St. Anthony's Catholic Church

7th Sunday of Easter - Ascension Thursday

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:20:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: . . . why are you standing there . . .

Happy Easter on this Ascension Thursday which is Sunday (Huh?). At the heart of our faith is the fact that Jesus Christ (God) became man so that we (men and women) could become God (by becoming One in heart, mind, and spirit with Him). The technical and poetic name for this great mystery is: the Marvelous Exchange. As St. John says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He Is.”

Jesus Himself said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” – throughout Pembine and Niagara and Kingsford and Norway; in Aurora and through all the surrounding countryside. God wants to give us power; He wants our greatness; He wants us to become like Him. He tells us quite simply and clearly, “Go!”

“Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” Through His ascending into Heaven, Jesus has made room for us to do His work here on earth. He has gone to heaven, but has sent His Spirit upon us to continue to proclaim the gospel to the whole world. Now the Lord work[s] with [us] and confirm[s] the word through accompanying signs. As we go about doing God’s work right here, let’s always keep in mind Whose work this is and Who is alive among us. Let us never shrink from speaking honestly and directly with one another, and let us never grumble or complain about another behind his or her back. Let us always treat one another with the respect and dignity due to a fellow member of the Body of Christ; and let us Go and do our small part in raising up the world around us into the joy of heaven.

May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to His call, what are the riches of glory in His inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power for us who believe. Peace to all of you this holy day and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

6th Sunday of Easter - Mothers' Day

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:15:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: . . . because love is of God . . .

Happy Easter once again to all my favorite people, and happy Mother’s Day to all of our beautiful mothers! How beautiful are the Scriptures that Mother Church presents to us today; how awesome, how powerful. We all know that a single picture – because of the depth of what it conveys – is worth a thousand words. So too, this one line from the 1st Letter of St. John contains within it the whole of the Christian faith – God is Love.

I was talking to a young skeptic a while ago who said that she no longer believed in the Christian God. More precisely, she no longer thought that it (religion) really mattered anymore. She didn’t see the point of going to church; she couldn’t understand why the Church teaches about (“sticks its nose into”) private matters of family life, sex, marriage, contraception, in-vitro fertilization, and a host of other things. If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

I asked her, “Do you believe in God?” She answered, “No.”

“Then what do you believe in? Do you believe in friendship? Do you believe in love?”

“Yes, I believe in these things.”

“So, you do believe in God – you just don’t know Him yet.” You see, all that the Church teaches about matters of faith and morals flows logically and necessarily and beautifully from this central claim of Christianity: God is Love. The problem for us is that we too often think we know what love is – when in truth, we’ve been deceived by counterfeits. The Truth: In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

So what about all those commandments the Church gives us – what are they for? As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.

Peace to all of you, my friends, this Holy Day, and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart, (and don’t forget to thank your Mother!)

Fr. Matt

5th Sunday of Easter ... 1st Holy Communion

Mon, 07 May 2012 03:50:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: .. . Remain in Me . . .

Happy Easter once again to all my favorite people! And, congratulations to all of our First Communicants and their families! What a blessing it is for all of us here at St. Anthony’s to celebrate this wonderful event – for even those of us who are not present at the 10:30 Mass are part of the same Mass – the same Body of Christ that we receive.

First Communion is certainly a specially blessed moment for these six little ones as they receive Jesus for the very first time. First Communion is also a specially blessed event for all of us as we witness these new sprouts budding out from our common Vine, Jesus Christ. May these little ones remind us just how precious this gift is.

In the gift of the Eucharist, Jesus comes to remain in us. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for us, His sheep. Jesus is the True Vine who supports us and connects us to one another and to the Father. I can still recall the day of my own First Communion many years ago. I still have and treasure that little black Mass book and rosary that I received then. More than this, however, you and I have that presence of Jesus Christ Himself within us. Recall your own First Communion – how special it was. May these little ones today remind us of that great gift. Let us all receive Jesus this time – every time – as if for the first time.

Let us believe in the name of Jesus Christ, and love one another just as He commanded us; that we may remain in Him, and He in us. Peace to all of you, my friends, this Holy Day, and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

4th Sunday of Easter

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:15:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: .. . Nor is there any other Name . . .

