Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

A few weeks ago, I was over at a new parishioner’s home for dinner and a house blessing.  They shared with me the story about how their Protestant grandson who was about 6 years old was enthralled with their crucifix.  He was not used to seeing Jesus on the cross, as is accustom in the Protestant world.  He then came to the realization of what the cross meant and why Jesus was on it.

One reason the cross is so hard to understand is that we were not created to live in a fallen world. This is why St. Paul wrote, For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:22-23).

We were created to live in a world where justice, truth, and peace were the norm. But after original sin, injustice, ignorance, and strife have become our daily bread. And so, in our hearts we know this is not the way it's supposed to be.

But then we make the mistake of thinking that it's up to us to make everything right. It isn't. We need a Savior. We don't take away the sin of the world; the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.  And he takes it away with his cross.  By letting us share in his cross, in his suffering and sorrow, he gives us a chance to share in his work of salvation, and to prove that we love the giver of all good gifts (God) better than the gifts.

This is why all the saints love and embrace the cross.  St Margaret Mary Alacoque, who received the revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, put it like this: "Trust to the goodness of our Lord in the crosses which He sends you; He will never abandon you, for He knows how to draw good from our ills and His glory from our trials…. What should I do, had I not a cross to bear? ...It is my whole treasure in the adorable Heart of Jesus Christ, and there it is the cause of all my happiness, my delight and my joy." 

Sharing in Christ's cross helps purify our hearts of selfishness. And the less selfishness we have in our hearts, the more room for Christ's love - the true source of lasting joy, wisdom, and peace.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,   

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates famously said, “I know one thing, that I know nothing.”  This is what we call a paradox.  This word is a Greek word that literally means, distinct from common opinion.  

 In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus proclaims a paradox.  He uses an analogy of wheat.  “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24).  Wheat is one of the most abundant and versatile food crops in the world.  Each wheat plant can produce 110 other wheat plants.  The death of a wheat stock produces a multitude of others.    

 It is always because great men have been prepared to die that have allowed others to live, for instance the freedom of our country.  Only by spending life do we actually gain life.  The world owes everything to people who recklessly spent their strength and gave themselves to God and to others.  Yes, we live in a world of finite goods, but we are made for a world of infinite goods.  

 Only a human being would ask, “How can someone who loves himself deny himself?” God … says to such a person, “Let him deny himself, if he loves himself.”  By loving himself, you see, he loses himself; by denying himself, he finds himself.  “Whoever loves his soul,” he says, “let him lose it.”…It is a painful thing to lose what you love.

 St. Augustine says, “There is not anyone, after all, who does not love himself.  But we have to look for the right sort of love and avoid the wrong sort.  You see, anyone who loves himself by leaving God out of his life (and leaves God out of his life by loving himself), does not even remain in himself.  He actually leaves his self.  He goes away into exile from his own heart by taking no notice of what is inside and instead only loving what is outside…”

Jesus came to the Jews with a new view of life.  They looked on glory as conquest, the acquisition of power, the right to rule.  He looked on glory as a cross.  “When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself” (John 20:33).  Jesus taught us that only by death comes life; that only by spending life do we retrain it; that only by service comes greatness.  This is the paradox of Christianity.  Today, may you and I become more like Jesus Christ, a paradox to the world but a glory…to the name of the Father!

In His Mercy, 
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

It is the time of year for state basketball.  One joyful thing about the tournament is watching the student sections with their school spirit.  These energetic youth show their school unity and support by wearing similar colors or choosing a theme for each game.

Our theme for Mass this weekend is joy, and our color is pink. Actually, the term is liturgical rose.  The 4^th Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday.  Laetare is the Latin word for rejoice, which comes from the entrance antiphon at the Mass, “Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and all who love her.  Be joyful, all who were in mourning…” (Isaiah 66:10-11).

In the days of the Prophet Isaiah, the Jewish people had many hardships.  These sufferings were the consequence of turning their hearts from God.  The indictment of the chosen people by Isaiah would culminate in the destruction of Jerusalem and their exile from the Promised Land into the pagan territories. 

The book of Isaiah ends on a happy note. Eventually the children of God repented, and He saved them from their enemies and restored them to their homeland.  Their return to worship in Jerusalem led the Jewish nation to rediscover joy. 

