The Good News

 

 “Good evening, I’m Sally Crocker with Channel 6 News.  Let’s go to our top story of the evening: The price of sin seems to be out of control. People these days are really feeling the pressure. Let’s turn now to our field reporter.  Jim, can you tell us if there is any relief in sight for people?  Hardworking families are having a tough time keeping it all together.”
 “Well, Sally, I’m down here at the corner of Cathedral and Saint streets at St. Mary’s Church.  I’m being told they have been fighting sin since the church was built almost 100 years ago. Back then, people were also feeling pressure from the inflation of sin.  So the people in the community came together to pray and ask for help from the parish priest and from God himself. And they had tremendous success!  It seems that the more people attended Mass and received the sacraments, the price of sin in their lives decreased dramatically.  
 Standing next to me now is Father Ron, the current priest of St. Mary’s.  Father Ron, do you think the success St. Mary’s had in the past could be duplicated today, and what exactly would that look like?”
 “Well, Jim, I definitely think we could wage a war on sin. In fact, the Church has never stopped doing so. We just need people to make God and the Church a priority again.”
 “Father Ron, are you suggesting we need to put God first in our lives?”
 “Yes!  When we put God first in our lives, we begin to live according to the Gospel.  We love and respect one another.  We help those in need. We listen to God’s Will rather than our own. We trade selfish lives for holy ones.”
 “Wow, that almost sounds too good to be true. But how difficult would this be for people? How would anyone even know when you are celebrating a Mass, and who exactly would be allowed to come?”
 “Jim, the Church welcomes everyone. It is our mission to share the Good News about Jesus with everyone!  Finding our Mass times is really quite easy. They are posted on the marquee in front of the church and listed in the church paper. We have a church website, a Facebook page, and an Instagram page. We also have a church office with a secretary who can answer any questions you may have, as well as a phone number. We do our best to make being a part of the parish as easy as possible.  I believe there is a direct correlation between the decline in parishioners and the toll sin is taking on people. Unfortunately, our numbers have been down lately, but we are confident that those returning to the church will continue to have great success in fighting the high cost of sin in their lives just as they did nearly a century ago.”
 “Well, there you have it, Sally.  Some old-fashioned praying and going to Mass could just be the answer we have been searching for.  Back to you, Sally."

-Susan