St. Joseph of the Lakes

We’re in the midst of a Grand Slam Finale with our Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist. There’s four big Sundays in a row as we conclude the Easter Season and transition to Ordinary Time. There is a theological order to these Feasts which is important for us to appreciate. We don’t just celebrate them willy nilly, but rather the order itself speaks to us and teaches us something about the Faith and our part in these important realities of our salvation.

Last weekend we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension, when our Risen Lord Ascended into heaven forty days after he first appeared to the Disciples. This teaches us that the Lord is no longer here on earth walking in human form as he once did, but rather, he is in heaven directing the life of the Church. It means that we are now called to be his presence here on earth proclaiming him to others. The baton has been passed so to speak.

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the Disciples even though they had the doors locked and were in fear. Many call this the birthday of the Church when the Divine fills those weak, and frightened disciples so that they can be powerful instruments of witness and proclamation of the Risen Christ. The very life of the Church is inspired by the Holy Spirit in every age.

Next Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. With the coming of he Holy Spirit at Pentecost the fullness of the Holy Trinity is now revealed. We have come to know God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we look forward with great hope and expectation to share eternally in the Holy Trinity in Heaven.

On Sunday, June 22, we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi -the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus. This capstone of our Grand Slam of Feasts celebrates the primary way that we are united with the life of the Trinity. The “on ramp” for our participation in the life of the Trinity is the

Eucharist. As we each Sunday receive the Body and Blood of Jesus, we are united in love with the life of the Trinity. We keep coming back to the Eucharist, to receive, and Adore and Worship, because that is the most profound way on earth in which we participate in the life of the Most Holy Trinity.

This year, there’s still one more feast day that we will celebrate on Sunday, June 29 - the Feast of the Martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul, but we’ll leave that feast to discuss another time.

Happy Feast Days!

Fr. Bill Deziel