“Crosses are a part of our lives. How we accept them is another story.” Homilist Rev Jeffrey Supersad at Laventille Devotions last Sunday said these words in recognition of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The feast day was celebrated two days earlier, Sept 14.
Laventille/Morvant parish priest Fr Dwight Merrick was the chief celebrant at the Mass; Msgr Urban Peschier and Fr Michael Makhan concelebrated while Rev Michael Smith assisted. The afternoon’s celebrations began with the Precious Blood Prayer Group from Santa Rosa, Arima reciting the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The group also led the congregation in the music Liturgy.
Rev Supersad, who proclaimed the Gospel, urged Catholic faithful to embrace the cross, noting however that “it takes time, it takes prayer, and it takes the grace of God to be able to embrace the cross of our lives”.
Using the third song of Isaiah in the first reading as reference, the St Joseph deacon used the imagery of flint to represent the resoluteness of our spirit in carrying our crosses. “It means that you have determination, you have fortitude. Whatever comes your way, you’re facing it head on, with the strength and courage of God”. However, God gives us the strength to carry these crosses: parts of our personalities we may not like, illnesses and other challenges presented by people or circumstances “because we are never alone”.
He also pointed out in the second reading of St James that “faith without good works is useless” because “actions speak louder than words”. Rev Supersad declared, “You and I have to be those witnesses, those faithful witnesses [to members of our church family who no longer come to church]. They may be searching, but they may not find God. But through you and through me, by our very witness and the practice of our faith, can bring them back.”
It implies extending ourselves beyond merely offering a prayer or a Mass for a friend in need, he said. It means going further by providing “listening support, encouragement, sometimes a shoulder to lean on”.
Using the words of Jesus in Luke’s gospel, “my yoke is easy and my burden light”, Rev Supersad stated that these words mean our cross fits us perfectly. Unlike the supermarket, where we can return goods that we don’t like, with our cross, “there is no exchange, no return”. Nevertheless, “we cannot carry the cross alone. No man is an island. We need the support of the community. We need the support of each other. The cross keeps you humble, keeps you grounded”.
After Mass, special acknowledgement was made to Fr Makhan and Msgr Peschier who will celebrate 49 and 59 years of priestly ordination respectively, later on this year.
The final Laventille Devotions for 2012 is carded for Sunday October 14. The usual walk to the shrine with the Blessed Sacrament is expected to begin at St Dominic RC Church, Success Village, Laventille at 1:30 p.m.