St. James Parish
Fr. Ron Bacovin

Weekly Letter from Fr. Ron to his Parish
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER -NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 
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PASTOR’S NOTES:December 26

There is a Christmas play from medieval times (the only author given is "the Wakefield Master") in which three shepherds' come to present gifts. There seems to be nothing new in this-popular fancy has often imagined them bringing a lamb, or milk and cheese, or even a blanket!! But the playwright had a deeper thought-his three shepherds are a deliberate parallel (or parody) of the Three Kings. Those exotic strangers brought gold, frankincense and myrrh, but the humble visitors from the night bring a bunch of cherries, a bird and a ball. It is a delightful twist. Bring what you have-and bring yourselves. A person has need of joy and beauty as much as food. And the medieval artist also saw that all gifts are precious it they come with love. Jesus is the Father's gift to us, and he comes in humble wrappings-our humanity. The Father could have given us a king, or an instant New Creation, another kind of world. Instead He gives us a child and commits us all to human life. It is a long road and a slow journey. Love will take its time to win the victory. But the last shall be first. Hope shall be crowned. And in the Peaceable Kingdom a child shall play with a bunch of cherries, a bird and a ball. (Good News-Homily Service) As we give presents and are happy, let us remember that God has gifted us with life and the good earth, our talents and each other. And beyond our wildest expectations God has gifted us with Emmanuel (God with us). To those who dwell within any of the many faces of poverty-remember too that this child's birth is remembered because of his sufferings, death-and his Resurrection. Your life is now His life and His life is in you-and like Emmanuel, you shall rise with Him unto a new life. Christ's blessings to all these days of Christmas. Fr. Ron Bacovin
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PASTOR’S NOTES: December 12

Last week, I illustrated a way of meditating by focusing on your feelings. It is not always easy to be attentive to them or to recognize how deep and subtle our feelings go. This I week I enclose a more traditional type of meditation that also might be of some benefit to you. Usually I recommend that it be used at Christmas. However, recognizing the fact that Christmas day may not allow you the time (unless you make the time) I give it to you now so that you can get to it before Christmas. It is from T.S. Eliot’s play Murder in the Cathedral. Thomas a Becket, a bishop now at odds with the king of England, delivers this Christmas homily: “Does it seem strange to you that the angels should have announced peace, when ceaselessly the world has been stricken with war and the fear of war? Does it seem to you that the angelic voices were mistaken, and that the promise was a disappointment and a cheat? Reflect now, how our Lord himself spoke of peace. He said to his disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.’ Did He mean peace as we think of it? The kingdom of England at peace with its neighbors, the barons at peace with the King, the householder counting over his peaceful gains, the swept hearth, his best wine for a friend at table, singing to the children? Those men his disciples knew no such things: they went forth to journey afar, to suffer by land and sea, to know torture, imprisonment, disappointment, to suffer death by martyrdom. What then did he mean? If you ask that, remember then that he said also: “Not as the world gives, give I unto you.” So then, he gave his disciples peace, but not peace as the world gives.”
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PASTOR’S NOTES: December 5

Advent is a season of lights. For most believers of our culture there is the battle between the lights of the malls and the light of the hearth (or home). We are attracted to the malls-it is the time for shopping/gift-giving and we want and need to shop. I fear that using Advent for a time of dreaming/reflecting/praying (i.e. the image of the hearth) does not have a high priority in our daily living. The ideal of the hearth seems too simple and too subtle to overcome the urge to get out there in the mix. Advent’s a time for dreaming! It’s a time to dare to hope for a better world (for all). It’s a time to just imagine a world without a Christ in it and a time of Christ entering it. I urge you: take the time…make time to pray and reflect. If you find difficulty in the “intellectual” side of your prayer life (i.e. your mind is filled too much with worry, anxiety, problem solving, planning for the day, etc.) let me suggest a different way to approach our meditation. Gather up a few pictures. One of the pictures has to be that of a nativity scene or Madonna and child. Alongside that picture place four or five other pictures; maybe a picture of a child at play, a young adult playing at a sport or studying, a picture of your spouse and/or family, a picture of a hand gun, a picture of a lonely person or someone hospitalized (you can add others you might later think appropriate. The power of this meditation comes from not thinking about the pictures but how you feel about the pictures. E.G. the image of a Madonna and child or the nativity scene: what feelings do you have as you look at them? Comforting? Peace-filled? Hope-filled? Anxious? Now look at the other pictures (one at a time) and take note on how you feel about each one in relation to the Nativity or Madonna and child scene. Are the feelings contradictory or are they in sync? What would that “say” to you. E.G.—while the Nativity scene may produce a sense of serenity or an urge to protect—the image of the handgun might stir up a very upsetting feeling. Did you find yourself uncomfortable, crossing your legs, clenching your fists, etc? The image of a lonely person might produce feelings of hope when contrasted with that of the Nativity scene…maybe something else. Perhaps you found yourself smiling…or anxious. I find that the body will tell you things about yourself that your mind will never tell you. To illustrate, imagine having a fight with a very good friend. Eventually you apologize, shake hand and even embrace and say everything is good. Yet, at a later date, when you find yourself at a party, you realize at the end of the evening that you had barely said “hello” to one another and you were uncomfortable in their presence (or they in yours). Isn’t it obvious that though you have in your mind put the problem aside it still bothers you and some issues remain to be worked out? That is your body informing you about something your mind would not tell you. By taking note of your feelings you can learn a lot about what you expect from the Birth of Christ…maybe how much more you need Christ. Let me know how it goes.
