The Greatest Gift Arrives

Using logic, every year is the same length and it comes at the same date, yet where did the last 4 weeks go? Don’t we seem to say that every year? The preparation is over. The weeks of anticipation have passed and that brings us to Christmas. Let’s picture ourselves around the Christmas tree with family and friends and gifts stacked at our feet. When it’s “our turn”, what if we decide to take our gifts and place them in the corner. What would other’s reaction be?

We’ve heard the theme this Advent was to "Celebrate Differently" and as we discovered to celebrate —The Greatest Gift. We’ve heard about everything that comes with that gift, as well: HOPE, LOVE, JOY and PEACE. Yes, God has given us The Greatest Gift we could ever receive. Yet we may look past that gift to the material ones that lie before us. Often, The Greatest Gift does get pushed into the corner and buried by the wrappings we discard from everything else. Tomorrow comes and sadly, The Greatest Gift can all but be forgotten.

So now it is “our turn”. What are we going to do? Open the Gift. Jesus wants to be a part of our life. All we have to do is open the Gift! Then we’ll hear “…a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”

Christmas is unlike any other feast we celebrate. Sure, we understand the significance of Easter. Yet for many, the anticipation of Christmas is something we actually look forward to each year. In a strange way, we enjoy the frenetic pace that surrounds Christmas. We appreciate the reminder that Advent gives us to try and slow down that pace. And, we are thankful for the opportunity to set things straight with God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Our focus throughout Advent was to celebrate differently this “Greatest Gift.” We focused on weekly themes that Jesus gives each of us as part of that Greatest Gift: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. Today, all that gets wrapped into one wonderful package. The Greatest Gift has arrived! The challenge for every one of us is to open the gift. Jesus has come into our lives but we must open the gift! When we do that, we allow him to be a part of everything we do. He becomes the gift that enables us to embrace the example Jesus set forth in Matthew 25: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned. He becomes the motivation to see his face in everyone we meet.

We will never fully appreciate the value of The Greatest Gift. But, we can try to show our appreciation by using the gift. None of us knows what 2017 will bring to our lives. We do know, however, that whatever comes at us will be easier with that gift of Jesus by our side. With that thought in mind, I also want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Blessed 2017

WHO

Advent: A Time to Celebrate Differently

As each year draws to a close, and Christmas fast approaches, and Advent rolls in, we tend to focus on what is obvious – putting up our decorations, trimming our tree, shopping for friends and family and eating every type of desert known to human kind. And before you know it, time has escaped us.

Suddenly it’s Christmas Eve night and all the wonders that come with it – reflecting on Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angels singing, the shepherds in the field, the wise men beginning their decent from the east, all culminating in “Silent Night, Holy Night.”

But wait! Are we even prepared for Christmas? Prepared for all of the beauty and wonder of Christmas? Truly prepared? Before the coming of our Lord, is the season of Advent. A time of preparation. This is why this year our parish will take as its theme "Celebrate Differently"

The world tells us that Christmas is about filling our homes with bright lights and greenery, attending office parties, singing carols, listening to Handel’s “Messiah” or the latest pop star’s new Christmas album. The world encourages us to shop, shop and shop!

I love Christmas just as much as anyone (maybe more). But should we not also be more intentional (and joyful) when practicing and experiencing the season of Advent? The coming of our Lord! And what should we be doing to prepare for the coming of our Lord? How can we celebrate differently? The obvious things are:

• Meditate on our Lord’s impending birth

• Give to those in need

• Feed the hungry

• Clothe the homeless

• Be kind to others

• Be satisfied with what we have (gratitude)

But perhaps it is not possible for you to go out and help the “homeless.” That’s fine – OK, then how about helping those in your own home?

What ways can we prepare our hearts for the coming of Baby Jesus – in our own homes? How about patience – toward those nearest you? Be more willing to listen, less eager to criticize? Give of your time and your person and not necessarily of your money.

We can also practice more patience with those outside of our homes – especially in stores or driving on the road (Christmas shopping traffic!). We can be more giving and patient toward those in the workplace. Maybe we can be less prideful and more humble.

