FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:
As we come to the stretch run of Easter season, we continue to give thanks to God for the gift of the Resurrection, our Lord’s Ascension to heaven and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Celebrating the anniversary of the Son’s Ascension to the Father this weekend, reminds us that Our Lord not only equipped the apostles to continue His work, but also He has given all of us what we need to continue His work. When I ponder the Ascension accounts, it always strikes me how joyful the apostles seemed to be that Our Lord was leaving them. It sounds strange to put it that way, doesn’t it? Ponder again St. Luke’s account: “Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.” (Lk 24:50-52) What a difference from shortly after Our Lord’s Resurrection! Recall how Jesus would appear to the disciples on numerous occasions and they were often full of fear. By the time Jesus ascended to heaven, something changed. They had been strengthened, consoled and inspired to carry on. And, they knew that Jesus had given them the amazing, infinite gift of his grace, in general, and the grace of the sacraments, in particular.
“Be not afraid!” Jesus tells us. Well, we might say, that’s easier said than done. Fear is a feeling based on knowing and not knowing. We might feel fear of something because we remember how that particular event unfolded in the past, and it wasn’t good. We might feel fear of something because of the uncertainty of the present and the future. Many people have experienced much fear over the last 15 months of the pandemic. They have feared for themselves and for their loved ones. Yet, Jesus says: Be not afraid! As we see some light at the end of the tunnel with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that we support those who may still be feeling fear of worshiping in our church. We can assure them that safety precautions are being taken at our parish. We can assure them of our prayers for them. In the end, however, fear of getting sick should not keep one from attending Mass.
In a letter to those under his pastoral care from last September when he re-instated the Sunday obligation, Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee, put it this way: “Fear of getting sick, in and of itself, does not excuse someone from the obligation. However, if the fear is generated because of at-risk factors, such as preexisting conditions, age or compromised immune systems, then the fear would be sufficient to excuse from the obligation.” Archbishop Listecki also reminded the faithful of the
importance of making a decision based on a well-formed conscience: “It is up to each individual to weigh their own circumstances through an examination of their conscience and determine, by use of their conscience, whether or not they are excused from the Sunday obligation. Remember, a well-formed conscience is upright and truthful.”
In the Diocese of Sacramento, Bishop Soto has not yet re-instated the Sunday obligation. Nonetheless, he has reminded us to make Sunday holy in a recent pastoral letter. cf. https://www.scd.org/call-to-holiness If one is able to, one should attend Mass in person. If not, one can participate in a live-stream Mass and in other spiritual practices to make Sunday holy. In any case, we look forward to all of us being together in-person in St. Mary’s Church where we can joyfully and fearlessly pray and worship together as a parish.
In the Ascended Lord,
Father Berg
