“Cabrini”

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The American Catholic experience has been blessed far and wide from the outset by the sacrifice and dedication of religious women and men who arrived with their immigrant communities or came soon after to live and serve among them. At times, God had to raise up these dedicated servants from within to respond to the glaring needs of marginalized and persecuted populations in our country.

In our southern and western regions Sister Katherine Drexel, a native-born Philadelphian, (PA) and the sisters of the Blessed Sacrament come to mind who served Black and Indigenous Americans since their founding in 1891. Our own Sister Amelia Breton who serves as the coordinator of Intercultural Ministry, is a member of this religious community.

Cristiana Dell’Anna stars in a scene from the movie “Cabrini.” The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (OSV News photo/Angel Studios)

At the beginning of the 19th century Elizabeth Ann Seton founded the Sisters of Charity in 1809, the first American Religious Sisters congregation. She was deeply committed to education and is recognized as the foundress of Catholic school education in the United States. Members of her community came to Natchez in 1847 at the behest of Bishop John Joseph Chanche, S.S. to begin the legacy of Catholic education in our diocese. This religious community maintained a presence in Natchez until the early 2000s. Furthermore, God raised up our own Sister Thea Bowman from among the African American population in Canton to become a prophetic messenger of hope for Black Catholics and for all who are marginalized. Her cause for canonization is underway.

In theaters on March 8 across our nation, “Cabrini” is scheduled for release. It is the story of Frances Xavier Cabrini who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Italy in the second half of the 19th century. The name of her community and her chosen middle name in honor of St. Francis Xavier, co-patron of the Missions, declare the purpose of her life and the charism of her community to bring the Gospel in its fulness to the nations. It is a compelling production, exceptional in its content and acting.

In one of the decisive scenes, Mother Cabrini and Pope Leo XIII are having tea and discussing possibilities. She is trying to convince him to give her order permission to venture east to China as she explains, “my mission is bigger than this world.” He calmly and clearly responds: “In that case it doesn’t matter where you begin.” He directed her to go west to New York to serve among the Italian immigrants who came in large numbers to the east coast between 1850 and 1910. The movie proceeds to realistically portray the harsh conditions for immigrants in the church and in society in the late 19th and early 20th century in New York.

On a personal note, it was around 1910 that my maternal grandparents who were from southern Italy passed through Ellis Island and began a new life with the clothes on their backs and a dream in their hearts. The movie is a gem that illustrates the plight, the vulnerability and determination of the immigrant population in ways that are true from one generation to the next. Against all odds Mother Cabrini succeeded in gaining a foothold in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, and from there fulfilled her mission around the globe, a mission that was “bigger than this world.”

The movie never missed a beat in capturing her heroic virtue and perseverance. This story of religious life that passed from the margins of church and society to the mainstream of both, will be a catechetical and evangelizing tool for generations to come. Kudos to all who had a hand in its development and production.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

Moreover, the story of Mother Cabrini can challenge our Catholic communities and all people of good will to respond to the challenges, and at times crises, of immigration through the lens of the Gospel imperative to “welcome the stranger” and the ideals that are forever inscribed on the Statue of Liberty in the poem The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus. The following is from the second of two stanzas: “Give me your tired your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, send these the homeless, tempest tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

In our times, many religious are serving the immigrant population at our borders and in many corners of our nation. Often, they are as heroic as Mother Cabrini because some are pressuring to shut them down, and extremists are even advocating that they be shot. The current reality of immigration with its blessings and its burdens challenges us to go beyond the political posturing and invective that too often dominate the public narrative. In the time ahead we will add our voice to the public domain.

Ambassadors of Jesus Christ

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
God of all ages,
You always work to save us, and now we rejoice in the great love You give to your chosen people.
Bless and protect all who are about to become Your children through baptism, and all who seek full communion with us.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.


This opening prayer is proclaimed at the Rite of Election for Catechumens, the elect who are preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist; and Candidates, those preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist, all who are seeking to enter into full communion in the Catholic Church through their parish communities.