How about being more temperate with our sweet tooth (or teeth, for that matter)?

Advent challenges us to understand the Christmas season in the contexts of the coming of Christ. Advent also offers us a powerful alternative to the commercialization of Christmas. A reason to exclaim “Merry Christmas!” instead of a bland and politically correct “Happy Holidays.”

I’m sure you’ve heard it before; Christmas is a season for giving. Then make it so. Give to those in need. I’m sure you’ve heard that Christmas is a time for feasting. Then make it so. Help to feed those around you who can’t afford to do so. I’m sure you’ve heard that Christmas is a season of joy, hope and peace. Then make it so. Grow in these virtues by putting them into practice with friends, family, neighbours and strangers. And most importantly, with the whole reason there is Christmas, for God.

And the next time someone asks you, “Are you ready for Christmas?” you can honestly say, “I’m not but I’m trying to be with the help of the season of Advent.”

So check out our special website section and let's decide this Advent to Celebrate Differently

Is Your Welcome Mat Out?

Jesus’ reputation preceded Him, so when he arrived in Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, the people were expecting Him. Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, short in stature, climbs a tree to see Jesus and to his surprise, Jesus invites Himself to Zacchaeus’ home. Zacchaeus was probably thrilled to get away from the maddening crowds because tax collectors weren’t the most popular of people, but he must have been shocked that Jesus wanted to be around him because his life has been one of isolating himself from the path of God in his life.

What was the point of Zacchaeus wanting to see Jesus? Perhaps he wanted something different in his life. Perhaps he wanted to change from what others saw as greedy and arrogant to a person whose life had more meaning. Perhaps he felt he would get that from Jesus, something might rub off. It did!

While others may have found it hard to believe, Jesus saw into Zacchaeus’ heart and recognised his desire to change. It became "his day" We have that same opportunity! We too can change. How many people do we know, some in various stages of recovery, who demonstrate huge changes?

Believing we can change or believing in another can actually bring about that change. What would we like to change in our own life? Even though we will not have the same “Jesus” encounter as Zacchaeus, that same Jesus waits patiently for us to scramble down our tree and invite Him into our home, into our heart. God loves all of us and leads us gently to new life as He did with Zacchaeus. We are all Zacchaeuses. Jesus believes in us. We need to believe in ourselves and in others, put out our welcome mat and accept Jesus’ invitation to come home with us.

As we prepare for the Grand Opening of our new front addition (November 19/20, 2016) and the conclusion of our Generations initiative, there is no better way to become a Zacchaeus than to create a welcoming and nurturing environment.

St. Mary of the Visitation Parish is known as a family of faith focused on its hospitality and friendliness, for being a place where there is something for everyone and where all are greeted with a smile. We are challenging ourselves to consider how we can create an environment so irresistible that everyone who enters our doors once will return again and again to become part of our family and our mission. How can we help newcomers discover this parish can be home for them as well? How can we continue to improve our commitment to hospitality excellence?

St Mary of the Visitation continues to grow, and with that, we are also challenged to nurture the faith and action of those who have been here for 2, 10 or 40 years! How do we invite all to discover their unique gift and place in our parish? We are a big church with a variety of different ministries. It is easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer number of activities and events. Can we welcome others intentionally and nurture the faith and action of those already in the pews at the same time?

Some exciting days are ahead!

The Season of “In Between”

 The geese are flying. The leaves are changing. The nights are cooler. The daylight is a little less. Yes, indeed, Fall is here. Fall is a beautiful season, but kind of “in-between”. In between the glories of summer and the gusts of winter. During Fall, we recall the sunny, hazy, lazy days of summer. A lighter load, slower pace, smaller scope of things to do. We marvel at the beautiful flower beds, crisp water scenes, longer days and warmer nights. Then, in the in between, we also think about winter. For those into sports - skies and ski dos come out. Those not into these begin to get their reading list ready and their “trip down south” plans set. Fall really is a Season of “in between.”

