Fr. Bob Loughery's message to Downtown Chapel

From the bulletin of Jim's church, The Downtown Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Parish:

Baptism of the Lord, January 13, 2008

Dear Parishioners,

I learned today (Jan. 4) that one of our long time parishioners, Jim Bucciarelli, died after a long illness. We pray for his rest and peace. Jim was one of the first parishioners I met when I came to the parish six years ago. Jim suffered physically, stricken by an illness many years ago that confined him to a wheelchair and made it difficult for him to communicate. but Jim had a strong spirit and he never lost his sense of humor. He was always faithful attending our Saturday vigil Mass, arriving at the chapel on his battery powered wheelchair from his apartment nearby. He wanted his independence and the freedom to move about. Mass on Saturday was a non-negotiable; you could count on him to be here.

One might have seen Jim and pitied him, seeing him confined and limited in what he could do. Yet, I saw someone strong, brave, faithful and engaged in life. He would sit in his chair on the side aisle near the tabernacle. His presence there in that place was a sign of his belonging to us; the faith that carried and sustained him was a witness to the rest of us. He taught us to trust, have hope, be faithful, remember our dignity, and to seek the Lord in everything.

I saw Jim the last hours of his life. I gathered with his daughters and their partners and we said our last prayers of anointing with Jim. We spoke to Jim of our gratitude for him, for the ways he touched our lives. As I listened to the grateful words being shared, I realized, though his body was diminished by illness, how his sould remained large and embracing. The scripture passage we read was from John's gospel. "I am the vine, you are the branches...No more than a branch can bear fruit apart from the vine, can you bear fruit apart from me." I listened to the ones who were branch and fruit of Jim's life and love. We remembered how Jim was always part of the vine of Jesus, how his life had borne much fruit, even in suffering. We held vigil at his bedside as he clung tight to Jesus--present to Jim in the healing sacrament, calling him to come home. Today's gospel reading from Matthew and the account of Jesus' baptism seems appropriate as I think of the life of Jim Bucciarelli. "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, and as a Church, we mark the end of the season of Christmas. One might think of the liturgies of Christmas as a focus on Jesus' birth, growth and formation. It concludes with our celebration of his baptism. His baptism marked the beginning of a life of service and teaching. In early February we will begin Lent and the focus on Jesus' suffering, passion and death, followed by Easter. These seasons and liturgies move us through a full cycle of birth, life, death, and new birth--the paschal mystery of Christ. The thread of faith is woven through it all. We remember those who have gone before us who bore witness to their faith as followers of Jesus. today, as we mark the end of the Christmas season, we are aware of our own growth and formation in faith, and of our baptismal call to live our faith in the world in love and service. We model our lives after the "beloved Son" who was the light for those in darkness and freedom for those in confinement, who went about doing good and healing all those oppressed.

--Fr. Bob