16 August 2024
First of all, I must thank everyone for the superb high mass last night celebrating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thank you to the musicians, acolytes, altar guild, ushers, flower guild, and reception hosts. In past years we often celebrated this day on the Sunday before or after the feast, but it is a better practice to do the feast on the actual day of August 15. I know that many people prefer not to come out on a weekday night, but we also should not make liturgical decisions due to our spiritual apathy.
For those who could not come, today is the feast of Saint Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and on Saturday we will have a Votive Mass of the BVM. On Sunday we observe the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost with a commemoration of the Assumption. Then, beginning this Monday, I will be taking three weeks of continuing education leave, along with some vacation days. I will be with you on Sundays, but weekday masses will not be said for the next three weeks. Weekday masses will resume on Monday, September 9.
It was a difficult decision to put the weekday masses on hold for the time being. We do have some clergy who are willing to celebrate weekday masses in my absence, but the greater challenge is that we have a minimal bench of lay volunteers for our daily mass ministry. Only a few lay people do all of the work, which includes live-streaming, opening and closing the church, prepping the candles, greeting occasional visitors, laundering the linens, setting the altar, cleaning the Eucharistic vessels, as well as serving at the altar when possible.
Without my help, these jobs become almost impossible, so it was decided to cancel these weekday masses due to my absence. Once we have a stronger lay ministry bench of volunteers, we will be able to welcome guest clergy for these masses. If you feel called to help with the ministry of the weekday masses, please let me or the wardens know. Your presence would be welcomed!
Our daily mass ministry is vital and important. Many people tune in via the YouTube channel for these masses, and the consistency of offering the Eucharist every day at 12:00 noon allows the wider community to know that the mass is always available when needed.
More importantly, every mass is a unique collection of scripture readings. There are two main scripture readings including a Gospel, as well as the multitude of lesser scripture readings within the minor propers, also known as the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, and Communion verses. Sometimes these minor propers are non-scriptural texts dating back centuries, and they are connected to venerable feast days. Together, these readings create coherent teachings of the faith, as related to the season or the saint of the day. Even if you cannot attend the mass in person, and can only tune in online, you will still benefit from a feast of the Word.
As a priest I have been privileged for almost twenty years to serve churches that have daily celebrations of the mass. These two decades have taught me that it is so important for the riches of the mass to be offered regularly. The less the mass is celebrated, the more malnourished our faith becomes. My advice is for one to never miss an opportunity to attend mass, ideally in-person, or online if necessary. The repetition of receiving Christ in the bread and the wine, and the consistency of hearing the scriptures teaching the faith of the Church, are the perfect medicine for humans seeking God.
While I am on continuing education leave for the next few weeks, Epiphany Church in Kaimuki has mass on Wednesdays at 9:00 am. Online options are abundant too. I have always appreciated St. Clement’s, Philadelphia; All Saints Margaret Street, London, England; and St. Peter’s Eastern Hill, Melbourne, Australia. All three of these churches have active YouTube Channels, and each is unique in comparison to the others.
Father Paul Lillie +