What do you do with the “in between’ s?” Those in between times in your spiritual life I mean. Those times in between the glorious “summers” and the gloomy “winters” that come into our earthly journey. Those seasons when everything is a blessing and those moments when life has its burdens. May I suggest three things:

First, “hold your plans loosely and God’s purpose tightly”. We all love to plan, but when the plan just is not coming together, we also love to consider either giving up or checking out a new path. Yet the “in betweens” are moments when often it’s important to recall that in our waiting, God is operating and that His timing is a lot more like a “crockpot then a microwave”, getting all the simmering in and just right before He acts. Use the moments of waiting that is the in between to listen for the whisper of direction and for the encouragement of determination to keep on track.

Second, be weary to drifting.  Often in the in between we have a tendency to “drift”. We can find ourselves becoming lax with prayer, or taking for granted a ritual to the point that its crispness has faded. This can easily happen, but it’s when it becomes an unhealthy habit that we must be weary. Use the in-between as time to review, refresh, re charge your prayer. Use the time to ponder, pray and prepare that the “in between” affords.

To ponder the glories that God has put into life (family, friends, and faith). To pray over the glooms that gust through life (sadness, sickness, and struggle).  Praying for the strength in the “in between” to appreciate the one and get through the other. Jesus did the same. Scripture tells us that several times in His ministry He “withdrew to a place by Himself”. He wanted an “in between” moment. It is spiritually healthy for us to want one too. Christ took the in-between as a moment to reflect upon the Father’s will, to ensure that His mission was on track and that His priorities were in balance. He also took the time to pray for those who were on the journey with Him. What a great use of the “in between” for us also.

Finally, don’t let the “me” become bigger than the “we”! We can all enter into moments, especially in the in between, when we find ourselves face down and confused. In those times we have two major temptations. First, we can believe that our circumstance is the worst ever and that we are alone in it. This lack of perspective leads us to live in the “world of what if” which is a downward slope of despair. Look for the signs of this happening and find ways to reach out in giving to others, it will take your away from self. Secondly, when “me becomes bigger than we”, our trek is often toward the “apple of discouragement.”  In this garden we often want to give up. It is so important to bring to the forefront of our mind that we are still in the race and certainly not alone. We may fall, we may be confused, we may not know what the next step is, but God will carry us to the finish.

St Thomas More, who was in the in-between of seeking faithfulness to God’s will as he tried to be “a man for all seasons” prayed: “Give me, good Lord, a longing to be with you in all I face: not for the avoiding of the calamities of this wicked world, but because in them I become yours.” The in between is a time to walk with Him in humility, seeking His purpose, taming our pride and growing in Him. In the end - we will become His and we will be Home. So enjoy the Fall. It is in between. Take it in. Ponder, Prepare, Pray. Bask in those summer glories. Batten down for those winter glooms. Rejoice - a new season is here !

Join us this Thanksgiving Weekend –Saturday at 5:00pm, Sunday at 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:30am for Mass as we discuss Thanksgiving as an Attitude of the Soul.

Our Children's Ministry for children aged 2 - Grade 4, plus our very special Festive Catholic Café awaits you.

We have something for everyone - you are welcome here !

Prayer of Thanksgiving

God of all blessings,

source of all life,

giver of all grace:

We thank you for the gift of life:

for the breath

that sustains life,

for the food of this earth

that nurtures life,

for the love of family and friends

without which there would be no life.

We thank you for the mystery of creation:

for the beauty

that the eye can see,

for the joy

that the ear may hear,

for the unknown

that we cannot behold filling the universe with wonder,

for the expanse of space

that draws us beyond the definitions of our selves.

We thank you for setting us in communities:

for families

who nurture our becoming,

for friends

who love us by choice,

for companions at work,

who share our burdens and daily tasks,

for strangers

who welcome us into their midst,

for people from other lands

who call us to grow in understanding,

for children

who lighten our moments with delight,

for the unborn,

who offer us hope for the future.

For these, and all blessings,

we give you thanks, eternal, loving God,

through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. 