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PASTOR’S NOTES: November 28

Ever notice how many things in our society occur in an illogical sequence of after the fact? Preventative measures are quite frequently enacted after the event has taken place. What is there about the human psyche that seems to resist or to postpone closing the proverbial “barn door” before the horse runs? We take measures for good health many times only after we have gone through a medical crisis. Many drivers have decided to wear their seat belts only after a near, but serious, mishap with their car. Why were warning printed on cigarette packs only after thousands had died of cancer… or a traffic light installed after a number of accidents had already piled up? Some still haven’t figured out that the time to warn children about drug abuse is before they get involved in it…not only after they are caught up in it. Of course, the reasons are man and a lot of other factors enter into the equation. Many live under the illusion that they are immune to anything bad happening to them. Others simply deny what is unpleasant or that they will always have the time to attend to things later. Only when we find ourselves personally and inescapably confronted by the oftentimes harsh and loathsome exigencies of life do we begin to take them seriously. How much more seriously must we consider those spiritual exigencies in our lives that have eternal repercussions and consequences. Each advent, the church affords the community of believers a confrontation of sorts by reminding each of us that there is a greater wisdom in anticipating the return of the risen Christ than is procrastinating and be caught completely unprepared to welcome and be welcomed by him. Each Advent, through the ambiance of the liturgy and the readings of the scriptures we are put in touch with the fact that we belong, not to ourselves, but to God and to one another. We continue to exist because God has graced us with life and love and directed us toward goodness and holiness. Ultimately we need the Lord---for without God there is no hope of salvation (or even our existence). We belong to each other for, as the scriptures will remind us, God has dignified our human life by the Son’s incarnational involvement (“….the Word became flesh…”) and redeemed us from ourselves by a call to relationship: thus we are made for each other. The scriptures will instruct us to live in the present moment (as well as in anticipation of the future). Let us faithfully attend to the present moment by living to the full the vocation that is entrusted to us by God. Reflection and meditation are great places to start becoming aware of what surrounds you, knowing what your life is really like at the present time, and will draw you into a brighter hope for a new day. I know that time is a precious commodity but somehow attentiveness to ourselves, to our present situation and to those around us seem to give us more time and more enjoyment. And when you celebrate Christmas—know that it is much more than the birth of the Christ-child you are celebrating. He is the promise of our hope for a future…for the future.
