From the Desk of Fr. Tony...
Pastor
Father Tony Stubeda
Father Tony Stubeda
A Reluctant Return
In today’s second reading St. Paul writes to Philemon from prison, and he sends back his slave, Onesimus, and pleads with Philemon to receive him, not as a returned runaway slave, but as a beloved brother. In his imprisonment with Paul, Onesimus has come to know the Lord, has been baptized and has been a great comfort and joy to Paul. He sends Onesimus back to Philemon with the hope that he will be treated well and will be a brother in faith and ministry with him. Paul plays a game with Onesimus’ name which means, useful. He prays that “Useful”, will be useful to Philemon, and that his usefulness will lead Philemon to deeper faith and commitment to the Lord.
I suspect that many of our young people feel like Onesimus, and that their return to school seems like a return to drudgery, schedules, being inside all day and doing work that is not as entertaining as what they did all summer. This is perhaps not slavery itself, but as close as they can imagine it. On the other hand, perhaps, parents feel much like Paul. From the prisons of their work and daily tasks they have found joy in the summer freedom of their children and have had many enjoyable evenings and days relaxing, vacationing and enjoying the warm days of summer. There is some sadness as they return their children to the care of their teachers and schools. They too would have us remember that these children are dear to them, and that they return them to us only reluctantly and with much hope. They send them to us, hoping that they will be made useful in the ways of the Lord, and that their time with us
in school, will help them to grow in faith, be an encouragement to us and a joy to the church.
The parents I speak with talk about their hopes and dreams for the school year and the religious education of their children. While they may lament the end of summer, they are anxious for things to move on, for the hot and sweaty days of August to be over and to have their children occupied with something useful and holy.
Our parishes through their schools and religious education programs are like Philemon. We have been without the people who are the center of so much of our activity and work. We have missed these young people who are the object of so much of our commitment and ministry. We bid them farewell at the end of last school year with joy. We were ready to have them away for a while, to rest from our labors and to recoup our energies. We need, like Philemon, to be reminded that we are receiving a great treasure and an important ministry in these young people who are in our care.
Finally all of us are reminded by Jesus, that to follow him, means to leave behind our own desires and our own plans. We are to abandon ourselves to him and to let him guide and direct our lives and hopes. We abandon the relaxation of summer to the rigors of growth in the Spirit of Christ, who guides us to deeper wisdom, more complete joy and love beyond our understanding. We may not know how this year will go, but we trust that God will grant us his wisdom and lead us in the ways of truth. If we need Paul’s advice, we will pray along with the psalmist, “Prosper the work of your hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands.”
Fr. Tony Stubeda
In today’s second reading St. Paul writes to Philemon from prison, and he sends back his slave, Onesimus, and pleads with Philemon to receive him, not as a returned runaway slave, but as a beloved brother. In his imprisonment with Paul, Onesimus has come to know the Lord, has been baptized and has been a great comfort and joy to Paul. He sends Onesimus back to Philemon with the hope that he will be treated well and will be a brother in faith and ministry with him. Paul plays a game with Onesimus’ name which means, useful. He prays that “Useful”, will be useful to Philemon, and that his usefulness will lead Philemon to deeper faith and commitment to the Lord.
I suspect that many of our young people feel like Onesimus, and that their return to school seems like a return to drudgery, schedules, being inside all day and doing work that is not as entertaining as what they did all summer. This is perhaps not slavery itself, but as close as they can imagine it. On the other hand, perhaps, parents feel much like Paul. From the prisons of their work and daily tasks they have found joy in the summer freedom of their children and have had many enjoyable evenings and days relaxing, vacationing and enjoying the warm days of summer. There is some sadness as they return their children to the care of their teachers and schools. They too would have us remember that these children are dear to them, and that they return them to us only reluctantly and with much hope. They send them to us, hoping that they will be made useful in the ways of the Lord, and that their time with us
in school, will help them to grow in faith, be an encouragement to us and a joy to the church.
The parents I speak with talk about their hopes and dreams for the school year and the religious education of their children. While they may lament the end of summer, they are anxious for things to move on, for the hot and sweaty days of August to be over and to have their children occupied with something useful and holy.
Our parishes through their schools and religious education programs are like Philemon. We have been without the people who are the center of so much of our activity and work. We have missed these young people who are the object of so much of our commitment and ministry. We bid them farewell at the end of last school year with joy. We were ready to have them away for a while, to rest from our labors and to recoup our energies. We need, like Philemon, to be reminded that we are receiving a great treasure and an important ministry in these young people who are in our care.
Finally all of us are reminded by Jesus, that to follow him, means to leave behind our own desires and our own plans. We are to abandon ourselves to him and to let him guide and direct our lives and hopes. We abandon the relaxation of summer to the rigors of growth in the Spirit of Christ, who guides us to deeper wisdom, more complete joy and love beyond our understanding. We may not know how this year will go, but we trust that God will grant us his wisdom and lead us in the ways of truth. If we need Paul’s advice, we will pray along with the psalmist, “Prosper the work of your hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands.”
Fr. Tony Stubeda