25th Sunday
100th Anniversary of St. Joseph, Odenton
September 22, 2024
From Augustine to Augustine
It is a pleasure to return to St. Joseph Parish to celebrate with you the 100th anniversary of its founding. Today we pay tribute to those who went before us in faith – to the Redemptorist Fathers at St. Mary’s in Annapolis whom we claim as our “mother-parish” –and to the Archdiocesan priests, deacons, religious, and lay leaders who guided St. Joseph Parish through the years, and to your current pastor, Fr. Augustine Inwang, of the Missionary Society of St. Paul.
You might say that the history of St. Joseph Parish is ‘a tale of two Augustine’s— Fr. Augustine Smith, the Redemptorist who founded St. Joseph’s, and Fr. Augustine Inwang who leads St. Joseph into its second century. A lot has happened in-between! And the best is yet to come!
Loving your parish as I know you do, you are aware of how St. Joseph’s grew from a little wooden chapel constructed from discarded lumber from the World War I era barracks at Fort Meade, to the robust parish church of today, housed in a beautifully restored church. It grew from a tiny community to a parish of 1,000 families, rich in diversity. Along the way, your parish experienced the boom of the 1920’s, the bust of the 30’s, the anguish of another world war, the post-war boom, the changes brought about by the II Vatican Council, and the opportunities and challenges of recent years. It is a story of faith, of growth, of discipleship, of sacrifice – and above all, it is a story of love – so, I came today, not only to congratulate you but also to thank each of you for the part you play, in building up this community of faith, worship, and service. Thank you! And happy anniversary!
Looking Forward
We look back fondly on those who have gone before us in faith, those who have laid the firm foundations of this parish family. Yet, as we review their intrepid determination to share the faith, coupled with their generosity and skill, we are inspired to look ahead with hope. Yes, the world has changed drastically since 1924 and continues to change so rapidly that Pope Francis declares it to be ‘not merely an era of change, but the change of era.’ And so we might ask the question, ‘how and in what manner shall we continue?’
The answer has to be the same one that St. John Paul II offered in his first encyclical letter, Redemptor Hominis, where he wrote: “Our spirit is set in one direction, the only direction for our intellect and will is towards Christ our Redeemer, towards Christ the Redeemer of Man. We wish to look towards him because there is salvation in no one else but him, the Son of God, repeating the words of the Apostle Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!” (RH, 7).
This means that, in the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ stands at the center of this parish calling each of us to conversion, holiness of life, discipleship, and mission. Through Baptism, we share in the life of Christ and indeed the Trinity. Through Reconciliation, we have our sins forgiven. Through the Eucharist, we share in Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection by which our redemption was won and by which Christ remains with us. Filled with amazement and joy at the great goodness of God the Father in sending us his Son as our Redeemer, filled indeed with the joy of the Gospel, this parish is called to be ‘a light brightly visible’. It is called to be a beacon of truth and love, a haven for those in need, a community of mutual love and respect, a place where Christ is encountered and lives are forever changed.
Eagerly Absorbing Scripture
That is why we listened so eagerly to today’s Scriptures and absorbed what they have to say about our path into the future . . .beginning with Jesus’ insistently teaching his disciples that he, the Son of Man, would be handed over and killed, and that he would rise from the dead on the third day – the very things we profess Sunday after Sunday in the Creed.
The disciples did not want to hear it! They couldn’t imagine a Messiah who would be crucified. They were looking for glory without sacrifice. That is why we find them arguing among themselves about who was the greatest . . . ironic, when you think of it . . .for in their midst stood the Son of God, God’s Son in the flesh! Jesus takes them aside and teaches them that in his Father’s Kingdom those who are meek and humble of heart are indeed the greatest, those are first who dedicate themselves to serving the needs of all. That’s who Jesus is: the Son of God who emptied himself of glory to save us, the suffering servant previewed in our reading from the Book of Wisdom, the One who taught us to lay aside passions and selfish ambitions so as to embrace righteousness, wisdom, and peace – as we read in the Letter of St. James.
All this is key to a future full of hope for this, and every parish. In a badly polarized and often violent world, a world where grasping for power and wealth is commonplace, a world that leaves behind the most vulnerable, St. Joseph Parish will flourish if it is a sign of contradiction, just like the Savior, if it remains and continues to grow as a community of disciples, who continually hear and respond to the Lord’s call to conversion and mission. When we are those disciples that the Lord has called us to be, when we are continually absorbing the truth of Jesus’s words and deeds, both as individuals and as a community – then our light will shine. Not all will respond, some will be indifferent, perhaps some will be hostile, but many will see, hear, and rejoice – as in the grace of the Holy Spirit you engage in missionary outreach to the unchurched and the marginalized.
St. Joseph, Parish Patron
Even before Jesus began to preach, St. Joseph, your patron was a disciple. He loved Jesus like a father and he served the cause of salvation as a disciple. He was good, faithful, strong, and humble – abandoning his plans for the plans that God had in store for him, moving ahead, even when it caused him distress and wonderment.
As you begin your next century of faith, worship, and service, may your spirit be set in one direction, towards Christ our Redeemer and may the life and vitality of this parish be strengthened by the intercession of St. Joseph, the Guardian of the Redeemer. Finally, let us ask the intercession of Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer as we prepare to bless a beautiful new grotto in her honor, and may God bless you and keep you always in his love!