Great Joy

April 29, 2009

Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church

With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city. Acts 8:6-8

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. John 6:37-38

Piety

I Am The Bread Of Life (Words and Music by Suzanne Toolan)

I am the bread of life, all who come to me shall not hungerAll who believe in me shall not thirst. No one can come to me, unless the Father beckons.
And I will raise you up, and I will raise, you up, and I will raise you up, on the last day!
Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man
And drink of His blood, and drink of His blood, you cannot have life within you.
And I will raise you up, and I will raise, you up, and I will raise you up, on the last day!
Yes, Lord, I believe, that you are the Christ, the son of God who has come into the world.
And I will raise you up, and I will raise, you up, and I will raise you up, on the last day!

Study

"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen (me), you do not believe. John 6:35-36

Seared into my heart and memory is the first time I remember hearing and experiencing the song “I Am the Bread of Life.” It was at a Trenton, New Jersey Diocesan CYO gathering in 1975. There must have been 1,000 or more teens assembled. As we hit the first refrain, everyone grabbed the hands of those next to them and raised them up. Wow. Two thousand hands lifted up in unison.

I am the bread of life.

Fast forward to 1987 at St. Mary’s Parish in Middletown, New Jersey for the funeral Mass for my father. Members of my family and I had come to the church and met the day before with our pastor, the late Rev. Msgr. Robert Bulman whom we expected would celebrate the Mass.

All who come to me shall not hunger.

We went over Dad’s favorite readings (John 3:16) and songs selected for the Mass. Msgr. Bulman reminisced with us about Dad and our life in the parish through the years we lived there. We recalled fondly one particular associate, Rev. Leon Kasprzyk, a former parochial vicar at that parish. Fr. Leon was the spiritual director for the CYO in my high school years. However, he was transferred and was now pastor at St. Stephen’s in Perth Amboy.

All who believe in me shall not thirst.

The next day, as the funeral procession pulled into the church parking lot, Msgr. Bulman came down to the car which carried my mother, brother, sister and I. He knocked on the window and asked me to come back with him to the sacristy. I thought it an odd request that we were pulling up in front and had not noticed that he was not yet wearing his vestments for a Mass that would begin any minute.

No one can come to me, unless the Father beckons.

As we walked up the stone steps to the sacristy, Msgr. Bulman, although many years my senior, exhibited Benedictine hospitality and held the door open for me to enter first. Standing there vested in white was Fr. Leon. Our dear pastor called his old associate who drove from many miles away, leaving his parish in mid week, to celebrate this Mass with us much to our joyful surprise. Tears of joy and sadness streamed down my face.

And I will raise you up, and I will raise, you up, and I will raise you up, on the last day!

As the Mass concluded, the choir began the communion hymn “I Am the Bread of Life.” And that day, when we got to the refrain, everyone in our old historic church clasped the hand of the person next to them and lifted them skyward as we got ready to walk Dad’s mortal body out of the church for the short ride to its final resting place.

Yes, Lord, I believe, that you are the Christ, the son of God who has come into the world.

Action

Fr. Leon retired recently from his St. John the Evangelist Parish in Lambertville, NJ – part of the Diocese of Metuchen. I think fondly and with great joy of how our relationship – through fun times and sad times – helped to shape my life as a young Catholic man and continues to have a residual effect through my life as an adult.

Sometimes in sadness I mourn over how some young people in the church were robbed of this kind of nurturing, positive relationship. They were not able to benefit from the kind of loving kindness our family had with Fr. Leon and so many other priests who were such positive influences on our lives. These priests led us in the breaking of the bread of life on a daily and weekly basis. Like Philip who went down to Samaria, Fr. Leon brought great joy into our lives. May he experience such in his retirement.

Just like the late Rev. Martin Hayes, O.S.B.
Just like retired Abbot Oscar Burnett, O.S.B.
Just like Sr. Frances Sheridan, M.S.B.T.
Just like Sr. Pauline Clifford, R.S.M.
Just like Brother Paul Shanley, O.S.B.
Just like Rev. Mike Hann, CICM
Just like Rev. Bill Quigley, CICM.
Just like Rev. Bob Yankovich, S.J.
Just like Rev. Joe McCloskey, S.J.
Just like Rev. John Adams, S.J.
Just like Fr. Clement, Fr. Tuck, Fr. Creedon, Fr. Stephan, Fr. Barkett, Fr. Ephraim.
Just like Deacons Jack Ligon, Nick LaDuca and Gene Betit.

The list could go on and on. Fill in your own names and pray in thanksgiving for their commitment and sacrifices.

Take a few minutes to thank someone in the religious life – priest, brother, sister or deacon – who has played an important positive role in your life. The next time the basket comes to you at church to support our retired religious, take a look at the contribution you plan to make…and consider doubling it if your means can handle the extra commitment.