I know it has been a challenge the last ten months having Mass in Bishop Vasa Hall, but we still have much to be joyful for because God has not abandoned us. He is with us in our families as we pray together.  He is with us substantially in the flesh of Christ at each Mass. And today, we can rejoice, for in two weeks, we will be in our renovated church.    

Brothers and sisters, to rejoice is to rediscover joy, a joy that can be rediscovered amid the sufferings of Lent, a joy this world cannot give nor contain.  This joy can only be found in giving your heart to Jesus Christ.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – I look forward to seeing your Christian spirit in your Sunday-best ‘pink’ this weekend! 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Imagine if your home parish of St. Peter became a place of commerce.  Bishop Vasa Hall became a barbeque restaurant, the narthex a place to sell nick-nacks, the sacristy was a hair salon, and the church became a recital hall.  This seems tragic and almost blasphemous to our minds but a sad reality of the fate of many parishes in Europe.

In the Gospel this weekend, we encounter our Lord, who went into the Jewish Temple to pray but found it a marketplace.  With zeal and love for His Father’s house, he drove those sacrilegious people out. 

I cannot imagine one would walk into the temple one day and set up a business unless they slowly grew cold to the love and law of God.  What would cause someone to lose their piety, which is the reverence owed to God? Dare I say indifference? 

Indifference is one of the greatest sins of our day because it leads us to become apathetic to the goodness we are created for.  The ancients called this acedia, which means the absence of care. When we fail to care for God, His house, or His people, culture is thrown into the chaos of hell. 

In a peculiar way, the suffering of Jesus is greater by those who are indifferent to Him than by those who directly attacked the Lord on His path to Calvary.  This is what the British poet, Geoffery Studdert Kennedy meant when he wrote,

When Jesus came to Golgotha, they hanged Him on a tree,
They drove great nails through hands and feet, and made a Calvary;
They crowned Him with a crown of thorns, red were His wounds and deep,
For those were crude and cruel days, and human flesh was cheap.

When Jesus came to Birmingham, they simply passed Him by.
They would not hurt a hair of Him, they only let Him die;
For men had grown more tender, and they would not give Him pain,
They only just passed down the street, and left Him in the rain.

Still Jesus cried, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do,’
And still it rained the winter rain that drenched Him through and through;
The crowds went home and left the streets without a soul to see,
And Jesus crouched against a wall, and cried for Calvary.

For this Lent, may we be shaken from our indifference and begin to revere the God of love once again. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

You may have never heard of Wilma Rudolph, but her story is remarkable.  She was born in Clarksville, TN, on June 23, 1940.  From the moment of her birth, she had the greatest disadvantages life could throw.  She was born prematurely and into severe poverty because she had twenty-one siblings. She was an African American woman and, in those days, did not have the same equal rights as today. If those obstacles were not enough, she contracted polio and could not walk until she was twelve years old.

Even though Wilma had many crosses in her life, she did not let that slow her down, literally.  At age twenty, eight years after she learned to walk, she won three Olympic gold medals in the 1960 Summer Olympics.  She earned the title of “the fastest woman in the world.”   Wilma Rudolph became a champion because her pains in life did not limit her from achieving glory. 

If you knew you would win a gold medal, would you endure the pain?  I believe most of us would say ‘yes’.  Lent is a time to remind us of pain.  The pain of sacrifice. The pain of fasting. But most importantly, the pain of our Lord Jesus. 

But pain without purpose is pointless.  This is why in the Gospel, this weekend, Jesus reveals His transfigured glory to the apostles. 

The account of the Transfiguration is read during Lent for two reasons.  First, to remove the discouragement of pain.  St. Bede once wrote, “By His loving foresight, Christ allowed the disciples for a short time the eternal joy so that they might bear persecution bravely.”  By showing us His glory, Jesus gives us the courage to carry our cross and follow Him. 

Secondly, the Transfiguration of the Lord gives us hope by knowing our eternal end.  An archer does not shoot an arrow straight unless he first sees the target.  Jesus is revealing to us that He is God and humanity will be glorified through Him as long as we keep our eyes focused on Him. 

St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians said, “Run so you may win!  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable.”  May we become like Wilma Rudolph and never allow physical, emotional, or spiritual pains and weaknesses to discourage us from running the race toward eternal life. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

If you are like me and the 126 million other Americans, you saw the Super Bowl this past Sunday.  Whether you liked the outcome of the nail-biter game or not, we can all admit it was one for the ages. 

