"I DID NOT COME TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS. "

I am writing this article on September 21, 2020 which is the feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. The title of the article comes from the last line of the Gospel for the day, as Jesus explains to the Pharisees why he chose to associate with tax collectors and sinners, who were considered unworthy by  the  Pharisees. In the same Gospel passage Jesus also said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. My friends, we are all  sin- ners. We are all in need of healing from the Divine Physician, our Lord Jesus.

Jesus' call to Matthew to leave his post, and follow Him, is one of two Gospel accounts of Jesus directly reaching out to a tax collector. In chapter nineteen of the Gospel of Luke, we also read about the conversion of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector who was short in stature, and climbed a sycamore tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by. Like he did with Matthew, Jesus calls out to  Zacchaeus and goes to his house. Once again, Jesus' ac- tions caused the "righteous people to grumble that Jesus was associating with sinners.

Just consider Matthew and Zacchaeus. As tax collectors, they were mostly despised  by the Jewish people because they worked for the Roman Empire, and imposed exorbitant taxes on the hard working people. It was widely known that tax collectors frequently collected more than what was owed to the Romans, and kept the excess amounts for themselves. Tax collectors were considered traitors, and were barred from the synagogue, just like robbers and murderers. Clearly Jesus knew this, but made a point of calling Matthew and Zacchae- us to come follow Him, just like he calls each  of us to be His disciple.

We often talk about the mercy and love of Jesus, and how he heals divisions among peo- ple which I suspect might have been the case between Matthew and the other apostles. We know Peter, James, and John were all fisher- men, and it would stand to reason that they knew Matthew, the tax collector. One could imagine that Peter, James, and John would have dealt with Matthew, who would have taxed their daily catches as they brought their fish to market. One can also  imagine  that there was no love lost between these men who Jesus called to be his apostles. The love and mercy of Jesus can bring peace and healing among all people, no matter what their sins are.

Stories like MAtthew and Zacchaeus give me great hope. Just like he loved Matthew and Zacchaeus, I know Jesus loves me. Jesus calls me to follow him, and he forgives my sins when I confess them with contrition in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Yes, we are all sinners, and in need of God's mercy, but by the grace of God we are saved through the Paschal Mystery of Christ. We are all called to folow Jesus, just like Matthew and Zacchaeus.

June 7, 2020

          On June 5, 2020, I received an email from Giovanni Virgiglio, Diocesan Chancellor.  Highlighted at the top of the announcement were these words, “PARISHES IN ALBANY DIOCESE MAY RESUME PUBLIC MASSES AT 25 PERCENT CAPACITY BEGINNING JUNE 6, IF THEY MEET SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR COVID-19.”  Finally, we see a glimmer of light, and hope, emerging from the isolation we have all experienced during the coronavirus pandemic.  We will resume Masses at Transfiguration Parish the weekend of June 20-21, 2020, with the following stipulations:

• The obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains lifted by Bishop Scharfenberger until further notice, especially if you are part of a vulnerable population and/or have an underlying health condition.  Stay home if you are sick or not feeling well. 
• Transfiguration Parish will continue to offer three weekend Masses.  The Saturday Vigil Mass will be in Spiegletown beginning at 4:00 pm.  There will be Sunday morning Masses in Schaghticoke at 8:30 am, and Speigletown at 10:15 am.
• Due to the 25 Percent capacity restriction to allow for social distancing, attendees will have to register for the Mass they want to attend.  Registrations may be made only by calling the Speigletown Parish Office at 518-235-0337 during normal office hours which are Monday thru Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.  Registrations will not be accepted through email or text, but only by phone.  Registrations will be closed on Thursday at 2:00 pm, and attendees must register each week.
• All Mass attendees will be required to wear a face mask throughout the Mass.  Attendees are asked to sanitize their hands upon entry, and encouraged to bring their own small bottle of sanitizer if possible.  A log of all attendees will be maintained as a precaution for contact tracing.
• Attendees will sit in designated chairs or pews, and respect social distance between others of 6 feet or more unless you are one family unit living in the same household.
• There will be no missalettes in the church.  There will be no passing of baskets for the offertory.  There will be a collection basket at the entry of the church, and parishioners are encouraged to give online as a convenient alternative.
• There will be no holding of hands during the “Our Father”, and no physical touching at the sign of peace. 
• Holy Communion will be offered by one row at a time, with congregants maintaining proper social distancing.  Masks must be worn during Communion, and congregants are asked to receive by hand only.  There will be no offering of Holy Communion from the chalice.
• Following the final blessing, attendees will exit the church in an orderly fashion beginning from the rear of the church.  Social distancing is required, and there is no congregating in groups after Mass.  Attendees are asked to proceed to their cars, and leave the premises.  No bulletins will be handed out.  The bulletin can be viewed on the parish website.
• Restrooms will be available, but limited to one user at a time with the exception of parents with little children.  Users of the restrooms are asked to sanitize the space before leaving the restroom. 