This is the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the process through which adults, primarily but also those above the age of reason, like Sister Thea Bowman at age nine, discern if the Holy Spirit is directing them to the bosom of the Catholic Church. This year the Rite of Election in the Diocese of Jackson took place at St. Francis in Madison, and St. John in Oxford. The OCIA is a hope-filled and joyful process for individuals, families, parish communities, and dioceses. It can also assist the traditional Catholic in their Lenten journey to hear the Lord’s call to repentance to live in a manner worthy of our calling and for the renewal of our Baptism promises at Easter.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

You are always at work to save, O God, is the initial verse of the above prayer, and Pope Francis in his Lenten address recounts God’s words to Moses at the Burning Bush to bring forth the active presence of God in our world and in our lives.

“When the Lord calls out to Moses from the burning bush, he immediately shows that he is a God who sees and, above all, hears: ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry…. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them.’ (Exodus 3:7-8)” In the fullness of time God’s personal encounter with all humanity reaches its fulfillment in Jesus Christ who is “with us always until the end of time.” (Matthew 28:20)

In his Lenten address Pope Francis often speaks of the journey from slavery in its many forms to freedom through faith in Jesus Christ. “In the Exodus account, there is a significant detail: it is God who sees, is moved and brings freedom; Israel does not ask for this. Pharaoh stifles dreams, blocks the view of heaven, makes it appear that this world, in which human dignity is trampled upon and authentic bonds are denied, can never change. He put everything in bondage to himself. Let us ask: Do I want a new world? Am I ready to leave behind my compromises with the old?” Pharoah, who easily stands for the evil one, in league with any of the idols we construct, wants us to be subjects; the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ wants beloved children. What a difference!

An essential part of the Liturgy of Baptism is a series of questions addressed to the parents and godparents, as well as to adult catechumens. They place us in the desert with Jesus who rebuffed the devil’s allures and temptations.

“Do you reject Satan, and all his works, and all his empty promises?”

“Do you reject the glamor of evil and refuse to be mastered by sin?”

Our affirmative responses express our commitment to the spiritual warfare against sin and evil that prayer, fasting and almsgiving effectively counter.

At the end of his Lenten message Pope Francis endeavors to rally the faithful. “To the extent that this Lent becomes a time of conversion, an anxious humanity will notice a burst of creativity, a flash of new hope. Allow me to repeat what I told the young people whom I met in Lisbon last summer: Keep seeking and be ready to take risks. At this moment in time, we face enormous risks; we hear the painful plea of so many people. Indeed, we are experiencing a third world war fought piecemeal. Yet let us find the courage to see our world, not as being in its death throes but in a process of giving birth, not at the end but at the beginning of a great new chapter of history. We need courage to think like this.”

By putting on the armor of God we claim our dignity as God’s children, as ambassadors of Jesus Christ, ministers of reconciliation, in effect, new creations. (2Corinthians 5:20) Indeed, the Kingdom of God is at hand for our receiving.

“Our affirmative responses express our commitment to the spiritual warfare against sin and evil that prayer, fasting and almsgiving effectively counter.”

Let the new decade begin

JACKSON – Archbishop Thomas Rodi of Mobile lays hands on Bishop Joseph Kopacz during his ordination as Bishop of Jackson on Feb. 6, 2014. (Photo from archives)

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Just shy of 47 years a priest and now 10 years as the 11th Bishop of Jackson, I give thanks to the great High Priest, Jesus Christ for the gift of serving Him, His body the church, and the Kingdom of God in this world.

The Lord pronounced that “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) This promise has been fulfilled ten-fold in my life. Indeed, abundance is the stamp of priesthood and episcopal ministry. Whether blessings or burdens, for me iIt has been a life of purpose especially over the unanticipated bends in the road.

