|
Home Parish News From the Bishop Parish Contacts Subscribe to E-mail Updates Catholic Resources Masses Saturday 4 p.m. Sunday 8 & 10 a.m. Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m. Confessions Saturday 3:15 p.m. and by request Office Hours Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30-5 p.m. E-mail Parish Office |
|
Copyright 2008
St. Joseph the Worker; All rights reserved |
| "We Gather in Faith" |
| Teaching and commentary by our pastor, the Most Rev. Francis J. Christian |
|
REFLECTIONS Aug-24-2008 
Recently a parishioner provided me the following meditation. I found it an inspiration and hope it will be the same for you. A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side” Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don’t know.” “You don’t know? You a Christian man do not know what is on the other side/”, questioned the sick man. The doctor was holding the handle of the door. On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. In the same way, I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing… I know my Master is there and that is enough!” Turning to a different but related subject, I recently had a powerful experience of the communion of saints which I would like to share with you. Each time a baby is baptized, as six were two Sundays ago in our church, a short version of the litany of saints is recited. We believe that when a child is baptized he or she becomes a brother or sister in Christ of every other baptized person who shares the life of Christ. That includes those who have gone before us who are with the Lord in heaven. So we ask those saints to pray for these new Christians and to walk with them throughout their lives. The meaning of this came home to me last week when I prayed at the bedside of one of our parishioners who is dying. Part of the prayer for such a person is the very same litany of saints. As at the beginning of life, so at its end we ask the saints to intercede for their brother or sister who we hope will soon be joining them in heaven. Is it not a wonderful thing to know that we never walk alone during our lives? Most importantly the Lord is with us. But so are all those who have served him well and want to assist us to do the same. Back to Top | Back to Main Page |