Composer Maury Yeston wrote a song about a father teaching his infant son to speak. The song is entitled “New Words” and the father sings to his son about the moon and the stars shining above. In the third verse, the father teaches his son the word, love. He poignantly asks his son to look into his eyes to see the light shining in them. He explains to his son that this light is called, love. This is the light must see in each other.
With the merging of our schools, our community is facing new challenges but also new opportunities to provide the best Catholic education possible for our children. Because of the task at hand, I am postponing the merger of our two vibrant parishes until January 2021. One major challenge at a time is enough to keep us occupied. Saint John Capistran and Saint Thomas More are still very much engaged but our wedding is being postponed at this time. As two very vibrant faith communities, we seek to do our best as we come together as one. It is time for us to learn new words.
Focusing on what we hold in common and what is essential, we are a faith community that is strong in its faith, rooted firmly in Jesus and strengthened in word and sacrament. It is time for us to learn the words, ours, us and here. We cannot continue to live in fear or as settlers holding on to the past. There will be some changes as we come together, but we cannot continue to use the vocabulary of division. As we celebrate in the Sacrament of Marriage, two families are becoming one new family, still connected to what has gone before yet open to creating something new and exciting. This extra time will help us to forge the best future we can for our new parish. We will make new traditions as well as celebrate those special traditions that make us the people of God. We will be pioneers with a vision of a vibrant, cooperative parish family that is rooted in the love of Jesus Christ.
I have often been told that I see things too positively and I do tend to see the best in others and in every situation. I do see things that way because of you, the people I am privileged to serve. You are amazing witnesses to the Gospel. You are a people that is strong, holy, courageous and prayerful. You are a calling card to lead others to the joy of life in our loving God. As both of our sanctuaries celebrate the risen Christ, I am confident that you, in Him, will create a life-giving, life-filled parish. The task may seem monumental, but as the hymn reminds us, “We walk by Faith.”
Thank you for all you are and do. You are a gift and blessing. Let is together speak not of our way or their way. Let us speak a new word as we come together. That word is us. That word is a community united in Jesus and the Eucharist, a sacramental community nourished in grace, strengthened in God’s word and united in love.