A few days following my consecration and installation on Feb. 6, 2014, I treasured the opportunity to fly from Madison to St. Mary’s Basilica in Natchez, to St. Joseph in Greenville, to St. James in Tupelo, and to St. Joseph in Starkville, and in the process to have my first encounters with the faithful. During those 12 hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., from an ariel view of 3,000 feet a large swath of the Diocese of Jackson stretched out before me, a grand view that remains vivid to this day. Play it forward, and 10 years and 300,000 miles later, via modern day horsepower, have given me boots on the ground experience forming a deep bond with the Diocese of Jackson and the State of Mississippi. Of course, it’s not a matter of miles, but of mission and ministries and the Catholic people who make up the communities of faith throughout 65 counties.

As my anniversary approached there were two events a week ago that afforded me the opportunity to deepen the understanding that the gift I have received can only be graciously lived in turn. Unexpectedly, Bishop Mario Dorsonville died from health complications after serving only 10 months as the Ordinary of Houma-Thibodaux. At his Mass of Christian burial, the shock and sadness of those in the congregation were plain to see, and at moments I could not help but be self-referential considering the timeframe of his ten months and my ten years. If he were blessed to serve ten years, he would have been my age looking back in gratitude over a decade of service in the Bayou of Louisiana. We know not the day nor the hour, only that each day is the moment at hand, and the weeks, months and years follow rhythmically under the wings of Divine Providence.

The following day, on Friday of last week I had a visitor from Northeastern Pennsylvania, who was on his way to begin a new chapter of active duty in the Army Corps Band at Fort Hood, Texas. Liam and his brother Luke, my godson, served at my Mass of consecration and installation as early adolescents. Now they are 23 and their adult lives are unfolding with energy and enthusiasm.

Over breakfast at Broad Street Bakery, he just happened to mention that he could retire after 20 years at age 42, and then floated the question – “by the way, how old will you be at retirement?” That’s a number he couldn’t even compute. As he savored his grits it struck me that over ten years a number of folks in my life have left this world, and others have come of age. And yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and yes, someday I will retire. But meanwhile I am still on active duty and grateful for the energy and motivation that propel me forward each day. Another way of naming this is God’s grace in varied and splendid ways, especially implored in the Eucharistic prayer at each Mass when I am lifted up by name.

Finally, I give thanks for the countless collaborators in the ministry – ordained, religious, and lay – whose love for the Lord Jesus and the church, whose generosity and Gospel commitment are a fountain of inspiration every day. Let the new decade begin and may the bends in the road ahead continue the adventure in that sacred space between time and eternity. Ad multos anos!

Statement from Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz and the Diocese of Jackson on the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration”Fiducia Supplicans” – on the pastoral meaning of blessings

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz
JACKSON – “Fiducia Supplicans,” the declaration issued by the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) and approved by Pope Francis reminds us that each one of us is in need of God’s blessings, healing, compassion and mercy. To seek a blessing from a priest is to acknowledge the need for God in one’s life and the desire to grow stronger in a relationship with God.
The declaration does not change the church’s teaching on marriage as a union of one man and one woman in lifelong fidelity and openness to children; nor is it a step toward the ratification of same-sex unions nor a compromise of the church’s teaching on these irregular relationships.
It is a document on the nature of blessings and the pastoral use of giving informal, spontaneous blessings to individuals seeking to experience God’s healing love and grace in their lives.
To quote the document directly, the DDF sums up its declaration thusly:
“ … following the authoritative teaching of Pope Francis, this Dicastery finally wishes to recall that ‘the root of Christian meekness’ is ‘the ability to feel blessed and the ability to bless. This world needs blessings, and we can give blessings and receive blessings. The Father loves us, and the only thing that remains for us is the joy of blessing him, and the joy of thanking him, and of learning from him to bless.’ [Catechesis on Prayer: The Blessing (2 December 2020)] In this way, every brother and every sister will be able to feel that, in the church, they are always pilgrims, always beggars, always loved, and, despite everything, always blessed.” (FS #45)
The full text of the document may be found on line at: https://bit.ly/FiduciaSupplicansDeclaration
I encourage all the faithful to read the actual document in its entirety.

