December 15, 2022

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. John’s,

 

 

There are four different dismissals that the priest or deacon may conclude the Mass with. They are: “Go forth, the Mass is ended,” “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life,” or “Go in peace.”  All of these options are a command to go which is the first word of our slogan, “Go. Make. Teach.” The prayer of the Mass is finished but the fruits of it are far from over. Rather we go forth transformed and renewed in our faith. We are not meant to be one-hour-a-week Catholics but called forth with the grace of Christ from Mass to share the Good News by the way we live our lives. 

Think of the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus, they broke bread with Christ and once they realized they were with the Lord, they went forth transformed and renewed in their faith. After a victory by our sports team, we are excited and pumped up for the next game. The victory of Christ on the Cross and the prize of salvation that is gained for us in the Mass is much more powerful and significant. We are invited in to receive the graces of the victory and Divine Life itself.  The grace we receive from the victory help us to “GO” like the disciples and share Good News that Jesus is indeed alive. We so often like to share breaking news like that. Yet, it is difficult to share the Good News of Jesus as we are intimated by what others may say or how they will respond. So how do we “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord?” We do so when the opportunity arises to speak positively rather than join in on gossip. We have the opportunity to share what Christ has done for us or why we love God so much. We can announce the Gospel in subtle yet very real and honest ways. We are also invited to glorify God through the way we live our life. This might mean that we say “Glory to God” when someone gives us a compliment. It may mean that we glorify God by serving others and helping them to realize their God-given dignity. We are invited to “Go in peace” and to carry with us the peace that comes from Christ alone. Instead of rushing to the next thing right after Mass, may we be attentive to the presence of Christ in our lives. May His peace give us contentment.

For more resources on the Mass, please check out our parish library near the display case and bathrooms in the church. Also, you can check out formed.org as well https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/

Archbishop Hebda’s Pastoral Letter, “You will be my Witnesses” lays out the priorities for the next three years which include “Education on the Mass.” We plan to study the Mass more intentionally through the 2024-2025 program year. 

Finally, in anticipation of Christmas, we are excited to celebrate with you and many guests! Please be welcoming to all those joining us for Christmas as we want them to experience the joy of Jesus! Pray that all who come through our doors will be drawn into deeper communion with the Lord Jesus through encountering Him here.