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PASTOR’S NOTES: November 21
In viewing Mary, Mother of Jesus, last week I thought that the first part was not anything we haven’t seen in the past(unless, of course you were a child…in that case it is all new). But upon thinking about it the next day I realized that they simply were faithful to the gospel accounts and did not try to embellish or interpret the gospel. In one scene there was a reflective reference to Mary’s Immaculate Conception when her mother said to Mary that she never knew her to do anything wrong (i.e. she was without sin). The portrayal of Mary telling a young Jesus parables (e.g. about the Good Samaritan) and thinking of Jesus later using these stories in his teaching was an opening to thinking of Mary in an entirely new way about this woman and of her influence on Jesus. To see Jesus cry at the death of his father, Joseph, was a warm human portrayal of Jesus. It is quite likely that this two-hour program reached more people and different people than all who celebrated Mass that day. This was quite an evangelistic event! Feast of Christ the King: Some of us would remember that this feast was once celebrated on the last Sunday of October. The Feast of Christ the King was established in this century and it was a proclamation that the world is in God’s hands. Jesus was not only the Savior of the world, but also its victor. When atheistic communism was on the rise in the early part of this century, it was thought that Italy, Germany, and France, etc. would be the countries that would embrace it. These were traditionally Catholic in outlook and the threat of atheism was of great concern. Russia was not envisioned as the country that would accept it and put it into practice. November 1st was always a great day of celebration for communism and so the church, in order to reinforce her understanding of not only God’s presence but also of God’s final victory (and as a stance against atheistic communism), declared the last Sunday of October as the Feast of Christ the King. As times changed the feast was moved to the last Sunday of the church year. This simple move gave an entirely new emphasis to the feast. It is now reflective more of the end times of the world rather than of God’s dominance. It now becomes, not so much a reaction to atheism as it is an anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. Remember that the building of God’s kingdom was entrusted into our hands. Christ is embodied in us and in that way we share in the kingship of our God (as He shared in our humanity). Remember too, that though we may not know what the future holds—we do know who holds the future. Christ’s vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!
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PASTOR’S NOTES: November 14
reflection: Not long ago a Rabbi asked a minister if his congregation believed that God is holy? He went on to say, “When I ask Jews to identify one word that comes to mind when they think of God, they typically answer, “holy.” But when I ask Christians the consistent answer is “Love.” So I began to wonder, what do Christians think about God’s holiness?” We try to counterbalance images people have of God as excessively austere, judging and wrathful. Still, a good question to ponder: “Have we lost sight of our God’s majestic holiness?” In our prayer life—is it highly subjective and begging God’s attention to us and to our needs and little attention to the hallowed character of God’s name? We are worthy of God because God has created us and has given us an innate worth…but have we ever (?) sensed and prayed that we are not worthy to be in God’s presence? Often our lackluster response to God’s love and, at times, our participation in doing evil ought to be a source of great modesty and humility. What you know of God and God’s character will certainly affect the way you pray. Anthony Bloom, in his book Beginning to Pray writes the following: What we must start with, if we wish to pray, is the certainty that we are sinners in the need of salvation, St. John writes of this, too, that we are cut off from God and that we cannot live without him…And so, from the outset, prayer is really our humble ascent toward God…And all we can do is to turn to him with all reverence, all the veneration, the worshipful adoration, the fear of God which we are capable, with all the attention and earnestness which we may possess, and ask him to do something with us that will make us capable of meeting him face to face, not for judgment, nor for condemnation, but for eternal life. Reflecting on God’s holiness (God is the holy!) will keep us from trivializing and sentimentalizing our faith. It will heighten our sense and value of God' mercy, forgiveness, love and friendship…and all these are closely linked with a call to become holy. Just a reminder: Confessions are now held on Saturday mornings from 11 – 12 noon. Last week was the first week of the new schedule and the response was very favorable.
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PASTOR'S NOTES: November 7
In religious parlance the word eschatology refers to the end times and the coming of the Lord Jesus. Every November we encounter these thoughts as we complete the church year. The readings focus on a proper attitude of readiness for believers. If this doesn’t prompt one to reflect, perhaps we might profit from the atmosphere of millennial madness that surrounds us. On the one hand, many are preparing to celebrate 2000AD in extravagant ways: $75,000 for a trip around the world on the Concorde (18 days), cruises, reservations at the Rainbow Room in NYC, etc. More numerous, however, are those who are concerned about Y2K which they believe will cause computer-driven crises and shut down a large part of public utilities, communications, banking, etc. Frightened by millennial “prophets” and other purveyors of doom, hundreds have equipped their homes with gas-powered generators. Many have stockpiled several months supply of bottled water and non-perishable