Celebrating the legacy of MLK, Jr. and Sister Thea Bowman

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Coming out of the splendor of the Christmas season with the culminating feasts of the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord, we now return to ordinary time to remain steadfast in the work of the Lord to announce the Good News of Salvation, and the presence of the Kingdom of God, the work of conversion, and of justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
The feast of the Epiphany, the manifestation of Jesus Christ to all nations, inspired us to follow the radiance of the Gospel while circumventing the power and pull of evil in our world, as did the Magi in eluding King Herod. The Baptism of the Lord inspires us as God’s children, baptized into the life-giving death and resurrection of God’s beloved Son, to hear the call of the Lord and to put it into practice as his disciples. With the Holy Spirit as out guide we pray and dedicate ourselves to the will of God “on earth as it is in heaven.” The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the foretaste and promise of glory (2Corinthians 5:5), raising us beyond the horizon of this world to the vision of eternal life.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

The national holiday this weekend offers us the bonus of an additional day away from many of our offices and workplaces and much more in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. At our Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, we are going to mark this occasion in an extra special way with an additional Mass on Sunday afternoon honoring the legacy and witness of King and of our own Sister Thea Bowman, Servant of God. They were not exactly contemporaries of one another, yet they breathed the same air with the same passion for civil rights, for freedom, justice and equality for all of God’s children.
When Martin Luther King Jr. was slain in Memphis in April 1968, Sister Thea was pursuing an advanced degree at Catholic University in Washington DC. She would take up the torch for the next 20 years until her untimely death. They were committed disciples of the Lord Jesus, MLK, Jr. a Baptist, and Bowman, a Catholic, who like the Magi were inspired to live by the light of faith and the power of the Gospel.
When Pope Francis spoke to the United States Congress in 2015, he honored King as a prophetic voice for our nation’s conscience, along with Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day and Abraham Lincoln. As a national icon, Martin Luther King Jr. is a Christian prophet whose life and violent death challenge us to resist the many-sided faces of evil nonviolently. His witness still confronts us today to turn away from the sins of racism, and unbridled materialism and militarism.
On the other hand, Sister Thea is not as well known nationally but her life, cut short by cancer, also rises to the distinction of prophetic witness. She labored untiringly in the vineyard of the Lord for greater justice and peace with a passion securely anchored in the joy of the Holy Spirit. Her cause for canonization continues to gain traction in our Catholic world around our nation, while the Diocese of Jackson works behind the scenes to fulfill the requirements to move the cause forward. For example, in the recent past the diocese sponsored a documentary on her amazing life, entitled “Going Home Like a Shooting Star.” (https://bit.ly/SisterTheaFilm) Later this spring we will unveil a life-size bronze statue of Sister Thea to be nestled in the cathedral until a shrine is built in a permanent location in the diocese.
In conclusion, allow the words of these two spiritual giants to capture our imagination and vision for living.

“Everyone does not have access. When I say that, I mean that Martin Luther King Jr. was demonstrating for the rights of the poor, he was demonstrating for fair and decent housing, he was demonstrating for opportunities for adequate education. And not just adequate educational opportunity for blacks, but for all children. He was demonstrating for a land where we could love another as brothers and sisters and work together for a solution to our common problems.” (Sister Thea Bowman)
“Love yourself, if that means rational, healthy, and moral self-interest. You are commanded to do that. That is the length of life. Love your neighbor as yourself. You are commanded to do that. This is the breath of life. But never forget that there is even a greater and first commandment, ‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind.’ This is the height of life. And when you do this, you live the complete life.” (MLK, Jr.)

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you, they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.”

