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Dear Believers in the Christ,

Today, we celebrate The Baptism of the Lord. His cousin, John, baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. This baptism initiated Jesus into his public ministry. After this moment in the Jordan, Jesus enters the lives of people to bring healing, forgiveness and peace into people’s lives. Jesus becomes the living embodiment of love, the love only the Father can give from his Kingdom of Heaven.

Most people in the Church were baptized as infants. We never understood this transformation, this new life. We have relied on others to witness on our behalf such a transformation. This feast is an opportunity for us to live the mystery of our own baptism. Jesus’ life, his passion, death and resurrection, become the life into which we are initiated. We belong to him because of our baptism. We are God’s adopted children. We are rich in the presence of Christ Jesus through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our baptism. God’s love is thoroughly within our lives, our bodies and our souls. 

Because we belong to God in baptism, then we also belong in the Church. We belong to one another. In baptism, we understand our relationship with one another. The waters of baptism in many ways become thicker and more relational than the blood of our relatives. The unique connection we have within baptism connects us to the lives and needs of other people. 

Baptism is not a private sacrament. Baptism is not a sacrament of privilege. Baptism is a radical understanding that we belong to Christ’s redeeming love and to the real life world of the Church. We belong to one another. This is why people in the early Church shared their gifts, their money and their goods. Baptism is an equalizer. Baptism does not put one person on a pedestal. 

This year, we celebrate the Lord’s baptism without water! During the pandemic, we may have forgotten how much we belong to one another. No matter how much we have been afraid to attend Mass or feel just lonely, we know that through our baptism, we belong to the Church and to one another. This year, we rely on the Holy Spirit to engage our hearts and to heal our misfortunes and our fears of being together in worship. Baptism is engagement with the Holy Spirit to compel us to move into the world to provide peace, healing and kindness. 

There are several items used in the ritual of baptism that become images for our Christian lives. Of course, water, becomes an image of washing, cleansing from sin, and initiation into the lives of the community. In water, the old has been washed away. The Light of Christ, a candle given to godparents, becomes an image of life, of renewal and hope for the child or adult who is baptized. The light reveals Christ when darkness covers our path. The white garment is also given to a child. This garment may be the white gown or clothing worn. This garment, however, is really important. It signifies that we are clothed in Christ Jesus. The garment found in the empty tomb becomes the garment we all wear. This garment is revealed again in the pall at our funerals, that we are all one in Christ. We are one in the Mystery of Heaven here on earth. 

In today’s gospel, Mark 1:7-11 we hear the voice of God the Father, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This is a profound sentence for every Christian under heaven. We are sons and daughters of our loving God. We belong to Him. We are cherished and given new life in Christ Jesus. Pray this sentence with love this week. Pray this sentence because our lives depend upon such grace and tenderness. 

God give you peace, 

Fr. Ron Raab, CSC, Pastor

CLICK here to learn more about Sacred Heart Parish and the Congregation of Holy Cross and Saint Andre Bessette.

CLICK here to listen to Franciscan Media about Brother Andre.

Saint André Bessette is the first person to be canonized in the Congregation of Holy Cross. His memorial is celebrated on January 6 in the United States. In many other countries, the memorial is often celebrated on January 7 because the Epiphany is celebrated normally on January 6. No matter the day of the memorial of Saint André, he speaks to us with love and faith in our three communities during this Christmas time and especially during the many issues of pandemic. 

At Sacred Heart Church, we are honored to have a first-class relic of Saint André Bessette housed within our new altar. We received this relic in 2019 from Saint Joseph Oratory in Montreal. I am so grateful that André’s presence is here in our altar to help us understand the Real Presence of Christ Jesus. André’s gift is to help us sort through our ills, our sorrows, our isolation, and our weariness even in this year of pandemic. 

Alfred (André) Bessette, born near Quebec, Ontario, Canada on August 9, 1845, grew up in poverty and faith. Orphaned by age 12, prayer guided him to Saint Joseph. Through this devotion, he desired to enter the Congregation of Holy Cross. Brother André was assigned as Porter to Notre Dame College, Montreal. As doorkeeper, his healing reputation spread, reaching 600 people a day. He spent sleepless nights praying for the sick. 

