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The Baptism of Jesus is the final day of the Christmas season. The next day, Monday, January 12, begins Ordinary Time, which continues until Ash Wednesday and Lent. The baptism of Jesus should prompt us to think about our own baptism. I was told many times by my parents that I was baptized on Palm Sunday, 1957. Something happened that day to change my life, even though I was only three weeks old. My parents were happy that I was born. They had prayed for a child and were delighted when God gave me to them. They took me to Saint Monica Church, Wampum, PA to be baptized because they loved me enough to want me to have eternal life.

Baptism makes us what Jesus is: child of God, immortal, sinless. God adopts us as children, gives us the promise of eternal life and takes away our sins, pledging to always forgive us if we repent. But baptism causes one more thing. It makes us members of the Church. All Christians share the same sacrament of baptism. Baptism in Orthodox and Protestant churches is the same as in the Catholic Church. While we cannot share the Eucharist together, we share one baptism. It is a scandal that Christians are separated into different religious groups, though we all share the same baptism. We must pray for unity!

 

While baptism begins in us a configuration to Christ, making us what Christ is, it also brings us into a family of believers, the Church. Catholic baptism incorporates us as members of the Catholic Church. In our modern world where entertainment is constant and everywhere and where hundreds of millions of dollars are spent to produce amazing entertainment with unimaginable special effects, how can boring church services compete? Too often, religion is about feelings, but our feelings are not reliable and can deceive us. People often equate good religion with having a thrilling or exciting feeling of well being during a church service. The fact is, no matter what we "feel" or don't "feel", our baptism is real and the change that is causes in is real.

People want an emotionally stimulating homily, rousing music and aesthetics that are pleasing and uplifting. Indeed, we should do our best to create beautiful and uplifting worship, but too much emphasis on how worship make us feel can be a danger. Church cannot and should not compete with Hollywood. People often church shop, moving from church to church, sometimes even to churches which are not Catholic, seeking the best pastor, best music and best community with multiple activities. Just like we shop for everything else, and choose products that please us, people look for the perfect church. Sometimes people get disillusioned by church as they search in vain for the perfect community. Then they give up on church all together since secular entertainment is more emotionally powerful.

Belonging to the Church is about faith, not feelings. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is real, but it is not solitary. It is lived through the Church. You do not discover Christ by escaping the community, but by joining it. You do not grow closer to God by seeking exceptional moments, but by entering the ordinary pattern of worship, repentance, fasting, and love that has formed saints for two thousand years. In the Church, we learn from the people who have already learned to pray, to repent, to love, and to die with hope.

Consider how the early Christians spoke. They did not describe salvation as "me and Jesus" but as "us in Christ". Baptism did not place you in a private booth with God. It plunged you into a people. The Eucharist does not symbolize an internal feeling. It joins your life with every believer at the table. Even prayer was not imagined as an individual attempt to feel spiritual, but as the participation of your soul in the prayer of the whole Church, the prayer of Christ.

I have been disappointed many times by bishops and priests and by my fellow Catholics. But I will never leave the Catholic Church. Since Palm Sunday, 1957, I belong to the Church and I will do what I can to bring the Church honor. It is not all about me and my feelings, but it is primarily about faith. Sometimes our feelings support our faith and sometimes faith is a struggle. But I will live my faith, with or without feelings, in the Catholic Church.

Saint John's Hospice Donation

Each year, we commit all proceeds from our Poor Box for October and November to Saint John's Hospice. Saint John's Hospice provides hot meals and overnight housing to many of our homeless neighbors. Saint John's Hospice was founded from Saint John's Church in 1963. This year, we were able to give Saint John's Hospice more than $12,000. Thank you to all who donated to our Poor Box.

Catholic Relief Services Second Collection

Today is the annual collection to support the work of the Catholic Church among the poor in more than 100 countries. Over the past year, the US government has drastically reduced the money spent on aid to poor countries, so our contributions are more needed than ever.

Please be extra generous.

Pancake and Egg Breakfast

Thanks to Tootsie D'Ambrosio and her friends for preparing a delicious breakfast. It was a wonderful gathering time for our church community. We raised $2206, which included a $1000 check from one of our faithful parishioners.

Thanks to all who donated and again, thanks to Tootsie for creating the event.

Estate of Rose Kozlow

I was just informed that a second $100,000 check from the estate of Rose Kozlow is being sent to Saint John Church. The money will be placed in the capital project fund. The capital project report given below already reflects this estate donation. Please pray for Rose Kozlow. Consider leaving a legacy bequest to Saint John Church in your will. Occasionally we receive a donation by will and these donations are very important to the financial stability of Saint John Church.

Capital Campaign Report

Saint John Church must make essential repairs to our electrical system, upper church air conditioning and deteriorating patio which houses our mechanical systems. Saint John's can't function without these systems. Please see our website for more information on our Capital Campaign

As of January 1

Ordinary donations: $323,278

Breakfast fundraiser $2,206

Large donations: $ 825,000

Historic Preservation Fund $50,000

All cash received plus pledges: $1,200,484

We are working with good architects and a project manager. I have confidence in our team. However, as our experts make solid plans and estimate costs, the price of this project grows, perhaps to as much as $1.4 Million. Of the money received, $500,000 came from one donor, a friend of mine and a parishioner of Holy Redeemer. He has never visited Saint John’s, but has made an amazing donation. Other Holy Redeemer parishioners have donated well over $100,000. Our Saint John’s parishioners and friends have made sacrificial donations for which I am grateful. But we still need support. Please note that donations to our capital campaign are NOT subject to the Archdiocesan assessment.

Donations to the capital campaign will remain 100% with Saint John’s.

This week ...

From the Pastor' Desk