In Your Name

Sunday afternoon, I headed out to Immaculate Conception Church in Astoria, Queens, for the baptism of Ann Lopata McAree, baby daughter of my college friends Tim and Melissa.

Four other young ones were baptized alongside Ann. This was second multi-baby baptism I attended in as many weeks. (Last week in Canonsburg, there were six babies!)

The post-sacrament brunch was held at Mojave, a Southwestern-Mexican restaurant just a few blocks from I.C. on 31st Street. (Great location for such a gathering if you ask me.) We filled an entire table at Mojave with the old crew from the Newman Club at NYU.

After brunch, I headed back into the city to find a Sunday evening Mass. (I had missed morning Mass due to an unexpected hangover stemming from just one tasty martini Saturday night at Veloce in Soho.)

I ended up at the new 7 p.m. Mass in English at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral. The turnout was respectable for a Mass time only in its third week. Mostly attended by young adults, the liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Jonathan Morris.

The Gospel at Mass provided much food for thought.

From Mark Chapter 9:

At that time, John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."

Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

For homilies on this passage, go to A Concord Pastor and Fr. Jim Schmitmeyer.

A hat-tip to Deacon Greg for Fr. Jim's homily. BTW, Deacon Greg has found a new home at Beliefnet. Congrats, Deacon!

The image above shows one of the stained-glass windows at I.C. in Astoria.