From the Pastor's Desk | September 7, 2025

Annunciation School

We continue to grieve the tragedy that occurred a week ago at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis, MN. Words cannot convey the feelings that are conjured up every time we hear of such a tragedy. Whenever a member of the Body of Christ suffers, we suffer too. Jesus Christ came to suffer for us. He continues to suffer with us and we do the same with our brothers and sisters - fellow Christians; fellow Catholics - in Minneapolis, MN. Please lift them up in prayer. 

Prayer is not meaningless. The person at prayer does not think that prayer in itself magically protects them from all moral evil or suffering. Jesus himself prayed to the Father while he was dying on the Cross. Rather, prayer raises the mind to God. In a previous bulletin, I wrote St. Theophan the Recluse’s definition of prayer - standing before God with the mind in the heart and doing so until the end of one’s life. I find it quite appropriate in times of tragedy, pain, and suffering to stand with the mind in the heart before God. At the same time, it is our prayer that should lead us to action. We always begin with prayer and then action follows. 

We need to pray - for the victims, their families, the community, and dare I say for the perpetrator of this great evil and his family. Let us continually stand before God with our minds in our hearts for ourselves and for others. 

At the same time, I also think penance is an appropriate response. What is an appropriate response to sin? Penance. Whenever we confront tragedy we are dealing with sin. Not personal sin per se, but rather corporate sin - the effects of the fall. When you read the Old Testament, whenever sin was confronted penance was always the response - fasting and sitting in sackcloth and ashes. We should do penance, not only for ourselves, but also for those who will not, do not, or don’t otherwise know that repentance is necessary for salvation.

The grace of prayer and penance is not wasted. Rather, those actions help unite us to the sacrifice of Christ and his Cross through which we have become victors with him. Jesus Christ has already won the victory over sin, suffering, and death. And, he promises that he will come again and destroy it for all eternity. 

On our part, let us continually stand before him with our minds in our hearts. Let us do the penances for ourselves and for others. All of this done with great faith in his victory and with great hope that he will return and bring us with him.

Security Updates

In light of these recent events, in case you missed the parish-wide email, the following security updates have taken effect: 

• The South Door (nearest Grand River; Door 6), currently the only unlocked door, will be locked 10 minutes after Mass begins (8:30am) on Mondays, Thursday, and Fridays while our school students attend Mass with the parish-wide community. Please be aware of this and please ensure you arrive such that you can attend Mass. The doors will not reopen to allow anyone in who is late for Mass. I realize this will take some getting used to.   

• The South Door (nearest Grand River; Door 6) will reopen at 9:00am on Mondays and Fridays for confessions. The South Door will reopen at 9:20am on Thursdays to allow the students time to exit the church and get back to their classrooms.

• The South Door (nearest Grand River; Door 6) will remain open during regular business hours, Friday adoration, and Wednesday evening Mass.  

• Students staying after Mass for confession are reminded that the confessional is equipped with a Lockout SmartBoot and will fit an entire class. 

• We are currently working with the Meridian Township Police Department to conduct lockdown and active threat training and drills with the faculty, staff, and students while they are in Mass. The lockdown and active threat procedures for Mass will be communicated parish-wide for those attending Mass on Sundays. 

• Ballistic shields, similar to what has been installed on the other exterior glass doors throughout the building, will be installed on the South Door (nearest Grand River; Door 6) and the North Door (narthex; St. Martha entrance). These will take time to manufacture and install so we beg your patience.

• Jackie Rosalez and Andrea Patton are both working with the Lockout Company to schedule our regular lockdown drills for both faith formation and the school students.

The current parish door schedule is as follows (South Door; nearest Grand River; Door 6): 

• Monday - door unlocked at 8:00 am and locked at 4:00 pm; door locks at 8:30 am-9:00 am 

• Tuesday - door unlocked at 8:00 am and locked at 4:00 pm 

• Wednesday - door unlocked from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm; reopens from 5:30 pm - 7:45pm. 