Happy Easter once again to all my favorite people! What beautiful scripture readings the Church gives us on this 4th Sunday of Easter. When it is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is. Truly, Jesus came to be like us in order that we may become like Him. And He says, I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

Like a shepherd, He calls to His sheep – calling each of us by name – calling each of us to a new and greater life (greater than any we could have imagined or made for ourselves). That call of Jesus has a name: vocation. This weekend, we participate in the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

Vocations come in different sizes and flavors – because each one of us (sheep) has been uniquely created (called into existence) by God Himself. Your vocation, like mine, may be to marriage, to ordination (as a priest or deacon), or to consecrated life (as a sister or brother).

As you know, we have been (and are) in a bit of a vocational-response crunch. When I first (finally) began to listen and respond to my own vocation (to the priesthood) about 13 years ago, there were only 2 other men from our diocese in major seminary preparing for priesthood. Likewise, far too many young people have been unable to hear and respond to God’s voice calling them to true marriages. Eastertime, however, is a season of Good News, and there is plenty of that lately. By the time I finished my seminary training, we had gone from 2 to 14 seminarians. Last year, we had 24; and reports are that this year, 6 or 7 additional young men will be entering. Good News, indeed!

When talking about vocations to priesthood and religious life, somebody once asked me, “Where do these people come from?” The answer, of course is simple: They are your brothers and sisters, they are your sons and daughters, they are your friends and neighbors, they are . . . you! Your vocation is a gift from the Good Shepherd for the flourishing of His whole flock. What must we do? We must pray, listen, and respond with faith and love and courage.

God our Father and Creator, we believe that you have made each of us in your image and likeness. Help us to lead lives that reflect that belief. Increase happy vocations to married life, religious life, and ordained life. May we as husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, single women and single men, sisters and brothers, deacons, priests and bishops, be open to your grace. Grant that we may seek always to do your will and delight in the work which makes your name and your love known throughout the world. We ask this prayer in the name of Jesus, your Son and the Holy Spirit, our guide. AMEN

After all, there is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.

Peace to all of you, my friends, this Holy Day, and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

3rd Sunday of Easter

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: ...You are witnesses of these things...

Happy Easter once again to all my favorite people! By now, as you are reading this (unless you happen to be catching a sneak-peak before Mass), Jesus has stood before you once again saying those 4 beautiful words: Peace be with you.

But people just don’t come back from the dead – at least not really. Not unless it’s some kind of ghost, right? Too often, we tend to spiritualize our faith – by which I mean that we say things like “Oh yes, I believe in God” without allowing God into our flesh – our everyday life. By doing so, we make Jesus into merely some kind of ghost.

That’s why God gave us the Catholic Church – so that He could say to us now as then, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Through the sacraments, Jesus asks us to look at Him, to touch Me and see, to taste and see the goodness of God. Through the Church, Jesus has flesh and bones as you can see. You and I are now part of His flesh and bones.

That means that our flesh and bones really matter. Jesus stands in our midst ‘in the flesh’ every Sunday at Mass, and so it’s absolutely critical that we not miss Him here. By the same token, however, our faith – our free exercise of religion – cannot be contained merely within the walls of the church; nor can we allow Jesus’ flesh to be relegated to some privatized corner of our secret life.

As summer approaches, let’s remember 2 things always. One: Jesus truly rising from the dead changes absolutely everything about what we think we know (the universe, the limits of nature, ourselves, the meaning of life, … absolutely everything!). Two: being killed, huge stones, locked doors, stupid people, great distances, … Jesus let none of that stop Him from coming to stand in their midst and saying to them, "Peace be with you." If all this is true, then what could possibly stop us from finding a way to get to Mass even during summer vacation?!

We are witnesses of these things – and Jesus comes not as some ‘ghost’, but in His crucified and risen flesh. This means that our faith is not ghostly, either. It must be shown ‘in the flesh’ by how we eat, work, and play. It changes how we care for others and what we do with our money, for our faith in Jesus – and nothing else in this world – will bring us true joy and peace.

Peace to all of you, my friends, this Holy Day, and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

Divine Mercy Sunday

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:45:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: . . . We have seen the Lord...

Happy Easter to all of you, my dear friends in Christ here at St. Anthony. Last weekend, we received the astounding news that He is risen! Now a week later his disciples were again inside still not quite sure what to make of all this, and still the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of what others might say and do if they found out about us. But very large stone[s] rolled over the entrance and soldiers posted as guards cannot contain Jesus – cannot keep Him in; and locked doors cannot keep Him out. Jesus IS.

