Dear Friends,

I have always loved the word table. Once, I saw one of the most beautiful tables I had ever seen in Los Lunas, New Mexico. It was a large oak wood round table surrounded by a number of oak wood chairs. It was a special table placed in the middle of the restaurant. The word I feel most comfortable using to describe our most important liturgical furniture item is table, the table of the Lord. It is a place where we gather as a community to feast, to dine with the Lord. A communion that takes place, which invites us into an intimate relationship with our creator. 

The altar belongs to the baptized and is accessible to the people of God. 

This Sunday, Mother’s Day, we have a tradition of inviting all mothers in the parish to come forward and surround the table of the Lord during the eucharistic prayer. The faces of all the women are an amazing sight to behold. The joy of being close to the table, surrounded by women who have so many stories of motherhood. Their voices in prayer responses, singing our hymns, truly give glory to God. I am grateful that so many women choose to come forward without hesitation to be a visible witness to the community that women are so vital to the life of the Church. 

This Mother’s Day, we bless, we honor, and we give thanks to all the mothers.  

Peace in Christ,

Fr. Eric