You may wish to listen again to the Audio of the Lord’s Day Message

The month of September signals the start of Fall. To kick off the 2016-2017 year we’re offering an all-new series taking a fresh look at what might happen if three principles were to guide the next year for us. We pray that these will act as catalysts to help you grow in your faith, get connected, build relationships and above all grow closer to God!  It’s all about doing what disciples do and, in the process, finding our way to Him

Week One, we learned in the parables of the Lost Coin and the Lost Sheep that we need to “hold our plans loosely and God’s purpose tightly”. We were also reminded that it’s important to recall that often in our waiting, God is operating and that His timing is a lot more like a “crockpot then a microwave”, getting all the simmering in and just right before we serve.

Week Two, we discerned together using the Gospel of the unwise manager who undercut the Master to talk about drifting - that it’s an easy happening but it can become an unhealthy habit. And that drifting which happens from within, which occurs when we feel we are without and is sure to happen when the me is bigger than the we - for sure we drift!

Week Three, we discussed that all of us have found ourselves in moments where our world falls

apart. We find ourselves face down and confused, but We are still in the race. We may fall, we

may be confused, but God will carry us to the finish if we give Him the Year - and walk with

Him in humility, seeking His purpose, deciding not to Drift and naming our gifts, taming our

pride and growing in Him. In the end - we will become His and we will be Home

Check out the messages using the link at the top of the page and consider ways to give Him this year.

Hear our prayer, O God, for faith that can move mountains.

 Give us humility of heart, so that we help grow Your kingdom,

yet recognize that we are but faithful servants, whom You have called

to reveal to all the wonders that Your love has accomplished.

This we ask through Jesus, one with the Holy Spirit and with us, God for ever. Amen

A Man For All Seasons

I spent some time recently doing a little clean up in the attic and I came across a box of video tapes. For those of you unaware of what those are, they are what came before DVD's and Blue Rays. Yes, its true there was life before Blue Rays. I found the video tape for the 1966 film, A Man for All Seasons, which witnessed the remarkable courage of St. Thomas More. As I watched it once again I was reminded about the core themes of Catholic social teaching found within it.

First, Thomas reminds us that we’re all responsible for upholding the rights of others. When it comes to rights and duties, today’s world usually gets one side of the equation right. We strongly emphasize our own rights, demanding the right to do what we want, say what he want, and live where we want. And none of this is inherently bad, for to an extent, Catholic social teaching would agree. The Church maintains a long list of basic rights that all people deserve to claim—food, housing, healthcare, work, etc. Yet along with those rights we have corresponding responsibilities. These duties root themselves in our common brotherhood, the fact that we’re all created by the same God and are members of the same eternal family. Thus we’re responsible for helping each other flourish.

Thomas knew this well and it explains why he consistently submitted his own wants to the needs of others: to the material needs of the poor, to the legal needs of the oppressed, and to the demands of truth and conscience. For every right we have, we have the duty to protect that right in others.

Second, Thomas shows that accepting these duties often leads to discomfort. Thomas was no fool. He knew that by refusing to take King Henry’s oath, and honoring his Act of Succession, he would likely face trouble. He sensed that family and friends would not understand, and that standing for the truth would cost his job, his home, and probably his life. But he also knew it was the right thing to do. He prayed near the end of his life:

“Give me, good Lord, a longing to be with you: not for the avoiding of the calamities of this wicked world, nor of the pains of hell.”

When Thomas was eventually sentenced to death, as expected, he was prepared due to a lifetime of small sacrifices. He regularly ate leftover scraps, giving his best food away to the poor. On many nights he slept on the floor, with a log for his pillow. These small acts of intentional discomfort trained him for the greater discomfort he suffered later on—imprisonment, isolation, and execution. We too can train ourselves so that when duty requires uncomfortable choices, we’re ready to embrace them with heroic virtue. 

