A Letter From Our Pastor: The Word of God is Living and Effective

Dear Parish Family,

My niece just turned one year old on the third of February. I now have 10 nieces and nephews. The majority of them, however, were born in other states, or are growing up in other states. This niece happens to live close enough that I have seen her pretty much every month since she was born. I’ve watched her learn to roll over, stand up, and walk. It’s amazing how much she learns and grows each time I see her. It’s also amazing how much she has yet to learn. She does everything but talk. I’m afraid, based on her genetics, that once she finally starts talking, she may never stop.

There are so many words in our world today – billboards, text messages, podcasts, 24-hour cable news channels with double scrolling feeds of extra news underneath. It’s hard to appreciate a well-crafted word, a deep thought, or a carefully worded conversation. It’s hard to remember how long it took each of us to learn to form words and complete sentences, let alone master writing an article or speaking in public.

The Bible begins with God speaking his word and the world is created. The Gospel of John reprises the theme when it opens with this statement, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He was spoken into the world by the Father. He never stops speaking to us. He speaks to us in prayer, in signs, and most especially through the Scriptures. If you come to Mass on Sunday, you hear at least 4 scripture readings every week. The Word of God is the living Word. God is speaking to us as a community, and He asks us to be faithful to His Word. If we pay attention and truly listen, God can nourish our spirit, and Christ can be more real and present to us. The Homily, the Responsorial Psalm, the Profession of Faith, and the Intercessions develop the Word further and complete it. The Profession of Faith is our acceptance of God’s Word.

How do we respond to the Word? Does it change our lives? Does it speak truth into your heart? Or does it get swallowed up by constant babble, the lies we believe about ourselves, the gossip, the hustle and bustle, the anxieties of the world, and the selfish vices that are growing in our hearts? Being able to listen, to hear and then to act requires conscious effort. We must uproot the weeds that are growing from the hurts and fears in our hearts. We have to face the lies and reject them. We need to accept the truth, cherish it, and nourish it. The word will bear much fruit if you let it take root in your heart. Listen!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Joel Sember, Pastor

Fr. Joel Sember, Pastor