Weekend Mass

Dear Beloved Family of St. Anselm

The month of May is, for many Christian communities, the Marian month par excellence. The Second Vatican Council emphasized the role of Mary Most Holy in the Church and in the history of salvation. And the month of May, coinciding at least in part with the Easter Season, is a most favorable time for explaining the figure of Mary as a Mother who accompanies the community of disciples united in prayer in expectation of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1: 12-14). 

Three weeks ago, St Luke narrated in the Acts of the Apostles how the early Christians were united in prayer, in sharing their material possessions, and in learning from the Apostles. This sense of unity gave way to disunity as the community of believers grew. The very first believers in Jesus were Jews from around Jerusalem who spoke Aramaic. Soon, Jews from places outside the Holy Land heard of Jesus and came to believe in him. Since Greek was the common language of the Roman Empire at the time, Jews living outside the Holy Land spoke Greek. Also, they tended to be more partial to Greek customs and ideas than the Jerusalem Jews, and for these various reasons, they were called Hellenists. When the Hellenists visited Jerusalem during big feasts, they felt as if they were being treated like second-class citizens- especially when food was being handed out. Remember, in those days, widows were entirely dependent on the community for their basic needs (sort of a welfare system). The Hellenists complained that their widows were being overlooked and not getting their fair share. 

In response, the Twelve Apostles, who insisted that their role was to stay focused on prayer and preaching, selected seven reputable Hellenists to serve as leaders as well. (The reading suggests they were put in charge of feeding the hungry, but later in Acts, we hear of them preaching and leading in worship). The burgeoning Church had solved an initial challenge: finding enough shepherds to serve the growing flock. This is the origin of the diaconate in our Church.

Though the Church at this time was composed of men and women from many nations, speaking various languages and coming from diverse backgrounds, Peter, in the second reading, emphasizes that they are unified in Christ Jesus, the cornerstone. Diverse in many ways, but unified as Christians - one race, one nation, one people. To achieve this, Jesus pointed the direction- He is the way, the truth, and the life. 

The way of Jesus is found in reflecting on His words in the Bible and in receiving the sacraments, especially confession and the Eucharist. The way of Jesus is found in praying to Him through His mother, who accompanies the community of disciples united in prayer, in expectation of the Holy Spirit. In May, let us look to Jesus as the way to true and lasting peace by reciting the rosary daily and visiting the Blessed Sacrament. This will help us overcome divisions, disagreements, self-centeredness, violence, and war. Amen.

Amen.