Third, Thomas demonstrates that standing up for what is right doesn’t have to be gloomy. Throughout his life, he responded to his many difficulties with smiles and warmth. At his execution, the ever-cheerful Thomas calmed his executioner with some wisecracks: “Cheer up, man, and don’t mind doing your job. My neck is very short, so see you aim straight. You don’t want to spoil your reputation!” When the executioner lifted up his axe, ready for the final blow, Thomas cried: “Stop! I must put my beard aside. It would be a shame to chop it off. After all, my poor beard is not accused of treason.” 

St. Thomas More is certainly a “man for all seasons” and especially today, when religious liberty is threatened and Christians around the world face persecution. May we follow his lead by upholding the rights of others, embracing small sacrifices, and suffer our difficulties without gloom.

Summer can be a slower time of year. While many of our programs and ministries take a little break for the summer, there are still some great events and opportunities happening.  

We hope you stay connected with us over the summer months!

Father's Day

Lots of people are gearing up to celebrate their fathers this Sunday. Socks and DIY sets will be flying off the shelves, and thousands of heartfelt gifts will be given by children keen to make an effort to show their appreciation of all the things their dads have done for them.

For various reasons, not everyone will look forward to Father's Day. But regardless of whether your dad is a fond fixture in your life or you've never know him, your Father in Heaven has always and will always care for you.

Loving dads deserve gratitude and acknowledgement all year round, but there's no harm in joining in the fun of Father's Day.

If you're still searching for something special, and want to give something that's truly from the heart, then you shouldn't over look the personal touch of prayer.

Dear God,

 Bless all the fathers in the world who have accepted the responsibilities of being a parent. Guide them to be outstanding role models to their children. Let them look to your example and to parent with patience, unconditional love and understanding. Amen.

Ascension Sunday and Mother's Day

This is the fifth week of a message series for the Easter Season called “Ground-breaking”. It is a unique series for us because of its double meaning. First, later this month we are actually going to be breaking ground on a 1500sq. ft expansion which is part of our Generations campaign. This new space on to the front of our Church will connect and complete our campus and provide us with additional space for groups, activities and our growing Family of Faith. (See the drawings in Parish Centre). Second - we are in the Season which celebrates the most ground breaking event in history – Easter.

A ground breaking describes something that has never been seen or done or even thought of before - its pioneering. Usually is surprises and shocks and maybe shapes culture or redefines the way people live or work. Something ground breaking changes stuff....and certainly Easter was that..... it changed things.... it was ground-breaking - the impact is still being felt today

This first week we look at that heart of the ground-breaking of the Resurrection is the fact of its a new vision - one of Mercy. In our second week we took a look at Fear and how we can overcome up due to the Resurrection of Jesus by making three things a part of our life – the call to “feed, tend, go.” Then we looked at what it takes to be a ground breaking Church. Last week we are invited to ask ourselves if we are willing to “stand up?” and this week is all about presence and investment.

Feel free to listen once again to the Lord’s Day Message  

The feast of the Ascension can best be described as a connecting time in this Easter season. It is “a time between times”—a moment when we have left one place in our faith journey but have not yet reached the second. Today’s narratives describe the Ascension as embellishing and enriching the meaning of the Resurrection: the same Jesus we have come to know and love in his humanity, we now celebrate in the fullness of his divinity at the right hand of the Father. Jesus is one and the same.

With his two brief accounts of the Ascension (in the Gospel and in Acts), Luke remains our main source of information about Jesus’ Ascension to heaven. What is striking here is that the passage speaks more about the disciples—their fears, their questions and their mission—than about Jesus himself. Throughout the resurrection narratives, Jesus has helped the disciples to understand the story of Jesus within the larger story of salvation history. Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus indicates that the messiah would not immediately be a glorious king, but on the contrary, that it was necessary that he should suffer and die before entering into his glory. In this light, the suffering and death of Jesus do not destroy the messianic credentials as the disciples had feared. Indeed, their hearts now “burn” as he opens the scriptures to them. The angels in the tomb (“Remember what he said to you…that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and crucified.”), Jesus on the road to Emmaus (“Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”), and now Jesus at the supper with all the disciples (“Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day.”)—all contain words that try to help them to understand this. This is what makes them witnesses of the resurrection and ministers of the word….they just need to wait for the outpouring of the Spirit (an allusion to the prophet Joel 3:1-5, who looks forward to the day when God will “pour out the Spirit upon all flesh”) which they will receive at Pentecost. It will be through the Spirit’s presence and power that Jesus’ commission for mission will be extended to the entire world.

