Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord at the Temple. He is presented to the Lord. It was a typical Jewish ceremony and one that was very important. Our closest ceremony is in the Sacrament of Baptism. At our baptism, we are presented to the Lord to be incorporated into the Body of Christ. Last week, we heard the words of Saint Paul, as he reminded us that every part of the Body of Christ has a role to play, each is valuable and each essential. That means every one of US has a role to play, is valuable and essential.

Do you ever think of yourself in that way?

Maybe not, and that is unfortunate because it is one of the central truths of our relationship to God and each other. In Jesus, we are made one — vitally connected, inextricably joined and undeniably interconnected. No man is an island. No Christian can live in isolation.

At our baptism, we are given three roles: Priest, Prophet and King. We don’t think of ourselves in that way, either. A king stands in defense of his people, and we are called to stand in defense of our brothers and sisters. A prophet speaks truth, even when painful or dangerous, to help others remain on the path to God. A priest is a bridge, a liaison, between people and God. And each of us is called to be all three.

I was “presented” to the Lord for baptism on January 25, 1959, the Feast of the Conversion of
Saint Paul, at Assumption Church. Father Michael Cepon baptized me. My Aunt Alma and Uncle Bill were my Godparents. It was an interesting day in history. On that very day, Msgr. George Heimsath, died. He was the pastor of Saint Pascal Church, where I would become pastor in 2005. That same day was the first transcontinental nonstop jet flight from New York to Los Angeles. Chicago lost some of its charm that day, as movie stars and celebrities no longer needed to make a stop. And Saint Pope
John XXIII called for an ecumenical council, which we know as
Vatican II.

So how about you? Do you know the date of your baptism? Your Godparents? The parish and priest? What was going on in the world? I’d urge you to do some research about this pivotal moment in your life. It is the day you were given your identity as a disciple of Jesus Christ, made one in His Body, the Church.

I also want to invite everyone to come to our parish mission, February 17 – 19 with Father Tom McCarthy, OSA. Father Tom is a familiar figure on the South Side, but he has also preached missions all across the country. This will be a tri-parish mission. Saint George, Saint Elizabeth Seton and the host parish this year, Saint Julie, are all throwing in together for a wonderful spiritual event. This mutual support among parishes has been going on all over the Archdiocese of Chicago, and
here among our local parishes. Please mark your calendar for February 17 – 19 and join us for an enriching and enjoyable tri-parish mission!