These awe-filled words of St. Augustine from Book 10 of his Confessions are indeed ever ancient and ever new. They are an echo of the voices who have summoned us to prepare a way for the Lord, the eternal beauty of whom Augustine gushes. Isaiah and St. John the Baptist on behalf of the living God, have called and shouted to break through our deafness. Though them God flashes, shines and dispels our blindness.
Both prophets in extraordinary ways bring us into the presence of the light of the world, Jesus Christ, the Son of God once again this Christmas. The words of the prophet Isaiah are the ancient origin of the liberating experience of St. Augustine nearly a millennium later.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord.” (61:1-2)


It was and is God’s voice calling individuals and a people out of darkness into the marvelous love of the Savior. Through faith and baptism, we are the Lord’s anointed and thus charged to be bearers of the Good News though the uniqueness of our lives and circumstances of the current generation. The gift is to be shared, and the opportunities are endless.

Next, we turn to Mary, highly favored, the chosen one full of grace who was enfolded in the beauty and power of God’s love and so exclaimed for pure joy.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, for he has looked upon the lowliness of his handmaid.”

God touched her, and she was aflame in his peace. John the Baptist, the final prophet of the Old Testament, and our guide during Advent, who once leapt for joy in the womb of his mother Elizabeth in the moment of Mary’s visitation was perfectly aligned with the long-awaited Messiah as “the voice of one crying out in the desert preparing the way of the Lord.” (John 1:23) This bridge to the Reign of God knew that he was the voice, not the light, not the Word made flesh but the voice summoning people to prepare for God’s eternal beauty and power that was dawning upon them.

St. Paul encouraged the first Christians in Thessalonica to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances.” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18)

How is this possible in the face of so much suffering in our age, any reasonable person might ask?
In Advent we dare to hope; we dare to dream and we sing, “O come, O come Emmanuel,” a name that means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23) and for whom nothing is impossible. (Luke 1:37) With St. Augustine may the Lord break through our deafness, dispel our blindness and inspire us to experience deeply his beauty which is pure gift, ever ancient, ever new. Come, Lord Jesus and dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.

Merry Christmas in the light and love of Jesus Christ.

Ven, Ven Enmanuel

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
“¡¡Tarde te amé,hermosura tan antigua y tan nueva,tarde te amé! Tú estabas dentro de mí, y yo fuera,y por fuera te buscaba, y deforme como era me lanzaba sobre las cosas hermosas por Ti creadas.Tú estabas conmigo, y yo no estaba contigo. Me retenían lejos de Ti todas las cosas,aunque, si no estuviesen en Ti, nada serían. Llamaste y clamaste, y rompiste mi sordera. Brillaste y resplandeciste, y pusiste en fuga mi ceguera. Exhalaste tu perfume, y respiré, y suspiro por Ti. Gusté de Ti, y siento hambre y sed. Me tocaste, y me abrazó tu paz.”

Estas palabras llenas de asombro de San Agustín del Libro 10 de sus Confesiones son en verdad siempre antiguas y siempre nuevas. Son eco de las voces que nos han convocado a preparar el camino al Señor, cuya eterna belleza brota en San Agustín. Isaías y San Juan Bautista en nombre del Dios vivo, han llamado y gritado para romper nuestra sordera. A través de ellos Dios resplandece, brilla y disipa nuestra ceguera.
Ambos profetas nos llevan de manera extraordinaria a la presencia de la luz del mundo, Jesucristo, el Hijo de Dios, una vez más esta Navidad. Las palabras del profeta Isaías son el origen antiguo de la experiencia liberadora de San Agustín casi un milenio después.

“El espíritu del Señor está sobre mí, porque el Señor me ha consagrado; me ha enviado a dar buenas noticias a los pobres, a aliviar a los afligidos, a anunciar libertad a los presos, libertad a los que están en la cárcel; a anunciar el año favorable del Señor.” (61:1-2)

Fue y es la voz de Dios que llama a personas y a un pueblo a salir de las tinieblas al maravilloso amor del Salvador. A través de la fe y el bautismo, somos ungidos por el Señor y, por lo tanto, estamos encargados de ser portadores de la Buena Nueva a través de la singularidad de nuestras vidas y las circunstancias de la generación actual. El regalo debe ser compartido y las oportunidades son infinitas.

