We begin this Sunday morning, the last day of this year’s Polish Fest, in the most right and proper way. We begin with Holy Mass. This is the fourth time our Parish has organized this festival.

We present Polish—“American culture, music, and food. We also present ourselves, here, before Jesus Christ, as one people. We hold out a history of the Polish people that is marked by both great victory and bravery and by terrible tragedy.

Shakespeare could not have written a better history. Of course we do not need Shakespeare alone, for we have Mickiewicz and Sienkiewicz.

For nearly 1,040 years, faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel has kept us together and kept us strong. Even in the worst of times we knew that the blood of martyrs would be the seed of our continuing faith. We heard the words echoed in today’s psalm:

—He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.—

As a community, here in the Capital Region, our Parish has stood for 85 years as a beacon of Christ’s light. The Words of God is preached, the sacrifice is offered. The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ strengthens us. We hear the words of Paul:

—If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.—

So we stand together as a community of faith. We witness Christ to you, through our Polish hospitality. Polish hospitality brought to you by Poles, Polish-Americans, and Italian-Americans, people of Irish, French, Caribbean, African, and Hispanic decent. People from every nation and culture united in Christ and honoring the rich Polish culture that has given so much to the world. We offer you our beloved customs, which have their roots in the Polish civilization, nurtured for over a thousand years.

And today, instead of the usual organ music, we are accompanied by the Eddie Forman Orchestra, wonderful musicians joining with us to praise Jesus Christ with joy and gladness.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

Every Holy Mass is a mass of thanksgiving. We thank God for all the goodness which he gives to us, His love, mercy, and peace. We thank God for these three days of Polish Fest. We thank Him for the talent of the Eddie Forman Orchestra and for their contribution to making this a truly special liturgy.

On behalf of the parish, I personally want to thank all those who visited us during the last three days, all our guests, friends of the parish, those from other parishes.

Finally, I heartily thank all those who worked so hard and sacrificed so much in preparing for the Polish Fest. This glorious festival is the crowning achievement of their many months of hard work.

In closing, May the Almighty God bless all of us gathered here, our families and relatives, and our whole community.

Safety and Security, Prayer and Trust

To the common person these words would seem to be, at a minimum, opposites.

As a country we are very self reliant. It comes from our immigrant roots. None of our families started out here in the United States. Some may have been here since the time of the pilgrims. Some may be new immigrants or second or third generation Americans.

No matter how far removed we are, we still have that immigrant, go-it-alone, get-it-done ethic. We are a nation of great pioneers. The last U.S. nickel I looked at honored Lewis and Clark. Pioneers, explorers, and national heroes surround us.

This terrible disaster which has befallen our country has brought out that pioneer spirit. We listen to those who, in the face of the disaster, wish to rebuild. They are shining examples of self assurance and a determined, resilient attitude.

Levees, flood walls, security systems, alarms, police, the government, guns, sprinklers, and a long list of other things can be purchased, paid for, installed, and relied upon, all in the name of safety and security, all in the name of self reliance. We are Americans and we can do it.

You and I have come here today to pray. An odd notion really, in the face of self reliance. Some people might look and say: —They’re asking an invisible man for help?—

But for us it is not a one-up event. Prayer and trust in God is our way of life. It is our safety and security. These are our roots. We love an honor our grandparents and great grandparents. They had courage and strength, even in the face of incredible odds. However, theirs was not a misplaced or self assured courage and strength. It was the courage and strength that came from prayer and trust. By prayer and through trust in God they always knew, no matter what, that they had safety and security.

This terrible disaster, which has befallen our country, has brought out faith, especially today. Of course there are those who question and doubt God. There are those who cannot see God because of hatred. There are even those who will pray today and forget God tomorrow. But the vast majority of us are turning to God today as we do every day. We turn, for a brief moment each day to pray and remember. It is right that we do it today. It is right that we do it every day. It is right that we tell everyone we know, and the whole world, that safety and security on human terms is fleeting. Safety and security through prayer and trust in God is everlasting.

In the 16th Chapter of the Gospel according to St. John Jesus says: —Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Jesus trusted in the Father even in His darkest hour and reassured His disciples to have faith.

Let us collect ourselves and place our faith in God, today and everyday.

On the second Sunday of September each year we celebrate a special feast day, the Solemnity of Brotherly Love. This Solemnity was established at the Church’s Chicago Synod in 1914.

1914 was a busy year, filled with memorable and historic events. In 1914 the Ford Motor Company announced an eight-hour workday and a minimum wage of $5 for a day’s labor. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Mother’s Day proclamation. And, in June of that year the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were killed, starting World War I. The stage was also being set for the Armenian and Assyrian genocides.

In December of that year Bishop Hodur, the clergy, and the laity, including fifteen women, gathered to democratically debate and vote on matters concerning the church. It is interesting to note that our church, the PNCC, enfranchised women before they had the right to vote in the United States.

In the midst of a growing and struggling church, and in the midst of dramatic world events, these delegates carried on the Polish and American democratic tradition. They faced difficult debates about the Church’s mission, rules of celibacy, the election of Bishops, and relationships with other Christian churches.

With all of that, our Church continued in its positive, life affirming, hopeful, and brave way, and declared a Feast of Brotherly Love. In the light of war, love. In the light of hardship and struggle, love. In the light of heated debate, love.

On this day we remember the two greatest commandments of God. We are to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said to the lawyer, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” The lawyer said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” At the end of the parable of the Samaritan Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

In this time of national trouble and uncertainty, remember our brave Bishop Hodur, remember those dedicated clergy, and the men and women who came together. In the face of a changing world and a struggling Church, they placed their faith in God. In the same moment, they took up the call to brotherly love. They remembered what Jesus said to each of them.

Each and every one of us is called to do the same for your brothers and sisters here, for those along the gulf coast, and for all we meet. Take up the task each and every day, and show compassion and love toward others. Without faith, goods works are empty. With faith, good works bring Christ to all. Love God and love your neighbors —“ as Jesus said, —Go and do likewise.—

Readings:

Ezekiel 33:7-9
Psalm 95:1-2 / 6-7 / 8-9
Romans 13:8-10
Gospel Verse: II Cor 5:19
Matthew 18:15-20

Homily:

What jumps out of today’s readings is Christ’s instruction on how we are to correct our brothers and sisters. We like hearing that. It is a sort of permission to act. I can go to them privately and correct them —“ charitably of course. If they ignore me, I have recourse to witnesses and the Church.

This is a grant of power to us. It is a power to enforce the Christian way of life, and the proper order of the community. In the PNCC Constitution we have a right to bring grievances to a Parish level tribunal and if we are not satisfied we can go to the Diocese and the whole Church.

What we fail to recognize in the readings, or miss hearing, is the message that we are to love our neighbor, and the command to the Church to pray as a community.

This is the true power. Our power and strength as Catholic Christians lies in our actions toward our brothers and sisters. Paul tells us: —The commandments … are summed up in this saying, namely, —You shall love your neighbor as yourself.— Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.—

Our strength also lies in following Jesus’ command to pray as a community. Our Lord and God tells us:

—Again, amen, I say to you,if two of you agree on earthabout anything for which they are to pray,it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name,there am I in the midst of them.—

On some Wednesday evenings, when we hold Holy Mass, a Novena, and Benediction, there are only two or three here. People would ask, —Why continue?— As Catholics we must! We must pray and implore the Lord as a community. We must gather and receive the graces Jesus died to give us.

At this time of national tragedy, the message of love and worship is much clearer.

I urge you: pray and act with love toward your brothers and sisters. Come to Church, receive God’s strength and follow His will.