But it was not the game that had my mind racing late Sunday night.  It was the commercial entitled “Foot Washing” which aired during the first quarter of the game. It showed various still images of people – including a woman outside an abortion clinic and a transgender person – having their feet washed.  It ended with the slogan: "Jesus didn't teach hate. He washed feet."

Of all the 2024 Super Bowl ads, The Washington Post branded the "He Gets Us" campaign as "most controversial." According to the Post, the ads were meant to "promote the teachings of Jesus and unite different groups of people. But perhaps unsurprisingly, all they’ve done is foment hostility." 

So why this hostility?  There are certain Christian ecclesial communities that thump the bible over people’s heads and tell them they are going to hell if they don’t act like them.  On the other side, you have Christians who proclaim a version of Christianity in which everything goes because sin does not exist. 

This hostility was the same in the days of the Lord.  The Pharisees were self-proclaimed righteous observers of the law, while the Sadducees bought into the secular culture and watered down their faith.  Both were a wrong approach to the covenant God made with His chosen people. 

So, as true Christians, how are we to respond to others?  We cannot condemn sinners, like the Pharisees, nor condone sinning like the Sadducees.  The Pharisees would not stoop down to the level of a sinner to wash their feet.  Sadducees would not believe it was necessary to wash feet because they were ok with their filth.  But as a disciple of Jesus, we are called to have compassion by washing the feet of one another.   

How do we do that?  The answer lies in the Gospel this weekend, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15).  This powerful teaching of Jesus shows us two things: 1. He meets everyone where they are at, all of our brokenness, shame, and sins; but 2. He calls us to leave that behind by repentance.  And that is the Good News!

So yes, “He Gets Us” but loves us too much to leave us there.  

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

In the Gospel this coming weekend, we hear about the leper who came to Jesus for healing.  Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy, in the time of Christ was an untreatable disease that caused oozing sores, loss of limbs, and even blindness. 

This poor leper not only had physical pain but the emotional loss of being cut off from society.  Lepers were outcasts who had to shave their heads, tear their garments and yell out ‘unclean; unclean’ so as to not touch other people. 

Furthermore, lepers experienced a deep spiritual agony because they were cut off from worship in the temple.  Their disease was looked upon as a consequence of sin, thus making them ritually impure. However, that did not stop him from coming to Jesus.  He did not let any pain (physical, social, or spiritual) separate him from God.  Rather, he kneels and begs Jesus, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”  This leper recognized Jesus is not just a physician and healer of the body but that He is God who could restore him to be able to worship once again. 

Next week, we begin the season of Lent.  Lent is a time to encounter the healing touch of Christ.  We may not have physical leprosy, but each one of us has sin. Sin is leprosy in our soul that causes spiritual and emotional pain that separates us from God and others. We are all poor beggars in need of the riches of God’s restorative power. 

Jesus Christ is not afraid to enter into our culture of pain and into our lives to extend His healing hand to take away our spiritual leprosy.  However, He can only do that if we come to Him, kneel down before His mercy, and beg, “Lord, if you wish, YOU can make me clean.” 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Today is Groundhog’s Day.  Punxsutawney Phil may or may not have prophesized the end of winter.  Let’s hope that little varmint brings us some warmth soon. 

Today is the commemoration of an important prophecy as we celebrate the Presentation of our Lord in the temple. This glorious event fulfills the prophecy of Malachi 1 in the Old Testament.  The prophecy that Simeon in the Gospel Luke proclaimed was threefold.  First, Jesus would be a light to the nations, the glory of Israel, and a sign of contradiction (Lk. 2:39-35). 

Jesus was presented in the temple of Jerusalem to fulfill the Jewish law of redeeming, buying back the child with the price of a pair of turtledoves.  The temple was called a light to the nations because it was set on top of a hill adorned with gold and jewels that shimmered at night from the light of the candles.   However, Simeon told Mary and Joseph that Jesus was to be a light to the nations.  This is why this feast day is the traditional feast day of blessing candles. 

Second, the glory of Israel was the Ark of the Covenant.  This was God’s dwelling place with the chosen people of Israel.  However, it was captured by the Philistines and his people sat and wept.  But the prophet Isaiah said it would return someday.  Simeon, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognized that God’s presence and glory had returned in the person of Jesus. 