goods. Others are taking a more drastic approach. In May of 2000, some believe that an alignment of the planets will destroy the earth and so are looking for caves in which to hide; others building shelters to weather the catastrophe. Some have even ordered waterbeds that will hold 300 extra gallons of water. Worried about banking, a Time/CNN poll found that 47% of the people polled plan to withdraw savings before December 31st, 26% said they would not board an airplane, ride an elevator or have surgery, and at least 15% admitted that they would arm themselves for protection. Although the hype and hysteria surrounding the coming millennium does little to inspire, there is something to admire in all the “madness,” viz., the zeal, the seriousness, and the thoroughness with which many are preparing its arrival. Would that the disciples of Jesus would be similarly earnest in readying themselves and the world to welcome him! Be aware of the fundamentalist alarmists who claim to know when Jesus shall return, viz., the year 2000. Tell them the truth. In actual fact, the third Christian millennium began a few years ago (and nothing happened). Although the 6th century monk and canonist, Dionysium Exiguus was the first to date the Christian era by the birth of Christ, his calculations were in error – by 4 to 6 year! Therefore, the year 2000-year of the birth of Christ occurred somewhere between 1994-1996. (from Celebration, 11/7/99 – a homiletic resource publication) Keep in mind the words and thoughts from the scriptures when the apostles asked Jesus when the end time would appear. Jesus said, “..no one knows the day or the hour.” Only the Father knows (and the Father isn’t telling anyone-not-even Jesus)
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PASTOR'S NOTES: October 31
From Paul Wilkes book, The Good Enough Catholic, I list below some reflections about the Mass. You may like them; you may want to reflect on them. . Where do I sit? What will I do? Like many immigrants, I was apprehensive about attending Mass when I arrived in America. How should I behave? What will people say? And here I am, a . as you say . cradle Catholic. I was so amazed, I found the same God, the same Christ in this church as in Bangladesh. Different cultures, but here is a church that binds us together around the globe. The church is bigger and stronger than any nation or culture. What a wonderful feeling to have such a church.. Shilpi D. Costa . I remember back to the days of bowing your head and worshipping in silence. I used to feel that. s the way it would always be. Then, there I was, standing under the basketball hoop in a gymnasium for Mass, a dialogue Mass, with a coffee hour afterward. The Mass is people together, and that means more than individual piety. The first time I came to the gym Mass I really wept, at the beauty of it, the closeness I felt.. . The cocoon of the pre-Vatican church is gone, of course. We realize the differences people had all along. But the idea is not to homogenize those differences. Respect them, even though there. ll be friction.. Pat Reardon This quote is from S. Kierkegaard in . Purity of Heart.. He compares the theater with the worship of God and concludes that we are too easily tempted to bring the theatrical pattern into the church. . In the theater the prompter is the one who remains hidden, whispering the words the actor speaks; and the audience, observing the actor, assess the wholeness of being he manifests and the singleness with which he embodies the role. It is wrong, Kierkegaard says. even though it is how we usually distribute the roles. to see God as the prompter, the pastor as the actor, and the congregation as the audience. It would be more correct to visualize the pastor as the prompter, each member of the congregation as the actor, and God in the role of the audience watching the way each one acts out a specific role on the stage of life.. (And I might add. God allows you to be creative and spontaneous in . your role..
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PASTOR'S NOTES October 24
Some random thoughts for this Sunday: Words are not unimportant and they can strongly influence our thinking and emotional response to situations. Kenneth Woodward made this observation&in the NY Times .An unborn child is never called a baby, but always that neutral biological thing called a fetus.. (When is the last time you heard someone ask an expectant mother, .How.s your fetus?.). Does the NY Times really think that a fetus becomes a baby only when the mother chooses not to abort it. And, .with the debate over partial-birth abortion,. The Times has adopted a most awkward neologism& .State Senate votes to ban a form a late-term abortions which critics call .partial-birth abortion. but which physicians call .extraction and dilation... The fact: .Partial-birth exactly describes a procedure that had no medical name until pro-abortion doctors decided to give it one that only sounds scientific.. The following was written to Emperor Hadrian by a philosopher/Christian from Athens. .They (Christians) love one another. The never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who would harm them. If they have something, they give freely to the person who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home, and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don.t consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit, in God.. Has the burden of human want left you feeling helpless to the degree that the only means of surviving is to remain somehow detached from the surrounding difficulties? These words are from Edward E. Hale (a clergyman and proponent of the Social Gospel movement) who once wrote: .I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.. And lastly: the issue on whether to name ourselves as .church, parish or community. turned out to be a non-issue. We will stay as .St. James Church.. Just for the records there were 9 votes for .church. (one vote came from California), 4 votes for parish and 3 votes for community.
