Gospel Reflection March 27, 2020:

As I read the Gospel from John, I am reminded of two very significant things; first, Jesus truly knew what anxiety and suffering was, and, second, I miss the morning hall-prayer with our students more than ever.  One of the things I am going to develop is a morning prayer for our groups just as we have done all year, only it will be through a visual platform.  I would like to invite you as parents to pray with your students and me during the day your respective grade level engages in our “Pod-Prayer” as we call it here at OLMC.  The schedule will follow the same as it has all year as follows:

Monday – Jr. High Wing 6^th – 8^th

Tuesday – Kindergarten & 1^st

Wednesday – 2^nd – 5^th

Thursday – PreK

Regarding the format, this is still up in the air however; I’m most likely going to be using Facebook or Zoom.  I will get the information to you quite soon as we continue to wait on the State’s decision as to when to officially move to E-learning/Distance Learning.  In the meantime, let’s share in the Gospel of John: 7:1-2, 10, 25-30.

Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near.

But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret.

Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”

Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.

Several things remind us of Christ’s human form and vulnerability in this Gospel reading.  As Jesus went around Galilee He was anxious as He knew that there were those who were searching for Him to kill Him.  When the Lord did go into the festival, He did so in secret.  This is significant.  Often, we forget the “human” side of Christ.  That he suffered from hunger, cold, anger, frustration, worry, perhaps even fear for the human race, and, of course, pain. 

If Christ could not embody these feelings he would not have been human.  In this reading however, it continues to show that in the face of the anxiety of knowing there were people searching to kill Him, Jesus faces this emotion publicly through the strength and protection of God stating “I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him and he sent me.” 

During this most frustrating COVID-19 pandemic, it is extremely important for all of us to remember that, just as in today’s reading, the Lord understand fully our human fears, anxieties, frustrations, anger, and pain.  At the same time, we are able to face ANYTHING if we do so standing next to God who strengthens and protects us from any danger.  We must have faith not only when things are going well, but especially during the times which challenge us the most with uncertainty.  That faith will be seen by all who see us.  It will be seen by our co-workers, our friends, our children and grandchildren, and it will be seen by God who will continue to bless us. 

Please know that we at OLMC are here, we are working, your children/students will be receiving the best education that can be delivered during this time, we will be assessing and advancing and, as we move forward, we will be praying for each of your families’ health and peace continuously.  Though our work may look a little different now, it is not finished.  As the state, and country, slowly returns to normal, we too are heading in that direction as well. 

Thank you for all your continued understanding and support for your school and parish.  May God continue to bless you always!

Mr. Swann – Principal

Our Lady of Mount Carmel  

A Reflection for March 20, 2020 – Come Back:

In today’s readings there are two very important areas of Scripture that I feel, during this time; we need to pay close attention to.  In the first reading of Hosea, the Word tells us “They will come back to live in my shade; they will grow wheat again, they will make the vine flourish, their wine will be as famous as Lebanon’s.  What has Ephraim to do with idols any more when I hear him and watch over him?  I am like an evergreen cypress; you owe your fruitfulness to me.”  In saying this, God is suggesting that although He allowed a period of time when the people were/are self-serving, there will be the opportunity for them/us to refocus our eyes back on the One True God. 

Likewise, in today’s Gospel of Mark, Jesus instructs the scribe that “you must love the Lord your God with all our heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength..”  When the scribe recognized this to be true he told Jesus that His answer was good and that His instructions were more important than any burnt offering.  With that Jesus, seeing that the man was honest, told the man “you are not far from the kingdom of God.”

The truth is, because God is ever present, we are never far from the kingdom of God should we choose to be close to Him.  However, there is the problem for the overwhelming majority….choice.  Working in reverse, the Gospel suggests that even during this time of panic over the COVID-19 virus which has been forcing world-wide closures and shutdowns of schools, organizations, cities and boarders, we are still close to the kingdom of God so long as we continue to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  This means we must trust in Him!  Don’t trust in CNN, Fox News, ABC World News Tonight, WSIL, KVS12, and so on.  Believe in the power of prayer, don’t fall to anxiety.  Consider your sources, be intelligent, and take your concerns to God.  Yes, this is the foundation to health physically, emotionally and spiritually.  However, it is a choice. 

In addition to this, and retreating back to the first reading today from Hosea, if you have made the choice to panic, to become overwhelmed by the things of the world which are outside of your control, if you have placed your faith in some news channel, some political candidate, some social media platform, God reminds you that you can “come back…and flourish.”  He “hears” and “watches over” you, and He always will.  During this time, don’t lose sight of that.

 

Perhaps this is the time when, due to being forced to be at home with our families, cancellation of sports and social gatherings, we are reminded of the things that are truly important in our lives!  We are reminded that God needs to be at our center and not all the other distractions which the world offers us.  Now is the time to remember that God hears and watches over us, and that we need to make the choice to come back to Him fully and flourish. 

Mr. Swann-Principal

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School

Dear OLMC Family,

Just as you are, we are all aware of the health concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19).  The school has taken measures to keep our students, faculty and staff healthy and safe.  We will be adding hand sanitizing stations throughout the school and in the rest rooms to use after washing hands, increasing the frequency with which we disinfect high-touch surfaces and restrooms, and will be putting together an internal task force that meets to carefully monitor the situation and any/all new developments from the school districts. 

I am meeting with several area principals and the superintendent of the Diocese today to discuss the overall threat and concerns.  As with anything, it is important to use common sense.  Wash your hands, avoid family members who are sick, and keep yourself healthy food-wise.

We will continue to update if/when there are any changes.  Continue to enjoy your break and try not to borrow worry.  As for now, we are following the steps which were posted on Option C and our social media outlets last week. 

God bless!

Jason C. Swann/Principal

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

What We Do Unto Others: A reflection for 3/5/20:

Today’s Gospel in Matthew is true to the current Lenten season.  Jesus instructs us to act faithfully in pursuing Him.  He encourages us to be forthcoming with our desires, our fears, and our thoughts and in doing so, promises us that He will be there as he always has been.  However, Jesus also reminds us that we are to treat others in the same manner that He treats us when we fly to Him with the things in our hearts.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.  Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.”  Sounds pretty simple doesn’t it?  Two things we must remember about this Gospel, and Lent is the perfect time to do some remembering…..the questions come on our time…the answers come on God’s time…WE ARE NOT THE ONES IN CHARGE HERE!  A more appropriate translation of this Gospel could be “Ask, and wait for God to answer; Knock and wait for God to open the door; Search and wait for God, who has been constructing the plan of your life all this time, to allow that plan to unfold at the right time as to best benefit you!”  It’s always the second part that trips us up huh.

About that second part...how about the second part of today’s Gospel: “Is there anyone among you who hand his son a stone when he asked for bread?  Or would you hand him a snake when he asked for a fish?  If you, then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?”  Understanding this, we are to trust that God will not only answer our prayers, but He will answer them in the way, and at the time, that will be absolutely best for us! 

There is however, one last part to this excerpt from today’s Gospel which may be the most reflective of our Lenten journey this year.  Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel from the Book of Matthew, to “always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the Law and the Prophets.”  Putting this all together…if you feel like God isn’t answering your call to your expectation, perhaps it is because you aren’t answer His call in your life for others….

Trust in the Lord our God, always. 

“Lord, your son taught us that those who ask, receive; that those who seek, find; and that those who knock, have the door opened for them. May we pray with such believing faith, trusting in your divine providence, so that we may receive the gifts you wish to give to us as we faithfully seek to follow your son. Amen.”  - Rev. Andrew Gawrych, C.S.C.

Mr. Swann/Principal

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Divided Reflection 2/18/20:

I apologize as it’s been a while between my reflections.  Recently, I have been reading a couple books of quotes.  These quotes are taken from famous people throughout time highlighting the need for motivation, self-growth and the will to overcome.  These quotes are wonderful to read for when you just need to see something in writing that will remind you much of what you may be experiencing, someone else has already experienced and said something very clever about. 

Another unfortunate thing about quotes is that they only really cover a split second relief without actually offering any solution to the issue.  My grandfather was really good with quotes and I remember him throwing many my way as I faced difficult situations growing up.  One of his favorites was “work smarter not harder”.  I have thought of this occasionally as I would try to bull through something.  Why climb a wall when I can walk around it?  The Enemy uses this ideology in his work as well.  He knows there are easier ways to pull people away from Christ and if allowed, he will work smart in his efforts.  Satan doesn’t attack the Church directly; he does it though individuals who are already there.  He is the king of deceit, lies and false witness.  And, most importantly, the Enemy will not stop until he finds the weak-link and exploits it.

In Mark 3:22-30, the scribes from Jerusalem said that the reason Jesus was able to drive out demons was because He was from Satan Himself.  “It is through the prince of devils that he drives devils out.”  I always wondered why anyone, even they, would go so deep in challenging Christ as to call Him evil.  The reason however is simple, to divide the people from Him.  The fastest way to destroy something is to do it from the inside, to pull the center support out from under and allow it to fall in, rot, decay from the inside out. 

Jesus answered this challenge but saying “How can Satan drive out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last.  And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never last.”  The Enemy wants to divide our families, our households, our workplaces, our churches so that he can destroy what God has built from within. 

If we allow Satan to divide us from God’s purpose in our life, we are making the Enemy’s job easier!  If we divide others from God’s purpose in their life, we are doing the Enemy’s job for him!  Division is destruction in slow form.  Whether it is a team, an organization, or an individual, it must not be divided from God’s mission least it can never last.   Don’t allow division to pull us from Christ. 

Mr. Swann / Principal 

I do choose; be made clean: Reflection 1/10/2020:

As anyone can imagine, these past few weeks have been some of the most difficult of my professional life.  Understanding that the decisions that were going to have to be made would forever be under scrutiny yet, knowing that regardless they will/would need to be made with the focus of what’s best for the organization and its’ people collectively in the forefront would always be done.  This is has pretty much been my professional life, in various degrees of importance, during the last 13-15 years.  And though like many of you, it isn’t something that is foreign, it still isn’t always easy.  One thing is for certain, in every situation regardless of degree of importance, it begins with a choice.  I choose.

We see these choices daily in everyone around us.  Our daily routines are full of them; when to make this merger, who to call first, how to break news, when to have meetings, who needs to be involved in a particular partnership, etc.  Likewise, our personal lives carry similar decisions and although we often look at them as “less important”, it is these decisions that most appropriately shape us into who we are.  What time to get up in the morning, what food do I eat, what shows do I watch, workout in the evening or in the morning, workout at all, how should I dress today, so on and so forth.  These personal and influential decisions, though internal choices, reflect outwardly as to who we are or at least, who we desire people to see us as.  These choices can be of a more deeper value as well and shape us more profoundly in one way or another; who do I include in my “circle”, who do I exclude, what will I decide to be a part of or not be a part of, who will I talk about and in what way will I talk about them, how will I show Christ though me today or will I show Him at all, etc.   I choose.

In today’s Gospel of Luke, the man covered in leprosy bowed before Jesus and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.”  This wasn’t in any way an expectation of the man’s for Jesus, no.  In this humble and understanding statement was an amazing display of faith.  “I’m not asking that you do, I simply know that you can!”  Understanding this made me think of my own choices.  Not necessarily the choices that are made organizationally or administratively, but those which are made seemingly by the minute each day and how these choices impact me personally and spiritually.  Jesus said to the leper, “’I do choose.  Be made clean.’ Immediately the leprosy left him.”  I choose.

Imagine the immediate response we receive emotionally and spiritually when we choose light over darkness, when we choose to include over excluding, when we choose to listen over being heard.  Jesus was very busy and often was moving from one area the next.  He could have easily chosen to heal the man later or perhaps, not at all as there would have been plenty of people down the road right?  Likewise, we can either choose to be “Christ-like” now or maybe down the road…I mean there will be plenty of time for that later right…..will there??  I choose.

“Lord, to those who do good and are upright you show your saving power.  Help me to find your way of sincerity, patience and truth.  May I always be humble in seeking your way and enable my faith to be filled with the blessings of charity in all things.” – Rev. John Conley, CSC

Mr. Swann-Principal

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School

An Advent Reflection 12/16/19:

Recently, I have been asking people what the season of Advent means to them.  This question has been met with many different answers and some extremely interesting insight as to how individuals view Advent in their lives.  This brought me to compare the different responses with my own feelings of Advent leading to some pretty intense reflection over the course of this weekend.  As the boys were sleeping Saturday night after a long day, I sat down and begin to write out the different Advent answers/questions that were on my mind.  Pulling all this together has been the most difficult part however, if you’ll bear with me, I would like to give it a try. 

Advent, as we know, means “coming” or “arrival”.  Of course in our faith, this is in reference to the coming of the Jesus Christ, or the birth of Jesus celebrated in Christmas and our preparation for this most holy event.  This concept made me wonder, as Christians, do we spend more time in actual preparation, or panic, for the upcoming birth of Christ in Christmas.  Christmas is almost here and with that means deadlines.  There are presents to buy, houses to clean, meals to plan, food to shop for, travel to plan, and the eternal question of “do I have everything ready” to answer.  The previous statement seems to sum up the events during Advent for the overwhelming majority of people I spoke with.  Panic.  It seems ironic that many of us don’t ask this same “do I have everything ready” question regarding our spiritual lives during the season of Advent…I mean, isn’t that what the season is for?  Now, granted, I have felt the same way as others throughout this time of year thinking of what it is that I will need to do next.  So, perhaps we should try this, compare during Advent our relationship with Christ and our personal, spiritual preparation for the birth of Jesus with our ability to complete tasks timely in order to entertain others on Christmas. 

This Preparation vs. Panic concept also brought me to another questions; how does this happen?  I mean, we know what the seasons of Advent and Christmas are about, the importance to our spiritual lives both seasons are and yet, many of us as Christians continuously fall into the “rat-race” of Christmas time the same as so many others do.  Perhaps the answer to this is in a statement someone made about being busy.  “If the enemy cannot get you to sin, he will attempt to make you busy resulting in closing off your ability to grow closer to God.”  Let’s think about this statement this person made.  Advent and Christmas are two of the very most important seasons of our Catholic Christian lives and yet, if we are so busy being wrapped up in all the hustle and bustle of the “season” how can even the most devout Catholics grow their spiritual lives.  What can we do to slow ourselves down and keep the Enemy from distracting us from our relationship with Christ?  I guess each of us must answer that question ourselves.  One thing is for certain, just as the shopping/commercial Christmas season will be over before we know, so too will the cleansing/calming/reflecting/preparation season of Advent. 

It is time we put the unnecessary aside to make room for the necessary in our lives.  Don’t let the season that is set aside for the very purpose of drawing you closer to your Savior, be realized in a heap of torn wrapping paper and dirty dishes following the chaos and noise in an empty room.  Instead, use the remaining days individually to take time, slow down, and prepare for Christ to fill you with peace.

Jason C. Swann/OLMC