Vol. 16, No.2 March 2020

You are invited... If you do not attend church at this time but would like to renew your church connections, please call 613-824-6822 to discuss anything with Father Waldemar, Father Anthony or Dea-cons Jeff, Bill, Gary, Stephen, Mike, Gerry or Jim. We would love to hear from you!

The Divine Messenger

A Contact with Divine Infant Parish

Divine Messenger - 2 - March 2020

A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ, I’d like to share with you an interesting docu-ment that was issued by Pope Francis. This docu-ment, Apostolic Letter, instituted the Sunday of the Word of God. This year we celebrated this occasion for the very first time. It also served as an inspiration for our Lenten Parish Retreat. To study and pray with the Word of God is simply part of our identity as Christians. It was Christ Himself who, after His resurrection, joined the group of disciples on their way to Emmaus and “He opened their minds to un-derstand the Scriptures.” (Lk 24: 45) This great gift, entrusted to the Church, to understand and interpret the Sacred Scripture, is truly our treasure to share with the world. In Christ, Father Waldemar

“APERUIT ILLIS” INSTITUTING THE SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD 1.“He opened their minds to understand the Scritures” (Lk 24:45). This was one of the final acts of the risen Lord before his Ascension. Jesus ap-peared to the assembled disciples, broke bread with them and opened their minds to the understanding of the sacred Scriptures. To them, amid their fear and bewilderment, he unveiled the meaning of the pas-chal mystery: that in accordance with the Father’s eternal plan he had to suffer and rise from the dead, in order to bring repentance and the forgiveness of sins (cf. Lk 24:26.46-47). He then promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would give them strength to be witnesses of this saving mystery (cf. Lk 24:49). The relationship between the Risen Lord, the com-munity of believers and sacred Scripture is essential to our identity as Christians. Without the Lord who opens our minds to them, it is impossible to under-stand the Scriptures in depth. Yet the contrary is equally true: without the Scriptures, the events of the mission of Jesus and of his Church in this world would remain incomprehensible. Hence, Saint Je-rome could rightly claim: “Ignorance of the Scrip-tures is ignorance of Christ” (Commentary on the Book of Isaiah, Prologue: PL 24,17B). 2. At the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of

Mercy, I proposed setting aside “a Sunday given over entirely to the word of God, so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his peo-ple.” (Misericordia et Misera, 7). Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world. Here, we are reminded of the teaching of Saint Ephrem: “Who is able to understand, Lord, all the richness of even one of your words? There is more that eludes us than what we can understand. We are like the thirsty drinking from a fountain. Your word has as many aspects as the perspectives of those who study it. The Lord has coloured his word with diverse beauties, so that those who study it can contemplate what stirs them. He has hidden in his word all treasures, so that each of us may find a richness in what he or she contemplates” (Commentary on the Diatessaron, 1, 18). With this Letter, I wish to respond to the many re-quests I have received from the people of God that the entire Church celebrate, in unity of purpose, a Sunday of the Word of God. It is now common for the Christian community to set aside moments to re-flect on the great importance of the word of God for everyday living. The various local Churches have undertaken a wealth of initiatives to make the sacred Scripture more accessible to believers, to increase their gratitude for so great a gift, and to help them to strive daily to embody and bear witness to its teach-ings. The Second Vatican Council gave great impulse to the rediscovery of the word of God, thanks to its Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, a document that deserves to be read and appropriated ever anew. The Constitution clearly expounds the nature of sacred Scripture, its transmission from generation to genera-tion (Chapter II), its divine inspiration (Chapter III) embracing the Old and New Testaments (Chapters IV and V), and the importance of Scripture for the life of the Church (Chapter VI). To advance this teaching, Pope Benedict XVI convoked an Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2008 on “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church”, and then issued the Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domi-ni, whose teaching remains fundamental for our communities.[1] That document emphasizes in

particular the performative character of the Word of God, especially in the context of the liturgy, in which its distinctively sacramental character comes to the fore.[2]

It is fitting, then that the life of our people be con-stantly marked by this decisive relationship with the living word that the Lord never tires of speaking to his Bride, that she may grow in love and faithful wit-ness. 3. Consequently, I hereby declare that the Third Sun-day in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebra-tion, study and dissemination of the word of God. This Sunday of the Word of God will thus be a fitting part of that time of the year when we are encouraged to strengthen our bonds with the Jewish people and to pray for Christian unity. This is more than a tem-poral coincidence: the celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God has ecumenical value, since the Scriptures point out, for those who listen, the path to authentic and firm unity. The various communities will find their own ways to mark this Sunday with a certain solemnity. It is im-portant, however, that in the Eucharistic celebration the sacred text be enthroned, in order to focus the attention of the assembly on the normative value of God’s word. On this Sunday, it would be particularly appropriate to highlight the proclamation of the word of the Lord and to emphasize in the homily the hon-our that it is due. Bishops could celebrate the Rite of Installation of Lectors or a similar commissioning of readers, in order to bring out the importance of the proclamation of God’s word in the liturgy. In this regard, renewed efforts should be made to provide members of the faithful with the training needed to be genuine proclaimers of the word, as is already the practice in the case of acolytes or extraordinary min-isters of Holy Communion. Pastors can also find ways of giving a Bible, or one of its books, to the entire assembly as a way of showing the importance of learning how to read, appreciate and pray daily with sacred Scripture, especially through the practice of lectio divina. 4. The return of the people of Israel to their home-land after the Babylonian exile was marked by the public reading of the book of the Law. In the book of Nehemiah, the Bible gives us a moving description of that moment. The people assembled in Jerusalem, in the square before the Water Gate, to listen to the Law. They had been scattered in exile, but now they found themselves gathered “as one” around the sa-

cred Scripture (Neh 8:1). The people lent “attentive ears” (Neh 8:3) to the reading of the sacred book, re-alizing that in its words they would discover the meaning of their lived experience. The reaction to the proclamation of was one of great emotion and tears: “[The Levites] read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the peo-ple, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep’. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’” (Neh 8:8-10). These words contain a great teaching. The Bible can-not be just the heritage of some, much less a collec-tion of books for the benefit of a privileged few. It belongs above all to those called to hear its message and to recognize themselves in its words. At times, there can be a tendency to monopolize the sacred text by restricting it to certain circles or to select groups. It cannot be that way. The Bible is the book of the Lord’s people, who, in listening to it, move from dis-persion and division towards unity. The word of God unites believers and makes them one people. 5. In this unity born of listening, pastors are primarily responsible for explaining sacred Scripture and help-ing everyone to understand it. Since it is the people’s book, those called to be ministers of the word must feel an urgent need to make it accessible to their community. The homily, in particular, has a distinctive function, for it possesses “a quasi-sacramental charac-ter” (Evangelii Gaudium, 142). Helping people to enter more deeply into the word of God through sim-ple and suitable language will allow priests them-selves to discover the “beauty of the images used by the Lord to encourage the practice of the good” (ibid.). This is a pastoral opportunity that should not be wasted! For many of our faithful, in fact, this is the only op-portunity they have to grasp the beauty of God’s word and to see it applied to their daily lives. Conse-quently, sufficient time must be devoted to the prepa-ration of the homily. A commentary on the sacred readings cannot be improvised. Those of us who are

