One of the tasks given to me as a member of the faculty of Cathedral Preparatory Seminary is to be the internal facilitator for our re-accreditation as a member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The Middle States Association is the premiere accreditation agency for our area of the United States and sets the gold standard for any school.

My role is to organize all of the surveys taken by our students, faculty and parents, to look at the results, to assist the specially chosen committee in determining objectives for Cathedral to achieve in the next seven years and to help our faculty and administration examine carefully our standards as compared to the standards set by the Middle States Association. It is a daunting task, but it is one which I look forward to because I know that Cathedral Prep is a great school. I see this role as a ministry in helping Cathedral, as our Diocesan Seminary high school, grow and develop in the future and, ultimately, continue to serve our Diocese wisely and well.

Among the activities which we at Cathedral need to complete for our Middle States Process is to examine our vision, to look at our mission, nature and philosophy. In reality, the Middle States Process is rather similar to the process of Pastoral Planning that is occurring in all our parishes! What do we envision our school to be? This is an important part of the Validating the Vision protocol of the Middle States Association.

We as Christians, on this Second Sunday of Easter, the last day of the Octave of Easter, might wish to ask ourselves a similar question: What do we envision our Church to be? How do we perceive our Church? What is our mission? What is our philosophy? The answer is given in the readings presented to us on this Divine Mercy Sunday!

In the first reading, we hear of the way of life of the followers of the Way: these early ancestors of ours in the faith lived a communal life, shared all things in common, joined in communal prayers and in the breaking of the bread. If we stop and think about what every single parish really does on a daily basis, it is exactly what was described by St. Luke in this second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles!

We may not all live together in one house, but we do share with each of our brothers and sisters in the parish in activities, be it spiritual, apostolic and social. We may not share all things in common, but we all should strive to be as generous as possible in collections and appeals at Mass, as well as with the great gifts of our time, our talents and our treasure.

Perhaps most importantly, in what makes us most Church, we gather every Sunday (and in most parish communities, every day) for the celebration of the Eucharist, the Lord’s Body and Blood, given to us, for us and for our salvation, to bring us to new and everlasting life! In this simple selection, we find a description of our mission statement as a Church.

The second reading from St. Peter’s First Letter gives us a concise and wonderful philosophy which we as Christians should follow in our daily lives: Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He who in His great mercy gave us new birth: a birth unto hope which draws its life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We are an Easter people.

Everything we say and do rises and falls from our faith in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and our sharing in His new and eternal life.
We might indeed have doubts and fears, like we read about in the Gospel passage chosen today from the Evangelist John.

Thomas doubted, quite naturally, that the physical resurrection of the Lord took place. The other disciples were in fear, terrified that the fate which happened to Jesus could also take place for them.

However, into the fear, into the locked room of despair, comes Jesus, He who is Peace, He who is Divine Mercy Himself. It is the Lord who says to us — Peace be with you.

As we read in Peter’s epistle, (T)here is cause for rejoicing here. There is, indeed. We as a Church have our course marked out for us. We have our accreditation in and through the Blood of Christ, which sanctifies and justifies us. We have our mission and philosophy in the very Person of our Savior.

Our vision is validated in the Body of Christ, broken and shared daily at our altars and in the Eucharistic communities which make up our Church. May we perpetually give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlasting, as we joyfully proclaim in our psalm today!

Father Cush teaches at Cathedral Preparatory Seminary, Elmhurst.

    Readings for the Second Sunday of Easter:
    Acts 2: 42-47
    1 Peter 1: 3-9
    John 20: 19-31