Pastor's Letter

PATIENTLY WAITING

The three parables in Sunday’s gospel share a common theme: waiting. The farmer plants a wheat field, but an enemy infests it with weeds. His workers want to pull the weeds up, but the farmer tells them to wait because if they pull weeds, chances are they’ll also pull up good stalks of wheat.  Instead, he tells them to wait for the harvest; then they’ll separate everything out.
 
The tiny mustard seed involves waiting to see it mature into a bountiful bush.  The woman kneading dough must wait for it to rise before baking it. 
 
As we know, the spiritual life demands a lot of waiting. Our faith lives are developed over time, which involves all the good and bad things that we experience in life. Even though we tend to live event by event, our life with God is much fuller and encompasses all of what we go through.
 
A reality we all know is that as much as God plants the seeds of good in the world, in society, in the Church and in our lives, it’s met with the opposition of evil. Good and evil exist to together. The world is living it in the midst of a pandemic. We see it at play in the battle against racism. In the Church, we’ve seen it in the sin of abuse. We may experience it within our families in the hurtful things we experience. Evil opposes the good, and tragically even takes human life.
 
Yet God waits, allowing good and evil to coexist—not because he wants it, but because he’s given the world freedom. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ shows us God does act to overcome evil. Jesus Christ delivers us from it and holds onto our lives. There is justice.  So, in desperate times like these, we hold onto the bigger picture. No one can take away our faith. 

A NEW MEMBER OF THE SAINT HUBERT FAMILY!

Speaking of waiting, I’m pleased to finally announce some good news that had been on hold. Cardinal Cupich has assigned a new deacon to our Saint Hubert Community—Deacon Larry Smith. Larry joins Deacons Dick Lawson, Steve Baldasti and Allen Tatara and will be a joyful addition to our ministry team. Please join me in welcoming him.
 
Peace be with you and those you love.
 
My name is Deacon Larry Smith and I have the honor of ministering with
Fr. Mike Scherschel and your deacons as I begin a new assignment serving St. Hubert Church. Some of you may know me from other local parishes where I ministered or through the local Council of the Knights of Columbus.
 
As I begin another chapter in my life, I ask for your prayers as we together grow in wisdom and understanding to know Christ Jesus more each day and continue to love one another as God loves us.  
 
I was born in Chicago on the Northside, which makes me a Cubs and Bears fan. I grew up in various Catholic parishes. As our family grew larger, eight sisters and three brothers, we moved into suburban Arlington Heights. I worked in the family funeral business, Smith-Corcoran, then had a career with Sylvania Lighting Services for 25 years. But the Lord had still another path for me, the Diaconate; I was ordained a Deacon in 2006.  How time flies so quickly!
 
Now I’m at St. Hubert Parish. May the Lord continue to bless us as disciples of Christ—in these days and in the future—for we are all on a journey of faith, believing the Gospel message of Christ and the promise our baptism brings: salvation and a life that has changed because we believe in Jesus Christ. Let us pray for each other and share the good life in Christ. 
 
--Deacon Larry Smith