Taking the Next Step
As visitors attending the late night Sacrifice of the Mass at Saint John's Co-Cathedral, the warmth of this community brought our family a feeling of coming home for Christmas. Thank you! This warmth may have been a combination of seeing the colors of Christmas and folks dressed in “fancier than regular Mass” attire or the magnificent blend of vocal and instrumental music, especially the solos. The reception we experienced could have been due to the attention given to every aspect of the celebration of this great feast day, lifting our spirits to a height befitting the beginning of the Christmas season. After four weeks of Advent, we certainly were ready to enter a spirit of jubilation.
At this parish tucked into the heart of Rochester, Minnesota, one encounters a blend of the pristine and practical carved into the beautiful statues as well as the smiling faces filling each pew. Discovering and deepening faith is not a feeling that can be fashioned with art or the beautiful stained glass or the music that lightens each Mass. Nothing speaks to a soul like the Voice of God.
Over Christmas, we were blessed to hear God’s Voice resounding in the choir and to see God’s Love radiating in the people sharing in this magnificent celebration. We were able to understand God’s Words better as we contemplated Christmas’ meaning - a Child, our Savior loving in tangible ways. This understanding brings us to a challenge in this week’s reading stating “I have seen and I testify” from John 1:34.
The “seeing” is evident in the lives of anyone who is willing to mindfully pay attention to life. I know I have seen, felt, and experienced God’s Presence in my life and can easily give an account of the ways He manifests love. However, the “testifying” often presents an obstacle as I question “Am I ready to bring that joy, peace, wisdom and understanding through my life into the lives of others?” This daunting task can be startling when first pondered, but slowly becomes more manageable as the pieces of a plan fall into place.
Bringing Jesus to others by discovering opportunities available can be a first yet frightening step. After such bitterly cold and blustery weather, the warming of temperatures and the clearing of the highways after Christmas are allowing us to navigate our vehicles more easily. We drive with more confidence being assured of our abilities to make plans and see them through. The changing of the environment allows us to embrace a new freedom since obstacles disappear. In the same way, the more comfortable we are in our parishes, the greater our understanding of Who our Lord is and how astonishing His Love for us is, and the more our spiritual confidence will flourish. This confidence enables us to take these first steps of growing in our faith, allowing us an opportunity to freely testify to what we have seen. We have seen our Eucharistic Lord who first appeared in human history as Father Mahon mentioned in his Christmas homily “as a Baby” allowing us to approach Him with ease. We can answer His Call by living out our faith more fully each day as we offer our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings to God, trusting in His Divine Plan.
This message of spiritual growth is seen and echoes through the Co-Cathedral community. The challenge for all of us is to integrate our faith into the adventure of our everyday lives in loving and serving ways. Are we ready to accept what we have seen and answer the challenge, the call, the adventure to testify by taking the next step in our daily lives?
Mary Whalen
Visitor to the Co-Cathedral