A continuación, nos dirigimos a María, muy favorecida, la elegida llena de gracia que se vio envuelta en la belleza y la potencia del amor de Dios y por eso exclamó de puro gozo.

“Mi alma proclama la grandeza del Señor; mi espíritu se regocija en Dios, mi Salvador, porque ha mirado la humildad de su esclava”.

Dios la tocó y ella ardió en su paz. Juan Bautista, el último profeta del Antiguo Testamento y nuestro guía durante el Adviento, que saltó de alegría en el vientre de su madre Isabel en el momento de la visita de María, estaba perfectamente alineado con el tan esperado Mesías como “la voz de uno que clama en el desierto preparando el camino del Señor”. (Juan 1:23) Este puente hacia el Reino de Dios sabía que él era la voz, no la luz, no la Palabra hecha carne, sino la voz que convocaba a las personas a prepararse para la eterna belleza y el poder de Dios que estaba amaneciendo sobre ellos.

San Pablo animó a los primeros cristianos de Tesalónica a “estar siempre alegres, orar sin cesar y dar gracias en todo”. (1 Tesalonicenses 5:16-18)

¿Cómo es posible esto ante tanto sufrimiento en nuestra época?, podría preguntarse cualquier persona razonable.

En Adviento nos atrevemos a tener esperanza; nos atrevemos a soñar y cantamos: “Oh ven, oh ven Emanuel”, nombre que significa “Dios con nosotros” (Mateo 1:23) y para quien nada es imposible. (Lucas 1:37) Que el Señor, con San Agustín, rompa nuestra sordera, disipe nuestra ceguera y nos inspire a experimentar profundamente su belleza, que es don puro, siempre antiguo, siempre nuevo. Ven, Señor Jesús y disipa las tinieblas de nuestros corazones y mentes.

!Feliz Navidad en la Luz y el Amor de Jesucristo!

Maranatha – longing and vision for Advent season

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ be with you,” was proclaimed on the first Sunday of Advent in the second reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (1:3) We can say that this is St. Paul’s signature salutation when he wrote to each of the Christian communities he helped to establish.

This is the greeting at the outset of the letters to the Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Likewise, St. Peter greets his fellow Christians in his two letters with the near identical greeting and goes a step further in his enthusiasm with the phrase “in abundance.”

This signature salutation was not only a friendly greeting from the two apostles but is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit across the pages of the New Testament, as well as the mind and heart of Jesus Christ begun at the Last Supper and announced throughout the resurrection appearances. This salutation frames the Bible as the final inspired words of the book of Revelation. “The one who gives this testimony says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.” (Revelation 22:20-21)

The celebration of Advent takes place on the four Sundays prior to Christmas and follows four weekly themes: hope, peace, joy and love, and ends on Christmas Eve. (Photo by Mary Woodward)

Maranatha – come, Lord Jesus – is the longing and the vision for the season of Advent. But this desire is central to our belief and hope throughout the year, especially in our celebration of the Eucharist.

After the consecration and transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord, the congregation pronounces, “when we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.”

Before the reception of holy communion following the Lord’s prayer the priest makes the following entreaty of the living God. “Deliver us, Lord, we pray from every evil, and grant us peace in our days, that with the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” When we proclaim the Nicene Creed after the homily, we express our eagerness for the Lord’s coming, “as I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” Amen.

The concluding verses of the Bible infuse the Mass with eschatological hope and graciousness, reminding us that “for here we have no lasting city,” (Hebrews 13:14) and that our citizenship is in heaven and from there we are expecting our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20) At regular intervals it is a gift to be able to transcend our world and circumstances and raise our hearts and minds to God through faith, prayer and praise.

However, this is not an invitation to escape from trials, tribulations and temptations. Come, Lord Jesus is also rooted in the present moment.

With St. Paul, we rejoice to know that the Lord is near, standing at the door and knocking. (Revelations 3:20) Thus, our prayer for the Lord to come is intended for the moment at hand.

