June 19 – Corpus Christi

On Corpus Christi we celebrate the sacrament of sacraments, the Eucharist! No other sacrament gets its own feast day in the liturgical calendar, probably because the Eucharist is the “fount and apex of the whole Christian life” (Lumen Gentium 11).

Now, let’s be honest. From the outside perspective, the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist—his body, blood, soul, and divinity—is a very odd belief. The early Church refused to let the non-baptized attend the Eucharistic sacrifice because it is truly a sacrament for the initiated—so much so that attending the Eucharistic celebration each Sunday is a serious moral obligation for all Catholics under the penalty of mortal sin! (Save the serious exceptions like “illness or the care of infants” etc.; see Catechism of the Catholic Church 2181)

Why? Well, if we do not know or trust Jesus with our lives, we will probably be left like the crowds in John 6:60 who say, “This saying is σκληρός (skleros)”—the Greek word not just for ‘hard’ or ‘difficult’, but also harsh, physically dense, and even cruel and terrible! But if we trust that Jesus is who He says He is—both God and love incarnate—then when He says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you,” we will probably begin by responding like Peter: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).

But let’s look even deeper. The crowds said, “This λόγος (logos) is σκληρός (skleros)”. Now, if you’ve ever tried your hand at biblical Greek, you’d know that the beginning of John’s Gospel begins with calling Jesus the λόγος (logos), the Word who “was with God”, “was God”, and “became flesh and dwelt among us”. Thus, John the evangelist may be offering us a pun here in Greek: the crowd not only finds Jesus’ spoken words challenging to accept, they find Jesus the Word Himself challenging to accept! Hence why their reaction to His teachings on the Eucharist is as follows: “After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer walked with him” (Jn 6:66).

So too for us. If we misunderstand who Jesus truly is, who He is meant to be in our lives, then we will struggle with understanding the proper place of the Eucharist in our own lives as well. Yet, if we see Jesus as the one through whom all things were made (Jn 1:3), including ourselves, then we will see the Eucharist as not just any ritual, but as it is and ought to be: the fount and apex of our very lives.

Peace,

Father James – Parochial Vicar

 

 

June 12 – The Holy Trinity

There are many mysteries in life.  When I am confounded by some mystery, I always remind myself that life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived!  One of those mysteries is what we celebrate liturgically today – The Most Holy Trinity; One God, Three persons.  How in the world can you explain it?  St. Patrick tried by using the three-leaf clover – one clover with three leaves.  Others have used the three states of water: liquid, vapor and ice.  All are water acting in three distinct ways.  Instead of solving the mystery of the Trinity, I prefer to think about what the Trinity means.  When we read the Bible, we discover that it is all about relationships.  From the first page to the last, the Bible is all about relationships – our relationship with God and our relationship with one another.  The relationship between the Father, Son, and Spirit are all equal.  Each person is fully divine and equal to the others.  There is no hierarchy implied in the work ascribed to each person of the Trinity.  This is the model for our human relationships.  We should abandon our pursuit for domination over one another.  Each member of the human family is distinct, each given distinct qualities and mission.  Therefore there should be no separation of the human family into higher and lower levels.  In the doctrine of the Trinity we find the ultimate basis for the pursuit of justice.  The doctrine of the Trinity is the basis of a new world order.  Imagine that!! A mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved!

In my bulletin article of last week, I told you 36 pilgrims from Our Lady of Mercy and St. Michael joined me in a trip to see the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany.  We are now in the city of Prague in the Chez Republic, our last stop.  We fly back to Chicago this Wednesday, June 15, Prague to Vienna, then Vienna to Chicago.  May I once again ask for your prayers for a safe journey home.

Well, my days are truly numbered! As you read this article, I have 18 days until retirement!  I will be preaching all the Masses on the weekend of June 25/26.  I will be presiding at the 4:00pm Saturday, and 10:00am & 5:30pm on Sunday.  Please join me after Mass for some cake and refreshments.

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

 

 

 

June 5 – Pentecost

Today we are celebrating the priestly ordination and welcoming back to OLM Fr. Tom Logue.  Ordained a priest on May 21, 2022 by Bishop Ronald Hicks, Fr. Tom served a two-year internship at OLM as a seminarian and transitional deacon.  We at OLM are honored to have played a role in his formation as a priest, and we congratulate him and assure him of our prayerful support.  Fr. Tom will begin his first priestly assignment on July 1, 2022 at St. Raphael parish in Naperville.

Today we also celebrate Pentecost.  Pentecost is a big deal!  But what does it mean to us?  It is of course all about the Spirit, and today’s readings tell us that the Spirit is ready to lead us through transformations every bit as clear and bewildering as the events of Luke’s account of the Pentecost event.  There are five suggested readings for today’s liturgy and the all lead us to reflect on our place in the community of believers.  Not one of the readings speaks of a private experience of the Spirit of God, quite the opposite.  The communal dimension is most obvious in the selection for 1 Corinthians, in which Paul uses the image of a body to explain how intimately the members of the community have become identified with one another.  When Paul speaks of the differing gifts within the body of Christ, he highlights the paradoxical reality that the more unified the people become, the more their personal identity is strengthened.  The more they get involved as integral parts of the community, the more their individual gifts are brought out in service to others.  We were all given gifts of the spirit at our baptism.  May today’s celebration of Pentecost strengthen your awareness of your gifts of the Spirit!

