Preparing for the Gospel

When we get to the Gospel reading in Mass, what happens? As the Alleluia (or during Lent, a different Gospel Acclamation) is sung, we all stand and sing. The priest or deacon takes the Book of the Gospels, holds it high so we all can focus on it, and processes to the ambo. Then, as he traces a sign of the cross on the scripture passage and announces to us which Gospel is about to be proclaimed, we respond with the words, "Glory to you, Lord", while we make a small sign of the cross with our right thumb on our forehead, lips and over our heart.

Why do we do that? Through this gesture of blessing, we are asking that Jesus Christ, through his own words in this Gospel, remain in our thoughts, on our lips through the words we speak, and in our heart. And then we get ready to listen.

Why do we stand for the Gospel and not the other readings? Out of respect, and as a way to show that we are paying special attention, because while all of Scripture is inspired by God, in a very special way, the Gospels are telling us the words and actions of Jesus himself!

At the end of reading the Gospel, the priest or deacon will say, "The Gospel of the Lord", and we reply, "Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ", and sit down, ready to listen to the homily and try to make connections between what we have just heard and what goes on in our own lives day to day.

Standing, sitting, singing, responding, blessing ourselves - all simple ways that help us to focus in on what's happening, getting our bodies and brains working together to receive the Word of God as fully as possible.

St. Francis of Assisi

When you come to St. Andrew's for mass, there's a statue of a man in the middle of our courtyard.

Some people think it represents St. Andrew, since he's the patron saint of our parish, others have guessed it to be Jesus. By the title of this post, you already know that it is a statue of St. Francis of Assisi! If one were to have a top-ten list of generally popular saints, he'd be on it for certain. We know this Italian man as the patron saint of animals and ecology, and you'll find many churches (not just Catholic) will have a "Blessing of the Animals" service on or near his feast day (October 4). At St. Andrew's we'll have a Blessing of Animals service at 10AM on Saturday, October 2.

I encourage you to read this brief description of the life of this man. Raised in a wealthy family, he gradually realized that his lifestyle was not bringing him real joy, and he accepted poverty as a dramatic witness to his (and our) fundamental dependence on God. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was rightly recognized for her care for the sick and poor. Centuries before, St. Francis also embraced a man with leprosy as his 'brother', breaking cultural taboos in the process of recognizing that as sons and daughter of God we are all related and deserve respect and love. St. Francis further recognized that in some real sense we as created beings are related to all of creation. See here for the beautiful Canticle of Creation.

But still, you may wonder: why a statue of St. Francis in our courtyard?
Our parish is served by three priests. Two of them (Fr. David and Fr. Tom) belong to the religious order called the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, the order that has been with our parish since its founding over 25 years ago. Our third priest (Fr. Joseph) is a Conventual Franciscan. There are many, many religious orders, male and female, founded under the guiding principles of St. Francis, who called his followers the "Friars Minor".

As you point out the statue of St. Francis to your children, see if they can find both birds (and let me know if there are more than two!), share with them what you know about him, and if you have pets, please be sure to put October 2 on your calendar!

Blessing the Meal

It's difficult these days to sit down together as a household for meals. What a blessing to be able to share food and the events of the day with each other!

If you don't already make this part of your routine, how about taking 15 seconds (really, I just timed it!) to remember that God is present with you, and is the source of these and so many other blessings.

You could start with the sign of the cross and either hold hands with each other or fold your hands in front of you. Here's a traditional Catholic version of "Grace Before Meals":

Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your goodness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(I was raised saying 'thy gifts' and 'from thy bounty' ... same difference.)

Or each of your family members (including grown-ups) could take turns leading a brief prayer. As a child, my niece would often pray, "Thank you God for our food. Amen."  Short, sweet, gets the job done! Others might relish the opportunity to list the blessings of the day... which might well take longer than 15 seconds.

What do you do in your household to recall the blessings of your life?

Sign of the Cross

Does your child know how to make the Sign of the Cross?
It is a simple and familiar gesture and prayer for Catholics, and we do it to remind ourselves:

• of our baptism, which was done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• that in our baptism, we have been claimed entirely by Christ 
• that Jesus Christ saved us through his death on a cross, and his resurrection
• in whom and for whom we live

With the right hand, touch your forehead
     while saying "In the name of the Father"
then touch your chest while saying "and of the Son"
and then left shoulder "and of the Holy..."
and right shoulder "...Spirit. Amen"

The hardest part for smaller children seems to be getting the left and right in the correct order... maybe if you face the same direction they do, it'll be easier for them to catch on?

When you come into the gathering space at Church, you'll notice our holy water font, placed in front of a statue of St. Andrew. You can help your child to dip their right hand in the font and make the sign of the cross before you go in for Mass each week. They might need to learn the difference between a pool that's for splashing, and this font that is for making a prayerful, unhurried gesture, one that is both a reminder of our baptism, and in some sense a symbol of cleansing in order to prepare us for our prayer time together.