The signature salutation of St. Paul and St. Peter for grace and peace in abundance from God is the gift package from God to help us reach our eternal destiny. They are intended to deliver us from every evil, to free us from sin, and to keep us safe from all distress as we await the blessed hope. Are these not among the finest of gifts?

As we rightfully consider the gifts, we are purchasing for those we love, let us not leave this package of grace and peace unattended and unopened. These gifts are at our disposal in daily prayer, at Mass, and in all of our acts of loving care in daily living. Indeed, it is the package that keeps on giving forever. It is God’s abundance. Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus!

Maranatha – Anhelo y Visión para temporada de Adviento

Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

“Gracia y paz a ustedes de parte de Dios nuestro Padre y del Señor Jesucristo..,” se proclamó el primer domingo de Adviento en la segunda lectura de la primera carta de San Pablo a los Corintios. (1:3) Podemos decir que este es el saludo característico de San Pablo cuando escribió a cada una de las comunidades cristianas que ayudó a establecer.

Este es el saludo al comienzo de las cartas a los Romanos, 1 y 2 Corintios, Gálatas, Efesios, Filipenses, Colosenses, 1 y 2 Tesalonicenses, 1 y 2 Timoteo, Tito y Filemón. Asimismo, San Pedro saluda a sus hermanos cristianos en sus dos cartas con un saludo casi idéntico y va un paso más allá en su entusiasmo con la frase “en abundancia.”

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Este saludo característico no fue solo un saludo amistoso de los dos apóstoles, sino que es la inspiración del Espíritu Santo a lo largo de las páginas del Nuevo Testamento, así como la mente y el corazón de Jesucristo que comenzaron en la Última Cena y se anunciaron a lo largo de las apariciones de resurrección. Este saludo enmarca la Biblia como las últimas palabras inspiradas del libro de Apocalipsis. “El que da este testimonio dice: “El que testifica de estas cosas dice: «Sí, vengo pronto». Amén. Ven, Señor Jesús. La gracia del Señor Jesús sea con todos. Amén.” (Apocalipsis 22:20-21)

Maranatha – ven, Señor Jesús– es el anhelo y la visión del tiempo de Adviento. Pero este deseo es fundamental para nuestra creencia y esperanza durante todo el año, especialmente en la celebración de nuestra Eucaristía.

Después de la consagración y transformación del pan y del vino en el cuerpo y la sangre del Señor, la congregación pronuncia: “cuando comemos este pan y bebemos esta copa, proclamamos tu muerte, oh, Señor, hasta que vuelvas”.

Antes de recibir la sagrada comunión después del Padrenuestro, el sacerdote hace la siguiente súplica al Dios vivo. “Líbranos, Señor, te pedimos de todo mal, y concédenos paz en nuestros días, para que con la ayuda de tu misericordia estemos siempre libres de pecado y a salvo de toda angustia mientras aguardamos la esperanza bienaventurada y la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.”

Cuando proclamamos el Credo de Nicea después de la homilía, expresamos nuestro anhelo por la venida del Señor, “… Espero la resurrección de los muertos y la vida del mundo futuro.” Amén.

Los versículos finales de la Biblia infunden a la Misa esperanza y gracia escatológica, recordándonos que “porque no tenemos aquí ciudad permanente”, (Hebreos 13:14) porque “nuestra ciudadanía está en los cielos, de donde también ansiosamente esperamos a un Salvador, el Señor Jesucristo. (Filipenses 3:20) A intervalos regulares, es un regalo poder trascender nuestro mundo y circunstancias y elevar nuestro corazón y mente a Dios a través de la fe, la oración y la alabanza.

Sin embargo, esto no es una invitación a escapar de las pruebas, tribulaciones y tentaciones. Ven, Señor Jesús, también está arraigado en el momento presente.

Con San Pablo, nos alegramos de saber que el Señor está cerca, está a la puerta y llama. (Apocalipsis 3:20) Por lo tanto, para que el Señor venga, nuestra oración está destinada al momento actual.