Divine Messenger - 4 - March 2020

preachers should not give long, pedantic homilies or wander off into unrelated topics. When we take time to pray and meditate on the sacred text, we can speak from the heart and thus reach the hearts of those who heapreachers should not give long, pedantic homilies or r us, conveying what is essential and capable of bearing fruit. May we never tire of devoting time and prayer to Scripture, so that it may be received “not as a human word but as what it really is, the word of God” (1 Thess 2:13). Catechists, too, in their ministry of helping people to grow in their faith, ought to feel an urgent need for personal renewal through familiarity withy, and study of, the sacred Scriptures. This will help them foster in their hearers a true dialogue with the word of God. 6. Before encountering his disciples, gathered behind closed doors, and opening their minds to the under-standing of the Scriptures (cf. Lk 24:44-45), the risen Lord appeared to two of them on the road to Emmaus from Jerusalem (cf. Lk 24:13-35). Saint Luke’s ac-count notes that this happened on the very day of his resurrection, a Sunday. The two disciples were dis-cussing the recent events concerning Jesus’ passion and death. Their journey was marked by sorrow and with the scandal of the cross. The risen Lord himself gently draws near and walks with them, yet they do not recognize him (cf. v. 16). Along the way, he questions them, and, seeing that they have not grasped the meaning of his passion and death, he ex-claims: “O foolish men, and slow of heart” (v. 25). Then, “beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the Scriptures” (v.27). Christ is the first exegete! Not on-ly did the Old Testament foretell what he would ac-complish, but he himself wished to be faithful to its words, in order to make manifest the one history of salvation whose fulfilment is found in Christ. 7. The Bible, as sacred Scripture, thus speaks of Christ and proclaims him as the one who had to en-dure suffering and then enter into his glory (cf. v. 26). Not simply a part, but the whole of Scripture speaks of Christ. Apart from the Scriptures, his death and resurrection cannot be rightly understood. That is why one of the most ancient confessions of faith stressed that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scrip-tures, and that he appeared to Cephas” (1Cor15:3-5). Since the Scriptures everywhere speak of Christ, they enable us to believe that his death and resurrection

are not myth but history, and are central to the faith of his disciples. A profound bond links sacred Scripture and the faith of believers. Since faith comes from hearing, and what is heard is based on the word of Christ (cf. Rom 10:17), believers are bound to listen atten-tively to the word of the Lord, both in the celebration of the liturgy and in their personal prayer and reflec-tion. 8. The journey that the Risen Lord makes with the disciples of Emmaus ended with a meal. The mysteri-ous wayfarer accepts their insistent request: “Stay with us, for it is almost evening and the day is now far spent” (Lk 24:29). They sit down at table, and Je-sus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it and offers it to them. At that moment, their eyes are opened, and they recognize him (cf. v. 31). This scene clearly demonstrates the unbreakable bond between sacred Scripture and the Eucharist. As the Second Vatican Council teaches, “the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she has venerated the Lord’s body, in that she never ceases, above all in the sacred liturgy, to partake of the bread of life and to offer it to the faithful from the one table of the word of God and the body of Christ” (Dei Ver-bum, 21). Regular reading of sacred Scripture and the celebra-tion of the Eucharist make it possible for us to see ourselves as part of one another. As Christians, we are a single people, making our pilgrim way through history, sustained by the Lord, present in our midst, who speaks to us and nourishes us. A day devoted to the Bible should not be seen as a yearly event but ra-ther a year-long event, for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of believers. For this reason, we need to develop a closer relationship with sacred Scripture; otherwise, our hearts will remain cold and our eyes shut, struck as we are by so many forms of blindness. Sacred Scripture and the sacraments are thus insepa-rable. When the sacraments are introduced and illu-mined by God’s word, they become ever more clear-ly the goal of a process whereby Christ opens our minds and hearts to acknowledge his saving work. We should always keep in mind the teaching found in the Book of Revelation: the Lord is standing at the

Divine Messenger - 5 - March 2020

door and knocking. If anyone should hear his voice and open for him, he will come in and eat with them (cf. 3:20). Christ Jesus is knocking at our door in the words of sacred Scripture. If we hear his voice and open the doors of our minds and hearts, then he will enter our lives and remain ever with us. 9. In the Second Letter to Timothy, which is in some ways his spiritual testament, Saint Paul urges his faithful co-worker to have constant recourse to sacred Scripture. The Apostle is convinced that “all Scrip-ture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in right-eousness” (3:16). Paul’s exhortation to Timothy is fundamental to the teaching of the conciliar Constitu-tion Dei Verbum on the great theme of biblical inspi-ration, which emphasizes the Scriptures’ saving pur Pose, spiritual dimensions and inherent incarnational principle. First, recalling Paul’s encouragement to Timothy, Dei Verbum stresses that “we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully and without er-ror, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the sacred Scrip-tures” (No. 11). Since the Scriptures teach with a view to salvation through faith in Christ (cf. 2 Tim 3:15), the truths contained therein are profitable for our salvation. The Bible is not a collection of his-tory books or a chronicle, but is aimed entirely at the integral salvation of the person. The evident historical setting of the books of the Bible should not make us overlook their primary goal, which is our salvation. Everything is directed to this purpose and essential to the very nature of the Bible, which takes shape as a history of salvation in which God speaks and acts in order to encounter all men and women and to save them from evil and death. To achieve this saving purpose, sacred Scripture, by the working of the Holy Spirit, makes human words written in human fashion become the word of God (cf. Dei Verbum, 12). The role of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures is primordial. Without the work of the Spirit, there would always be a risk of remaining lim-ited to the written text alone. This would open the way to a fundamentalist reading, which needs to be avoided, lest we betray the inspired, dynamic and spiritual character of the sacred text. As the Apostle reminds us: “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:6). The Holy Spirit, then, makes sacred Scripture the living word of God, experienced and handed down in the faith of his holy people.

