HADDONFIELD – Generations of faithful recently gathered at the busy intersection of Library Point to practice their faith publicly.
“Our faith is not meant to be lived in private; it is meant to be lived in the open to evangelize and be witness to Christ and the Gospel,” said Andrew Miller, who attended Christ the King Parish’s outdoor Mass on June. 1.
Joined by his wife, Laura, and their three children, he hopes that “by modeling my faith inside my home and outside, my children will embrace that faith as well.”
Hundreds attended the Mass, celebrated on the grass where multiple streets converge, and enjoyed the parish barbecue that followed behind Christ the King Regional School.
In his homily, Father Jon Thomas recounted how he and a friend visited Ireland, where an unfortunate car accident led to a deeper reflection on the truths of life and the beauty of God’s promise.
“We rented a car to see the Cliffs of Moher, a beautiful part of God’s creation,” the Christ the King pastor said of the trip, which took place 10 years ago.
The accident left the two uninjured, and they continued making their way to the cliffs. His friend, however, couldn’t get his mind off the crash.
“I told him, ‘The accident happened, but this is happening: We’re at the Cliffs of Moher, and I have to believe that this is a richer experience than that accident,’” Father Thomas said.
He said that at times, everyone can be like his friend, when “something else happens, and it seems more urgent and important in the moment, and we forget about the other things.”
These “other things,” he emphasized, are the more important truths of the Lord.
Reflecting on that day’s celebration – the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord – Father Thomas said all could rejoice that in the Ascension, “God puts everything subject to Christ … all other powers, authorities, dominions are beneath his feet.”
Putting it in terms all could related to, he continued, saying, “That means the news of the doctor is subject to Christ. Our boss’ too-great expectations are subject to Christ. The family breakup is subject to Christ. God has made everything subject to Christ, and if we receive the Holy Spirit, God will make those things subject to us, too. That is God’s promise to us.”
He urged all to remember that “while the tough stuff happening is real, so is God. [So] with a spring in our step and confidence … witness that to others. Be witnesses of the power of the Holy Spirit … no matter what collisions we have.”
After Mass, Marie Piscopo enjoyed the parish lunch with her husband, Mike, and their 10-month-old daughter. “The Mass was a great way to get the attention of passers-by, and a great opportunity to plant that seed of faith. I hope that seed grows for those who hear the word of God, and that they see the joy and peace we experience at Mass,” she said.
Marie Leonetti, a Christ the King parishioner since 1971, called the faith community “a wonderful, happy place to raise my children and make beautiful friendships.”
“To see the sun shining today, and seeing everyone together, is a wonderful thing,” she said.
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