Message from our Pastor
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 8, 2024
This past week, Deacon John and I ventured to Detroit on a five-day retreat with Fr. John Riccardo and the Acts XXIX Ministry Team. The name “Acts XXIX” should sound strange to anyone who knows their scrip- ture. There are only twenty-eight chapters in the Acts of The Apostles. Why the name Acts XXIX? If you know the book of Acts it describes the early Christian Church. It gives the impression that the work of building the Church is not done and has just started. Acts XXIX would be the sequel to the entire book. It implies that the work of building the Church will never be done. Acts XXIX is doing the Mission of the Church with the hope of mobilizing the clergy, religious and especially laity to build the Church.
We arrived in Detroit after being asked by the Seminary to go through this program where we will spend some six weeks scattered over the next two and half years to be trained in the new program for Priestly Formation. We are being asked to serve as supervisors for transitional deacons on their way to ordination to the priesthood. Once the new Program for Priestly Formation begins, the diaconate will consist of an en- tire year in a parish community.
What John and I experienced in Detroit was a transformative experience of understanding how we can have a greater effect as ministers willing to prepare those for ministry. The week consisted of talks, sharing of experiences, intense prayer, and the hopes and dreams we have for the future of the Church. I have brought back a great number of notes and the experience of sharing these five days with other priests from around the country who are being asked to serve the Church in this way.
Did you notice the many gestures and signs used as Jesus restores a man’s hearing and speech impediment? Jesus spits and uses the spittle on the man’s tongue. Today this would be considered strange and unhealthy. In antiquity, spittle was a way to ward off evil spirits. He touches the man’s ears and invokes the word “Ephphatha.” This peculiar sounding word was a plea to God to open this man’s ears. Jesus also looks up to heaven before any gesture or word as a way of signifying where his power comes from to heal and restore health.
What could be the most powerful gesture is that Jesus takes the man away from the crowd before any prayer, gesture or touch. Jesus sees this man as so important that he can look at him directly and not with the commotion of sound or distraction of people as he restores this man’s health. It tells the man just how important he is to God. It also means Jesus will be the first person that this man will hear and talk to once Jesus has prayed over him.
PSR classes begin the week of September 22nd. Please make sure you register your child soon! Register online at divinewordkirtland.org or pick up a registration form at the parish office.
We invite all to a special Neighborhood Mass on Saturday, September 28th at the Seminary in Wickliffe. If you remember several years ago the “Heart of the Shepherd” Diocesan Capital Campaign our parish almost doubled our goal. A good portion of what we raised went to the renovation of the seminary including the seminary chapel. I am hoping many of you will come to this special Mass just for our parish on Satur- day, September 28th at 4:30pm. (We will still have Mass here at Divine Word at 4:30pm.) The seminary chapel looks spectacular. Please RSVP mpfrey@divinewordkirtland.org. You can also call the parish office for a reservation. Refreshments, food and fellowship will follow Mass at the seminary.
Our Parish Fall Fest will be on Sunday, September 29th from 12 noon until 3pm. We will have plenty of food, drink and fellowship to celebrate the ending of the summer days and the beginning of Fall.
Our annual Clambake will be Saturday, October 5th after the 4:30 pm Liturgy in Hanson Hall sponsored by Our Lady’s Guild. There is limited seating for this event, so be prepared when reservations will take place in the next few weeks.
Can you tell the summer is closing out and all these events are coming our way? I hope and pray that you will join us for many of them. Enjoy the week ahead and know you are in my prayers.