10. The work of the Holy Spirit has to do not only with the formation of sacred Scripture; it is also oper-ative in those who hear the word of God. The words of the Council Fathers are instructive: sacred Scrip-ture is to be “read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit through whom it was written” (Dei Ver-bum, 12). God’s revelation attains its completion and fullness in Jesus Christ; nonetheless, the Holy Spirit does not cease to act. It would be reductive indeed to restrict the working of the Spirit to the divine inspira-tion of sacred Scripture and its various human au-thors. We need to have confidence in the working of the Holy Spirit as he continues in his own way to pro-vide “inspiration” whenever the Church teaches the sacred Scriptures, whenever the Magisterium authen-tically interprets them (cf. ibid., 10), and whenever each believer makes them the norm of his or her spir-itual life. In this sense, we can understand the words spoken by Jesus to his disciples when they told him that they now understood the meaning of his para-bles: “Every scribe who has been trained for the king-dom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old” (Mt 13:52).

11. Finally, Dei Verbum makes clear that “the words of God, expressed in human language, are in every way like human speech, just as the Word of the eter-nal Father, in taking upon himself the weak flesh of human beings, also took on their likeness” (No. 13). We can say that the incarnation of the eternal Word gives shape and meaning to the relationship between God’s word and our human language, in all its histor-ical and cultural contingency. This event gives rise to Tradition, which is also God’s word (cf. ibid., 9). We frequently risk separating sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition, without understanding that together they are the one source of Revelation. The written charac-ter of the former takes nothing away from its being fully a living word; in the same way, the Church’s living Tradition, which continually hands that word down over the centuries from one generation to the next, possesses that sacred book as the “supreme rule of her faith” (ibid., 21). Moreover, before becoming a written text, the word of God was handed down oral-ly and kept alive by the faith of a people who, in the midst of many others, acknowledged it as their own history and the source of their identity. Biblical faith, then, is based on the living word, not on a book.

12. When sacred Scripture is read in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written, it remains ever new. The Old Testament is never old once it is part of

Divine Messenger - 6 - March 2020

the New, since all has been transformed thanks to the one Spirit who inspired it. The sacred text as a whole serves a prophetic function regarding not the future but the present of whoever is nourished by this word. Jesus himself clear-ly stated this at the beginning of his ministry: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk 4:21). Those who draw daily nourishment from God’s word be-come, like Jesus, a contemporary of all those whom they encounter: they are not tempted to fall into sterile nostalgia for the past, or to dream of ethereal utopias yet to come. Sacred Scripture accomplishes its prophetic work above all in those who listen to it. It proves both sweet and bitter. We are reminded of the words of the prophet Ezekiel when, commanded by the Lord to eat the scroll of the book, he tells us: “It was in my mouth as sweet as hon-ey” (3:3). John the Evangelist too, on the island of Patmos, echoes Ezekiel’s experience of eating the scroll, but goes on to add: “It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter” (Rev 10:10). The sweetness of God’s word leads us to share it with all those whom we encounter in this life and to proclaim the sure hope that it contains (cf. 1 Pet 3:15-16). Its bitterness, in turn, often comes from our realization of how difficult it is to live that word consistently, or our personal experience of seeing it rejected as meaningless for life. We should never take God’s word for granted, but instead let our-selves be nourished by it, in order to acknowledge and live fully our relationship with him and with our brothers and sisters. 13. Yet another challenge raised by sacred Scripture has to do with love. God’s word constantly reminds us of the merciful love of the Father who calls his children to live in love. The life of Jesus is the full and perfect expression of this divine love, which holds nothing back but offers itself to all without reserve. In the parable of Lazarus, we find a valuable teaching. When both Lazarus and the rich man die, the latter, seeing the poor man Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, asks that Lazarus be sent to his brothers to warn them to love their neighbour, lest they also experience his torment. Abraham’s answer is biting: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them” (Lk 16:29). To listen to sacred Scripture and then to practise mercy: this is the great challenge before us in life. God’s word has the pow-er to open our eyes and to enable us to renounce a stifling and barren individualism and instead to embark on a new path of sharing and solidarity. 14. One of the most significant moments in Jesus’ rela-tionship with his disciples is found in the account of the Transfiguration. He goes up the mountain with Peter, James and John to pray. The evangelists tell us that as Je-sus’ face and clothing became dazzlingly white, two men conversed with him: Moses and Elijah, representing re-spectively the Law and the Prophets; in other words, sa-cred Scripture. Peter’s reaction to this sight is one of amazement and joy: “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and

one for Elijah” (Lk 9:33). At that moment a cloud over-shadows them, and the disciples are struck with fear. The Transfiguration reminds us of the Feast of Tabernac-les, when Ezra and Nehemiah read the sacred text to the people after their return from exile. At the same time, it foreshadows Jesus’ glory, as a way of preparing the disci-ples for the scandal of the Passion: that divine glory is also evoked by the cloud enveloping the disciples as a symbol of God’s presence. A similar transfiguration takes place with sacred Scripture, which transcends itself whenever it nourishes the lives of believers. As the Apostolic Exhorta-tion Verbum Domini reminds us: “In rediscovering the interplay between the different senses of Scripture it be-comes essential to grasp thepassage from letter to spirit. This is not an automatic, spontaneous passage; rather, the letter needs to be transcended” (No. 38). 15. Along our path of welcoming God’s word into our hearts, the Mother of the Lord accompanies us. She is the one who was called blessed because she believed in the fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken to her (cf. Lk 1:45). Mary’s own beatitude is prior to all the beati-tudes proclaimed by Jesus about the poor and those who mourn, the meek, the peacemakers and those who are per-secuted, for it is the necessary condition for every other kind of beatitude. The poor are not blessed because they are poor; they become blessed if, like Mary, they believe in the fulfilment of God’s word. A great disciple and mas-ter of sacred Scripture, Saint Augustine, once wrote: “Someone in the midst of the crowd, seized with enthusi-asm, cried out: ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you’ and Jesus replied, ‘Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it’. As if to say: My mother, whom you call blessed, is indeed blessed, because she keeps the word of God. Not because in her the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, but because she keeps that same word of God by which she was made and which, in her womb, be-came flesh” (Tractates on the Gospel of John, 10, 3). May the Sunday of the Word of God help his people to grow in religious and intimate familiarity with the sacred Scriptures. For as the sacred author taught of old: “This word is very near to you: it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance” (Dt 30:14).

Given in Rome, at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, on 30 September 2019, the liturgical Memorial of Saint Jerome, on the inauguration of the 1600th anniversary of his death.

