Fr. Mike's Communication for June 27, 2021

Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual help | June 27, 2021

“For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.”

-2 Corinthians 8:9

Brothers and Sisters,

Blessing to you, on this the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help! Today, let’s consecrate ourselves through Mary to our Lord Jesus, asking for the courage to imitate her obedience, humility, and love of simplicity. By casting off hopes for worldly power and prestige, Mary made herself an empty vessel, ready to be filled by the Holy Spirit. And just like Our Lady, the Spirit desires to dwell inside us too. But in our world full of almost every kind of diversion, I know it can be a struggle to learn how to become “empty.” Nevertheless, keep the faith and ask God sincerely in prayer for help. The Lord wants nothing more than to heal us and show us how to experience the fullness of life.

Healing is what two individuals from two vastly different worlds seek in today’s Gospel. The first, a synagogue official, Jarius, puts his prestigious position aside. Bucking the Pharisees who tried to kill Jesus the last time he visited a synagogue —the well-to-do Jarius humbles himself, begging Jesus to come, lay hands on his sick daughter, so she can get well and live. As Jesus goes off with him, the second person seeking a cure presses against the crowd toward Christ. For twelve long years, a woman suffering from hemorrhages has spent all of her money on doctors but still suffers. Now without a dime, a remedy, or an advocate, she lets her faith lead, grabbing onto Jesus’ cloak. But instead of answering her brazen break in protocol with scorn, Jesus offers a cure, declaring, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” Finally, when Jesus arrives at Jarius’ house, they’re told the little girl has died and not to trouble Jesus any longer. Ignoring the message, Jesus greets this disregard with hope, saying, “Do not be afraid; just have faith,” entering the house and healing the child.

Our Savior’s response to both Jairus and the woman with a hemorrhage is evidence; Jesus’ compassion, mercy, and healing will always exceed our expectations. But you might be asking yourself, how do we receive this grace? And maybe even more significant, how can we become conduits of this grace, offering forgiveness and healing for those we love and those we struggle to love. Mary, our perpetual help, empties herself and so is honored as the Co-Mediatrix of Grace. When we open ourselves and receive the Lord, we too may cooperate with God’s plan – and make the world around us more forgiving, a bit brighter, filled with a few more smiles and a bit more laughter. We may not often experience a “miraculous healing” unfold before us, but when in faith, we embrace poverty, the poverty from riches, from fame, even from thanks the wisdom of God’s plan for us unfolds.

Many transitions greet us this week at OLPH. As I mentioned last week, the Director of Pastoral Care, Christa Weyant is leaving to resume ministry in Hospice Care, and we say goodbye to Principal Matt Malone as he steps down at the end of June. Also, Fr. Rob will be transitioning into his new role as associate pastor of Christ the King and St. Bernadette in Northern Anne Arundel County. All three have left behind a positive legacy at our Parish, and all are deserving of thanks! Please express your gratitude with a note of thanks. Fr. Rob can be reached at Christ the King Church, 7436 B & A Blvd., Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061, or you may stop by after the 11 am Mass on June 27th to visit and share a treat from Kona Ice with Fr. Rob. Please also share any good wishes or notes for Christa and Matt directly to the parish office. We’ll make sure they receive them. Please also continue to offer prayers for those the Lord is sending to us. Mrs. Tracy Underwood, our incoming principal, is eager to get to know our community and our incoming associate pastor, Fr. Anthony Abiamiri, who will return this week from a much-delayed visit to his family in Nigeria and join us after the Fourth of July holiday weekend. We continue to pray the Lord will lead us to our next youth minister, who we are currently seeking. May the Lord be truly generous to us as we greet these changes together.

Some of the key considerations for this week.

Make note of our Mass schedule, effective July ¾ weekend: Saturday 4:30 pm, Sunday 7:30 am, 9 am (in Church and livestream), 9 am outdoors, 11 am in the Church, and 5 pm. Daily Mass is celebrated at 8:15 am each day from Monday to Saturday. I encourage families who are traveling this summer to search for a local Mass while on Vacation. Masstimes.org offers a great resource to search local Mass times.
Also note beginning July 1st, Summer hours for our parish office in effect, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9 am – 3 pm.

Maryland will formally lift the COVID-19 state of emergency on July 1. We continue to work with the guidance and the support of the Archdiocese to make OLPH a welcoming and comfortable parish home – so that all our parishioners may freely worship the Lord.

This is a short summary of those protocols still in place at OLPH.

Hand sanitizing stations will remain available in the Church.
Communion will only be distributed by the Host, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion must use sanitizer before distributing communion and when communicants receive on the tongue.
The faithful are welcome to exchange the sign of peace, as they are comfortable, including shaking hands, respecting each other’s preferences during this time of transition.

Please remain diligent in your prayers for our local and greater community. The pandemic is not over, but there are wonderful signs of life. I encourage parishioners to receive the vaccination, as they are proving a great way to not only keep ourselves safe but also each other.

Hopefully, this summer will be filled with opportunities to relax while strengthening the faith. Our Sunday Visitor ranked Baltimore the top Catholic city to visit. As the Premiere See, Baltimore has a beautiful history of Catholicism – and some wonderful sites to visit including
- the Basilica of the Assumption, “the mother church of Catholic America”,
- the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on Charles Street,
- St. Mary’s Paca Street with the history of the first seminary in the United States and Mother Mary Lange and the founding of the Oblate Sisters of Providence,
- the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg,
- the 40-foot cross on St. Clement’s Island marking the landing site where Mass was celebrated by the first English Catholic colonists in America,
- and the Charles Carroll House and Gardens in Annapolis.

I would love to hear from you as to which is your favorite site to visit and pray as a family. Drop me an email or let me know the next time you see me!

As a reminder, this Wednesday, June 30, newly-married parishioners Zack and Tessa Robinson will host a one-hour facebook live event: Given: Unveiling the Mystery of Marriage with Stephane Calis, founder of Spoken Bride, and her husband Andrew.
A new Catholic Moms group has launched, with the simple aim of “Catholic moms supporting one another in prayer and fellowship.” Their next event is Tuesday, July 13 at 10 am with the Rosary in the Church, followed by playtime until 11:30 am. Come check out this group and RSVP here.
Quo Vadis 2021, Will be taking place July 12-15 at five parish locations including Our Lady of the Chesapeake in Pasadena and Sacred Heart in Glyndon. This is a great opportunity for High School young gentlemen (including rising 9th graders!) to spend time with seminarians who are themselves discerning the call to priesthood. To register or for more info, click here.

Vacation Bible School Treasured: Discovering You’re Priceless to God sets sail July 12-16 from 10 am to 12:30 pm. This summer, VBS is a family event, with parents and children learning and celebrating together. Register here. We are also in need of adult and high school volunteers, to find the specific needs and volunteer through this SignUpGenius. Reach out to Judy Gruel with any questions or for more information.

St. Joseph, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.

Rev. Michael S. Triplett