Sharing Our Gifts With Those in Need

Dear Friend,

This Sunday Bishop Szkredka will be with us to confirm 20 of our parish youth and an appropriate day it is. The readings for Ascension Sunday include references to light, Spirit, power, and mountaintops. These images, along with many others, form a backdrop for Jesus’s commissioning of his disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…,” he tells them, adding, most importantly (the concluding words of Matthew’s Gospel): “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20). 

I’m looking forward to Bishop’s homily, as I am always moved and enlightened by his insights. A scholar of scripture - having taught for many years at Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo - Bishop “Swavek”, his preferred nickname, also brings a lived heritage of his native Poland, as he was born just 50 miles from the hometown of Saint John Paul II.  

Rereading articles published about Bishop Swavek at the time of his episcopal ordination, I discovered that he himself summarized our commissioning very well with these words: “Pray that as we receive God’s gifts, we may be generous in sharing God’s gifts with all, especially with the poor and the needy.” Those to be confirmed this Sunday - and all of us with them - will surely be invited to clarify our central task as followers of Jesus.  

As for the promise of Jesus’s abiding presence, I’m taken back to the story of the Emmaus journey from Luke’s Gospel, which we heard proclaimed four weeks ago. “In the breaking of bread” their Master was present to them. The disciples were opened not only to their task, but to their gifts. A question for them is the question for us: What gifts have we been given? How might we share them with those most in need?

Gratefully,

Father Dan ofm