Dear St. Peter and St. Casimir Family
Every time we pray the general intercessions at mass, one of the prayers that is mentioned is a prayer for the sick. Each year on February 11, the feast of our Lady of Lourdes, holy mother Church sets aside a day to pray for the sick. This day is often called The World Day of the Sick. On this day, we pray in a special way for our brothers and sisters in need of God’s healing.
On Saturday, February 11 we will gather at St. Peter’s Catholic Church for our communal anointing mass. The mass will begin at 10:30 AM. Anyone who wishes to be anointed can just show up. There is no need to preregister for this mass. This will be a wonderful time for us to come together as a community to pray for everyone in need of healing. The sacrament of the anointing of the sick brings physical as well as spiritual healing. Following the Mass, a lunch will be served. Please come and join us as we pray together for all of our sick brothers and sisters.
This weekend God is calling us to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. What is it that it times can cause the salt to go flat? I would like to suggest that sin can cause us not to be the salt and light God wants us to be. This is why it is important for us to receive the other healing sacrament that the church offers to us. The sacrament of reconciliation heals us from what I would consider to be the greatest pandemic we have. The pandemic I am talking about is that of sin. Sin can cause us to not be the light that God wants us to be. If we let it, sin, can keep us in darkness and error. What God wants us to do is to walk as children of the light. God does not want us to stay in the dark, but he wants us to come to the light. That light that God wants us to come to is the light of truth, peace, love, joy, and unity. God is the source of unity, light, and peace. God is the one who gives us the necessary strength to continue pressing forward on our journey of faith. Not only is God calling us to be the salt of the earth, but we are also all called to be ambassadors of healing. Besides being willing to suffer with those who are suffering; we can also bring healing by providing for the basic needs of all God’s people. This is what we call justice.
Not only does God’s healing come sacramentally, but it also comes through the compassion and care that we show to each other. May God help us to be people who truly care, so that through us, all may experience the healing power of God that comes to us through Christ Jesus our Lord Amen. Our Lady of Lourdes pray for us. Lord, please bring wholeness and healing to all of our sick brothers and sisters in our community and throughout the world.
~Fr. Todd