Divine Messenger - 7 - March 2020

St. Clare School By Martine Mitton St. Clare is once again proud to bring to stage the production of “Munsch Madness.” This play in-volves over 70 students from grades two to six and several staff members. It ties in the Gospel Values through eight Robert Munsch stories, the main theme being, “I’ll Love You Forever.” The play was performed on March 4th and 6th at 7 p.m. Tickets sold at the door.

Divine Messenger - 8 - March 2020

St. Clare aspiring

actors in the

production of

“Munsch Madness”

Divine Messenger - 9 - March 2020

DIVINE MERCY CENACLE by Cindy Kearns-O’Hara The Divine Mercy Cenacle ministry at Di-vine Infant Parish has been actively engaging its growing number of members, including parishioners at Divine Infant and other parishes in the wider Archdiocese, since its first gathering four years ago on January 27, 2016. Over these last four years, this precious parish ministry has quadrupled in size to four cenacles that meet throughout the year, every Monday evening after Mass. Each cenacle is devoted respectively to Saint Faustina, Saint John Paul II, Saint Joseph and Saint Maximilian Kolbe - each of whom exemplifies the wonder of Divine Mercy. This year, during Lent, the Cenacle members will continue to live their apostolate of mercy by en-deavouring to perform daily acts of spiritual and cor-poral mercy towards every person they encounter.

The table below provides a full list of the spiritual and corporal acts of mercy. All Divine Infant parishioners are warmly encour-aged to become a personal apostle of mercy by per-forming a spiritual and/or corporal act of mercy eve-ry day during Lent, in your own way and to the best of your ability. It is truly a gift! Lent and the Easter Season is also a time of preparation for the members of the Cenacle, as they prepare for the renewal of their consecration to Di-vine Mercy. The consecration takes place every year during the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration. The event is held, in accordance with the direction given to Saint Faustina by our Lord Jesus Christ, during one of their numerous encounters, on the first Sun-day following Easter Sunday. This year it will be celebrated on April 19th. Everyone is most welcome.

Acts of Spiritual Mercy

Acts of Corporal Mercy

•To instruct the ignorant. This work of mercy means all of us are called to share and teach the faith passed on to us •To counsel the doubtful •To admonish the sinner •To bear wrongs patiently •To forgive offenses willingly •To comfort the afflicted •To pray for the living and the dead

•To feed the hungry •To give water to the thirsty •To clothe the naked •To shelter the homeless •To visit the sick •To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive •To bury the dead

Catholic Women’s League of Canada By Laura Kiraly

The Catholic Women’s League of Canada calls its members to grow in faith and to be witness-es of God’s love through ministry and service. This often includes promoting awareness of political and social issues that affect all Canadians and respond-ing to those issues. Although our members do bake and host events for their parishes, the League is much more than your favourite hostesses. We also share the social concerns of our parish and the larger community. The CWL has a voice - and uses it. With a focus on representing women, families and communities, CWL delegations bring resolutions to our government legislatures every year. Here are a number of current and recent reso-lutions made by the National and Provincial Coun-cils. The Divine Infant CWL invites parishioners to visit the CWL national and provincial websites to peruse, not only the resolutions, but the motivations that led to them. Website addresses are at the end of the article.

National CWL Council Proposed by: B.C. & Yukon Provincial Council Christian Family Life 2019.01 Canada to Honour its Commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Resolved, that national council of The Catho-lic Women’s League of Canada, in 99th an-nual national convention assembled, urges the federal government to honour its legal commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child by providing legal protection to children before birth.

Proposed by: Ontario Provincial Council Legislation 2019.02 Canadian Support for the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Resolved, that national council of The Catho-lic Women’s League of Canada, in 99th an-nual convention assembled, urges the federal government to support, sign and ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Proposed by: B.C. & Yukon Provincial Council Legislation 2018.03 Legislate Designation of Hospice/Palliative Care Services in Facilities to Exclude Medical As-sistance in Dying

Resolved, that national council of The Catho-lic Women’s League of Canada in 98th annu-al national convention assembled: urges the federal government to legislate the designation of hospice/ palliative care ser-vices in facilities to exclude medical assis-tance in dying; and, be it further

Resolved, that this resolution be forwarded through the national executive to the provin-cial councils, encouraging them to become aware of this issue as it pertains to their prov-ince/territory, and to act on it, as deemed necessary/prudent.

Ontario Provincial Council

Proposed by: London Diocesan Council Education and Health ON19.02 Abortion & the Effects on Mental Health

Resolved, Ontario provincial council of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada, in 72nd annual convention assembled, urges the Government of Ontario to require all referring and/or attending medical profes-sionals to disclose the mental health risks that may follow an abortion procedure to each patient well before the abortion procedure is performed.

Proposed by: Ottawa Diocesan Council Education and Health ON.19.03 Long Term Care Beds in Ontario

Resolved, Ontario provincial council of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada, in 72nd annual convention assembled, the addition of 30,000 LTC beds from year 2030 to 2025

Divine Messenger - 10 - March 2020

Divine Messenger - 11 - March 2020

Proposed by: Kingston Diocesan Council Education and Health ON.19.01 Psychotherapy Pilot Project for Adults

Resolved, Ontario provincial council of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada, in 72nd annual convention assembled, urges the Government of Ontario to fully fund and im-plement a community-based psychotherapy pilot project for adults, that provides psy-chologists and other appropriately trained health care providers, to determine the viabil-ity of a long-term program.

Proposed by: Ontario Provincial Council Education and Health ON.18.01 Develop National Standards for Levels of Pharmaceuticals in Canada’s Drinking Water

Resolved, that the Ontario provincial council of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada in 71st annual convention assembled, requests the national council to urge the fed-eral government to: • Fund research into pharmaceuticals in drinking water • Set rigorous quality standards for the presence of pharmaceuticals in ground and surface drinking water comparable to the World Health Or ganization (WHO) standards; and be it further Resolved, that this resolution be forwarded to national council of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada for consideration at 98th Annual Convention August 2018.

For additional information on these resolu-tions, check out the following websites:

National website, https://cwl.ca Click on TO ACT ON then

Click on RESOLUTIONS BY YEAR and ARCHIVED RESOLUTIONS

Provincial website, https://cwl.on.ca Click on RESOLUTIONS

St. Joseph

March 19 is the feast day of St. Joseph, the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and foster-father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the patron saint of a happy death, fathers, families, workers, immigrants, unborn children, Canada and the Universal Church. Little is known about St. Joseph except that he was a carpenter. He was born in Bethlehem of Judea, but at the time of the Annunciation, he and Mary were living in Nazareth of Galilee. Apparently he died before the beginning of Christ’s public life.