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PASTOR'S NOTES October 17
One of the positive sides of our humanity is the reality that we love to be of service to others. To be needed and then to respond to that need is a fulfilling experience. In some imaginings, heaven will be a place where everything will seem perfect. There will be no more tears, sorrowing, etc. Some popular imagery about heaven offers the possibility that the only thing we can do for God is to sing&after all, God is perfect and really doesn.t need any help from us. If that strikes a cord in your heart let me offer a thought: If we can do nothing for God in heaven, we ought to take every opportunity to do something for God on this earth. Imagine actually being able to do something for God that God needs? Wouldn.t you do that .knowing that you are needed by God and you fulfill God.s need? Sure you would! How can you do that? Check out Matthew 25:31 (it.s a Last Judgment scene)..it.s about feeding the poor, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, etc. AND Jesus said, .If you do this to the least of my brethren, YOU DO IT TO ME!. (And there are a lot more things you can do&read on.) The following is a reflection on today.s gospel by Fr. Joseph Nolan from a service called .Good News.. .Caesar. has become a sign or symbol for government. What loyalties or obligations do we have here? If you ask students they will answer, .Pay taxes, I suppose. Serve in the army.. Some of them add, .Vote in elections.. Very few remember, .Serve on juries.. They may speak in terms of patriotism.the speeches we hear every year on the Fourth of July. But we should all consider what we owe to community. The country is our larger community, and in these cities and towns where we live, we seek together, or we should, the common good. There is a civic virtue. There are people who give themselves to public office to be of service. In our age of disillusionment, it.s hard to believe it&What about our loyalties to God? What are we commanded to give to God? Jesus answered that in the most inclusive fashion; he spoke of a love that comes from and involves our whole heart and mind, all our strength, our entire being. And then he delivered this love of God from something heavenly and abstract by speaking of neighbor, someone he defined as a fellow human being, especially one in need. And service to such a one he counted as service to God. What do we owe to God? Praise, thanksgiving, obedience.all these. But what we owe to God in the beginning is gratitude for the gift of life itself. The gift is also the earth around us, the love that nourishes us. And slowly it dawns upon us that the gift includes the knowledge of God and the one we call Jesus.
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PASTOR.S NOTES: October 10
Last week, October 1st, the parish celebrated the 100th anniversary of the dedication of our small church (or chapel). I (and all that were there) have to thank everyone who fashioned and organized the celebration&from the decorations, to the liturgical ministers, to the choir and to the refreshment committee. It was truly a unique experience. Such occasions remind me that whenever and, most likely, wherever we travel or move, we expect to find a church in which to celebrate the mysteries of God.s love. If we come to celebrate the Mass we feel a real kinship with those we have never met. What was celebrated on October 1, 1899 in the chapel is still celebrated today. The stories which were told over the past 100 years are still told today (e.g. Jesus healing the sick, proclaiming the Good News, the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, etc.) The actions of the consecration and the breaking/sharing which were celebrated 100 years ago are celebrated today&as they have been celebrated (in essence) over the past 1,900+ years. We carry within us the Memory of Jesus and pass it on. A hundred years from now a church will gather on a 200th anniversary, carrying within their hearts the memory of Jesus, and in some way will hold us as well in their hearts. I suggest to you a form of prayer which, in truth, I do not practice often enough. I don.t know why because it is very beneficial. However, let me go on. There is a tradition among some people where once a month (Sundays) they continue their .ordinary. day but with heightened attentiveness to everything they do. For example, if they are washing dishes they do not let themselves be distracted (e.g. the radio is not on) but become totally focused on what they are doing. They are attentive to the temperature of the water, the textures of the dishcloth or the tableware, to the suds, to the water running over their hands and fingers as they rinse, to the movement of their arms and hands. If they are walking, they are attentive of the movement of their hands and legs, the feel of the feet on the ground, the temperature and whether there is warmth on their face or if there is a breeze. This may seem too simple.I assure that it is not. When I first did this (I was in a unique course in spirituality) I tried to describe on paper how I walked. I wrote, I think, a half a page. When I got to the classroom and shared papers with others, I discovered that I missed about 5 or 6 more pages I could have written. One result of this form of prayer was that more I was attentive, the more I stood in awe of what God has given me each day. This can fill me with a more Eucharistic or thankful heart. If you try this form of prayer, please let me know how you made out and if it was really worth the effort.