Our current Scripture readings will guide us through this paradox as they help us commemorate a turning point in the life of the Church…a groundbreaking of sorts. With the celebration of Jesus’ Ascension to the “right hand of the Father,” one part of the story now comes to an end. We will soon celebrate the coming of the Spirit—Pentecost—the energizing power and guiding light of all the baptized: God’s reign is now at hand; the Spirit is now with us; the Kingdom is beginning to flourish; the Master Plan is unfolding as it should  and each one of us has a major part to play in the process.

Yet, in this process, the disciples have their own “sweet sorrow” to go through. They are understandably sad that Jesus in His bodily form had left them. No doubt they are blankly staring after him as the angels say to them: “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” Yet, the message of the angels also gives hope, when they continue: “This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way.” Indeed, in the gospel reading, Jesus tells the disciples that he has not left them “orphans,” for He will send “the promise of my Father upon you [which will] clothe you with power from on high.”

This speaks to the power if an impression. Its like that in our relationship with Mothers too. They may not be physically with us, but we can hear their voice, sense their advice and even know what “they would want us to do.”  The Ascension reaffirms for us that the power of our presence and investment in the life of others is significant, but it connects us to the reality that Christ’s enduring presence remains active and alive in His Church – a groundbreaking Church – called to embrace others with a new vision - one of Mercy. Called to overcome Fear due to the Resurrection of Jesus by making three things a part of our life – the call to “feed, tend, go.” Called to be willing to “stand up and called to invest and invite others into our midst. May it be so!

Loving God,
as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children,
so you watch over your Church.
Bless these women,
that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers.
Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.
Grant that we, their sons and daughters,
may honor them always
with a spirit of profound respect.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. 

Ground-breaking Peace

This is the fourth week of a message series for the Easter Season called “Ground-breaking”. It is a unique series for us because of its double meaning. First, later this month we are actually going to be breaking ground on a 1500sq. ft expansion which is part of our Generations campaign. This new space on to the front of our Church will connect and complete our campus and provide us with additional space for groups, activities and our growing Family of Faith. (See the drawings in Parish Centre). Second - we are in the Season which celebrates the most ground breaking event in history – Easter.

A ground breaking describes something that has never been seen or done or even thought of before - its pioneering. Usually is surprises and shocks and maybe shapes culture or redefines the way people live or work. Something ground breaking changes stuff....and certainly Easter was that..... it changed things.... it was groundbreaking - the impact is still being felt today

This first week we look at that heart of the ground-breaking of the Resurrection is the fact of its a new vision - one of Mercy. In our second week we took a look at Fear and how we can overcome up due to the Resurrection of Jesus by making three things a part of our life – the call to “feed, tend, go” Last week we looked at what it takes to be a ground breaking Church. This week we are invited to ask ourselves if we are willing to “stand up?”

Feel to listen once again to the Lord’s Day Message  

Pope Paul VI spoke so beautifully that "If you want peace, work for justice". I believe the two are intimately related. Why do I fight with my neighbour over our property line? I feel it is not right (unjust). Why does one nation enter into war with another? Because they are encroaching on our territory (not just).

We have all experienced peace personally, and also the lack of it. This may have been in relation to a family member of friend; a co-worker, boss or employee; or a classmate, teacher or student. Perhaps today we are not proud of the way we related to them at that time. Perhaps we felt they were unjust in their words, actions or decisions. That lack of personal peace perhaps even spilled over into the wider family or group of friends, the office staff, or the school. Before we knew it, things were exaggerated and people were not talking to each other, avoiding each other, and 'camps' were being formed for or against 'the enemy'. Sound familiar?

