November 2009
The Followers of Christ Are a People of Service
Summary of Fr. Gerry Creedon's October 11 and 18, 2009 homily
"For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for the many." Mark 10:45
The great spiritual writer Henri Nouwen tells of an older women who was admitted to a nursing home. She may have been suffering from Alzheimer's. She had a coin in her right hand. She clasped the coin tightly and would not let go. The staff wanted to bathe her and tend to her but she held on fiercely as if her life depended on it. It was her security. It took a week for her to trust her new environment enough to let go of the coin.
St Paul proclaims that Jesus did not deem equality with God as something to be grasped at. He emptied himself taking on the form of a slave. Jesus had many titles: Redeemer, Savior, Messiah, Son of God, Lord and Master. What was the title he identified with himself? He chose as his favorite name "The Servant of Yahweh." He took that title from today's first reading from Isaiah on the Suffering Servant. At the last supper he declared, "You call me Master and Lord. And indeed I am, but if I have washed your feet, then you go and do likewise." Today's Gospel spells out the message, "For the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve."
This weekend has been designated by the parish as Stewardship Weekend. All stewardship finds its motivation in service. The church is called to imitate the Servant. The Followers of Christ are a people of service. We are asked to place our talents, our time and our treasure at the service of others.
It is clear that the people of St Charles have heard that message. In our account of our stewardship, our yearly financial report, you will learn that you increased your ordinary offertory support by about 5% over the past year. The recession might have caused you to grasp your resources tightly. Instead you opened your hands and increased your generosity. Our expenses also grew so we appreciate your continuing bounty.
Additionally the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary with a Centennial Campaign. The purpose of this project is threefold: retire the debt and its interest, develop a Benedict Endowment fund, and replace windows in the school. You have pledged almost 900,000 dollars to this campaign. Our school has increased its enrolment, but many more of our students stand in need of financial assistance. Last week one of the children called out to me from a swing in the playground as I crossed Washington Blvd, "Father Creedon, thanks for the windows." I did not explain to him that I had not taken the money for the windows out of my own back pocket. The money came from those pledges to the Centennial Campaign. The amazing fact is that $900, 000 came from 20% of our members. Today we invite the rest to join in and help us complete our goal with your own pledge.
With you I have to ask myself the question. "How much do I need to hold on to for security in my old age? How much do I need to pledge? What is enough to save? What is enough to give?" May each of us open our hands and our hearts to others through this special appeal. If we are not ready to pledge today. Perhaps you could not find a pencil? Perhaps you were not ready to make a decision. You may call the parish office and ask for Rebecca or email her at rkimball@stcharleschurch.org.
"The son of man came to serve."
