Our First Life Teen Mass

We started a new initiative at St. Michael's this week ... the Life Teen youth ministry program. I celebrated the first 6 PM Life Teen Mass in something like six or seven years.

 

We had a LOT of support for this idea, from many of you around the parish. Many, MANY people said this was the greatest faith experience they had ever had and it made them want to go to Mass. They fondly remember a joyful, excited, involved, and dedicated congregation at the Life Teen Mass. And that's awesome!

We certainly had a good crowd for Mass tonight (to which you're all invited ... every Sunday, at 6 PM, at St. Michael's). And that makes my Priestly heart jump for joy.

But, folks, let's not take our eye off the prize here -- the whole purpose of the Life Teen program, or of any ministry at a parish, is to help us be holy. It looks like this is going to be an awesome tool to help us develop our parish life, but no program is an end in itself. Let's commit to following the Lord's call to us -- no matter what tools we use to do it -- or, to use His own words, "Be holy, for I am holy" (Leviticus 20:26, 1 Peter 1:15-16).