Our Lady of Good Hope Church (Dedication anniversary homily)

Today we celebrate three things at once, 

and all of them point toward hope.

It’s the sixth Sunday of Easter. Today is also Mother’s Day — 

and I learned long ago that any pastor who forgets our moms 

on this day does so at his own peril! 

And for us here at Our Lady of Good Hope, 

we mark the anniversary of the dedication of this church.

One of our parishioners, John O’Gorman, 

wrote a history of this parish called Sesquicentennial History, 

and I’d like to share some details.

The first Mass in Miamisburg was offered 

by Father Frederick Baraga in the Spring of 1831. 

The first Catholic church, St. Michael’s, was dedicated in 1852 

in a former tavern and cigar factory on Old Main Street. 

In 1881, the second church was built just east of it 

and dedicated as “Our Immaculate Lady of Good Hope.” 

The third church was consecrated in 1956 — 

in what is now the school cafeteria. The confessionals are still there.

This, our fourth church, was dedicated on May 9, 1971.

Look around you. This building itself preaches. 

The seven windows represent the seven sacraments. 

The three circles symbolize the Holy Trinity. 

The glass itself moves from darker colors in the back 

to lighter colors near the sanctuary — 

a living reminder that “out of darkness 

God has called us into his marvelous light.”   

The Stations of the Cross link us back 

To the first Our Lady of Good Hope church, 

and they may have been in St. Michael. 

You and I stand in a long line of faithfulness.

In John’s book, a letter from Father Baraga 

described meeting mothers – no fathers mentioned – 

who eagerly had their children baptized.

Some of our families go back that far.

Maybe it was your great-great-great grandparent 

who Father Baraga baptized?

The readings today show us how 

to write more chapters of this story. 

In Psalm 66 we hear: 

“Shout joyfully to God… proclaim his glorious praise… 

Come and see the works of the Lord… 

I will tell you what God has done for me.”

Notice: these are not things reserved for priests or deacons. 

These are words every one of us can speak. 

Every Christian should be able to point to something real 

that God has done in our life.

Last weekend many of us gathered from all three campuses 

as we prepare to become St. John Paul II Parish on July 1st. 

We talked about needs and resources, dreams and realities. 

One comment captured what many of us feel: 

“I don’t really know how I’m supposed to share my faith.”

Psalm 66 gives us a powerful answer. 

Can you tell about something God has done for you? 

That is how faith spreads. 

Isn’t that how it works with a restaurant?

A coupon is nice, but the best endorsement is when a friend says,

“What a great dinner we had!”

Saint Peter says the same in the second reading: 

“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone 

who asks you for a reason for your hope.” For our Good Hope!

When I was re-reading John O’Gorman’s book, 

Some colorful details stood out 

in Father Baraga’s account of coming to Miamisburg and Dayton. 

This was a “wilderness” with lukewarm Catholics, 

“atheists and unbelievers,” and plenty of temptations. 

Ah, the “good old days”! 

Father Baraga didn’t let these struggles deter him;

Why should we be discouraged?

Our ancestors in faith brought the Advocate with them here,

And the Holy Spirit continues preparing hearts.

So, here’s some homework. 

Today, or later this week, 

tell someone something good the Lord has done for you.

Maybe it happened in this church. 

Something mom did for you.

Some special way the Holy Spirit was your Advocate.

Be a messenger of Good Hope!

First Communion homily for 5th Sunday of Easter

 Notice what’s going on in the readings…

Saint Peter told us that God is building a very special house: 

you and I are “living stones.”

Then, notice Jesus also mentions a house: 

the Father’s House, and it has lots of rooms.

And Jesus also told us that the way to get there is he, himself. 

He’s the heavenly GPS.

But then notice, with all that hopeful talk, there is a problem.

We heard it in the first reading.

Prejudice and division among the first Christians: 

“We! They! They’re different; we don’t like them! It’s unfair!”

Then and now, this “us-versus-them” behavior creates real wounds.

But the Holy Spirit wasn’t daunted and worked through the Apostles.

He works through you and me, too, in looking past differences.

Still: if the business of turning people into saints, 

and making this world the Paradise God wants it to be, were easy, 

then the job would have been finished a long, long time ago!

So, for example, maybe Jesus wouldn’t have created the sacraments; 

he could have just sent us a membership card.

But he didn’t do that. 

And notice, while we only get baptized once, 

we don’t only go to confession once;

we don’t take part in Mass only once, and receive the Eucharist once;

at least, that’s not how it is meant to work.

He knew we’d need a lot more than that.

Today some of our children will have their First Holy Communion.

But I want to explain something you may not realize.

In reality, you have already had a kind of communion.

“Communion” is actually a simple word that means “union with.”

The perfect, fullest communion is God himself: 

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are totally, completely one.

The communion God wants us to enjoy with him began in baptism. 

The Eucharist is God’s plan for sustaining and deepening that union.  

“Communion” isn’t just a special event on a calendar.

If that union with God were a simple thing, it would be like, 

“I’m taking a shower, presto-chango, yay, now I’m a saint!”

But instead, it’s a journey. The seed of faith is planted and grows.

Baptism, confirmation, frequent confession, Sunday Mass,

Our family, our friends, we pray together, we help each other…

And little by little, God changes us from chunky blocks 

with sharp edges that can’t fit together – “ouch!”

To well-shaped stones that fit; that cooperate.

And the mortar that holds it all together is love.

I don’t just mean the feeling.

Love is a choice, a series of choices that don’t always feel good.

Boys and girls, your parents get up every day, 

usually earlier than they want to.

They work hard to make a home and provide what you need.

There are a lot of things our parents would love to have 

but what the family needs comes first.

When my mom did the laundry, or my dad paid the bills,

They didn’t feel exactly “good.” 

But those – and a million other choices my parents, 

and your parents make – equals love.

It’s hard to become truly loving and truly generous.

And notice, Peter didn’t call us marshmallows, which are soft!

He called us “stones.” They’re hard!

It takes a lot of hammer blows and patience to reshape that stone.

That’s why it’s essential to be living stones, 

letting the Holy Spirit soften us up and help us want to change.

So maybe now we can understand better why Jesus did what he did.

He didn’t just send you and me a card; 

he didn’t just say, “here are the instructions.” 

No. God himself came to us, as one of us.

He said, I’m going to lay down my life for you – and he died!

That’s not love-talk, that’s love-action. The fullest possible.

And now, in the Mass, and the Eucharist, 

he continues to lay down his life for you and me.

When we receive the Holy Eucharist, we draw life from his life.

Just as the Holy Spirit reshaped the early Christians,

He wants to transform you and me. 

Day by day, Communion by Communion.