Prayer to St. Joseph St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires. St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having en-gaged here below your heavenly powers, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. Amen.

Divine Messenger - 12 - March 2020

Our Lady of Wisdom School By Renee St. John Building Character at OLW

OLW has found a perfect way to build char-acter within our students....through our monthly Spirit Assemblies. Each month we look for ways that our students can build character skills through the Gospel Teachings. Traits such as showing kind-ness, being responsible, developing self regulation and having a growth mindset can have a powerful impact on learning and help foster critical thinking skills. Our God Squad has taken the lead by making movies, presenting skits and creating posters dis-played throughout the school to help remind us that we are all life long learners and that mistakes are an important tool in the learning process.

Lenten Project

OLW is proud to support Chuga Primary School in Africa as part of our Lenten initiative. Through Chalice School Connections, we have been paired with a sister school in desperate need of healthcare resources. Through this partnership we hope to inspire and engage the entire OLW commu-nity. A series of special event days designed to fos-ter school spirit, raise money and have some fun have been planned throughout Lent. We look for-ward to sharing our Canadian stories with our Afri-can counterparts and learning about the similarities and differences between our two schools while sup-porting this worthy cause.

Divine Messenger - 13 - March 2020

A Letter from a Wuhan Pastor By Deacon Mike Seguin I thought it would be good to address some-thing that is prevalent in the news these days, the Coronavirus. This is not something that you will hear on the news channels. Instead it is a reminder of who we are in Christ and how we should deal with such difficulties as Christians. A pastor in Wuhan, China, anonymously penned a letter to his flock and to the greater global church community, describing what it's like at ground zero where this virus has become an epi-demic. He is among millions of Chinese citizens on complete lockdown in an attempt to contain the dis-ease. While he says China is suffering, he believes something bigger is happening, saying it is time for Christians to proclaim the gospel in a country where their faith is under fire. I have taken excerpts from his letter. I am sure that it was, and continues to be, a great comfort to his congregation during this diffi-cult time: Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you: During these past days, the Wuhan pneumo-nia (virus) has been at the center of my thoughts and life. I am always watching the latest news, and always thinking about how our family and the church should face this. As for family, I have gathered masks and foodstuffs and have ventured out of doors as little as possible. When venturing out in public I have worn a mask, but as for the rest, I have placed it in the Lord's hands. As for the church, the safety of the congregation, a faithful witness, the possibility that members could contract the illness, have all become a great area of struggle. It is readily apparent that we are facing a test of our faith. The situation is so critical, yet we are trust-ing in the Lord's promises, that his thoughts toward us are of peace, and not evil (Jeremiah. 29:11), and that he allows for a time of testing, not to destroy us, but to establish us. Therefore, Christians are not only to suffer with the people of this city, but we have a responsibility to pray for those in this city who are fearful, and to bring to them the peace of Christ.

First, we are to seek the peace of Christ to reign in their hearts. (Hebrews 3:15) Christ has already given us his peace, but his peace is not to remove us from disaster and death, but rather to have peace in the midst of disaster and death, be-cause Christ has already overcome these things. (John 14:27, 16:33) Otherwise we have not be-lieved in the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15), and, with the world, would be terrified of pestilence, and lose hope in the face of death. Why do only Christians have this peace? Because of sin, humans deserve the trials and tribu-lations that come upon them, Jehovah says: “the wicked have no peace.” (Isaiah 48:22) We were all sinners, but Christ, because of faith, took our penal-ty and gave us his peace. Therefore, Paul says, who can bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33) Christians may, with the world face the same tribulations. Such tribula-tions are no longer punishment, but a new oppor-tunity to grow nearer to the Almighty, to purify our souls, and an opportunity to proclaim the gospel. In other words, when disaster strikes us, it is but a form of God's love. And, as Paul firmly be-lieved, "who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecu-tion, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword? I in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For I am sure that nei-ther death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Roman. 8:35-39) Spoken for today, Wuhan's pestilence cannot separate us from the love of Christ; this love is in our Lord Jesus Christ. These words are so comfort-ing for us - we have already become one body with Christ. We have a part in his sufferings, and we have a part in his glory. All of Christ's is ours, and our all is Christ's. Therefore, Christ is with us as we face the pestilence in this city; the pestilence cannot harm us. If we die in the pestilence, it is an oppor-tunity to witness to Christ, and even more to enter into his glory. If in reading these truths you still have no

peace, I encourage you to diligently read the above

Divine Messenger - 14 - M arch 2020

Pro Life = Pro Joy By Grace Buchmayer It was the quiet part of Mass, where we're all standing and waiting, when it started. Perfectly spaced, clear as a bell, bubbly little hiccups. You couldn't help but smile - chuckle even, as those sweet sounds broke through our reverie. Babies are like that, they break through our thoughts, they -break through our defenses. The story of how our Lord Jesus came to us - a helpless baby, in a diffi-cult time, under difficult circumstances - should break through our defenses. Beyond our defenses, this baby must awaken in us compassion - compas-sion for the helpless, the most vulnerable, for those who can not help themselves. A ‘pro life’ stance is a ‘pro compassion’ stance - a ‘pro joy’ stance. Joy of babies, joy of the elderly, joy of family and community, joy of life. Embrace and find joy in all of those who depend on

the kindness, the empathy of others. Transform that which is not joyous such as hunger, homelessness, mental and physical pain, abortion and euthanasia with acts of compassion – acts of joy. If you are ‘pro joy’ you are ‘pro life’. So what are you wait-ing for? Help make the world what you want it to be. Check out the Pro Life bulletin board in the church foyer, and keep an eye on the parish bulletin and projector announcements for upcoming events and the next opportunity to shape your world. Just think babies, and before you know it you'll be smiling - maybe even chuckling. Just think of that sweetest baby of all, and let Him guide your conscience. Start by saying a little pray-er for those babies not lucky enough to be held pa-tiently and lovingly through Mass, hiccups and all. You’re on your way to a more joyful world. May God bless you and your loved ones.

cited scripture and call on the Lord to give you in-

sight until the peace of Christ reigns in your heart.

You must know that this is not just an observable

disaster, but even more it is a spiritual struggle. You

should first wage a battle for your heart, and sec-

ondarily battle for the soul of this city.

