Underway!

Pastor’s Column

Parish of Saint Sylvester

Medford, New York

Sunday, June 30, 2019

13^thSunday of Ordinary Time

S.S…St. Sylvester….Here we go!

Dear friends in Christ,

The LORD said to Elijah:

"You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah,

as a prophet to succeed you."

I grew up on Long Island, down in Southwestern Nassau County in a little community called The Five Towns.  We spent lots of warm Spring and Summer days down at  Atlantic Beach.  There you could see many ships and recreational boats navigating in the Atlantic Ocean with New York's Harbor on the Horizon.

It ”goes without saying” that Long Island has a large recreational fishing community (and commercial one at that, too). I have some "zealous" friends that fish quite a bit.  I am always grateful for some fresh Tuna, Striped Bass, or Fluke when my buddies bring it home.

For me as a kid it was fishing off the surf in Atlantic Beach, or into Reynolds Channel off the jetty.  Although I do not possess the resources nor time to commit to off-shore angling like my "buddies," I still get excited thinking about fishing from time to time.

First Striper, Off of Fire Island NY, 

On SPECIAL Ks

December 2018

This is what is so exciting about fishing, that unseen reality of what lives underneath the sea.  Perhaps also the adrenaline rush when you have a fish on the line and then the catching of something (so long as it is not a crab).   

The Church is like a ship.  This seaward image is meant to tempt our minds to recall Jesus on the Sea of Galilee, the former Carpenter now a holy passenger with the first disciples, yes fisherman!

Jesus says, “Follow Me, I will make you fishers…” in the Gospel.  What does this mean? May I propose a thought or two about His mission call?

The follow him part is easily absorbed by our minds, but not so easy at times to follow with our total being (our souls). However, if we attempt to distill the Gospel down to one thought, it could be this: MERCY (Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel).  

It has been said that regardless of what we do or do not do, God’s love for us can never change.  He created us, knitted us in our Mother’s wombs, and loves us into existence.  He seeks solely that we yearn to live with him forever in Heaven.  Complete selflessness. 

Secondly, Jesus gives us some pretty good guidance for living:

Treat others as you wish to be treated. 

Love them as I have loved you.

And then,

Turn the other cheek.

Again, some of these precepts are easy, others not so much.

But the becoming fisherman part should be pretty clear.  We are called to know him and love Him….and teach others to do the same.  We do as much through:

Random acts of kindness

Supporting charitable endeavors

Serving others, especially the poor and marginalized.

And many other ways and works of virtue.

Here we are, we begin again.  From our First Reading today, the Lord called Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor.  Today I am called to succeed Father Tom Coby as your new Pastor.  I would never characterize myself as a "prophet." Preferably instead, as "Just a simple worker in the vineyard of the Lord" (Pope Benedict during his Election to the Pontificate, April 19,2005).

The Parish of Saint Sylvester is a ship in the fleet of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.  Let us begin this journey, one which the Lord God has given us. A voyage where we are asked to encounter Christ in each other, vectoring our lives through sacred work towards the eternal kingdom of Heaven.

We begin again.  "The S.S. Saint Sylvester" is underway.  Let us guide each other to become Saints!!!

Yours in Christ,

Father Suglia (soo-LEE-ya)

---------------

Words cannot adequately express how happy I am to be your new Pastor!   In the coming days, weeks, months, and years ahead, I look forward to meeting all of you and together, forging a bond in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I have to say that I do not know much about Saint Sylvester's…..except that there is a strong legacy of pastors and priests who have served the community in Medford these last years.  A word of great gratitude to Father Tom Coby for his gracious hospitality to me upon my appointment and since in helping me to make the transition here.