Update/reflection from Fr. Gratton (26 MAR 2020):

N.B. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for all of our parishioners and for the Mahaffy Children (by John and Elizabeth Mahaffy)

One update: Tatiana Govoni (OLA parishioner and webmaster) and I have been working on getting online giving for our parishes. We are VERY close to getting it up on the website and underway, which will make supporting the parish much easier for everyone who is quarantined at home. Thank you for your patience and more details to come on this soon.

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Reflection on the daily Mass readings http://usccb.org/bible/readings/032620.cfm :

I have been awestruck by the emails and messages people have sent me regarding their faith journey through this pandemic. I have been encouraged and inspired by you for your sacrifices during this time. Your creativity and depth of faith are truly beautiful.

As I was praying last night and this morning, however, one fear kept coming into my mind. It was a fear that although some might be finding their faith strengthened right now, others might find this moment drawing them away from God. Rather than finding strength in faith and hope, they might be falling more into darkness and despair.

And then I read the daily readings for Mass, today, and they providentially speak right to the heart of the matter. I am especially focusing on the first reading and the responsorial psalm. In the first reading we have the classic story of Moses on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from the Lord, and while he is away from the community, the Israelite people go astray. They go so far as to leave God behind---the God who just saved them from the clutches of slavery in Egypt—by melting down their jewelry and forming a golden calf as their new God to worship.

Now, to the modern ear this simply sounds preposterous. Why in the world would these people be so quick to turn their back on God who just performed so many wonders before their eyes (think of the 10 plagues he unleashed upon their persecutors; their freedom from Slavery; the parting of the Red Sea; the pillar of cloud and fire that they followed through the wilderness; the water from the rock; the manna from the sky; etc.)? How could they be so foolish as to turn from God who did all of that, to a stupid molten calf that they clearly just formed with their own hands?

Well, the setting might seem foreign to our ears, but the scenario should not. The Israelites had seen the wonders of God so many times, and yet, Moses leaves them for a few weeks, and they turn to a metal cow. They are frightened when they think Moses won’t return, and they panic. They revert back to old habits. They go back to the only thing they know: the Egyptian gods that they lived alongside for so many years.

We are not so different from our Jewish ancestors. How often have we seen God’s hand at work in our lives, and then quickly turn to something we know will never fully satisfy us? That is the definition of sin, and we all fall into the trap set by the evil one. How often have we turned back to old habits for comfort when we know they will only cause us more pain? How often have we panicked when we were not fully in control of the situation, and we wanted answers NOW? And in those moments of panic, how often have we made the things of this world into “metal” gods? This is a very natural human technique, unfortunately. When we feel lost, or without guidance, or when we feel like God has left us or abandoned us (just like those early Israelites felt), we tend to turn to other things of the world for control, for power, for security—and they only make things worse! How many times have we felt a lack of control, so we turned to the news, social media, politicians, money, other people, food, drink, lust, everything under the sun, to make us feel more secure and in control? We do it all the time! We fall into that trap all the time, and it is the same trap the Aaron and the other Israelites fell into when they felt alone and abandoned by Moses and God. They turned to the sins they new best. They turned to anything that would give them comfort. They turned to something that would make them feel in control, even if only for a little while.

My sons and daughters in Christ, we must not fall into that trap right now. I am so happy that many are finding this time as a refreshing moment with God to recharge the batteries—a monastic retreat if you will. But many others, I fear, are falling into the opposite spectrum. We might be feeling lost and frightened, and what do we do? We turn right to our old “gods”, and we make idols out of them. We say deep in our hearts, “well, if God has abandoned us, then at least I can find some comfort in__________ (each one of us can fill in the blank).

Today’s Lenten readings come at such a perfect time. They are speaking to those of us who might have fallen into the trap of finding our security outside of God in the infinite number of sins that exist under the sun. These readings are jolting us out of potential bad habits that we have formed during this time of quarantine. They are reminding us that even if I feel lost or have no control over anything, that this is no time to stray from God. God has not abandoned us. God has not left us alone with no concern. He is ever present. He is in love with us. And He is not letting us go.

As I said in one of my earlier reflections, I had to stop looking at the news so much. I basically check in once a day on the status of the world, and then I turn it off. I have been listening to Gregorian Chant instead (either on Pandora.com or on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRtjQbtnvxA). If I am honest with myself, I made the news (and knowledge) an idol in my early days of quarantine. I was relying on the false premise that more knowledge would help me feel in control (a danger that St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the most brilliant minds to ever walk the face of the earth, regularly spoke out against). I had to destroy that golden calf I had made out of the news media, and focus my eyes back to God by praying more, finding silence, and listening to Gregorian Chant. I had to realize that God never left me; I had left him. I had to let it sink into my heart that although I might not be in control, He is in control of everything.

The process of rooting out this idol from my life has brought so much joy and peace. Today, may we heed the mistakes and lessons learned by our Jewish ancestors (and your priest!). May we be honest with ourselves and call out the idols that we have allowed to creep into our lives—whatever thing or sin we have allowed to turn our hearts from trusting God in this time. May we have the courage to rip their roots out of our lives.

May we focus entirely on the God who saves, and may He reign supreme on the throne of our hearts! Only then will we find peace, for we will realize that though we are not in control, we know the One who is--and His eyes are fixed lovingly on us.

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God bless you and be assured of my fervent prayers for all of you.

In His Peace,

Fr. Gratton