There is, however, one all-important difference between the First Sunday of Easter, and this Second Week of Easter. Someone – Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came last weekend. But he is here today. How did that happen? The other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." Of course, they initially got the same reaction that you and I today might expect from our friends and neighbors: “Yeah, right. Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

But they must have persisted through the ridicule, they must have been hospitable and welcoming, and they must have finally been persuasive enough – because now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. There are many reasons for not coming to Mass; there are many reasons for not believing: “I don’t have time; I don’t want to be made a fool; I don’t understand; I’m too tired; I forgot; How can I be sure?” … The list of possible excuses is endless. There is, in the end, only one reason for believing – only one reason for coming to Mass.

We have seen the Lord! As Thomas himself said: “My Lord, and my God!” And, in the end, if Jesus IS, then this one YES trumps all the NO’s. Thomas saw and believed when he put his hand into the flesh of Jesus risen from the dead. When we believe, then that same Flesh is placed into our hands, our mouths, our hearts. We have all been Thomas; and right now, you know a Thomas who is waiting for your invitation, “We have seen the Lord! Come and see with us.” On this Divine Mercy Sunday, may you and I be ambassadors of God’s great love and mercy for others, and may all God’s beloved come to say, My Lord, and my God!

Peace to all of you this holy day and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

PS: On this Divine Mercy Sunday, I encourage you to participate in the celebration at St. Mary and St. Joe’s Catholic Church in Iron Mountain this Sunday between 1 – 4 pm. You don’t have to be there for the whole affair, just show up for the time you’re able, partake in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and in the other prayers and activities that are going on, and know God’s peace and healing.

Easter

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:40:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: . . . There you will see Him, as He told you . . .

Have you heard the news?! HE IS RISEN! This is the day we have been waiting for. For forty days – for all of our life – for thousands of millions of lives – This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad! This is the day that has changed – that changes – that will change everything; if we (like those first disciples) truly see and believe.

In those first disciples – our brothers and our fathers – we saw and believed.

We see the wounds in Jesus’ resurrected body; and we believe.

We see and worship and receive that same Body of Christ in the sacrament that He gave us; and we believe.

We see that same face of Christ in our neighbor; and we believe.

We believe that Jesus Christ truly suffered and died with us and for us, that Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead, and that Jesus Christ will come again; that JesusChrist is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So we commit ourselves to live a life of discipleship – in Love and in Truth.

May this Easter truly be a blessed day (a day that lasts for 7 x 7 days) for you and your loved ones. The fact of Jesus’ rising from the dead makes all the difference for us who follow Him.

Now, we have no need to fear anything or anyone. As He Himself put it, yes “in the world you will have troubles. But take courage, for I have conquered the world.” There is no sin that He cannot forgive; there is no wound that He cannot heal; there is no grave that He cannot open. This is the wellspring of our hope – a hope that does not disappoint. And so, let us be ambassadors of this new hope.

As part of this new life that Jesus has won for us, we are happy to welcome new members into God’s Church this Easter. If you or your family are here with us this most Holy Day, and you do not have a parish family to call your own . . . please consider becoming a member of our parish, and joining us here at Mass each weekend. Know that you and your friends and family are always most welcome here. The Good News is simply too good to keep to ourselves, and it is certainly too powerful to be contained in one or two days of the year. I thank God for all that you are, and I thank you for your being such a beautiful member of the Body of Christ here at St. Anthony parish.

Peace to all of you this holy day and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

Passion (Palm) Sunday

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:40:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: . . . Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes . . .

Grace and greetings to you, my friends. The hour has come. Holy Week is here. Today, Passion Sunday, we experience both the thrill of victory and the agony of (supposed) defeat as we enter triumphantly with Jesus into Jerusalem amid waving palms and cries of “Hosanna!” – only to be plunged into the depths of disappointment and pain, suffering and despair, as we crucify our King.

What we recall, what we experience, what we celebrate this week is at the very heart of our life of faith as Catholics: the Paschal Mystery. Only Jesus’ death & resurrection can make sense out of whatever suffering we see and experience in the world. Only the Paschal Mystery brings hope to our fallen world.

As we read about violence throughout the world, as we face the erosion of our freedoms here in America, as we witness the illness and pain of loved ones, and as we live amid the brokenness and despair within our own community, Jesus alone can bring hope to despair, life to death, and meaning and truth to confusion. This week, we relive the rebirth of forgiveness from the tomb of hate.