We must pray for God's mercy upon this city, and bring peace upon this city through our prayers and testimony. I believe this is the command of God calling those of us living in Wuhan. We are to seek peace for this city, seek peace for those who are af-flicted with this illness, seek peace for the medical personnel struggling on the front lines, seek peace for every government official at every level, seek peace for all the people of Wuhan! The past few days I have received many in-quiries from foreign pastors. They, and the whole

church, are concerned for this city - even more for us; and confronting this epidemic, seek to serve the city with us. Thus, I especially ask them to turn their eyes upon Jesus. And do not be concerned with my welfare, nor be agitated or fearful, but pray in the name of Jesus. If you do not feel a responsibility to pray, ask the Lord for a loving soul. If you are not crying, ask the Lord for tears. Because we surely know, that only through the hope of the Lord's mer-cy, will this city be saved. Signed - A Wuhan Pastor January 23, 2020

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us

pray for this pastor, his community and all those in

China and the rest of the world who are struggling

against this virus.

Divine Messenger - 15 - March 2020

Suicide - The Most Misunderstood of All Deaths July 25, 2004 Note: This article is an excerpt from the book “Bruised & Wounded.” The author, Father Ronald Rolheiser is an internationally recognized scholar, teacher, journalist and public speaker. He has written many books including “Bruised and Broken, Struggling to Understand Suicide. “ This book, a mere 77 pages, addresses the concerns of those left behind and helps us understand the one who be-came a ‘victim of suicide - our dearly beloved. This book offers insights, wisdom, compassion and comfort using sound Catholic and scriptural teaching. This bok is avail-able from the parish library and from the bereavement team. Death is always painful, but its pains are com-pounded considerably if its cause is suicide. When a suicide occurs, we aren’t just left with the loss of a person, we’re also left with a legacy of anger, second-guessing, and fearful anxiety. So each year I write a column on suicide, hop-ing that it might help produce more understanding around the issue and, in a small way perhaps, offer some consolation to those who have lost a loved one to this dreadful disease. Essentially, I say the same things each year because they need to be said. As Margaret Atwood once put it, some things need to be said and said and said again, until they don’t need to be said any more. That’s true of suicide. What needs to be said, and said again, about it? First of all that it’s a disease and perhaps the most misunderstood of all diseases. We tend to think that if a death is self-inflicted it is voluntary in a way that death through physical illness or accident is not For most suicides, this isn’t true. A person who falls victim to suicide dies, as does the victim of a terminal illness or fatal accident, not by his or her own choice. When people die from heart attacks, strokes, cancer, AIDS, and accidents, they die against their will. The same is true of sui-cide, except that in the case of suicide the breakdown is emotional rather than physical - an emotional stroke, an emotional cancer, a breakdown of the emo-tional immune-system, an emotional fatality. This is not an analogy. The two kinds of heart attacks, strokes, cancers, breakdowns of the immune- system, and fatal accidents, are identical in that, in neither case, is the person leaving this world on the

basis of a voluntary decision of his or her own will. In both cases, he or she is taken out of life against his or her own will. That’s why we speak of someone as a “victim” of suicide. Given this fact, we should not worry unduly about the eternal salvation of a suicide victim, believ-ing (as we used to) that suicide is always an act of ultimate despair. God is infinitely more understand-ing than we are and God’s hands are infinitely safer and more gentle than our own, Imagine a loving mother having just given birth, welcoming her child onto her breast for the first time. That, I believe is the best image we have available to understand how a suicide victim (most often an overly sensitive soul) is received into the next life. Again, this isn’t an analogy God is infinitely more understanding, loving, and motherly than any mother on earth. We need not worry about the fate of anyone, no matter the cause of death, who exits this world honest, over-sensitive, gentle, over-wrought, and emotionally-crushed. God’s understanding and compassion exceed our own. Knowing all of this however, doesn’t neces-sarily take away our pain (and anger) at losing some-one to suicide. Faith and understanding aren’t meant to take our pain away but to give us hope, vision, and support as we walk within it. Finally, we should not unduly second-guess when we lose a loved one to suicide: “What might I have done? Where did I let this person down? If on-ly I had been there? What if …?” It can be too easy to be haunted with the thought: “If only I’d been there at the right time.”

News from St. Francis of Assisi By Jennifer Conway

During the month of December, staff and stu-dents gathered together each week for a Prayer Ser-vice as we reflected on the Advent themes of wait-ing, joy, peace and love. The last week before Christmas, Father Anthony celebrated Mass with our school community. Throughout the month, we also found time to participate in a variety of Christmas activities. We bought gifts for our moms and dads at the Christmas Store. We enjoyed Spirit Days, such as Wear Your Christmas Gear and Pajama Day. And we wowed our parents and grandparents as we danced, sang and played instruments during our Christmas Concert.

Divine Messenger - 16 - March 2020

We started the new year – 2020, with a school

assembly highlighting self-regulation strategies and

refocusing our attention on the 6C’s (with special

emphasis on creativity). We also created a school

bulletin board, honouring St. Francis and asking him

to pray for all our pets whose pictures are gathered

around him. We offered our congratulations to Noah

Theilmann, whose Remembrance Day poster was

chosen as one of the winning submissions at the Or-

leans Legion. We also remembered the Grade Two

students who received the sacrament of Reconcilia-

tion for the first time in January.

Divine Messenger - 17 - M arch 2020

The students enjoyed a Winter

Walk on February 6. Some classes cel-

ebrated 100 Day with a variety of ac-

tivities. On February 13, the students

participated in a Dance-a Thon and

enjoyed a variety of St. Valentine’s

Day classroom activities. On Ash

Wednesday, the students gathered to

reflect and to pray as we began the

season of Lent. Throughout Lent, we

are participating in Spirit Days to raise

money for Chugu Primary School in

Kenya.

In January, Mrs. Conway’s Grade 3 students

began their EA Venture to raise money for the Chil-

dren’s Wish Foundation. They were busy creating

their business (Fuller Hearts), choosing a logo

(house of hearts) and slogan (For every wish, a fuller

heart) and deciding on what products to make. They

met their mentor, Mr. Richard Paquette from the

Bank of Montreal, Place D’Orleans (who spent time

with them each Wednesday afternoon), Mrs.

Vanessa Wilson, from the Children’s Wish Founda-

tion and Mrs. Kim Lacelle, Coordinator of Elemen-

tary Student Success at OCSB. The students brain-

stormed products to make, put together a presenta-

tion for the School Council asking for a loan to pur-

chase materials, spent time making friendship brace-

lets, dream catchers, roses and key chains and decid-

ed what to charge for their products. They visited

each classroom to show their products and encour-

aged students to purchase them, created and dis-

played posters around the school and added their

message to morning announcements. One of their

main fundraising events took place at the Bank of

Montreal, Place D’Orleans on Saturday February 8,

when they set up a table and sold their products.