The Ground breaking Message of the Resurrection is not only Mercy, It is not only that Fear has no power when we love the Lord and Feed, Tend and Go, but the ground breaking message of the resurrection is also that we must be a Church that constantly invites and invests. But also a Church, a people of faith who are willing to stand up for what is just and true and right – as defined by the Lord.

The Gospel of today inspires joy and confidence. God is with us! First of all, he assures us that he is sending us the Holy Spirit that will lead and guide us, encourage us and challenge us, as we live out our life in Christ. Indeed, we need not be "troubled or afraid". The Spirit will "teach" and "remind" us, so we are never abandoned or 'left to our own resources'. Then, Jesus promises us peace, HIS PEACE. He is promising His very self to us. How intimate this giving of Himself for us. Although He is going to the Father, we are definitely not alone or abandoned. If we love Him "and keep His word" we can achieve the peace of Christ. If we follow Him faithfully that peace will not only sustain us, but will encourage and call others to the peace of Christ.

The Church of today - the groundbreaking Church - must be one that willing to stand up. The Bishops of Canada are asking us to be ground breaking in our voice toward a new Federal Government bill which would seek to put at risk sacredness and dignity of human life - it would make euthanasia legal and further would compel Christian health care providers to undertake actions which are contrary to their moral code for some of the most aged, disabled and infirmed in our society. We have a moment to speak up and sample letters which you can write to the Minister of Health are available at the Small Group Desk in our Parish Centre. This is a threat to our moral fabric as a society and we are encouraged to make our voice and the voice of the Cross heard on this issue

In the Gospel Jesus promises us peace - HIS PEACE.  Connected to His peace - is His truth - the two can not be separated from each other. Jesus makes a distinction between His peace, and the peace of the world when He says, "Not as the world gives do I give it to you". There is real peace, and then there is pseudo-peace. The pseudo-peace lasts a short time, usually hastily or frustratingly agreed upon just to 'get it over with', or 'to move on'. Pseudo-peace is a peace we can put up with, in the short run of things. However, true peace endures.

True peace is built on two important principles: love and truth. This peace is animated by love, introduces love, preserves love, and celebrates love. This calls for sincerity and integrity in the hearts of both parties (groups, nations, etc.). This peace does not know 'winners' and 'losers', but only brothers and sisters in Christ, seeking the well-being of each other. Sacrifices must be made in relation to this peace, each 'giving in' to a certain extent. True peace also demands the truth.

What is right and good is right and good, and what is wrong and bad is wrong and bad. Christian peace will not allow sin to dominate or control. Rather, dialogue and agreement (or disagreement) must be based on the truth as revealed by God and taught by moral authority. It is not a 'relative' truth, or what is the fashion, or the 'thing' this year. As people of God, we seek His peace, recognizing the call to love (and His great love for us), and embracing God's truth. When we embrace and proclaim - and stand up for Christ - we are instruments of His peace. When His peace and His truth are seen in our lives - well - its ground breaking!

Ground-breaking Church

This is the third week of a message series for the Easter Season called “Ground-breaking”. It is a unique series for us because of its double meaning. First, in just a little over a month we are actually going to be breaking ground on a 1500sq. ft expansion which is part of our Generations campaign. This new space on to the front of our Church will connect and complete our campus and provide us with additional space for groups, activities and our growing Family of Faith. (See the drawings in Parish Centre). Second - we are in the Season which celebrates the most ground breaking event in history – Easter.

A ground breaking describes something that has never been seen or done or even thought of before - its pioneering. Usually is surprises and shocks and maybe shapes culture or redefines the way people live or work. Something ground breaking changes stuff....and certainly Easter was that..... it changed things.... it was groundbreaking - the impact is still being felt today

This first week we look at that heart of the ground-breaking of the Resurrection is the fact of its a new vision - one of Mercy. In our second week we took a look at Fear and how we can overcome up due to the Resurrection of Jesus by making three things a part of our life – the call to “feed, tend, go” This week we look at what it takes to be a ground breaking Church.

