For the week of April 4, 2010

Congratulations to David Suh who entered the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil! Congratulations to Daniel Murphy-Dimen, his sponsor.

Thanks to the following families who helped this past week
For hosting the baseball team for a home cooked dinner: Mr. and Mrs. Matt Holke

Announcements
St. Michael’s is in the Orange County Register.
Article
Video

Volunteer Opportunities
· Join in sponsoring a Parent Lunch or Event Reception
· Take photos
· Help before-during-after an athletic event
· Host weekenders

Academic Honors
National Latin Award Recipients
Matthew Brooks, Magna cum laude
Adrian Chavez, Cum laude
Jacob Holke, Cum laude
Daniel Lim, Maxima cum laude
Thomas Nguyen, Maxima cum laude
Don Nguyen, Cum laude

Homily of the Week by Abbot Eugene Hayes, O.Praem.,

“Grant O Lord, that from so great a mystery we may draw the fullness of life and love.” The mystery of which the opening prayer speaks, of course, is the mystery of the Blessed Eucharist, the mystery which is in a unique way at the heart of the liturgy and the life of the entire Church this evening, at the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Significantly this evening will see the last celebration of Mass until Saturday night. As if to carry us through those hours and upon entering into those unique days without it, we are to direct heart and mind to what the Lord did on that first Holy Thursday, that is today and what he does and will do from that day until the truly last one, when the created order, the sacraments, even the Eucharist will pass from sight to the even greater reality of God being all in all, as was intended from the beginning.

The fullness of life of which the opening prayer speaks is that life flowing from the sacrifice of the Cross. In considering the texts of the Mass this evening, the prayers and the preface especially, we are instructed and reminded once more about the faith we profess. This perennial sacrifice contains the flesh immolated for us, by which we are nourished and strengthened, and the blood poured out for us, by which we are refreshed and cleansed. The fullness of life, divine life, contained within then is what is made available to us with each commemoration of that perfect sacrifice. And each time it is so commemorated and celebrated our salvation is wrought and continues to be effective. We are continually renewed in it in time, so that we may be satisfied beyond our imagining eternally.

The fullness of love which is ours because of this evening is expressed especially this evening in the washing of the feet, the mandatum, the command found in the last verses of the Gospel which was just proclaimed. “When he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?... If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” “As I have done for you, you should also do.”

Throughout the days of Lent we have been instructed especially in the Office of readings what exactly this means for us: “to do as Christ has done.” In one particular reading, in fact the reading for Ash Wednesday itself from a letter of Pope St. Clement we are exhorted to turn to God’s compassion, “rejecting empty works and quarrelling and jealously which only leads to death… we should be humble in mind, putting aside all arrogance, pride and foolish anger.” These words take on added urgency and relevance in the context of this evening. For the fullness of love from which we are to be nourished especially this evening rejects all that leads to death, quarrelling and jealousy, arrogance, pride and foolish anger, St. Clement says; to which we might be tempted to say: “But my anger is never foolish.” We do as Christ has done when we deal with each other as he dealt with his apostles that evening. Supremely aware of all they had done in their time with Him and before, all that was in their hearts (for he needed no one to tell him what was in man’s hearts, he knew), in spite of mixed motives, ambition, greed, envy, knowing all that they would fail to do out of fear, cowardice, disloyalty) in spite of it all, he nonetheless foreshadows the humility of the cross in washing their feet, reminding Peter and the rest that it comes not a reward for a job well done but as a necessary lesson to what still remains and will always remain to be done, by Him for us, by us for each other.

Finally it is through the ministry established by Christ Himself, also on this night, that this source of life and love which is the Holy Eucharist is made available to us. So this evening too the Church wishes to celebrate that singular means of divine choice, the mystery so intimately related to the Eucharist, which is the institution of the priesthood, the sacrament of orders. In this year which the Holy Father has designated as that of the priest, this evening’s liturgy takes on particular relevance as we pray for those called in the footsteps of the apostles, bishops and priests today. As Christ did with the apostles, their predecessors, in washing their feet, may He continue to do with them, sustaining them, sustaining us here, in spite of the unworthiness within, which all too frequently is manifest to the detriment of those for whom they are responsible. Through our prayer this evening and throughout the rest of this year of the priest, may priests everywhere allow Christ the Supreme High Priest to attend to them and make their ministry ever more effective in communicating God’s life and God’s love.


In publishing this homily, we hope to share a portion of the spiritual treasure by which the students are enriched every day. However, this homily may not be reproduced by the parents or friends of St. Michael’s without written permission of the author.


Prayer Requests
· Mrs. Amber Manly for a healthy pregnancy
· Mr. Mark McCormick, who was injured during baseball practice
· Mrs. Harriet Nordeck, one time teacher at St. Michael’s, who is close to death
· St. Michael’s older priests and those who care for them
· Those who suffer in the current economic crisis
· Those who are in the armed forces.