Finally, Simeon also prophesized Jesus would be a sign of contradiction and Mary’s heart will be pierced with a sword.  Christ was a contradiction for the 1^st-century Jews and Romans alike.  He is still a contradiction in our secular world today as He told us, “You will be hated by everyone because of my name” (Mat. 10:22). 

Jesus was presented in the temple on earth so you and I could be presented in the temple of heaven.  By our baptism, may we be a light to the nations, confirmation of the glory of God’s Church, and our reception of Eucharist this weekend as a sign of contradiction to the world.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

This past week, I gave the State of the School address.  I am filled with gratitude to all our parishioners, parents, teachers, and staff who make our school an awesome place to learn and become a disciple of Jesus Christ. 

Our Catholic school is not just an excellent place for academic excellence and athletic achievements, but a place to develop artistic beauty.  Our Catholic school is a place of discipleship.  Disciples not only follow the Lord but accompany others on the clear path of discipleship. 

Today is the feast day of Saints Timothy and Titus.  Timothy was a non-practicing Jew who met St. Paul in the Roman city of Lystra (modern-day Turkey).  Timothy converted to Christianity and became a disciple of Paul in Greece and Macedonia.  During one of their missions, Timothy became sick to his stomach, so St. Paul encouraged him to “have a little wine for your illness” (1 Tim. 5:23).  Raise your wine glass in honor of St. Timothy!

Titus was a Greek from Crete, who is said to have studied Greek philosophy and poetry in his early years, which allowed him to pursue truth and beauty.  He was converted by Paul, whereupon he served as Paul's secretary and interpreter. In the year 49, Titus accompanied Paul to the council held at Jerusalem. 

In St. Paul’s letter, he wrote, “What you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well” (2 Tim. 2:2).  It is not enough for us to live the faith or even teach the faith.  We must teach teachers, to teach the faith.  This is how discipleship works. 

And I, for one, am excited to participate in the work of the Holy Spirit making disciples in our parish!

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

During the Spanish Civil War, which began in 1935, the truth of our faith enabled many Catholics to show great heroism in the face of persecution.

An example of this was a priest, placed against a wall at the favorite execution spot in the Casa de Campo.  As they stood him up before the firing squad, the padre pulled out his watch and, with a smile and a twinkle in his eye, said to the riflemen: "This is all I have; I bequeath it to the one who proves himself the best shot." The young rebel soldiers were so impressed by this old priest's calm and courageous humor that they lowered their rifles and ordered the priest to go free - with his watch.

In our second reading for this weekend, St. Paul writes to the church of Corinth, “I tell you, brothers, the time is running out…. For the world in its present form is passing away.” Time for that courageous priest was numbered, but his quick wit and valor at the sight of death granted him more time. 

This coming Monday, we remember the unborn babies who died tragically in our country due to the scourge of abortion in our land.  I am so grateful for the many parishioners who pray at the abortion chamber throughout the week.  You are the voice for the voiceless and a source of hope for mothers.  I encourage all the parishioners to join us in prayer for the unborn.  I see this parish as a beacon for the unborn.  We are called to be prophets like Jonah in this weekend’s 1^st reading to call our nation to repentance! 

If we become heroic for life in the face of persecution, those innocent babies will have the time each one of us longs for. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

One of the greatest songs of all time is “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”   The lead singer of U2, Bono, is looking for more to life and allows us to ponder “What are you looking for?”  This is the perennial question that has been asked throughout history.    

The Egyptians were looking for gods who were in control of nature. The Greeks were looking for truth in their study of philosophy, while the Romans were looking for peace for an Empire brought on by military conquest. And the Jews were looking for the long-anticipated Messiah.  

In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus asks the Jewish people, “What are you looking for?” Jesus did not ask this out of ignorance but rather to give them an occasion to trust Him.  Jesus says, “Come after me and you will find the answers to what you are looking for.” 

There is one fundamental question our Lord asks each of us today, “What are you looking for?” I believe the human soul desires and is looking for three things: adventure, success, and romance. The great sinner turned saint, St. Augustine of Hippo wrote, “To seek God, is the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest success; & to fall in love with Him… the greatest romance.” 

How can we practically look for God today?  We can seek Him by reading the scriptures, find Him in daily prayer, and fall in love with Him in the sacraments.  Today, if you are like Bono and “still haven’t found what you are looking for,” Jesus invites you to “come and see” Him at Mass this weekend. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,     

A few years ago, someone asked me about the “graffiti” above my door.  Maybe you have also wondered who has been writing in chalk above the doors to our church or parishioners’ homes. 