Feel free to listen once again to the Lord’s Day Message  

The word “new” appears several times in today’s readings. The passage from Revelation speaks of a “new” heaven, a “new” earth and a “new” Jerusalem. Jesus in the Gospel speaks of a “new” commandment. What’s supposed to be “new”? A new life in Christ, of course, is something that can come early or late into the life of a person. For many saints it came after quite a long period of loose and immoral living without God. St Augustine and St Ignatius Loyola come to mind. For most of us, it is something that may come in waves. In other words, it will not be a once-for-all experience but something that comes at different stages in our life, each time bringing us to a deeper level of understanding, insight and commitment. Something that is ground breaking is something which is new.

John’s Gospel narrative of the Last Supper takes us to the heart of what was going on in the Christian community following the Easter event. Unlike the other evangelists, John does not focus on the Eucharist but dwells on the profound action of Jesus’ washing the feet of His disciples. Clearly, Jesus wanted to impress on all who choose to follow him that this act of humble service is how we are to treat one another, everywhere, regardless of race, religion, creed or colour. This action and example now provides the backdrop for “the new commandment” expressed in today’s gospel. This is how all will know that we are Jesus’ disciples; this is what it means to “love one another as I have loved you.” This is the “love standard” Jesus has lived by and died for; it is the same standard he asks of us. Love of God and love of neighbour are now truly united—God incarnate—God, in the fullness of humanity, now draws all people and all creation to Himself.

This is an entirely new kind of love that Jesus holds out to us; a love that will require us to open doors that we have kept closed to others; to respond to appeals that cry out for our help; to forgive our own failings as well as those of others, from family members to enemies. Such a love will open our eyes to things which otherwise we might not have seen, such as the realization that the poor in the world belong to our own family; that those who live in despair can be saved by our caring for them; that peace can actually come to this planet so long as we learn to love one another. This type of love is ground breaking! It is this nature of love that the Church is called to be, that our parish is called to share.

The Ground breaking Message of the Resurrection is not only Mercy, It is not only that Fear has no power when we love the Lord and Feed, Tend and Go, but the ground breaking message of the resurrection is also that we must be a Church that constantly invites and invests.

In the Gospel of today John takes us back to the last supper.  Judas had left the room and now Jesus was with His closet friends

            - He had called them and in mercy many times healed them,

            - He had fed them at that last supper the first Eucharist ,

            - He had tended for them as He washed their feet,

            - He was ready to send them

But now He said to them - others must know about who I am by the love you show and have for one another. This love call us to be a people - a parish - that invests and invites in others. It is too easy to become a clique - closed in with friends huddled - but that is a Church in fear. We are a church of the New Evangelization - not one in fear, not one in box, but one which goes to the community and says - we are a light on a hill.

Sometimes the people we are called to invest in don’t even know the Lord has called them - something else brings them and our paths cross, but as people of faith we do - we hear the words - give them time, give them you. Give them me, and in humility we do....our faith, our experience, our time, our life learned lessons - not so that they don’t learn their own - but that theirs will not be as painful as ours. This is the love that Jesus speaks of in our Gospel when He calls us to love one another - - it was ground breaking because prior to it all things had to be earned

The Church of today - the groundbreaking Church - must be one that intentionally invest in relationship with people in our school, at soccer field, in social circles, in the simple encounters we have at Chapters, Tim Horton or the grocery line. We are called to invite them to join us here at our church - not because we want numbers but because Jesus desires souls to be with Him - but sometimes we don’t.

Sometimes it because we forget how good the good news really is......... that  no matter past sins or current failure - His grace is enough - Christ is risen from the dead. But if they don’t know that because they are not here - how will know Him? Sometimes we don’t because the process can be intimidating but the result is liberating.  

This become clear for us when we decide that we live in obedience to God and Him alone. When we seek to be in obedience to others, it means we must choose one over another. Choosing to obey one person can upset others, choosing one person’s train of thought - open us to criticism from others.

But living in obedience to God means we are building a new heaven and a new earth for Him. That we have one master - God  - and if we discern His will and do it - then our love for another one will show itself and we will be what the Church is called to be - ground breaking

Listen to this wonderful song by JJ Week Band – “Alive in Me”