Dear St. Rita Families,
Here it is: the survey that you will be asked to fill out this weekend at Mass. You can take care of it now, if you like! This anonymous survey will take 3 minutes to fill out (all multiple choice!), and it will go a long way in helping us to gage the relational needs of the parish. It is for all parishioners 18 years old and older. Please scan the QR Code below OR with your phone text strita (or santarita for Español) to 42284 to receive the link.
English
Español
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey for us!
I have been preaching recently a little more about our relationships as rooted in the Holy Trinity, which means fundamentally that it is precisely in those relationships that the presence of God can be made known and proclaimed to others. This proclamation takes many forms. It can be simply a kind or understanding word for one who is suffering or in need, and it can likewise be a sharing of the Gospel in a more explicit way. The multitude of forms that our relationships take can each be imbued with divine charity for the sake of extending Christ’s peace throughout the world.
Peace, as you know, is not merely the absence of difficulty, as if peace were obtained by simply removing all obstacles. If you were to remove all obstacles from the lives of your children, they would become spoiled and lazy. The Book of Job reminds us, “Man’s life upon earth is warfare” (Job 7:1), meaning that the daily struggles we experience are battles to be fought. Sometimes we are fighting for dear life, and other times for lesser (though still important) goals. Yet it is through the struggle – and ultimately the victory – that peace is obtained. Even when one loses particular battles – whether against sin or some other obstacle – if you struggle to fight, there is still growth.
We are not fighting, as St. Paul says, “against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). In other words, we should not consider it our mission in this life to subjugate other people, but rather to conquer sin. The geopolitical machinations of the “great ones” of this world who “make their authority felt” (Mt 20:25) are all too often ends in themselves, but you and I are interested first in the Gospel.
When Pope Leo in his address to the world after his election began with the words of the Risen Christ, “Peace be with you,” he did so to remind the Church of Her missionary vocation, that everything we do is first about spreading the Gospel. Christ’s words – Peace be with you – are efficacious. He bestows His peace upon those who hear Him and believe in His Resurrection. And when you have Christ’s peace, there is no longer need to fight against flesh and blood. Sometimes there is need to oppose flesh and blood for the sake of charity to my neighbor (defense, etc.), but even in this case your goal and intent is charity, not destruction.
It was no accident that the summit between President Trump and Vladimir Putin took place on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. And while it is clear that there is more work to do for the sake of peace in that part of the world, you can also be sure that God is at work. We must continue to pray for peace in the world and in the hearts of all men, but also to live Christ’s peace ourselves. Remember that every time you choose to follow the commandments, you are choosing Christ’s peace. Every time you surrender to God’s will for you, you are choosing Christ’s peace. Every time you pray or frequent the Sacraments, you are choosing Christ’s peace. May His will be done, and may His peace be in your hearts and in the hearts of all men!
In Christ,
Fr. Christensen