Dear Friends,
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We heard this twice last week: first during the Sunday Mass from Luke 10:1-2 and then at the weekday Mass on Tuesday from Matthew 9: 37-38. Jesus did not limit his mission only to the Twelve who were chosen and commissioned. Luke stated clearly in last Sunday’s gospel: “the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. (10:1-2). Luke wants us to know that the mission of Jesus is not restricted just to the 12 Apostles, but also to a much larger group. The 72 thus represents us all who are baptized Christians whose duty it is to pass on our Faith, as Pope Francis wrote in his first Encyclical ‘The Light of faith’ (Lumen Fidei): “… from one person to another, just as one candle is lighted from another. … It is through an unbroken chain of witnesses that we come to see the face of Jesus.”
As Jesus instructed, we do pray for more workers for the harvest in the vineyard of the Lord. We do pray for more vocations to priesthood, diaconate, and religious life. But we need to expand that to include the so many non-ordained or non-consecrated lay men and women who do ministry in church – as paid ministers and as volunteers. In the U.S. Catholic Church, there are over 40, 000 lay ecclesial ministers working in paid positions. Additionally, there are over 2,000 volunteers who also work at least 20 hours per week in parishes. The US Bishops’ Conference recognized these ministers as “Lay Ecclesial Ministers.”
But these do not include the countless men and women who volunteer for liturgical ministry, assisting the clergy and contributing to the liturgical celebrations. These roles include serving as lectors (readers), extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, musicians, ushers/hospitality, sacristans, and other tasks that support the smooth and reverent celebration of Mass. Here at St. Matthias, we are fortunate to have many such wonderful, committed parishioners helping in each of the above roles.
One ministry that is less visible is the one that brings Holy Communion to the Homebound. These Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) who regularly visit persons in Nursing Homes, Assisted Living facilities or Homes, are acting as a bridge between our parish and the homebound. You may remember reading some of their testimonies that were serialized in our bulletin for a few weeks. Inspired by those touching stories, some of our parishioners showed interest in joining this ministry and they were officially mandated by our Bishop Checchio. They are: Edna Yumang, Marianne Viaud, Johanna Martielli, Kathy Johnson, Beverly Gilliam and Miles London.
This ministry is coordinated by Doreen Panick, assisted by Joe Percoco – both of whom are very passionate about this ministry. As I congratulate the new EMHCs, I wish to thank all who are bringing Holy Communion to the Homebound for their dedication and commitment. I also wish to thank all other ministers who are giving their time to make our Mass – every Mass – a meaningful experience for us all. I hope others will be inspired to follow their good example and become ministers.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal