Marvels of Mass

This weekend we turn our focus to stewardship.

Today we begin our Mass with singing a general hymn of praise: “Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens”. While the name may not be familiar, the tune should be! This tune is Hymn to Joy, or better known as Ode to Joy or Beethoven’s Joyful, Joyful tune. Beethoven composed the tune for the final, or fourth, movement of his
9th Symphony. It’s a familiar tune with different words put to it.

This week we hear more stories in the Gospel while Jesus is out preaching of the Kingdom of God. We hear about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son – or the Prodigal Son as we call it. Lots of good scripture to think about! The basic idea – rejoicing when something is found that was lost. Our God rejoices when we go to Him; He forgives us; He has mercy on us; He welcomes us. Even in our first reading from Exodus, we hear of God’s mercy: “So the Lord relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.” (Exodus 32:14)

Last week in my column, I threw out the term in persona christi and I didn’t explain it much.

To continue on my latest theme of needed liturgical help, this week I’m laying out some very specific volunteer needs for the weekend masses.  Training is provide for all of the ministries.  We use a computer scheduling program that allows you to select which mass/es you volunteer for, how often you volunteer, and days that you cannot serve do to other commitments.  There’s an app for your phone that makes it easy to use! 

As you are well aware, the Church runs on volunteers – whether for social concerns, Bible studies, RCIA, men’s and women’s groups, liturgical ministries or the other multiple groups in our parish.  Part of volunteering is discovering what you are talented in, and how you can best put your gifts to work for the church.  That’s what stewardship – and evangelization - is all about.  Today I’d like to put in a plug for music ministry.

Votive candles.  What are they and why do we light them?

We have several places at Prince of Peace where you can light votive candles in church or the chapel.  So why do we do this?  Almost nothing says “Catholic” like votive candles, especially if they are placed before images or statues in a church.  The Church has a long tradition dating back to the words of Christ regarding light and the connection with candles.

“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).