• Thursday - door unlocked at 8:00 am - 4:00 pm; door locks at 8:30 am - 9:20 am

• Friday - door unlocked at 8:00 am - 9:00 pm; door locks at 8:30 am - 9:00 am 

• Saturday - door opens from 2:00 pm - 6:30 pm 

• Sunday - door opens at 7:00 am and locks at noon. Reopens at 4:00 pm and locks at 6:30 pm.

Gospel Reflection

Reflecting on my college economics courses, I’m reminded of the familiar phrase: “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Behind this saying lie two fundamental principles of economics: scarcity and opportunity cost. Nothing is truly free. Every resource, including time, money, and materials, is limited. And every decision we make comes at the cost of the next best alternative. This truth extends beyond economics. It holds just as firmly in the spiritual life. Discipleship has a cost.

In the readings this weekend, we’re invited to reflect on the cost of following Christ. I recently heard a speaker on a podcast make a striking observation: “Keeping God’s commandments doesn’t make us disciples. Falling in love with Jesus does.” That love, in turn, leads us to keep his commandments.

This echoes the words of Jesus in John 14 (note that he says this four times!):

“Whoever loves me will keep my commandments” (vv. 15, 21, 23, 24).

It is love - real, transformative love - that drives true discipleship. Not obligation. Not fear. Love.

Moses helps illuminate this point. For forty years, he led Israel through the wilderness, preparing them to enter the Promised Land. Yet, in the end, Moses himself was not permitted to enter:

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo… The LORD showed him all the land… and said, “This is the land I promised… I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross over into it.” (Deuteronomy 34:1-6)

Why was Moses excluded? He had been entrusted with God’s law and had led the people faithfully, ensuring they themselves kept God’s commands. But when it came to trusting God in a critical moment, Moses faltered.

In Numbers 20, the Israelites were once again without water and turned against Moses and Aaron. God instructed Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. Instead, in frustration, Moses struck the rock twice.

Then raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water came out in abundance… But the LORD said… “Because you did not have confidence in me… you shall not lead this assembly into the land I have given them.” (Numbers 20:11-13)

Despite his role as lawgiver and leader, Moses lacked the trust God desired. It wasn’t about breaking a rule. It was about relationship. Moses’ failure to trust pointed to a deeper issue of the heart.

Likewise, it’s not enough for us to simply follow the rules. Obedience matters - but only when it flows from love. To be a disciple is to fall in love with Jesus Christ. And love necessarily involves trust, confidence, and surrender.

When we fall in love - truly in love - we naturally say no to someone or something else. That’s the heart of Jesus’ message in the Gospel today: there is a cost to following him. What we sacrifice will look different for each of us - relationships, comfort, status, reputation, wealth, power. But the principle is the same: love costs something. But, herein lies the mysteries:

First, Jesus is not calling us to hate those we love. He’s using hyperbolic language to make a clear point: our love for him must come first - always. When Christ is the center of our lives, all our other loves are transformed and deepened in light of that primary relationship. We are able to love others as Christ loves because we have first loved him.

Second, Jesus understands that each of us will encounter our own crosses as we journey through life. He does not promise comfort or ease, but rather invites us to take up the Cross just as he did. We are called to place our full confidence, trust, and faith in Him believing that, even in the midst of suffering, God is at work. Within every cross we bear, God is doing something profound and deeply personal in us. Out of love, we carry our crosses knowing that through them, we are being drawn closer to Him.

As we pray today, let’s ask ourselves: Am I truly a disciple of Jesus Christ? Have I really fallen in love with him as evidenced by my faith, hope, charity, confidence, and trust? Is Jesus Christ the primary relationship of my existence? Do I trust him enough to carry my own cross? In saying ‘yes’ to him, what have I said ‘no’ to?

Know of my prayers for you all! 

Fr. Ryan