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PASTOR.S NOTES: OCTOBER 3rd
The gospel for this Sunday (the workers in the vineyard refusing to pay the owner and eventually even killing the owner.s son) is very complicated. If you were a Galilean living in the time of Jesus this is how you might have understood the parable. The owner of the vineyard is not a sympathetic figure. He is an absentee landlord, either a Saducee or a Roman. The tenants are likely to be Jews who have lost their farms because of the fortunes of war and ever-rising taxes. The servants and the son are originally figures of oppression (that they would stand as figures for prophets or Jesus came about in a revision of the parable.) So, the .good guys. are the tenant farmers who kill the son in order to gain squatters. rights. The appearance of the son at the vineyard might have meant to the hearers that he was now claiming his inheritance from his dead father and thus the oppression would continue. When St. Matthew wrote down the parable he was saddened that the word of God and the Lord Jesus were not being accepted by the Jewish people (Jesus himself seemed genuinely shocked that his teaching was being rejected.) Thus the parable which is a story intended to make us think became an allegory (where different figures are identified in the story.s characters.) In our hearing, in the year 1999AD, we ought to be wise enough to know that this parable cannot and must not be used as any kind of justification or foundation for anti-Semitism. Certainly we Christians (especially the Catholic Church) has reason for shame, more than enough, in our treatment of Jews throughout the centuries for which we need to ask forgiveness (such as was recently enacted by Pope John Paul II.) And in our hearing we need to recognize again that Lord Jesus is not advocating violence. What we might hear is a call to turn to our God, a call to overcome deep-seated biases so as not to lose the Kingdom of God; to overcome injustice and stand against it; to take a position of a healthy fear of losing our God because of a temporary gain; and to seize, as it were, the Kingdom of God in our midst. I find for myself that as I progress (I don.t get older.I progress) I tend to see and understand things differently.and I hope, more wisely. I do not understand why it is that some people respond to a kind word while others respond to a sharp word. I think Jesus noticed this as well and so in one section of a gospel we have the inviting and tender Jesus speaking to us and then in another section he shakes our senses with a strong rebuke. Managers have often found that the threat of the loss of a person.s job works better than great patience and .love.. In our lives, though we tend to react more favorable toward one over the other, we will probably see that we needed both to move us along: discipline as well as motivation, encouragement and chastisement, the goal immediately at hand and the one in the distance&all this to bring us to a .place. where we would want to be and need to be. In our hearing today that .place. is the presence of the Lord and the life of the Lord.
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Pastor's Notes SEPTEMBER 26,
I would like to thank everyone who had been involved in the arrangements for my installation last Sunday and for the little reception, which followed. You were most gracious and I am most thankful. If you did not get to hear Sr. Jose Hobday any of the three days she was here I think you missed something you would not only have enjoyed but would have benefited from as well. The first evening Sister looked at her watch and said it was 9pm (already), those gathered there did not realize that the time could have gone by so fast. We are thankful to the Lord for having her in our presence. Since I have been here, I have heard St. James referred to as .St. James Church., .St. James Parish,. and .St. James Community.. Which title do you like most? This is an opportunity for you to vote on your preference. You can notify us by e-mail (stjames@njcc.com), call in your vote, or drop us a note. At the end of September, I.ll tally them all together and whichever one comes out on top.which will be the name we use on our bulletin, etc. I would like to take note of the fact that whatever we do, we do as one and I will be asking the various ministries to always note that when they sponsor some event. As an example, rather then advertise that the .Religious Education Program is sponsoring an event. it would be advertised that St. James Church under the sponsorship of the Religious Education Ministry is sponsoring an event&. In subtle ways I think this will help reinforce the importance and connectedness of each ministry. St. Paul did the same thing in his letter to the Corinthians where he wonderfully describes the followers of Christ as the .Body of Christ. (1Cor.12:20ff) . St. James is wonderfully diverse with a number of ministries&all of them important to all of us. You will see an insert in the bulletin this week listing the times and intentions of the Masses. They will be printed on a monthly basis and I think you will find it a little more convenient to locate the specific intentions and better plan to be at that Mass.
