April 30, 2010
Reflection
Building up the body of Christ
By ZOE CANNON | Vincennes
When we hear the word ministry, we automatically think of the profession and services of religious and those ordained. The extent of the duties in ministering to God’s people is so broad; it requires the whole Church to take care of it all.
Who is the Church? We learn very early in school that the church is not just a building, but it is the people. The believers, the faithful, we are the Church. Of course those who are religious and ordained guide us to be true stewards, but are we practicing our faith with physical action as well as our personal spiritual duty? In chapter four of Ephesians, Paul tells his followers, “Our responsibility is to equip God’s people for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” But the most important part of the message in this scripture passage is that God supplies us each with different gifts to make this all happen. “And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers.” These are pretty incredible career choices! Which role do you play in building up the Church?
A Ministries Fair was planned on April 24 and 25 at my parish in Vincennes, Sacred Heart. Our Stewardship Committee did a great job organizing this weekend event. Unbeknownst to them, the date they chose was very providential. The readings for the fourth Sunday of Easter are about the “Good Shepherd.” There could be no better example of stewardship than sheep being led by their shepherd. If we are going to be true disciples of the Good Shepherd, we must be totally dedicated as Jesus calls us to love one another unconditionally. Ministering to each other and being involved in parish life are the perfect opportunity for doing just that. I was amazed to see that we have 50 different ministries in our parish. There are so many different ways to be involved and utilize the gifts God has given each of us to strengthen the body of Christ. “Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matt. 25:40 When you read these words, the responsibility of caring for one another takes on a powerful meaning. We never know what affect our hospitality and kindness may have on another person. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2
Despite bad weather and rain, many parishioners came to the fair to get information and sign up to get involved in parish life. We first celebrated Mass with a procession of people carrying banners with the names representing each of our different ministries. Hanging on the wall next to the altar were two large banners. One displayed painted hand prints of the children of the parish and a picture of the church, but the banner with the picture of Christ’s smiling face, and the words from the theme of the day, “Praised be Jesus Christ . . . the Magnificent Steward”, was the greatest image. Seeing that banner hang on the wall next to the altar was overwhelming. You could feel the warmth of that smile from every pew in the church. Many celebrations and sacraments have been shared in this church, but the memory of this day will always be special to me. Observing the joy in each person represent-ing the gifts of our time, talent and treasure, which make our parish family strong, was powerful.
The celebration continued in Becher Hall, where each ministry was represented with a booth and people to share the information about the responsibilities. Our “Reception” Min-istry provided us with a beautiful table of refreshments. Among the many ministries represented were the St. Vin-cent de Paul Society, Right to Life, Prison Ministry, Youth Ministry, liturgical duties, and faith formation for all ages; there was something for everyone. Even those already in-volved were amazed to see how many ministries we had working in our parish. And it is not just about the work . . . unless you are talking about the Parish Picnic. It is about the opportunity to share, not just our talent and time, but our faith.
For 100 years Sacred Heart Parish has had wonderful people taking care of the body of Christ. We have been blessed. But in the past two years I have witnessed amazing things taking place in my parish. We are led by a “Good Shepherd,” who spends a substantial amount of time each week preparing a Sunday homily that will teach, console and inspire, who is available 24 hours a day for the urgent needs of the sick and dying parishioners; one who dedicates time each week to the confessional; a true shepherd of the flock. These are just a sample of his responsibilities and he does them for two parishes. I believe our Min-istries Fair was a way of saying thank you to our pastor, Father Jason Gries, for being a “Good Shepherd, and encouraging us to be good stewards. St. Peter said it best, “Be hospitable to one another without complaining.” He really did . . . read 1 Peter 4:9. Be a generous giver and enjoy using your gifts! I am so grateful to be a member of a parish that understands we are in partnership with our priest to build up the body of Christ. God, the “Magnificent Steward”, our gatekeeper and “Good Shepherd” is smiling as we answer His call to the three most powerful behavioral words He spoke, “Come, follow me.”