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December 30, 2022Family Faith Formation
Sunday, January 8th after the 11am Mass
Parish Town Hall Meeting
Sunday, January 8th at 5pm
When our nativity scene was stolen two weeks ago, I had hoped the grinches would have a change of heart. I thought of that wonderful scene from Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables.
Jean Valjean is convicted of stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family and after many years in prison, he is released but because of the conviction can’t find a job. Hungry and desperate, he barges into a Bishop's house at dinner, and to his amazement is invited to sit down at the table with the Bishop and his housekeeper. The Bishop offers him a bed for the night, but he disappears during the night, taking the Bishop’s silver with him. When he is returned by the police to the Bishop, still in possession of the stolen silver, the good Bishop instead asks "Back so soon? Why didn't you also take the candlesticks I gave you?" and dismisses the officers. Extracting a promise from Jean Valjean that the silver will be used only for good, the Bishop sends him on his way, with forgiveness, blessings, and a changed heart.
Well, yes, it’s fiction but I was saved from getting too angry with those who stole our Nativity by the amazing sympathy and support that so many good people expressed. Good is more powerful than evil. Within days we had the funds to replace the stolen statues. Dr. Mike Mobley handed me an envelope on December 21, 2022, that contained a check for $11,000. The day before Bob and Joy Joyner dropped off 2 one-hundred-dollar bills as a contribution from their parish, St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Savannah. There have been a number of generous donations and lots of folks who offered to help.
Part of the letter that Mike included with his donation read, “As a kid, I learned from my mother, Marie, the importance of beauty and aesthetics – we as a family would attend Midnight Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Augusta (where all 12 of the kids were baptized). I was enamored by its beauty, especially during the Christmas season. Beauty can lead us, I think, to appreciate the good and truth that abides in the connectedness it gives us to the Holy Trinity. I hope you can restore the beauty of St. Michael’s Nativity scene.”
Almost 30 years ago Mike’s Mom, Marie Mobley, was one of the first people to welcome me to Georgia. Before a Catholic Church was established in Waynesboro, she would drive her family over 40 miles every week from their farm in Burke County to Sacred Heart Church in Augusta. She was a wonderful and beautiful Catholic woman. I praise God for Mike’s goodness and for all who offered to help restore the beauty of our outdoor Nativity scene.
Praise God for a New Year! May 2023 be filled with much grace for you and your family.
There will be a Town Hall Meeting next Sunday, January 8th at 5pm in Church to share the plans and to talk about the finances that will be needed to move forward with those plans. If there is enough enthusiasm to move forward, my hope (as we did with the front plaza) would be to use some of the gains from the Endowment to help finance the Columbarium. But I know there are those in the parish who are opposed to using any gains from the Endowment for the present good of our faith community. So, it will be good to talk it all out. I will share my vision in next Sunday’s bulletin but there are only six months left until my retirement, so it is relatively easy to let go of my vision. It’s more important that we get a collective sense of your vision for our faith community. After the meeting I hope you’ll join me over in the Rectory for an open house with light refreshments provided by the CCW.
On the way Home: As we celebrate the New Year, the Church gives us the example of Mary, the Mother of God. She is Jesus’ first and most perfect disciple. Reflect upon and share some ways in which you might be a better disciple of Jesus in the New Year.
