The Spirit of the Risen Christ walks among us, inspiring us, motivating us, compelling us to take on the work of being his witnesses and proclaimers of his Gospel. The Ascension is an ending but it is also a beginning; it makes an absence but also a presence. As Jesus takes leave of the physical world, he calls us to take on the work of proclaiming his Gospel, but he promises to remain in our midst as a living presence as we struggle to understand and carry on the work of being his “witnesses.” May our minds and hearts be open to the spirit of the Living Christ in our midst, walking among us, inspiring us, speaking to us of the peace and justice of God. Today, Jesus calls us to carry on his Gospel of compassion, reconciliation and justice. He entrusts to us the work of resurrection. In Baptism, every Christian of every time and place takes on the role of witness to all that Jesus did and taught. We are witnesses not only in our articulating the powerful words of the Gospel but in the quiet, simple, but no less powerful expression of compassion and love that echo the same compassion and love of God - God who is Father and Son and Brother and Sister to us all.

Our identity as disciples of Christ is centered in the compassion we extend to others - in our willingness to be a place of refuge, a source of peace for others. Our faithfulness in imitating the love of the Risen Jesus is not in having the right answers or in our dogmatic judgments but in our openness of heart and spirit to love selflessly, completely, unconditionally, as God has loved us in Christ.

The faith of our baptism is not a robe we take on and off on Sundays; it is not a slate of adhered-to dogmas and rules. Our faith is a living entity, an approach to living that is centered in the love of God. Our identity as a Church, as disciples of the Risen Christ, is not in a building we frequent an hour or so each week or in the words of prayers we have recited since childhood; our identity as faithful Christians is centered in the joy and optimism of our love for others as God’s children and our brothers and sisters - the same love that unites the Father and the Son and each of us to one another.

The Song of the First Bird

In her book An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith, Barbara Brown Taylor writes about a woman who was not sure she wanted to go on living. “She was old. She lived alone. She was afraid to go to sleep at night for fear that she would not wake up in the morning, so she lay in bed waiting for the sun to come up before she dared to shut her eyes. Then someone who loved her suggested that as long as she was awake, she might as well start listening for the first bird that sang each morning. Before long, the sound of that bird became the bell that woke her heart to life again. She named the bird. She discovered what such birds like to eat and put feeders full of seed in her yard. Other birds came, and she learned their names as well. She began to collect birdhouses, which she hung from the rafters of her porch until she became the mayor of an entire bird village.” The woman still does not sleep well, but she found reason to get out of bed every morning. In caring for the birds of the field, she rediscovered love and hope in her life.

Christ speaks to all of us, not in loud, commanding voices but most often in the simplest and smallest of whispers. To hear the Good Shepherd demands that we come out of the self-imposed isolation of our own fears and interest and hear Christ speaking in the light of the poor, the needs of the helpless, the cry of the persecuted. Easter faith calls us to put aside our own crosses when we hear the voice of Jesus in the struggle of those being crushed by the weight of their crosses, to rise above our own pain when we hear the voice of Jesus crying in the pain of others, to give despite our own need when we hear the voice of Jesus in the poverty of others.

Nail Marks

A relative or friend of yours is going through adifficult time - an illness, the loss of a job, a break-up. You want to pick up the phone and call, you begin to write a card, you think about making something, to bring over. But you hesitate. What do I say? What can I do? How can I possibly make this situation better? So you make the call, write the note, bake the casserole. And you somehow find the right thing to say - or you realize, wisely, that nothing needs to be said. Your listening ear, your compassionate shoulder, your concerned presence are more than enough.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus appears to his disciples and shows them his hands and his side; later he invites the doubting Thomas to touch the marks made by the nails and the gash from the soldier’s lance. Easter does not deny the effects of Good Friday nor erases the wounds of crucifixion - but Easter is God’s compassion moving us beyond crucifixion to healing and wholeness. We all have scars from our own Good Fridays that remain long after our own experiences of resurrection. We learn from our scars. Our “nail marks” remind us that all pain and grief, all ridicule and suffering are transformed into healing and peace in the love of God we experience from others and that we extend them. Jesus tells Thomas and his brothers not to be afraid of nail marks and scars and fractured bones and the crushed spirit and the broken heart. Compassion, forgiveness, justice - no matter how clumsily offered - can heal and mend. In light of the unwavering hope, with the assurance of God’s unlimited grace, even the simplest act of kindness and understanding is the realization of Easter in our midst.

Mass Change - Effective May 1, 2010

Over the past months there has been a lot of input into the proposal to change the Saturday 5:15 PM Mass to 4:00 PM. Thank you for that input. There was an overwhelming support for this change. There was also some very important reasons that were presented for the Mass time to stay the same. Thank you for your response.

Effective May 1st, 2010, St. Clement will offer a 4:00 PM Vigil Mass. No longer will there be a 5:15 PM Mass. The main reasons for this change are safety (Mass would start and end in daylight), easier time for the elderly (especially those with health issues), makes an easier transition for families, and there is no other 4:00 PM Vigil Mass in our area.

Effective May 1st, due to the change of Mass time, confession will be offered on Saturday from 3:00 - 3:30 PM. During Advent and Lent other times may be added.

What Risks Will We Take?

It isn’t easy being a young person. Anxiety about the future is a steady companion as one prepares to make one’s way in the adult world. It is tempting to hold back from taking those tentative first steps toward independence, to shrink from risks and relationships.

Today’s readings offer us a rich view of what it means to risk. The gospel reveals in painful detail the suffering of Jesus. The physical suffering, yes, but also the suffering of being misunderstood and belittled. And yet, through it all, Jesus stands firm, faithful to God to the end. In the process, things shift. A leader becomes a servant, shame turns to honor, mockery becomes praise, fear turns into trust, abandonment becomes love, despair turns into hope and, above all, death blossoms into new life.

Whether we are young, or not so young, as followers of Jesus we must take risks. Loving others, especially people we don’t even like, is always difficult. Giving of ourselves when we feel that we have nothing left to give requires great strength. Having faith when everything points to doubt is a struggle. Feeling hopeful when our lives are in ruins takes all our energy. Yet in risking love and faith and hope, we discover countless blessings, and our ability to love and to believe only increases.

Jesus, remember us - young, old, faithful, doubting, hope-filled, despairing - when you come into your kingdom.

A.L. Mahoney - Living with Christ

It’s Not All About Me

I know that I’ve said it (or thought it) more than once in my lifetime. “What did they do to deserve that?” Or “Why is she getting all the praise when I’m the one who did all the work?”

As hurt and indignant as we feel in those moments like the older brother in today’s gospel, we are missing the point. It’s not about who is more or less deserving in a given situation. It’s all about our ability to love unconditionally and to believe in the basic dignity and equality of the people.

Every day, in homes and workplaces, in schools and sports venues, in boardrooms and backrooms, in community organizations and faith communities, we are challenged to let go of our sense of self-importance in order to truly appreciate and value the people around us. The prodigal son is welcomed back, not because of what he has done or not done, but because of who he is, a valued member of the family. No wonder his father throws a big celebration in his honor.

Whenever I hear this parable, I wince at the thought of how often I have felt envious because someone else received the attention I thought I deserved . Then I think about the older brother and hope that, realizing he is no less loved, he joins in the festivities.

Susan Eaton - Living with Christ