Main altar St. Mary's Church, Annapolis, Maryland Redemptorist Parish
Here is a summary, really a pale reflection, of Fr. Bruce Lewandowski's second homily during our Triduum for the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
Readings:Romans 12: 9-16, Isaiah 12:2-2,4,5-6, Luke 1:39-56 (Visitation)
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In my neighborhood of Philadelphia it is not uncommon to see shrines set up on this or that corner, in front of an old building or near a vacant lot. They usually mark the locations of a tragic death, a tragic loss of life. It may have been a drug deal gone wrong, a drive-by shooting or a terrible auto accident. These shrines take on the appearance of altars complete with flowers, votive candles, food or other offerings. It is also common to find shrines like this in the homes of Hispanic-Americans to help the family to remember the deceased among family and friends.
"I myself am the bread of life. You and I are the bread of life.
Taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ
that others might live."
(Fr. Bruce punctuated his homily by singing this verse.)
So in my neighborhood, at the corners of C and Cambria, at D and Somerset, at B and Lehigh I find altars. They are not unlike the altars of Goshen, Bethel, Gilgal, Carmel, Horeb - all altars of Israel - places in the Hebrew scriptures - places to remember God's presence with the people and God's action among them. Associated with these altars are people like Cain and Abel, Elijah at Carmel and Abraham and Isaac.
"I myself am the bread of life. You and I are the bread of life,
taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ
that the world might live."
We can really get caught up in the story of Abraham and Isaac. It is so dramatic. We wait to hear how Isaac will be spared and sigh with relief when the ram is caught in the thicket and can be used for the sacrifice instead of Isaac. For us Mary is the new Abraham. What is promised to the patriarch ("I will make your descendants more numerous than the sands on the seashore or the stars in the sky...") is fulfilled in the matriarch. Abraham hoped for salvation. Mary sees hope and the promise fulfilled as she describes in her Magnificat.
"I myself am the bread of life. You and I are the bread of life,
taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ
that the world might live."
There are no altars in the New Testament. No altars like that at Bethel, Gilgal or Horeb. But there is a new altar in the visitation story. Mary is the altar at which Elizabeth and John the Baptist worship. Our Mother of Perpetual Help is the altar, Jesus is the sacrifice. Mary is the altar on which Jesus is sacrificed. She does what Abraham couldn't, doesn't do....sacrifice her son.
"I myself am the bread of life. You and I are the bread of life,
taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ
so that the world might live."
The opposite of selfishness is sacrifice. We keep a large jar of candy at the ready in our office in the rectory. The candy can keep children happy while parents enroll them in school or religious education or arrange a baptism. One day a woman came in with two little girls, the oldest about 6 and the other about 3 or 4. They knew the routine so they were ready for candy. But there was only one piece left. I handed it to the mother who handed it to the oldest girl. This six year old unwrapped the candy, put it to her lips, opened her mouth, put it between her teeth and bit off half of the piece of candy and handed the remaining piece to her little sister. She gave up some of her own so that her sister could have more. The Redemptorist, F.X. Durwell said that we would never be real Redemptorists until we had become ourselves the altar of sacrifice - letting go, giving up.
"I myself am the bread of life. You and I are the bread of life,
taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ
that the world might live."
Jesus comes from Mary, is given by Mary. Go with less so others can have more. Take, Bless, Break, Pour, Eat, Drink, Go...... It's dangerous to pray to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. She will demand of us what was demanded of her son... suffer and die for the salvation of the world. Take, Bless, Break, Pour, Eat, Drink, Go....
"I myself am the bread of life. You and I are the bread of life,
taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ
that the world might live."
So we no longer have Goshen, Bethel, Gilgal, Carmel, or Horeb. But Mary, and Sr. Mary Jane and Sr. Paula, and Sr. Peg, and Sr. Moira, and Sr. Lydia - all of the sisters of this community and all of you are altars. Be the altar of sacrifice - so that the world might live.
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