Homily – Noon   Mass                                                                            11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 13, 2010                                                                                                            Farewell Mass

It was Palm Sunday, but because of a sore throat, little Jonnie stayed home with a sitter.  When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm branches.  Little Jonnie asked them what they were for.  “People held them over Jesus’ head as he walked by,” his father told him.  “Wouldn’t you know it,” little Jonnie fumed, “the one Sunday I don’t go and he shows up.”

Well, Jesus is here present and so are all of you and it does look like an Easter crowd in June!

I am overwhelmed by today and the weeks leading up to this Farewell Liturgy Celebration.  Your notes, calls, gifts and hugs have truly overwhelmed and humbled me.

Here’s a true story.  Last January 3rd, two weeks after I announced I was leaving in June, a little first grade boy asked his mother,  “ Where is Fr. Greg going?”  Mom said,  “He is leaving this summer to Pastor another Church.”

The little first grader said to Mom, “But Fr. Greg is the main guy!”

“I know,” Mom responded.

And the little boy said, “Why don’t they get rid of one of the old guys?”

Memories.  Many marvelous memories of this fantastic Faith Community are flooding my mind and heart.  Where does one begin to reflect upon and capture how you have so profoundly touched my life these last eighteen years?  Where does one start?

I found my first homily ever presented at St Mary of the Woods eighteen years ago and I said the following:

As I begin my ministry, you need to know that I’m not bringing God to you.  God was present in this Faith Community long before I ever arrived and God will remain present and active at St. Mary of the Woods long after I leave.  Instead, today I am given to you by God, that I might serve you and that together we might serve Him.

And I concluded with—I do not join you as priest with all the answers.  But I do bring a lot of enthusiasm, a deep faith in God, humor and a willingness to roll up my sleeves and get to work with all of you. How quickly those eighteen years flew by!

And like the woman in today’s Gospel — we too are sinners — but we are filled with gratitude for our God is always running after us —forgiving always!

Gratitude is the realization of how much we have been blessed and given despite our hardships and struggles.

And without forgiveness, life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.  The Jesus of the Gospel challenges us to break out of the cycle.  Like the woman in today’s Gospel, every one of us has a deep need to forgive and be forgiven, to understand and be understood, to accept and be accepted.

And may we know always in our heart that regardless of where we may be—we are connected—we are the Body of Christ.

Change is difficult.  Endings are hard — new beginnings are challenging—but change is growth.  And the Lord through it all is with us.  And we should always sprinkle it with a little humor!

I would like to share three goodbye notes written to me by the grammar school children:

1)    Dear Fr. Greg— Good luck at St. Mary’s.  Thank you for being our pasture.

      (P-A-S-T-U-R-E).

2)    Dear Fr. Greg —Even though I don’t like the White Sox, I will miss you. 

       (By the way, this school child will not be returning to St. Mary of the Woods next fall.)

3)    Dear Fr. Greg—My dad thought your jokes were corny, but I liked them.  God Bless you!

We have laughed together.  We have cried together. We have prayed together.  We have been seekers and pilgrims together.  And together we have gathered around the Table of the Lord.  What a profound gift you have been for me these last eighteen years.  You truly taught me how to Pastor.

And you, through these years, by your lives, have taught me how the “good news” of Jesus has become flesh.  We came to share a vision ...about Social Justice … about the Faith Formation of all our Children,...about collaborative, collegial ministry, about liturgy done with beauty and dignity, about the need for Adult Formation, about welcoming everybody, about being for one another.  You have nurtured and ministered to me, strengthened my faith, challenged my hesitancies, rejoiced with me… cared for me.

You have truly enriched and blessed my life in ways you will never imagine.  As I leave you, I keep remembering the births, the Baptisms, First Communions, Reconciliations, Confirmations, Marriages, Funerals and the joys and struggles of our daily lives.  I will treasure these always.

As I celebrated with you my 25th Anniversary to the Priesthood on May 9, 2004, I shared with you the following in my homily—

Many years ago as a young man, I fell in love with God.  But when you are young you think you know everything.  You think you know what you are

getting yourself into regarding this adventure we call life.  As I look past over these 25 years I can honestly say I didn’t know what I was getting myself into!

I have truly learned to lean on God through daily prayer and I find tremendous strength in the Eucharist.   I’ve also came to realize over the years God fell in love with me first!

I sense many feelings stirring inside me — happiness, joy, love — but also sadness, pain, and realizing these wonderful eighteen years here as Pastor come to a close.  All these feelings are generated by your presence in my life. There are many people who have played a significant role in my life.  To name all of them would get us out of here by Tuesday.

But my family, and my Mother in particular, deserves a special mention.  My Mother was always there to listen to me, to affirm me, to love me, to challenge me, always willing to be inconvenienced.  My Mother cried the day I left for the seminary as an eighteen-year-old.  For she knew her oldest child was leaving home, but without her love and support I wouldn’t be here today.

Could I invite my Mother and entire Family to please stand.

I also want to thank the previous Pastor, Fr. Leo Mahon , and all my brother Priests, Staff, School Faculty and the entire fantastic St. Mary of the Woods Faith Community.  Thanks for tolerating my jokes and humor all these years!  Thanks to all my friends for journeying with me.  To each and every one of you — I have seen the face of God through you.

Many years ago, the dream of  helping to build the Kingdom of God struck a beautiful chord in my heart and I wanted to be part of it.  So on this closing note, we have been gifted with each other and we are called by the Word of the Lord to act with justice, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with our God.

It is now time to say “goodbye” but know, St Mary of the Woods Faith Community, you  will always have a special place in my heart.  I will deeply miss you and you will be forever in my prayers.

Thank you for your love and for allowing me to serve as your Pastor.  It has been a marvelous ride!  And until we meet again “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”  (Corrie Ten Boom). 

I will never forget you and God’s Blessings always. 

Father Greg Sakowicz