop of Pittsburgh who was consecrated in 1885 and succeeded as Bishop in 1889. Bishop Zubik’s joy, love, enthusiasm, humility, graciousness were in abundance. His electrifying and down-to-earth style made everyone feel right at home. When he spoke of his bishop’s ring, he told the assembly that lovers normally wear their wedding band on their left hand. However, he wears his ring on his right hand, indicating the authority of Christ through the office of bishop. He also said he wears the ring 364 days out of the year since on Good Friday, he removes it out of respect and love for the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. Through the Bishop’s promised fidelity, the ring is a sign of his commitment of service to God’s holy People.
The Bishop lavishly placed Sacred Chrism on the forehead of the candidates, three times vertically and three times horizontally -- a thrice blessing for each young person. He gave each of them a prayer card and remarked that these cards were not souvenirs or mementos of Confirmation day, but a special prayer to be said daily in discerning God’s will for their lives. The prayer reads: "God our Father and our Creator, we believe that you have made each of us in your image and likeness. Help us to lead lives that reflect that belief. Increase happy vocations to the married life and the single life, the religious life and the ordained life. May we as husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, single women and single men, sisters and brothers, deacons, priests and bishops, be open to your grace. Grant that we may seek always to do your will and delight in the work which makes Your name and Your love known throughout the world. We ask this prayer in the name of Jesus, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit, our Guide. Amen."
- Anonymous
There is a notion in the spiritual life that we should strive to live in the “sacrament of the present moment," meaning to be engaged, alive, aware and attuned to God’s presence here and now. In life we spend an unduly amount of time rehashing and rehearsing our past, mistakes, regrets, sorrows and losses. On the other hand, sometimes we are preoccupied with the future and unknown: Will we have our health? Will we make ends meet? Will we be well provided for? Will there be someone to care for us? We must trust in God’s Divine Providence and Plan and believe that we are working out our salvation day by day, here and now.
Erma Bombeck once said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that not one single bit of talent is left, and I could say, ‘I used everything You gave me.’” In John Robinson’s book, "Time for Life: The Surprising Ways Americans Use Their Time," he notes the average American spend 80%, or 133 hours, of the 168 hours in a week in so-called “obligatory activities." One spends 20%, or 35 hours a week, in free-time functions. Said another way, we spend 20 years sleeping, 5 years dressing, 6 years staring at the television, 3 years waiting, 1 year telephoning (add 50% if you use a cell phone), and 3 months tying our shoes. The average American spends in his lifetime, just waiting for traffic signals, an astonishing 6 months!
Instead of fretting and frittering life away, let us not allow time to be a thief. And let us use the most of our time with our priorities in tact. Time is a precious gift. We don’t control it, earn it, or are entitled to it. But how often do we say “I coulda, I woulda, I shoulda." The late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin of Chicago wrote to his priests just before he died, “Get away from paperwork. Ask yourself, ‘When people come to church are they finding Jesus?’ If they are not, then they are wasting their time.”
Last week, Bishop Zubik confirmed 45 eighth and ninth graders here at St. Joseph. I admired and was enriched by the half-hour he spent before the ceremony to review with the youth the importance of the Christian maturity, witness and strength they were about to receive through full Christian initiation in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Zubik encouraged the candidates, sponsors, parents, grandparents, Godparents, aunts, uncles and the entire assembly, to seize the grace of this special sacrament and live it fully. Bishop Zubik also took time to explain the meaning of all the symbols of associated with a bishop, the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese: the miter (bishop’s hat), crosier (staff), zucchetto (skull cap), pectoral cross, and even the bowl containing the Sacred Chrism which was from Bishop Richard Phelan, the third bishop of Pittsburgh who was consecrated in 1885 and succeeded as Bishop in 1889. Bishop Zubik’s joy, love, enthusiasm, humility, graciousness were in abundance. His electrifying and down-to-earth style made everyone feel right at home. When he spoke of his bishop’s ring, he told the assembly that lovers normally wear their wedding band on their left hand. However, he wears his ring on his right hand, indicating the authority of Christ through the office of bishop. He also said he wears the ring 364 days out of the year since on Good Friday, he removes it out of respect and love for the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. Through the Bishop’s promised fidelity, the ring is a sign of his commitment of service to God’s holy People.
The Bishop lavishly placed Sacred Chrism on the forehead of the candidates, three times vertically and three times horizontally -- a thrice blessing for each young person. He gave each of them a prayer card and remarked that these cards were not souvenirs or mementos of Confirmation day, but a special prayer to be said daily in discerning God’s will for their lives. The prayer reads: "God our Father and our Creator, we believe that you have made each of us in your image and likeness. Help us to lead lives that reflect that belief. Increase happy vocations to the married life and the single life, the religious life and the ordained life. May we as husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, single women and single men, sisters and brothers, deacons, priests and bishops, be open to your grace. Grant that we may seek always to do your will and delight in the work which makes Your name and Your love known throughout the world. We ask this prayer in the name of Jesus, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit, our Guide. Amen."
It was wonderful to have the entire class stand with the Bishop in our sanctuary on our new steps for a picture. It was a blessed time to host the Bishop and his assistant Fr. Gary Oehmler for lunch in our “red cardinal suite” dining room. The ladies serving remarked, “I wish the Bishop could have stayed with us the entire day. You just want to be in his presence.” Of course we sent him home with goodies -- homemade cabbage soup, nut rolls, pastries -- and the Bishop commented his favorite is poppy seed, though his father, “Stush," prefers nut rolls. I thoroughly enjoyed the blessed conversation and communion in our parish house. I was touched when the Bishop said, “You are fortunate, Rich, to have such a diversity of people from all walks of life in your parish, as they will help you to grow in new ways.” Before departing, the Bishop admired the crucifix donated in memory of Reverend Mauro Cautela (son of the parish who died in 2005), as he dropped to his knees and begged for a blessing for himself and his ministry. Bringing the day back to prayer, back to the “Gift-giver,” God, seemed only right.
