"Pastoral letter for Lent 2002: 'The visible signifies the Invisible'"by Bishop William S. Skylstad (From the February 28, 2002 edition of the Inland Register)
The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council restated the classic understanding of the Church concerning the meaning of the sacred liturgy in these words: The visible signs used by the liturgy to signify invisible divine things have been chosen by Christ or the Church. Thus not only when things are read “which were written for our instruction” (Rom. 15:4), but also when the Church prays or sings or acts, the faith of those taking part is nourished and their minds are raised to God, so that they may offer Him their rational service and more abundantly receive His grace. (SC 33) As we enter the holy season of Lent, I wish to reflect with you upon Word and Sacrament, those visible signs through which the mystery of Gods love is revealed. Lent is the proper time for spiritual renewal, as we ascend God’s holy mountain to the Easter Vigil, the solemn celebration of baptism and the renewal of our own baptismal promises. Included in this reflection are my comments on our revised diocesan policy for the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage, found on page 11 of the Feb. 28, 2002 Inland Register and on the diocesan web site, and the new Lectionary of the Church.
I wish to address three issues concerning our sacramental life in the first part of this Pastoral. 1. Sunday Eucharist Our first sacramental encounter with the mystery of God is at our Baptism. Through water and the Holy Spirit we became children of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, whose life, death and resurrection became the foundation and meaning of our lives. But this grace of Baptism can only thrive through consistent remembrance of the dying and rising of Christ made sacramentally present in the mystery of the Eucharist. John Paul II teaches the significance of the weekly celebration of our new life in Christ, both individually and corporately: For this presence to be properly proclaimed and lived, it is not enough that the disciples of Christ pray individually and commemorate the death and Resurrection of Christ inwardly, in the secrecy of their hearts. Those who have received the grace of baptism are not saved as individuals alone, but as members of the Mystical Body, having become part of the People of God. It is important therefore that they come together to express fully the very identity of the Church, the ekklesia, the assembly called together by the Risen Lord who offered his life “to reunite the scattered children of God” (Jn 11:52). They have become “one” in Christ (cf. Gal 3:28) through the gift of the Spirit. This unity becomes visible when Christians gather together: it is then that they come to know vividly and to testify to the world that they are the people redeemed, drawn “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev 5:9). (Dies Domini, n. 31) During the past two years, the Inland Register has published more than 30 profiles of local parish communities. Parishioners quoted in these articles have expressed the profound faith of those communities and the joy that faithful Catholics derive from their common life and worship. For all of us, these stories have been a source of inspiration and encouragement. But as pastor of all of our people, I must call attention to a concern that is profoundly troubling. The participation of our Catholic population in the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is not what it should be. The social and familial dynamics of contemporary life have led many Catholic families to neglect Eucharistic participation. This is both a scandal to the members of the Body of Christ and a negative sign to a world already so weak in faith. As I hear the stories of families, I recognize that this diminishing participation in Sunday Mass is not so much by decision as by default. Other choices have intruded upon this sacred space, some of them more appealing and others more pressing, or so they seem. For these families, returning Sunday Mass to its primacy will require deliberate choice, and at times the sacrifice of something good for a greater good. Sunday obligation is the law of the Church, but even more it is the law of faith. We believe that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our Catholic faith life. When we become casual observers of Sunday worship, or neglect it altogether, there is no source, there is no summit in our life. We are left in the desert of our own self-centeredness. If we do not offer this sacrifice of praise, our faith will perish. I know these are hard words, but failure to faithfully participate in Sunday Eucharist has provided no spiritual benefit to any believer nor to that person’s community of faith. My sisters and brothers, I call upon every family to undertake a serious examination of conscience about participation in Sunday Eucharist. I ask that all the pastors address the issue of Sunday Eucharist in their preaching this Lent. 2. The Sacraments of Initiation On a more positive note, my second point is to express my pride and gratitude over the renewal of the Sacraments of Initiation in our Diocese. I applaud the efforts of pastors and pastoral staffs to prepare parents for the celebration of their childrens baptisms. The sustained effort to catechize parents at this teachable moment has often made a difference in renewing their faith and reconnecting them to the community of faith. In my travels throughout the Diocese, I am delighted to see how many parishes have renewed their baptismal fonts. These fonts, frequently designed as a “spring of living water” vividly express the reverence of the community for the rituals of our faith. I must also share with you my deep appreciation for the efforts by pastoral leaders and parents to implement the diocesan policy on the “Completion of the Sacraments of Initiation for Baptized Catholics.” The restoration of the traditional sequence of the Sacraments of Initiation has been a positive witness about the nature of the Sacraments, especially by giving primary focus to the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Our rebirth in Christ through water and the Spirit is a gift to us from the community of faith, and incorporates us into the life of that community, which is most profoundly realized in the celebration of the Eucharist. This is why we call the Eucharist the source and summit of our Christian lives. We are what we celebrate; we become what we receive: the Body of Christ. This underlies the concern I have spoken of concerning participation in Sunday Eucharist. 