This is the Epiphany blessing, done at the beginning of the year.  This Christian custom of chalking the door has a biblical root.  The Israelites in the Old Testament marked their doors with the lamb’s blood on the night of the Passover.  “And they shall take of the blood thereof, and put it upon both the side posts and on the upper door posts of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12:7)

Using blessed chalk, the head of the household or a priest will mark the main door of the house with the initials of the Magi, the legendary names of the three kings: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, and a code of the current year (2024) connected with crosses: 20 ✞ C ✞ M ✞ B ✞ 24.  Another explanation of the initials (C ✞ M ✞ B) is the first letters of the blessing: “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” (Latin: “May Christ Bless this house”). The crosses (✞) represent the protection of the Christ. This short liturgy is a way of marking our homes with sacred signs and symbols as we ask God’s blessing upon those who live, work, or visit throughout the coming year.

The final prayer of the blessing is, “Lord God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only-begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star.  Bless this house and all who inhabit it.  Fill us with the light of Christ, that our concern for others may reflect your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.” (USCCB).

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Please feel free to take some blessed chalk home with you after Mass this weekend.  The Epiphany blessing can be found in the bulletin and on our website. 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,     

The wildly successful animated film, "The Incredibles" illustrates a powerful point. In that excellent movie, a family of superheroes tries to live a normal, humdrum life. But it doesn't work. The husband and wife start drifting apart. The kids start distancing themselves from their parents and find themselves getting moody, insecure, and frustrated at school.  Then a crisis hits, and the whole family has to put their superhero powers to work to save the world from the evil villain, Syndrome.

Fighting together against evil transforms the family. It revives them and brings them together. That's what they were made for; that's their vocation. They are superheroes, and they only find satisfaction when they are engaged in fulfilling that mission.

It's only a movie, but the story contains a profound truth about human nature.  We were made for more than mediocrity. We were made for more than just following in the ruts of secular society. We have a mission in life: to build Christ's Kingdom in our families.  Unless we embrace that mission and follow it, we will always feel like we're traveling along life's journey with a flat tire.

This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  To be honest, our families are far from perfect, like the Holy Family, nor do we have superpowers like the Incredibles.  But our families still have a mission.  In 1981, St. John Paul II wrote a letter to families entitled Familiaris Consortio (The Role of the Family in Modern Times), which I highly recommend reading.  In it, he wrote, “The family finds in the plan of God not only its identity, what it is, but also its mission. The family has the mission to guard, reveal, and communicate love.”

My prayer for families is that you will guard, reveal, and communicate the love of God.  If you do, your family will truly be incredible! 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,          

You have probably seen signs that read “coming soon” at the sight of a future business.  These signs are to give people hope and reassurance of what is anticipated.  This anticipation fills the passerby with eagerness for the grand opening.

I thought about putting a “coming soon” sign up in our narthex.  This week, the painters finished their work in the church, and the scaffolding has come down.  We now have a good look at the great things coming soon to our parish.  

Last weekend, we heard from the Prophet Isaiah, who pointed out the coming of Jesus.  This Sunday, we hear about the announcement of the Lord’s coming from the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Many of us have spent time preparing our homes for Christmas.  Like King David in the 1^st reading this weekend, we are called to prepare a home for the Lord.  He desires a dwelling place in our homes, our families, and our very soul. 

One of the great liturgical traditions of the Church is the “O Antiphons,” which are chanted before the Gospel.  For seven days, these antiphons point to the “coming soon” of Christ.  The antiphons are all prophecies of Isaiah and titles that Jesus comes to fulfill.  I encourage you to pray the O Antiphons each day as a household.

If we spend some time each day praying and preparing for the coming of Christ, we will truly have the joy of His coming this Christmas! 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

O Antiphons of Advent

December 17, 2020 - O Sapientia
Emmanuel, Our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!

December 18 - O Adonai
Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!

December 19 - O Radix Jesse
Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!