Let us be renewed, then, by this experience. I heartily invite you – personally – to experience the Triduum here at St. Anthony and St. Margaret. Make time in your schedule right now to come Holy Thursday (6 PM), Good Friday (12 noon in Niagara or 3 PM in Pembine), and Holy Saturday (8:00 PM). As we walk with Jesus this Holy Week, let these familiar stories shock you as if hearing and seeing for the first time. Let Love surprise and renew us.

Peace to all of you these holy days and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

4th Sunday of Lent

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:05:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: . .But whoever lives the truth comes to the light. . .

Lenten greetings to all of you, my dear friends in Christ. God so loved the world that He gave his Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him. What does this mean for us living here in northern Wisconsin (or southern northern Michigan)? Let’s look at one concrete thing that we can do in response to this grace – this gift of God.

The Light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. In the Sacrament of Confession, we move from darkness to light – from keeping our wicked things hidden under the shroud of darkness and secrecy, to revealing them to the healing light of God’s mercy. That’s what God, who is rich in mercy, is all about.

He wants nothing more than to bring us – who were dead in our transgressions – to life with Christ, and to raise us up with Him, and to seat us with Him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. That’s what we allow Him to do for us in the Sacrament of Confession – of Reconciliation. This Lent, come into that Light once more. If it has been a long time, do not put it off any longer. There is nothing to fear but grace and mercy and peace. Come.

Whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. May God grow our parishes, may God nurture our families, and may God bless you. Peace to all of you this holy day and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt

Reminder: Regular weekly confessions are available at St. Anthony’s Church on Saturdays from 9-10 am, and again from 3-3:45 pm. Confessions are also available from 7:45-8:15 am at St. Margaret in Pembine on Friday mornings. As always, you may also call the rectory or Fr. Matt’s cell phone (715) 891-1560 to schedule additional individual or family times.

Also, come to the Penance Service on Wednesday, March 21st at 6 PM at St. Anthony’s; on Wednesday, March 28th at 2:30 PM at St. Margaret’s.

3rd Sunday of Lent

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Fr. Matt’s Corner: . . . and you will raise it up in three days?!

“Fr. Matt, I want to be closer to God, but I’m just not sure what to do.”

If that’s how you feel sometimes, then you’re not alone. I hear that both spoken and unspoken almost every day. In fact, it’s something I often hear me say to myself. I think that this yearning to be closer to God somehow is a fundamental part of human nature. If we’re honest with ourselves, I’d bet that we all feel this, at least occasionally.

So, what are we to do? If you’re still with me, then we’ve already taken the first step: being honest with ourselves. But it cannot end there; we must go beyond ourselves if we are to truly find what we’re looking for. We must be honest with God Himself as well. “Ok, Fr. Matt, how do I do that?”

I’m glad you asked! God loves us so much that He gave us His only Son (Jesus, of course), and He said, “I AM the WAY, the Truth, and the Life. The Way to God is through Jesus. Not only that, but Jesus Himself left us a way (or ways) to be close to Him. . . you’ve guessed it: The Church! (and the sacraments)

So, becoming closer to God means removing whatever stands between me and His Body, the Church. Those 10 Commandments given to us by God form the boundaries within which our relationship (our Covenant) with God can begin to flourish. They’re not the end (where I can say: ‘Well, I haven’t broken the 10 Commandments, so I’m good'). They are, however, the necessary beginning. Living outside of those boundaries (Commandments) will necessarily remove us from God’s presence. Lent is a time to remove those obstacles to a loving, open relationship with God. Have I been doing this through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving this Lent?

All of this leads naturally to encountering the Love of God, and this happens in Reconciliation (aka: Confession). If you’ve been away for some time, perhaps God is inviting you back today. How much longer will we keep God waiting? How much longer will we put off our deepest desire?

What keeps us away? What is the arch-enemy of perfect Love? One word: Fear. As we meditate on the meaning of the 10 Commandments today; as we ponder the power of God and the wisdom of God in Christ crucified for us; let us also recall the words of Jesus and John the Apostle and John Paul II: Be not afraid! Come celebrate the Love of God which is wiser than human wisdom and stronger than human strength. Then, we may see Him raised up in a new temple: in our hearts.

Peace to all of you this holy day and to all who love the Lord in simplicity of heart,

Fr. Matt