Divine Messenger - 18 - M arch 2020

Divine Messenger - 19 - March 2020

Mom’s Morning Out By Andrea Heeringa Blessings from all of us at Mom’s Morning Out! To any mom at home caring for an infant or child, we are still meeting each Tuesday from 10:00 am until noon and would absolutely love it if you joined us. We continue to grow in faith and fellow-ship, as we support one another through all the ups and downs that come with parenting. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to come together once a week, in a setting where we are seen, heard and un-derstood by other women who are often going through the same struggles and joys as ourselves. Plus, you can enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee or tea, while your little one(s) play with friends. We know this season of motherhood can be challenging at times, even with all the blessings that accompany it. But we can assure you, it's good for the soul to carve out some time to spend with others who can relate and offer support - while praying to-gether and learning more about our faith. For more information, you can visit our Facebook Group: Di-vine Infant Friends - Moms Morning Out The request of the parish to have more inter-ministry work is quite evident and when recently reflecting, there has been some undeniable fruit. It's lovely to see how our roots have intertwined - with Moms Morning Out often acting as the catalyst for moms to share their time, gifts and talents with other ministries. We worked with the Youth Ministry last year for the Patrick Sullivan guest talk, and many of our children attend Youth Group. Over the years, many of the moms have volunteered with Children's Liturgy. Baptism preparation has both past and pre-sent moms helping to prepare families for their chil-dren's reception into the Church. Sunday Morning Coffee Social was the initiative of the family of one of our fellow moms. Most recently there was an unexpected union with our group and Bereavement, which is a much needed and exciting pairing. While still very much in the initial discussion phase, it feels that the Holy Spirit is hard at work. God willing, our parish may have supports in place for those who have experi-enced the loss of a child through miscarriage. We will keep you posted on more details in the future. To our parish community as a whole, when you look at the faces of families with young and old-

er children, many are current or past members of Mom’s Morning Out. We've made friendships that will last a lifetime and continue on long past our time spent in fellowship these 2 hours a week. Thank you for supporting us through your prayers, kind words and smiles. We long to see our parish continue to grow, not only in size, but in love, and on fire for the Lord. May the Holy Spirit lead us to even more inter-ministry work, for His glory. Amen.

Blessings from Saint Peter Catholic High School By Jay Williams

As we begin the season of Lent, classroom Ash Wednesday services brought prayerful contem-plation to the question, “What really matters in this life?” In a world filled with ‘stuff’, we recognized the value and importance of God, our family, our friends and our relationships. Over the next 40 days, we will focus on the three pillars of Lent (prayer, fasting, and almsgiving) and make an effort to be

gentle on ourselves and others, in the often complex world of teenage life. We affirm that God loves us no matter what. Thank you to Father Waldemar for celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation with the staff and stu-dents. During Lent, there are a number of activities planned, including the Stations of the Cross to be held in the chapel. The Interact Club has taken on a special project as they reuse milk bags to create mats. This project demonstrates stewardship and kindness in action.

Peace.

Divine Messenger - 20 - March 2020

Parish Highlights

Divine Infant Church Schedules Regular Mass Times: Monday 7:00 pm Tuesday 7:00 pm Wednesday 9:00 am Thursday 9:00 am Friday 9:00 am Saturday 5:00 pm Sunday 8:00 am 9:30 am 11:15 am 6:30 pm Note: On statutory civic holiday Mondays, Mass is at 9:00 am instead of 7:00 pm. Note 2: During Advent and Lent there are Masses at 9:00 am and 7:00 pm each weekday. Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction: Every Wednesday and each First Friday, after the 9:00 am Mass, and first Sunday after 6:30 pm Mass. Recurring Weekly Events: (Some activities are can-celled during summer months.) Bible Study, Mondays, 7:30-9:00 pm, Memorial Room (MR) Children’s Liturgy, Sunday, 9:30 am Mass Children’s Choir Practice, Wed. 6:15-7:00 pm

Adult Choir Practice, Wed. 7:30-10:00 pm, Divine Mercy Cenacle, Monday, 7:30 pm, Chapel Mom’s Morning Out, Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 am, Hall (Summer months go on park hop) RCIA, Wednesday, 7:00-9:00 pm, Hall Youth Programs, F ridays, DI-JYN, 6:00-7:30 pm, Hall DI-SYN. 9:00-10:00 pm, Hall Recurring Monthly Events (Some activities are can-celled during summer months.) Catholic Women’s League (CWL) general meeting, 4th Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm, Hall Knights of Columbus (K of C) general meeting 1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm, Hall

Please see the bulletin for upcoming special events and more information on ministries or associations.

Divine Messenger - 21 - March 2020

Children’s Liturgy Christmas Procession

Christmas Altar Decorations

Divine Messenger - 22 - March 2020

Distribution of Ashes on Ash Wednesday

Divine Messenger - 23 - March 2020

Deacon Bill and Angela Lavictoire

conferring on the music for Ash Wednesday

Divine Messenger - 24 - March 2020

Cancelled as per Covid-19 directive fromthe Archdiocese.

*

*

*

*

*

Please note that the celebration of Holy Week and Easter liturgies is pending furtherreview from the Archdiocese as the Covid-19 situation continues to unfold. Stay current with updates via the parish and Archdiocesan websites.

Missing But Ever Present By Diane Jemus Art tells a story, records history, honours the dishonoured and provides comfort. It is also a means to participate and to call forth memory. It is an opportunity for change and renewal in both indi-viduals and in communities. Art draws us to itself and extends our perspective within and beyond. Tragic events, like the missing and murdered Indige-nous women, have inspired solemn beauty – an ever-lasting remembrance.

This beautiful multimedia wall hanging was

installed in 2016 to commemorate the missing and murdered Indigenous women of the Yukon Territo-ry. It is housed in the foyer of the Kwanlin Dun Heritage Cultural Centre. The Kwanlin Dun is the largest First Nation community in the Yukon. The Centre was built after land claims were settled. When I first gazed upon this wall hanging, I was draw to her, or did she draw me to her? I knew nothing of her history. I thought of her as a Madon-

na of sorts. I was mesmerized by her, caught in her gaze and all the details on and around her. I knew she would forever have an impact on me. I took a photograph of her. Later on, my friend Lois told me about the wall hanging. She explained that the small, individual beaded sections were called vamps (moccasin tops). Each one represented a missing or murdered Indigenous woman. As I listened, my mind raced back to posters of missing girls placed on hydro poles in Maniwaki, Quebec. I wondered if any of them had ever been found ... my little voice said probably not. Lois continued telling me that many women collaborated on this project. I knew that this contact with the Kwanlin Dun foyer “woman” was not in vain. She continues to haunt me. She pleads with me to remember them, to search for them, to comfort their families and to pray for peace and an end to violence against wom-en. Will you join me in answering her call?

