Pastor's Letter

 
The gospels are speckled with invitations from Jesus. “Come and see.” “Follow me.” “What are you looking for?” “What do you want me to do for you?” “I must stay at your house.” “Do you want to be healed?” Those are just to name a few.
 
Jesus invites us to see more about what life with him is all about. Ultimately, he is leading us to God the Father. And as we hear him tell us in the gospel today, it doesn’t require years of wisdom to know the way, just the heart of a child, because the heart of a child is open to being loved, surprised, amazed, taught and held.
 
And so, today we hear one of Jesus’ invitations that’s hard to pass up. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He wants us to know we can lean on him. Spiritually, it’s comforting to hear when we’re going through very difficult times in life and feel overwhelmed. It’s an invitation to pray and to bring what we’re going through to Jesus who will walk with us through whatever it is we have to face. He may not remove the burden, but will help us lift it to keep us moving forward.
 
But, interestingly, it’s also something we can think about when others make us feel a relationship with God is out of reach, too hard, or just unattainable unless we have advanced degrees in theology—years of schooling and wisdom.
 
When Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,” he’s referencing the yoke of the Old Testament law that the wise religious leaders in his day put on everyone’s shoulders. It was too hard to bear and lift because it restricted any kind of movement.  Jesus’ yoke—his teaching, which is based in the law to love—allows us to easily pick up the yoke of the law, which will move us closer to God. His yoke is easy because he gives us the freedom to choose it.
 
If we want to know the Father, we can. Know Jesus who shows us the way to him. The invitation is always before us.
 
New Beginnings
Jesus’ invitation to come to him is also good to hear as we begin the work of uniting Saints Matthew and Hubert. The prayer that unites us is the Mass, which the Church calls the source and summit of our Catholic faith life. It’s like the heartbeat of the Body of Christ, because it keeps us going. It keeps us in synch. And the good news is that whether we gather at St. Hubert Church or St. Matthew Church, we experience the same presence of Christ who unites us, strengthens us, and walks with us.
 
Please know that Fr. Matt and I are committed to giving you 100% as we work between the two locations. Don’t hesitate to call us or reach out to us. The people at the St. Matthew site will also be introduced to our three deacons at Masses over the course of the month—Deacons Steve Baldasti,
Allen Tatara and Larry Smith.
 
When we gather for Mass, and pray with each other, we’re answering Jesus’ invitation to “come to me.” We may be about 3 miles apart, but we’re closer than we think. The Mass has the power to bring us together.
 
As we head into the future, one filled with hope, let’s continue to pray for each other and with each other.
 
          –Fr. Mike