     Clearly things are going to be different from what we have always done.  We have to continue to maintain safety precautions to keep the coronavirus contained.  I ask everyone to please be patient and kind.  Welcome back!    

God bless.
Deacon Chris

A PRAYER FOR DIVINE MERCY
 
     O greatly Merciful god, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to Your mercy— to Your compassion, O God: and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out. Gracious God, do not reject the prayer of this earth’s exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our own power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You: anticipate us with Your grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will through our life and at death’s hour.
 
     Let the omnipotence of Your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation’s enemies, that we may with confidence, as Your children, await Your final coming—that day known to You alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: Through His merciful Heart as through an open gate we pass through to heaven. Amen.
 
     Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1570

The Daily Prayer for Priests
By St. Therese of the Child Jesus

O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
For your unfaithful and tepid priest;
For your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.
For your tempted priests;
For your lonely and desolate priests;
For your young priests;
For the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
The priest who baptized me;
The priests who absolved me from my sins;
The priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
The priests who taught and instructed me;
All the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way (especially …)
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
And bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

Amen.

I found this in a book written by Father Ronald Rolheiser titled, “Sacred Fire, A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity.”  This begins chapter six in the book which is titled, “Drawing Strength From Prayer.”  I think it is worth sharing.
Deacon Chris

The Difference
 
By Grace L. Naessens
 
I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish, I didn’t have time to pray.
 
Problems just tumbled about me and grew heavier with each task;
Why doesn’t God help me, I wondered; He answered, “You didn’t ask.”
 
I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn’t show me – He said, “But you didn’t seek.”
 
I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock;
God gently and lovingly chided, “My child, you didn’t knock.”
 
I woke up early this morning and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.

Prayer for Persecuted Christians
 
O God of all the nations,
the One God who is and was and always will be,
in your providence you willed that your Church
be united to the suffering of your Son.
Look with mercy on your servants
who are persecuted for their faith in you.
Grant them perseverance and courage
to be worthy imitators of Christ.
Bring your wisdom upon leaders of nations
to work for peace among all peoples.
May your Spirit open conversion
for those who contradict your will,
that we may live in harmony.
Give us the grace to be united in truth and freedom,
and to always seek your will in our lives.
 
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

I found this in the book, “Everything Starts from Prayer, St. Mother Teresa’s Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths.” 
A good prayer to start our days.
God bless   
Deacon Chris

In the words of St. Teresa of Calcutta: 
“Wherever they are, the Missionaries of Charity start the day’s work with the same prayer from their community prayer book: 
 

MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY PRAYER

Dear Lord, the Great Healer, I kneel
before you, since every perfect gift
must come from you.  I pray, give skill to
my hands, clear vision to my mind,
kindness and meekness to my heart.
Give me singleness of purpose, strength
to lift up a part of the burden of my
suffering fellowmen, and a realization
of the privilege that is mine.  Take from
my heart all guile and worldliness, that
with the simple faith of a child, I may
Rely on you.
Amen.