St. Clement Keeping the Faith

  Looking at the calendar today, it is just under month until Ash Wednesday on February 17 and the beginning of Lent.   It is time to start thinking about our Lenten journey.   We look to attending to prayer, fasting and almsgiving.   Lent is not just about abstaining from thoughts, words and actions that are less than Christian.   Lent is not just about praying more.   It is not just about giving money and food to the poor.   It is a time of intentionally engaging in practices that help us to experience Jesus Christ alive in our day to day living.   It has been almost a year of loss due to the Coronavirus.   We have lost celebrating with family and friends’ birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, retirements holidays and more.   Many have lost jobs or have experienced lower wages.   We have missed seeing our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and coworkers.   We have lost much, but we have n...

  Listening to the Voice of God “Speak, for your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10b             Like Samuel, I have trouble listening to God.   So many things get in the way.   There is my work and home “to do list”, media in all its many forms, fatigue, and laziness.   Just like other necessary things in my life, I need to schedule time to listen to God.   I do not mean pray as in Mass or daily personal prayers; I mean pausing to hear God’s voice in my heart.   What is God nudging me to attend to?   What is the message God wants me to hear?   Not what I think I should do or say, but God’s words.   And then after listening and hearing God’s words do I them them inspire what I do and speak?    I am fortunate that I have a Spiritual Director who I meet with monthly and I go on a yearly weeklong retreat.   This helps me take time to really listen.  

Beloved “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” - Mark 1:11 As we begin 2021, let us remember that God said these words at our Baptism and at the Baptisms of our brothers and sisters in Christ.   When you awake in the morning, listen to God’s voice say, “(your name), you are my beloved child, with you I and well please.”   Allow the message to direct your thoughts, words, and actions throughout your day.   It is by knowing that we are loved and loving others that we can help and heal our world.   You may want to add listening to those words at marked times throughout the day.   Maybe before meals.   At the end of the day as you rest your head on your pillow, again listen to God’s voice say, “(your name), you are my beloved child, with you I and well please.”   Be proud and give thanks for how you followed Jesus throughout your day.   For the times when you did not follow him as you should, remember you are his beloved.   As...

  This is the Year I will state the obvious.   This has been a challenging year.   We have lost loved ones, jobs, wages, routines, health, dreams and more.   This is the year to mark a new beginning with 2021.   You may not have chalk to mark above the entrance to your home “20+C+M+B+21”.   The 20 and 21 are for the year 2021.   The letters C, M, and B are for the traditional names of the three kings:   Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.   A prayer is said to bless your house and all who enter your home throughout the year.   You may not have holy water to bless your entrances and rooms in your home.   But your probably have a candle and maybe incense and even without these items you can pray.   Prayer is powerful.   This is the year to look to the future and bless the entrance to your home and the rooms of your home where life is lived for your holy family.   Yes, Pope Saint John Paul II said families should become w...

  On this Feast of St. Francis, the great peacemaker, I want to share with a good conversation I had with a parishioner after Mass last Sunday.   She asked, “Why was the book White Fragility chosen?”   She was concerned because it seemed so angry and seeking revenge.   Here is what I shared.   The book was chosen because a group of parishioners heard about the book and were curious, me included.   We decided we would meet regularly and invite others to join.   The book is challenging to read.   It uses difficult and uncomfortable language.   It uses a language that does not easily invite others to share in the conversation and is uncomfortable.   This is what I learned.   We all have a bias.   Our bias is based upon our experience:   our parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who formed us, where we lived, went to school, our healthcare and even our grocery stores.   We cannot change our experience.   It does i...

  September 13, 2020 Sunday Scriptures Forgiveness Has Power The Psalm is Sunday tells us, “The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in  compassion.”   Jesus, in the Gospel tells Peter that he must forgive his brother not 7 but 77 times. There is certainly a message to forgive and forgive often if you want to behave as God behaves. There is power in forgiveness.   Have you ever held on to a hurt for years? I have. When I finally went to that person, I was the one who apologized for not being forthcoming and robbing us of several years of friendship. I gained forgiveness in return. I gained a supportive and loving friend. I was embarrassed to admit that I held on to my hurt so long, but by embracing humility I experienced joy.   There is a great need for humility and forgiveness today. There is so much that divides us...race, sex, politics, religion, how we deal with COVID and more. Let us embrace the power of kindness, mercy, and compassi...

  Live the Gospel of Generosity Sunday Readings September 20, 2020 The Gospel is full of generosity. Today’s parable about the owner of the vineyard paying all workers the daily wage, the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and many more.   Something consistent about generosity is that it is “other” oriented.   In today’s Gospel, for the workers to appreciate God’s generosity, they have to look at how he has met the needs of the workers, especially those who started late in the day.   God gave to them what they needed.   His care was not based on the work they put in, but on their willingness to work.   This is gospel generosity.   This is gospel justice.   My challenge as a human being to be “other centered” rather than “me centered”.   I have to go beyond my natural instincts to do what I see as fair.   Parents do this with their kids.   Some kids need more structure and care t...