This evening, thirty-six people from Our Lady of Mercy and St. Michael in Wheaton will be leaving with me on a flight to Zurich, Switzerland where we will begin a ten-day tour of Central Europe.  The highlight of our trip will be attending the world famous Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany.  Scheduled to go in 2020, the trip was postponed until now due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  We will see Lucerne, Oberammergau, Munich, Salzburg, and end in Prague.  We fly back on June 15.  Please pray for our safety.

Have a Blessed Week!

Father Don

 

My Retirement Address & E-mail:

Rev. Don McLaughlin

570 Crescent Blvd. Unit 303

Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

don.mclaughlin1081@gmail.com

 

 

May 29 – Ascension of the Lord

There is probably someone in your life who was the best teacher you’ve ever known – in elementary, high school, or college, maybe a coach or advisor of another extracurricular activity.  Perhaps it was a relative or mentor who helped you get started in your career or business.  The reason that person was your best teacher is not necessarily the content but the way in which they taught, the example they set for you, the model they presented for the way to live your life.  It is very likely that this teacher was only in your life for a brief time – a year, maybe two or three – but their impact has lasted a lifetime.  That’s why you remember them today.  I especially remember Dr. Robert Meyne, chair of the Department of Recreation at Indiana State University.  I was a confused undergraduate changing my major for the third time.  In meeting with him I immediately felt a special bond – a father figure who encouraged and challenged in the most gentle way.  As a senior, I was at the hospital with his wife when he died.  I still think of him today, 48 years after his death and appreciate how his example has formed part of who I am today.

Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord.  The disciples who followed Jesus and witnessed his life and death experienced him as their best teacher ever.  Jesus taught them far more than facts and information. He set an example of how to live and empowered his followers so they could take forward his message of salvation.  In the Ascension Jesus left them for a final time.  But despite his physical absence, Jesus left the disciples with the resources they would need to carry on the mission of his Church.  The effects of Jesus’ earthly ministry remain with us today.  Though the historic events of Christ’s life and ministry took place two thousand years ago, he remains with us along with the effects of his teaching and example.  The Spirit that Jesus promised to send still gives power to his Church and each of her members.  Jesus’ ascension is a preview of what will occur for all who believe and follow him!

This weekend we also celebrate Memorial Day.  With what has become the “official” start of summer with a day off work, barbecues, opening of swimming pools, and picnics, let us not forget the REAL OFFICIAL meaning of this day.  Let us take some time to pause and not only remember, but pray for our citizens who have sacrificed their life by dying in battle for the freedoms we enjoy.  May God bless those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and may God bless our veterans and keep safe all who serve in our military today!

Next Sunday is Pentecost – Come Holy Spirit!

Father Don

 

May 22 – Sixth Sunday of Easter

Today we joyfully congratulate Thomas Logue, III our transitional deacon intern the past two years.  Yesterday at St. Raymond Nonnutus Cathedral in Joliet, Bishop Ronald Hicks ordained Tom and two other men priests.  I was glad to see many parishioners from Our Lady of Mercy in attendance.  Please pray for God’s blessings on our new priests!  Fr. Tom will be celebrating a special Mass at Our Lady of Mercy on Saturday, June 4 at 6:00pm for the Vigil of Pentecost.  All are welcome to attend the Mass and reception following.  Fr. Tom will celebrate the 10:00am Mass at OLM on Sunday, June 5^th and will be at all the Masses for you to greet and extend your best wishes to him.

Here is an update on my retirement plans! As you know, June 30, 2022 will be my last day as pastor of Our Lady of Mercy.  My retirement comes after serving 40 years and 8 months as a parish priest at eight different parishes in our Diocese.  While I am retiring from parish ministry, I am not retiring from priestly ministry.  I accepted the opportunity to serve as part-time Catholic Priest Chaplain at Marianjoy Rehab Hospital in Wheaton.  I will celebrate Mass there on the 2^nd and 4^th Sunday’s of the month in addition to 10 hours weekly of pastoral presence/ministry at the Rehab Hospital.  Additionally, I will celebrate Masses and hear confessions at area parishes requesting help.

Many of you know that I was considering retiring permanently to California.  I have decided against that since I have too many friends and connections here in Chicagoland.  Considering my health issues, I also wanted to be near my doctors.  I will however spend several of the winter months in Sonoma County California.  This Thursday I will be moving to my retirement condominium in downtown Glen Ellyn.  I had hoped to find a place in Wheaton since I had been pastor of St. Michael’s for 11 years, but found none available during my search.  Glen Ellyn is the town just east of Wheaton.  You might be wondering why I am moving this week when my retirement isn’t until June 30.  I’m moving now because I will be gone June 5 – 15 escorting the Oberammergau Germany Passion that was supposed to happen two years ago but was postponed until this year.

Moving now gives me 11 days to get settled in my new place and prepare for the trip.  I will commute to OLM those 11 days.  When I get back on June 15, I have several medical tests and doctor appointments the following week and I wouldn’t have time to do a move. Then the following week is my last 4 days here.  Moving this early also allows adequate time for the OLM rectory rooms to be cleaned, rugs cleaned, painting done in preparation for the arrival of your new pastor!  I will put my new address and email in the bulletin starting in June.

Have a blessed Easter Season!

Father Don