December 20 - O Clavis David
Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

December 21 - O Oriens
Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

December 22 - O Rex Gentium
King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

December 23 - O Emmanuel
Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,       

When I was fourteen, my dad and I were building a barbwire fence around a pasture on a hot and dry August day.  To quench our thirst, we were drinking out of an old dirty tin cup.  At dinnertime, which is in the middle of the day for rural folks, I brought that old dirty cup to the table.  My mom would not allow such an old fifthly utensil for drinking at her table and requested I get a clean cup from the cupboard to pour fresh water into it.   

Today, we celebrate the purity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary who was the pure ‘cup’ of God to welcome the ‘living water,’ Jesus Christ.   He told his followers, “People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Mary is the new pure wineskin, and Jesus is the new wine, which gives us joy.  She teaches us to receive Jesus into our lives with purity and obedience to lead us to joy.  

Mary the Dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;              
          Mary the Gate, Christ the Heav’nly Way!
Mary the Root, Christ the Mystic Vine;               
          Mary the Grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!
Mary the Wheat-sheaf, Christ the Living Bread;
          Mary the Rose-Tree, Christ the Rose Blood-red!
Mary the Font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;         
          Mary the Chalice, Christ the Saving Blood!

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,       

Each year, the Christmas lights go up earlier, the shopping lists get longer, and the parties become overwhelming.  All for what? Or better yet, all for who?  In the present secular age and the ‘advent’ of materialism, we must pause and reflect upon the mystery of God becoming man. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The coming of God’s Son to earth is an event of such immensity that God willed to prepare for it over centuries. He makes everything converge on Christ: all the rituals and sacrifices, figures and symbols of the “First Covenant.” He announces Him through the mouths of the prophets who succeeded one another in Israel. Moreover, He awakens in the hearts of the pagans a dim expectation of this coming. When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for His second coming” (CCC 522,524).

One way to prepare for the coming of our Lord this Advent is by joining us at St. Peter Church for Stations of the Nativity this coming Wednesday (December 6^th) at 2:30PM, 4:45PM & 7PM.  This is a new liturgical devotion I put together a few years ago to help me prepare spiritually for Christmas.  Each station takes an event from the early life of Jesus from the Gospel, its Old Testament prophecy, and a reflection from a saint. 

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel!

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This past week, I have had two separate conversations with active parishioners who have different opinions on the war in Israel.  On one side, the opinion is that Israel has a right to defend itself from terrorists, and since the United States is an ally in the Middle East, we should support them. 

On the other side, the view is that Israel has encroached upon the human rights of Palestinians and is using this as an opportunity to grab more land from the people who were there before Israel became a modern state in 1948. 

I have been to both Israel and Palestine on three different trips. I know Jews, Muslims, and Christians on both sides of the wall.  This letter is not going to share with you my opinion, but you can sure ask me in person.  My job as pastor is not to share my sentiments but rather to give you what the Church teaches about the moral and ethical response to a just war.       

Some conflicts, like the War of 1812, are simpler to determine if they are just, while others are more complicated because hindsight is always 20/20.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church (# 2243) states all of the following conditions must be met for a just war:

1) there is a certain, grave, and prolonged violation of fundamental rights
2) all other means of redress have been exhausted
3) such resistance will not provoke worse disorders
4) there is well-founded hope of success
5) it is impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution 

Based upon these criteria, you can form your conscience on the current war in Israel or any other war.  We should continue to pray for peace and a quick end to suffering on both sides. 

This weekend is the final Sunday of the liturgical year.  It is known as Christ the King Sunday. It was instituted by Pope Pius IX in 1925 because of the rise of atheism, secular, Communist, and Socialist governments.  He wrote, “The manifold evils in the world were due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives; that these had no place either in private affairs or in politics, that as long as individuals and states refused to submit to the rule of our Savior, there would be no really hopeful prospect of a lasting peace among nations. Men must look for the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ.”

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Christianity brought about powerfully expressive architecture. Usually, pre-Christian temples were rectangular. Leading up to the entrance were huge columns or pillars. One temple in Egypt had more than an acre of gigantic pillars. They would get thicker and closer together as you approached the entrance.  Inside the entrance was an antechamber. Sometimes, it had small, high windows. Mostly, the only light was from the entrance itself. Here too, there would often be large columns, creating ominous shadows. You would walk through the anteroom towards the inner sanctuary. With the entrance at your back, the farther you advanced, the darker it became. Inside, there were no windows. The only light came from flickering oil lamps and the altar fire. The sanctuary was dominated by a gigantic statue of whatever god the temple was dedicated to.