“The Walking With Our Sisters” postcard

was a collaboration between Canada and the USA. Beaded designs originally were of northern images - for example, polar bears. Missionaries and religious sisters inspired the floral designs. As we grieve, let us reflect on how we can use our talents to comfort ourselves and honour the memory of missing and murdered Indigenous wom-en.

Divine Messenger - 25 - March 2020

From Fast to Feast: A Lenten Reflection By Fr. Yongli Chen

What motivates me to write out this reflec-tion is twofold. First, Mrs. Margaret Heuthorst (Parish Secretary of the Divine Infant) recently asked me about one of my homily notes on fasting for her further reflection and to share with her chil-dren. Secondly, the scriptural readings on fasting (particularly, Isaiah 58:1-14, Matthew 9:14-15 and Luke 5:27-32) are quite inspiring and deserve some in-depth reflection. After some consideration, I de-cided to publish it in our Divine Messenger for any-one who is interested in the topic.

In the Gospel of Matthew 9:14-15, when the

disciple of John asked Jesus why he and his disci-

ples did not fast, Jesus replied in a very peculiar way. He deflects the question of fasting by introduc-ing the scene of feasting, the wedding banquet, the total opposite of fasting. We often read this passage in light of the Great Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14, also Luke 14:15-24). However, I think that we too quickly conclude that this passage is a theological insight into the Great Banquet at the end of time. I believe that Jesus challenges John’s disciples to ex-pand their understanding of fasting. Why do you fast? And what is the endgame of our fasting? These two questions are very relevant to our understanding and practice of the Lenten fast. I will elaborate on each point in light of the daily scriptural readings as prescribed for Feb. 28 and 29, 2020.

Divine Messenger - 26 - March 2020

I. Why do We Fast? Fast as a spiritual trans-formation Isaiah 58:1-14

By challenging the disciples of John, Jesus keenly points out that hypocrisy can creep into any human act if one separates the exterior motives from the interior ones (see the illustration above). It does not matter whether those acts are done for religious fasts or feasts. Isaiah sharply criticizes the hypocrisy that has crept into the spiritual fast among his con-temporaries. He said, "Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not no-tice? Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist." (Isaiah 58: 3-4a) Isaiah noticed that people exaggerated their postures (bow down the head like a bulrush) and "dressed up" their fasting in sackcloth and ashes. Their exterior motives had

overshadowed the spirit of fasting. They began to lead others into thinking that they were fasting. And worse yet, they tricked themselves into believing that they were doing a fantastic job of abstaining.

The hypocrisy of their religious fast was that

they had abandoned the interior motives of fasting by continuously undermining the practice of right-eousness and forsaking the ordinance of the Lord. Isaiah pointed out in 58:2 that the interior motives for fasting ought to be (1) practicing righteousness and (2) observing the law of the Lord. A spiritual and fruitful fast needs to integrate both the exterior and interior motives. In chapters 58-59, Isaiah high-lighted for us that the spiritual transformation begins with (1) praying to respond to God's call and (2) re-proaching oneself as to see the errors of one's way

Divine Messenger - 27 - March 2020

of life. When a fast incorporates the exterior and in-terior motives, one is capable of making this spiritual transformation on the way to a feast. II. What is the endgame of our fasting? Fast as a preparation for the Eucharistic Feast and The Great Banquet

In the Gospel of Luke 5:27-32, Jesus called Levi (St. Matthew) to follow him. In Isaiah, fasting focused on refraining oneself from sustenance - the necessities for existence. Here, Jesus called Levi to realize that a fasting should go beyond just the provi-sions of life. Fasting ought to enable us to walk away from the world (e.g., social status, connections, pow-er) that we have been trying so hard to build for our-selves and our loved ones. We have been willing to surrender to the world around us. Sometimes, we have been glad to surround ourselves with such a world for comfort. The lesson here is not calling us to literarily abandon our jobs, livelihoods and favor-ite things to do. It is calling us to take a moment to separate us from the world that we have been build-ing for ourselves - to focus our attention on the inner world that screams for nourishment and longs for rejuvenation.

After being called and responding to the call,

Levi threw a great banquet for Jesus. However, it was not the happy ending of the story. When the Pharisees and their scribes complained about Jesus's behavior of consorting with a public sinner, Jesus showed Levi the most valuable lesson in this life. A spiritual fast of walking away from everything that we know is the only preparation for entering the great feast of God's bountiful mercy. Jesus respond-ed to the complaint, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick do; I have come to call, not the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).

To conclude this reflection, I would like to

tie it to the practice of fasting on a daily and weekly basis. The Lenten fast is not the only time when the Church calls us to practice abstinence. The fast be-fore the Eucharistic celebration (the Mass) is the "mini" practice of the Lenten fast. The Penitential Rite (I confess to Almighty God …) and individual confessions are the spiritual transformations that are the necessary consequence of each fasting. When Catholics fast, it is considered to be a preparation for the feast. The Lenten fast prepares us for the

Easter Feast that celebrates Jesus's life and resurrec-tion. And each fast before Eucharist is a small step to the Easter celebration. Each Easter celebration is a step to the Great Banquet. In this Lenten season, let us avoid the traps of hypocrisy in our fast and absti-nence. Let us integrate our exterior and interior mo-tives as a spiritual transformation and the necessary preparation for the feast of God's mercy and for-giveness. _________ 14 and Luke 5:27-32 Feb. 28, texts selected from Isaiah 58:1-9a and Matthew 9:14-15; Feb. 29, read-ings are chosen from Isaiah 58:9b-.

Lord Prop Us Up Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed, Lord, prop us up on the leanin’ side. After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently. He answered, “Well sir, you see, it’s like this . I got an old barn out back. It’s been there a long time, it’s withstood a lot of weather, it‘s gone through a lot of storms, and it’s stood for many years. It’s still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn’t fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I’ve been around a long time. I’ve with-stood a lot of life’s storms. I’ve withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I’ve withstood a lot of hard times, and I’m still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times. Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn’t. So we need to pray, “Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.

Divine Messenger - 28 - March 2020