I admit, it never occurred to me until this past year that André lived through the pandemic of 1918. He would have been at the height of his ministry of healing. I imagine that André dealt with people who were alone and isolated from the pandemic of his time. His healing ministry takes on an entirely new aspect for me knowing that he had gone through such a reality. 

His ministry grew from the pandemic, and World War I and beyond into what is now Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. He died on January 6, 1937 before its completion. He remains a paradox within our religious community since he was illiterate, joining our community known for education. He was frail bodied and strong in faith. He was orphaned and yet welcomed the sick as family. Brother André lived simply, a model of faith for people in despair. He was a sickly child and yet lived to be 91 years old. 

I have a great love and devotion to Saint André. He is such an example for me that God reveals love amid the weak and needy. The strength that enabled him to listen and care for the sick and pray all night came from Jesus. André understood that there was nothing more important than the needs of the sick and suffering. 

I believe we are learning a deeper and more sustaining notion of ministry among the ill given our experiences with COVID-19. We are exhausted from isolation and worry. Our healthcare workers are at the breaking point. I believe this pandemic will open us up to a new way of life and a new sense of compassion for our world. We have this common reality of vulnerability and loss. I pray we can ask Saint André to help us find the Light of Christ in the darkness that surrounds us. Hope is real for us who have faith in difficult times. 

I rely on Saint André in many ways. I also see his work among those who reach out in our community to the sick and elderly. André helps us in our Food Pantry, as simple as it is right now. We must rely on André to help us as a parish to support the needs of vulnerable people even though we cannot have meetings or large in-person services at this time. I ask André to intercede for us when violence covers our streets and anger rages in our hearts. 

Jesus’ heart becomes our heart. We also learn from Saint André Bessette who was canonized on Sunday, October 17, 2010. Saint André extended his heart and life to the weary. I invite you this week to seek out the life of Saint André Bessette. I invite you to surrender your pain and doubt to him in prayer. Invite him into your bodily and emotional pain. Invite him to intercede for us who face the ravages of the pandemic. Allow Saint André to welcome you in the frustrations or tragedies of your life. Allow Saint André to reveal to you the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the place of love and comfort for us all. 

 Prayer:

Saint André,

Welcome me at the threshold,

When I am lost. 

Offer me tenderness and solace,

When I am tired.

Remind me I belong 

When I am orphaned. 

Guide me to Saint Joseph 

When I am far from home. 

Bring forgiveness to my heart

When I feel most unworthy. 

Reveal Jesus’ healing touch

When I hurt and am alone. 

Touch my pain,

When I wait to be healed. 

Saint André Bessette pray for us!

My latest article from The Priest Magazine, January 2021

Dear Followers of Christ,

The Church celebrates The Epiphany of the Lord today. This feast continues the Christmas season and the revelation of Christ Jesus as Light of the World. We are drawn toward the Light of Christ. Hope is manifest in our hearts as well as for the lost.

Hope is not secondary to our faith. Hope is not whimsical or for only the well-deserving. We need hope especially in these days of pandemic. We need hope when so many of our relationships are stifled and seem to be on hold.  We need hope when our bodies are alone and untouched. Christ, the Light of the World, is hope for all nations, all people, in every time and land. I urge you to take stock of the hope you encounter on a daily basis; even the kind glances over a mask and the simple ways people help you at the grocery store. The Light of Christ may seem dim this year, but our faith is rooted in every action, every prayer, and in every notion of tenderness. 

I also draw your attention to Saint André Bessette, the first person to be canonized in the Congregation of Holy Cross. His memorial is celebrated on January 6 in the United States. In many other countries, the memorial is often celebrated on January 7 because the Epiphany is celebrated normally on January 6. No matter the day of the memorial of Saint André, he speaks to us with love and faith in our three communities during this Christmas time and especially during the many issues of pandemic. 

At Sacred Heart Church, we are honored to have a first-class relic of Saint André Bessette housed within our new altar. We received this relic in 2019 from Saint Joseph Oratory in Montreal. I am so grateful that André’s presence is here in our altar to help us understand the Real Presence of Christ Jesus. André’s gift is to help us sort through our ills, our sorrows, our isolation, and our weariness even in this year of pandemic. 

Alfred (André) Bessette, born near Quebec, Ontario, Canada on August 9, 1845, grew up in poverty and faith. Orphaned by age 12, prayer guided him to Saint Joseph. Through this devotion, he desired to enter the Congregation of Holy Cross. Brother André was assigned as Porter to Notre Dame College, Montreal. As doorkeeper, his healing reputation spread, reaching 600 people a day. He spent sleepless nights praying for the sick. 

I admit, it never occurred to me until this past year that André lived through the pandemic of 1918. He would have been at the height of his ministry of healing. I imagine that André dealt with people who were alone and isolated from the pandemic of his time. His healing ministry takes on an entirely new aspect for me knowing that he had gone through such a reality. 

His ministry grew from the pandemic, and World War I and beyond into what is now Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. He died on January 6, 1937 before its completion. He remains a paradox within our religious community since he was illiterate, joining our community known for education. He was frail bodied and strong in faith. He was orphaned and yet welcomed the sick as family. Brother André lived simply, a model of faith for people in despair. He was a sickly child and yet lived to be 91 years old. 

I have a great love and devotion to Saint André. He is such an example for me that God reveals love amid the weak and needy. The strength that enabled him to listen and care for the sick and pray all night came from Jesus. André understood that there was nothing more important than the needs of the sick and suffering. 

I believe we are learning a deeper and more sustaining notion of ministry among the ill given our experiences with COVID-19. We are exhausted from isolation and worry. Our healthcare workers are at the breaking point. I believe this pandemic will open us up to a new way of life and a new sense of compassion for our world. We have this common reality of vulnerability and loss. I pray we can ask Saint André to help us find the Light of Christ in the darkness that surrounds us. Hope is real for us who have faith in difficult times. 

I rely on Saint André in many ways. I also see his work among those who reach out in our community to the sick and elderly. André helps us in our Food Pantry, as simple as it is right now. We must rely on André to help us as a parish to support the needs of vulnerable people even though we cannot have meetings or large in-person services at this time. I ask André to intercede for us when violence covers our streets and anger rages in our hearts. 

Jesus’ heart becomes our heart. We also learn from Saint André Bessette who was canonized on Sunday, October 17, 2010. Saint André extended his heart and life to the weary. I invite you this week to seek out the life of Saint André Bessette. I invite you to surrender your pain and doubt to him in prayer. Invite him into your bodily and emotional pain. Invite him to intercede for us who face the ravages of the pandemic. Allow Saint André to welcome you in the frustrations or tragedies of your life. Allow Saint André to reveal to you the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the place of love and comfort for us all. 

God give you peace, 

Fr. Ron Raab, CSC, Pastor

Saint André,

Welcome me at the threshold,

When I am lost. 

Offer me tenderness and solace,

When I am tired.

Remind me I belong 

When I am orphaned. 

Guide me to Saint Joseph 

When I am far from home. 

Bring forgiveness to my heart

When I feel most unworthy. 

Reveal Jesus’ healing touch

When I hurt and am alone. 

Touch my pain,

When I wait to be healed. 

Saint André Bessette pray for us!

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Note: This will be my last daily homily until Ash Wednesday.

Dear Believers in the Christ,

In Luke 2: 22-40, we hear with our own ears the beautiful words of Simeon who spotted the child Jesus. He had waited in the Temple for many years for that moment. I imagine him with a grey beard and old dark clothing in the dark, dusty temple. Most people would have passed him up as another old, crazy man without a place to go. People must have known who he was and why he persistently waited in prayer. Then it happened, his eyes fell upon the small child with Mary and Joseph. His words were prophetic and wise. 

Simeon becomes a prophet. His presence and his words ushered in a new reality. The child was destined to change the world. The gospel writer, Luke, puts these words into the old man’s mouth: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” These words are still prayed during Night Prayer in the Church. Imagine, for centuries, we have proclaimed just before bed, the beauty of Simeon’s testimony, that he lived long enough to see the child, who was destined to redeem the world. 

Simeon also has words for Mary that would change her life. I am sure she would never have expected such an encounter bearing the small child in the temple. Simeon says these words, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted— and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” These words spoken to Mary become Mary’s first of the Seven Sorrows. She will treasure the meaning of those words throughout her life and will live out such a prediction as she will learn to stand with Jesus during all the moments of his suffering. 

As we continue to celebrate Christmas, we too, are part of the Holy Family. Through the gift of our baptism, we stand with those who waited to see the Christ Child and those who would witness his ministry, and his passion, death, and resurrection. We are part of God’s plan as well. 

Now that the initial celebration of Christmas is past, at least the wrappings are off the gifts and the leftovers are in the refrigerator, we turn to this feast that celebrates our connection to something more than our earthly families. I am sure this Christmas has initiated new plans and various kinds of celebrations than in the past, due to the pandemic. The one thing the pandemic does not do is to rip apart our understanding that we still belong in God. We are still part of the family in which we celebrate today. The Holy Family is not just about Jesus and his parents, but about the connection that Christ has with his people. Here, the water of baptism is thicker than the blood of family. I rely on that to be true. 

The Holy Family becomes another link as to why we serve people who most need us. We honor all of life, including the unborn, and those who need to be raised, educated and clothed. We honor our adults in nursing homes, and those in long-term facilities suffering from horrific disabilities and disease. There are no distinctions as to who is in the Family of God and who is not. Even our enemies must be cared for by the Christian. The Holy Family is an extended celebration of the Incarnation, Christmas, that is, God-with-us. 

I hope that Zoom and FaceTime can carry the faces into your lives of those you love across the globe during these Christmas days. We ache to see the faces of those we love, just as Simeon finally laid his eyes on Jesus’s tiny eyes and grin. I want desperately for people to realize they belong in God. There is nothing that keeps any of us apart. Belonging is a fundamental notion of being human. And so many people feel at one point or another in life, that they do not belong, either in their families or in the Church. 

Let’s make sure as the calendar turns the page to another year, that we take seriously Simeon and Anna in the gospel of Luke, that they waited to see Jesus even in their old age. They knew they belonged in God’s plan. Anna waited in the temple for years. She too, becomes a messenger of the reality of Jesus in the world. Perhaps we can work on making sure all people are supported, fed, educated, housed and listened to. Perhaps, our faith this year will challenge us to gaze upon the stranger and see the face of Jesus. I am counting on it. 

Happy New Year. 

God give you peace.

Fr. Ron Raab, CSC, Pastor  

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My dear followers of Jesus,

Jesus touched the earth. Mary’s womb opened and she birthed love in the darkness. The infant was mystery and miracle.  He was the promised Light. He brought hope to human flesh. He became love incarnate. His voice echoed heaven. His eyes revealed the mystery of the Father. His purpose was motivated by the Holy Spirit. His life would teach us everything about life and about death. In his swaddling clothes we saw the cloth from the future of the empty tomb. However, this is not only the past. Jesus is still revealing light in us. Miracles still bloom. The Word is still Flesh.

We all know that pain, in order for it to heal, needs to be touched. So, Jesus became a healer for us. He touched the separations of peoples. Jesus touched the world. He touched humanity’s profound pain. He touched our sin in his passion. His resurrection claimed new life for us all. In Jesus all life is still wonder and tenderness. This day, Jesus touches us. He heals. He reveals heaven.

We know we need to be touched in order to thrive. As humans, we need the assurance that we are not alone. In this pandemic, being touched by another human has been rare. A lack of touch seems so unimaginable. Yet, my dear believers, Jesus has touched the earth this day in you and in me.

Please, allow the love of God to touch your heart, your soul. This is Christmas Day. This is the moment in which we reach out from the barrenness of our hearts, from the turmoil on our streets, from the exhaustion of our health-care workers, from the despair of our restaurant owners, to the outpouring of love that is tucked in the corner of a cave, in the presence of child. His mystery flows in us from the wonder-place of heaven. A new earth is ours in faith.

Finding Christmas calls us to touch the pain of others. This is the Eucharist in the world. Justice thrives in our actions to name, to touch, to face the realities of life. In Jesus Christ, a new heaven and a new earth is born. The Word is among us.

God give you peace.

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Read today’s scriptures

Listen to today’s homily

Read the Scriptures

Listen to today’s homily