By the time a worshiper was in the presence of the false god, he would feel small, insignificant, and fearful. Going in to worship one of these pagan gods was a journey from open spaces to closed chambers, from light to darkness. 

In contrast, magnificent Christian Churches, like Charters Cathedral in France, built in 1215AD, placed an emphasis on beauty and light piercing through stained glass windows.   From the 5^th century until the late 10th century, all churches across Europe were built in Romanesque style, which emphasized the splendor of their faith.  These churches used mosaics, murals, and stained glass to transmit the faith.  As we commonly say, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’

If you are like me, you are a visual learner.  This is why our church design is modeled after the Basilica of Saint Apollinaris in Ravenna, Italy.  The use of murals, stained glass windows, mosaics, and flooring in our remodeled church is to lift us up to the Heavenly Jerusalem. As St. John writes in the Book of Revelation chapter 21. 

Stained glass windows can only be understood and admired from inside a church.  They are an analogy of our Catholic faith.  You can look at it from afar, but to grasp the faith, one has to enter the Church through the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist). 

Today, I am outside Milwaukee, WI inspecting the progress of our stained-glass windows at Conrad Schmitt Studio.  These stunning windows depict the life and ministry of our patron, Saint Peter.  I look forward to the day this spring in which you and I can worship together in our remodeled church and lift our minds and hearts up to the Lord. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

It is difficult to see a loved one in pain.  The most challenging experience for me the past month was when my dad cried out for thirst in the ICU after his accident.  The doctors would not let him drink anything for nearly forty-eight hours with concerns of him aspirating due to his broken neck.  It seemed as though his thirst was more painful than any of his broken bones. 

In a mystical way, my dad was participating in the crucifixion of our Savior.  As our Lord hung upon the cross out of love for you and me, Jesus cried out, “I thirst” (John 19:28).  The thirst of Jesus was not merely a natural desire but a spiritual one.  As St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once wrote, “Jesus is God, therefore His love, His thirst, is infinite… He thirsts for our love.” 

We may not always, or never realize it, but our souls thirst for something.  Better yet, someone who is infinite love, namely Jesus Christ.  We hear in the Psalms this weekend, “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God” (Psalm 63:2).   

But too often, we drink of things of this world that do not quench our souls’ thirst or even worse, lead us to death.  We often are like stowaways on a life raft in the ocean who thirst for freshwater but instead find ourselves drinking the deadly saltwater surrounding us.  We satisfy our thirst in vain by seeking the emptiness of sin. 

Do you have loved ones in your life who are riding the waves of this world and thirst for love?  Please bring them to confession and Mass this weekend.  Jesus is waiting to give them a drink of His eternal water (John 4:14) so they may believe and never thirst again (John 6:35). 

Do you thirst for love?  What are you filling your cup with to satisfy your thirst?  Then come to Jesus.   He tells us “Come to Me all you who thirst…” (John 7:37).  He is the only one who will truly fill you and ultimately satiate your thirst. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

First off, I want to thank you for your prayers and kindness for my father Allen.  It has been just over a month since he was in a tragic farm accident. He is slowly recovering with the help of the amazing staff at Madonna Rehab, but he still has a long way to go.  So, prayers are appreciated. 

One of the many things I learned from my dad when he came home from work was the smell of a hard day’s work with cattle.  When I was five years old, I was shocked to learn my friend’s father did not have a distinct scent like my dad when he came home from a long day in the office.  My dad taught me what Pope Francis said, “The shepherd (priest) must have the odor of the sheep.” 

We hear in our 2^nd reading this weekend from St. Paul, “With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8).  To be a leader of the Christian community, St. Paul was not content to only preach the Good News but also share his very life. 

One of the great joys of being your pastor at St. Peter Church is to share life with you.  I enjoy immensely coming to your homes for dinner, ball games, or just to hang out.  Likewise, I have had an amazing time with fellowship events at our parish like the Trunk or Treat, Happy Holy Hour socials, Fall Festival, etc.  We have had fun and fellowship while growing closer to the Lord.  The gift of fellowship and sharing life with one another is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the early Church (Acts 2:42) and still is today.

I look forward to not only sharing the Gospel with you but my very life.  I hope and pray to be more like a ‘chip off the old block’ so when I come back to the rectory each night, I may smell like my sheep.  An aroma pleasing to the Lord!   

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor