This Sunday and the next two Sundays are all food-themed. Jesus knows we are hungry, and he feeds us through things we can touch: bread and wine, the Eucharist, and community.
If you’ve ever cooked for a crowd, you know how stressful the experience can be. There’s the cooking, sure, but there’s also the shopping, the dishes and the drinks, setting the table, and cleanup… not to mention what we’ll talk about and how we can make our guests feel welcome.
It can be done alone... maybe? But it is definitely better when you have other people to help you.
Either way, cooking for a crowd is so rewarding: we’re nourished by the food and the hard work and friendship that the host brings to the experience.
Working at Holy Cross is like preparing a meal for a crowd. Sometimes we actually do feed you, with pancakes and bake sales and tea parties. Other times, we feed your mind and your soul: in Mass and in Faith Formation classes.
So now, the question is this: How can I, Anna Schulten, hope to serve the spiritual needs of 400 families in our parish, when each family is totally unique and has so many different needs? The short answer is, I can’t. But in Christ, we can.
And by “we,” I don’t just mean Fr. Pat, and Fr. Dan, and Chelsea and I. I mean you, and me. All of us. Together.
Ok, that’s a nice idea, but let’s make it concrete. How do we serve families in Faith Formation? We need teachers, yes, definitely, please, but also people willing to provide hospitality and assistance in family sessions, to volunteer on retreats, help with behind-the-scenes setup and prep work... and underlying all this is the reality of prayer.
So first, in August, we’re praying a novena to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots…. more about that next week. Second, I cannot provide this whole meal alone. There’s only one of me. I need support from parishioners in all walks of life, with varying levels of commitment- parents volunteer to help during classroom sessions, but we especially need those who don’t have children, so parents can be free during family sessions to learn with their family.
So, if you have children, register for Faith Formation online (or in the foyer). The early bird discount ends Friday. If you’re immunocompromised or need special accommodations, let me know, and we’ll meet you where you are. See the bulletin insert for more, but let me end with this...
Christ is alive in our parish, and he will multiply our gifts if we ask him... but we are the ones who carry the bread and fish to our brothers and sisters- here in the parish, and out into the world. This week, please consider how you can support our families this fall and let me know how you plan to give back. Thank you.
-Anna Schulten
ffholycrossak@gmail.com
Call/text (907) 306-9363