St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church

May our Risen Lord Jesus give us His peace.

From the Gospel, backward. Sitting on a pole, stoned, ministries.

Sitting on a pole. I was driving down Pleasantburg Drive and I saw a man sitting on top of a two story pole very uncomfortable. I stopped, turned around and got out of the car to ask why he was sitting up there.

He said he knew I traveled that way on my way back from the monastery each week, and that he was up there for the people of St. Anthony's. I thought wow, another partner for the school project! But no, he said he would sit up there until you understood that God wants you as a partner, until you knew your value to God.

I said to myself, wow, our faith, living from God's call, is really important to this guy. Ok, it was a dream I had. I was actually thinking about doing it. But didn't somebody already do this? Wasn't Jesus raised up on a pole? Can't you imagine Him praying to the Father that we would understand He was calling us? Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God and faith in Me. Do I have to be found sitting on a pole until you say, "Yes Lord I believe you are calling me?" I will you know.

Stoned. St. Peter is describing the early community as living stones. He wishes them to become a building together, a spiritual house. He wants God's dwelling place stoned - filled with each person's decision to represent. You are a holy priesthood called to praise God.

St. Peter says if we choose to be the dwelling place of God we will be rejected just like His Son. He asks us not to worry. The stone rejected will become the cornerstone. Our faith will guide the people to justice.

Our church is to get stoned. Marvel at the mosaic, the structure. Together nothing is impossible for God. Come to Him you who are so precious to Him.

Ministry. Something is happening to the early community of faith. They are dividing the work up and declaring some as chosen to do this and some as chosen to do that. Today we hear Stephen and others become the first distributors of the goods of the community. The church identified needs and then selected people to serve the needs.

We do the same today. Over 35 ministries are staffed to make sure that we reveal to God we understand our calling. Some will feed, others visit, others pay bills, others repair, others will listen, others will pray. All will gather at the assembly and from the Lord's gift - become gift givers.

In this authenticity, in this other-centered behavior, God's love is known.

We feel so given to, so blessed, that it spills out of us. I want to read to you a couple of notes from the children of the parish and school that prove this… "Dear Father Patrick, here is money from my lemonade stand to help build the new school." "Fr. Patrick, this envelope contains 50% of my child's allowance. He wishes that it be used for the new school." and lastly, one envelope came in sealed with three pennies in it. It read, "For the children to have a new school."

Once you know who you are, and what God has done in Jesus, once we get how serious God's call is and really understand He means each of us, you want to get stoned and do ministry.

Believing God, see ourselves newly, and coming forward to place our living stone in the project of God, we teach - and without speech.