From the Pastor: 1.25.09

FROM THE PASTOR – January 25, 2009 Once upon a time I was a French teacher; and so I was privileged to get to know The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.  This little classic as a children’s book written for grown-ups; the author confirms this by dedicating the book to his friend, Léon Werth, “when he was a little boy.”  Toward the end of the book, a fox teaches the little prince how to “tame” him – that is, “to establish ties,” to invest time and care so that they will come to be special to one another, to need one another.  The fox explains...

Homily: 1.25.09

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. St. Joseph’s University Campus Ministry – 8:00 p.m. Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul – 1/25/09 “The Gospel of the Lord.”  So how about it?  Was what you just heard “Gospel” – meaning Good News – for you?  Have you picked up any serpents or drunk any poison of late?  And if you are struggling to answer these questions, then why did you so easily respond “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ” when I said “the Gospel of the Lord”? Saul of Tarsus was a well educated citizen of Rome.  He was also a devout Jew, even a rabbi, one...

Homily: 1.21.09

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia Ecumenical Prayer Service – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity January 21, 2009 – 7:30 p.m. Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor, Old St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Ezekiel 37: 15-19, 22-24a; Romans 8: 18-25; John 17: 8-11 One of my favorite plays is The Lion Winter by James Goldman.  It takes place at the castle of Chinon in France during the Christmas holidays of 1183, and recounts the gathering of arguably the most powerful and important family in the western world at the time.  The father is Henry II, “king of England, lord...

Homily: 1.18.09

Old St. Joseph’s Church – 11:30 a.m. 2nd Sunday in OT (B) – 1-18-09 Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor I had occasion the other evening to join Fr. Phil in re-watching a delightful little film called “Wide Awake.”  It was the first major feature film of M. Night Shyamalan, who would later go on to direct “The Sixth Sense.”  Shyamalan, along with the Phillies and the Eagles, should make Philadelphians proud; because although he is the son of two Indian physicians, he was brought from India to the Philadelphia suburbs at the age of six weeks, and eventually...

From the Pastor: 1.18.09

FROM THE PASTOR, January 18, 2009 It seemed appropriate, this week, to offer a slightly belated New Year’s reflection.  As you all know, 2008 was a year of change and transition for Old St. Joseph’s – a watershed moment in the parish’s history appropriately marked by the celebration of our 275th Anniversary.  Fr. Mark Horak, who was then pastor, hired our first full-time Pastoral Associate for Liturgy and Music, Norm Gouin.  He also hired our first full-time Pastoral Associate for Ignatian Spirituality and Formation, Linda Robinson.  He hired a new Outreach...

From the Pastor: 1.11.09

FROM THE PASTOR: January 11, 2009 In the enthusiasm of my new pastor-tude (is that a real word?), I agreed this year for Christmas to wrestle with two different sets of readings – the ones to be used  for “Mass at Midnight” and the ones to be used for “Mass during the Day.”  The Midnight Gospel from the second chapter of Luke in some ways is easy to preach; it tells the familiar story that we all know from watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (which, by the way, was 43 years young this year!).  You know the story: decree from Caesar Augustus, Joseph and...

Homily: 1.11.09

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church – 6:30 p.m. Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – 1/11/09 A southern Preacher was conducting a baptismal service one Sunday afternoon down by the river when a drunk stumbled along.  As the assembled faithful stood watching, the drunk lurched forward into the water and stood teetering beside the Preacher.  Turning and looking the tipsy man in the eye, the minister asked: “Mister, Are you ready to find Jesus?”  The drunk looked back and said, “Yes,Preacher. I sure am.”  So the minister...

Homily: 1.04.09

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Epiphany of Our Lord – 1/4/09 Old St. Joseph’s Church – 11:30 a.m. As usual, brothers and sisters, the Scripture readings for today left me with more questions than answers.  Who were these magi?  What prompted them to follow the star?  Was the star easily visible, and did anyone else follow it?  What prompted them to prostrate themselves before a temporarily homeless child of penniless parents, and to lavish this unknown baby with expensive gifts?  And what does it all mean for us? If you paid close attention, the Gospel of Matthew...

From the Pastor: 1.04.09

FROM THE PASTOR: January 4, 2009 “Wise men and women still seek him,” the bumper stickers tell us.  But how?  How do we seek our the presence of Christ in our own lives?  We don’t have the benefit of “a star dancing in the might with a tail as big as a kite” to lead us.  And nowadays, even if we could find the right stable in Bethlehem, we wouldn’t find Jesus there – he lived, died, and was raised from the dead centuries ago.  He now reigns at his Father’s right hand in glory as Lord.  Good News for him, and in the big picture, for us – but it does...

Homily: 1.01.09

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church – 10:30 a.m. January 1, 2009 – Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Today is a very rich feast day.  In the secular calendar, of course, it is New Year’s day.  For us Jesuits, it is the titular feast of the Society, the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus; because, as you just heard at the end of the Gospel, we remember the Jewish tradition of officially naming the child on the octave of his birth.  In the same ceremony, the male child is circumcised, as you also heard in the Gospel; and those old enough to remember...