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PASTOR.S NOTES: SEPTEMBER 19, 25TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

There are some gospel stories and gospel events which really get to our feelings (and spirit). One such event is the story of Martha and Mary (the defenders of Martha are legion); the parable of the Prodigal Son can move us. Today we have another of these stories: everyone works&but the burden of the work is not shared equally, yet all get the same pay. The common reaction seems to be that we know the boss can do this: but it.s not fair! Of course the point is not whether or not it.s fair.the point is&well, you can figure it out, you don.t need me to tell you. One of the ways to look at the gospel is to understand that people have approached their love of God with some sense of legalism in their relationship (i.e., if I do all the right things and follow the laws, I can earn heaven) or they see their new faith as a burden, as a different set of rules, or their relationship with God is somewhat uncomfortable. Do we measure our religion as to how much work we put into it or how much love we have for our God? If it is measured by love&well then, you just can.t start early enough to love someone or to love your God. In a conversation with her mother, a small girl was enthralled at that the stories her mother told her about her (the mother.s) childhood, how she played, what she did in school, etc. The little girl became so excited she told her mother, .I wish I knew you before I was born.. St. Augustine bemoaned the fact that he found God later in his life. We are not to berate or underestimate the value and the contributions of those who have .labored. in the vineyard of the Lord&but when it comes to God.s love for us, the measure is of a different order.
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PASTOR.S NOTES: SEPTEMBER 12, 24TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

RENEW 2000 begins its third season. If you have been involved in the 1st or 2nd season, we feel confident that you will want to go on to the third and so you are invited to sign up this weekend to continue with the small prayer group experience. If you have never been involved in the Renew 2000, you can .jump in. at any time&and so you are invited to sign up for a small prayer group meeting in our third season. It is a six-week commitment (once a week). Here is what a recent national report revealed about Renew 2000. .Of all the dimensions of Renew about which participants and leaders were queried, they are most positive about their small-community experience.. One of the key outcomes of Renew 2000 is .spiritual growth.awareness of God, spiritual development and integration of faith into daily life,. the report explained. The report said that more than 80% of respondents reported that Renew .encouraged them to participate more attentively (during Mass), and 3/4ths said they are .more likely to volunteer their time and talents to their parish as a result of Renew.. Young adults were most likely to say that involvement in Renew encouraged thinking and talking about faith, the survey reported. More than 90% of survey respondents reported that the small-group meetings encouraged them to think about faith, talk about faith and act on their faith. Meeting people of the same faith, being part of a faith community and faith sharing were rated positively by more than 95% of participants. (The study was done by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, which is centered in Washington, D.C.) We will begin our new session with a Parish Mission, which will be led by Sr. Jose Hobday on the dates of September 19,20 and 21. During the season our weekly liturgies will reflect the emphasis of Renew for this season (Evangelization). There is much to gain and the measure will be strengthening of your faith and the knowledge of the community, which is there to support you on your journey to the Lord.
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PASTOR.S NOTES: SEPTEMBER 5, 24TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

By the calendar summer begins June 21 and ends September 21&but other rhythms and cycles tell us that summer really begins with Memorial Day weekend and ends with Labor Day weekend. Labor Day really did signify for many getting back to the business of teaching and learning, of putting things in order, and now that we are refreshed: .let.s get serious!. A number o f years ago, in trying to put together a homily for Labor Day, what was good about work and labor, I could find no one who could say anything good about work. In my own experience, I remember the year of my ordination. The ordination was great, I was on top of the world, and received a number of undeserved accolades.but accolades, which held good wishes for the future. What I specifically remember is sitting at the breakfast table in September and recalling that this was the day the seminary opened for a new year.and for the first time in 21 years I was not returning to an academy of learning.not going back to school! It was on this day that I realized that I had .arrived.. I was contributing to society, to the church, and putting to use all the knowledge I garnered in the past. I was being .used. in the best sense of that word and I was working (not just some summer job.but a life-long job, or .calling. if you prefer.) I considered myself connected to God and actively engaged in the ongoing creation of the world. At that time work was glorious. It.s not that it was easy or did not take more time than I wished.it seemed to help people, make lives easier, bringing comfort, etc. There is much to be said about our labors. One other thing: many people make a lot of money from the hard labor of others. One would think that fair wages, good treatment of their workers, and concerns about their good welfare would not only be recognized but desired (even if only to produce better products). It was not always so .and the Church in the US, to its good credit, has stood behind those laborers. The struggle for justice was not always equal nor was the dignity of the worker always recognized. We can reflect on these things this weekend and be appreciative of what has been given to us, know that we are blest to be able to contribute, and give thanks that we are (as some theologians would have us know) co-creators on this good earth with the Lord.

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email to stjames@njcc.com