El saludo característico de San Pablo y San Pedro pidiendo gracia y paz en abundancia de Dios, es el paquete de regalo de Dios, para ayudarnos a alcanzar nuestro destino eterno. Su objetivo es librarnos de todo mal, liberarnos del pecado y mantenernos a salvo de toda angustia mientras aguardamos la bienaventurada esperanza.

¿No se encuentran éste entre los mejores regalos?

Al considerar legítimamente los regalos que estamos comprando para aquellos a quienes amamos, no dejemos desatendido y sin abrir este paquete de gracia y paz. Estos dones están a nuestra disposición en la oración diaria, en la Misa y en todos nuestros actos de cuidado amoroso en la vida diaria. De hecho, es éste el paquete que sigue dando por siempre. Es la abundancia de Dios.

¡Maranatha, Ven, Señor Jesús!

HOUSTON – En la iglesia Inmaculado Corazón de María, el 3 de diciembre, algunos parroquianos se reunieron para una reflexión de la Misión Parroquial de Adviento dirigida por el Padre Bill Henry con el tema: Reflexionando sobre la belleza y el amor de María y cómo ella nos llama a hacer espacio en nuestras vidas al niño recién nacido. El padre Bill ha sido sacerdote en la diócesis de Jackson durante 39 años. Se retiró hace tres años del ministerio parroquial activo y ahora sirve realizando o ayudando en retiros o organizando seminarios de vida en el espíritu en los estados del sur. En la foto, durante la Misa, los padres (i-d) Binh Nguyen y Bill Henry bendicen la Corona de adviento. (Foto de Danna Johnson, LEM)

Catholics, a people of thanksgiving

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
As we celebrate the cherished national holiday of Thanksgiving, it is a time to recall the foundations of this long weekend that breathes life into the heart and soul of our nation. George Washington, our nation’s first president, with the backing of Congress in 1789, declared the last Thursday of November as a day set apart for Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty, the harvest and much more. President Abraham Lincoln in 1861 called for the renewal of this day set apart for Thanksgiving to inspire greater unity in our nation in the midst of the Civil War. This many years later our national time of thanksgiving can soften and heal the divisions that plague our nation in 2023.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz

As Catholics, we are inherently by God’s grace a people of thanksgiving, most notably whenever we gather at the altar to celebrate the Eucharist, the great prayer of gratitude for the love of God poured out in Jesus Christ for the gift of salvation. An abiding spirit of thanksgiving is at the center of the current Eucharistic revival, a permanent disposition that allows us to live in a manner worthy of our calling within and beyond the hallowed walls of our churches.

The prayers that are proclaimed at each Eucharistic celebration embrace the reality of thanksgiving from hearts and minds that are open to God’s transforming grace. At the beginning of the Preface, the portal of the Eucharistic prayer and Consecration, the priest declares. “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, your Word through whom you made all things.”

This marvelous expression of gratitude is already unfolding at the Preparation of the Gifts when the priest proclaims, “Blessed are you Lord God of all creation for through your goodness we have received this bread and wine which we offer to you, fruit of the earth and of the vine, and the work of human hands, they will become for us the bread of life and spiritual drink.” The prayers over the bread and wine are offered separately at the altar and after each, the congregation responds, “Blessed be God forever.” What a heartfelt expression of thanksgiving!

One of the most powerful expressions of thanksgiving at the center of worship is Psalm 100. You can feel the joy and read how it captures the spirit of the faithful people of Israel so many centuries ago.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

May the Holy Spirit bestow upon us this marvelous spirit of praise and thanksgiving as we funnel into our churches and gather around our family tables for Thanksgiving.

The national holiday of Thanksgiving has deep roots in our Judaic Christian tradition. As we give thanks to the Lord on the day itself and throughout the weekend, which is the feast of Christ the King, the culminating celebration of the church year, may the prayer for unity, and a greater spirit of loving generosity be at the center of our intentions.

“But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made the two into one by breaking down the barrier of hostility…As a result, you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Rather, you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:13-14, 19-20)