3. The Sacrament of Marriage My third reflection concerns the Sacrament of Marriage. With this letter I promulgate the new Diocesan Policy on Marriage. You will find this policy in the Feb. 28, 2002 edition of the Inland Register and on our diocesan server. Our Diocesan Pastoral Council, the presbyterate and pastoral agents throughout the Diocese have reflected upon and critiqued this policy over a period of two years. I am grateful for the breadth and depth of this consultation. This Catholic community takes marriage very seriously, and rightly so. It is in the life of marriage and in the spirituality of the family that we encounter the great mystery of God’s love. The policy is an attempt by the Church of Eastern Washington to give witness to this deep concern. In the reflection and discussion that have gone into this policy, I have heard much about your faith and family experience: young persons aspiring to intimate and mutually fulfilling relationships; married couples striving to maintain and renew a love that is not always romantically charged; parents fearful of the pain that marital failure inflicts upon their children and grandchildren. Yes, this is the most serious spiritual business of our lives. As we renew our policy about marriage, I am praying that God will help pastoral ministers to be instruments of compassion and joy. I pray that parents will model for their children the mystery of God’s faithful and forgiving love. I pray that those whose dreams of happiness in marriage have been shattered will not lose hope, but will forgive themselves and their former spouses and bear witness to God’s unconditional love as they renew the responsibilities of their lives. This is most serious spiritual business. To say that marriage calls for a policy is terribly inadequate. Marriage calls for the hand of God and the work of the Spirit.
In the second part of this pastoral letter, I turn my attention to the mystery of the Word of God. As I reflect upon the Second Vatican Council, I am of the opinion that its single most significant reform was the renewal of the primacy of the Sacred Scriptures in Catholic spirituality. The Constitution on Divine Revelation tells us: In Sacred Scripture, therefore, while the truth and holiness of God always remains intact, the marvelous “condescension” of eternal wisdom is clearly shown, “that we may learn the gentle kindness of God, which words cannot express, and how far He has gone in adapting His language with thoughtful concern for our weak human nature.” For the words of God, expressed in human language, have been made like human discourse, just as the word of the eternal Father, when He took to Himself the flesh of human weakness, was in every way made like us. (DV, n. 13) To make the Word of God more available to guide our lives, the Fathers of the Council directed that a more complete Lectionary be prepared for use in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In 1970, this new Lectionary was promulgated, and through it the flame of the Church’s love for Sacred Scripture was rekindled. The second edition of the Lectionary for the celebration of Mass on Sundays and Solemnities has been in use since 1998. Effective Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002, a revised translation for the readings at weekday Masses and other celebrations has been available. On Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2002, universal usage of the revised Lectionary will be mandatory in all dioceses of the United States. The Conference of Bishops has asked that this second edition of the Lectionary be used for five years and evaluated for its vitality and effectiveness. The task of translating ancient texts into living language will be ongoing. The revised Lectionary provides little that is new, but there is a spiritual challenge for us to renew our appreciation for the cycle of readings from the Word of God provided by the Lectionary. On Sundays in a three-year cycle, we hear the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) in almost their entirety. The Gospel of St. John is used especially during the seasons of Lent and Easter to illuminate the Paschal Mystery. Catholics who attend daily Mass know that during the Ordinary Time of the year the synoptic Gospels are read in 10- or 12-week cycles. The Lectionary guides our prayer and reflection upon the mystery of Christ as it unfolds throughout the year. I urge every Catholic to embrace the Word of God in the Lectionary. Many guides to daily reading of the Bible may be available, but none is any richer or more helpful than the cycle of readings in our Lectionary. This treasure is not just available to those who attend daily Mass. It can be as close as your Bible in the home. A table of the readings for Sunday Mass is included in some editions of the Bible. The “St. Joseph edition” is one such version. A regular feature in the Inland Register is the Scriptural references for readings as Mass for the upcoming weeks. Several publications are available that provide readings from daily Mass and other spiritual aids in keeping with the Liturgy. I urge you to unite yourself to the spirit of the Church each day through prayerful reflection upon the Word of God. Lent 2002 gives us 40 days and 40 nights to journey to the mountain of God. I pray that the power of the Word of God and the celebration of the Sacraments will be for you life and light on this pilgrimage of faith. In the joy of Easter may you discover anew that in Jesus Christ, ever present in the mystery of Word and Sacrament, we have been given the ultimate revelation of God’s love and the destiny of our lives. May his spirit be with all of you.
Suggested Scripture resources
Some resources I have found helpful regarding Scripture readings
include: Praised be Jesus Christ, the light of the world!
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My brothers and sisters in Christ,