Why a “Wednesday Community Night”?

Wednesday Community Nights paints a beautiful picture of sitting at Jesus’ feet when Archbishop Hines, our Shepherd, makes the Eucharistic celebration special when we see him not standing in the pulpit to share his homily as he does every Sunday. 

It is an up, close, and personal experience with him as he shares his homily in the midst of the people, in the middle aisle.  One would sense his heart of love and care for his people as he moves from one aisle to another giving out principles inspired from his diligent study of the Word.  He is not teaching the flock, but rather sharing life from God’s word. 

As multitudes gathered around Jesus when He was teaching, sad to say, this great number of people is yet to be seen on a Wednesday Night where people would gather around our Shepherd.  It can be said that there are more chairs than head with hairs. 

Demonstrating his love and concern for his people, this Wednesday, November 16, 2011, Archbishop Hines shared about the importance of coming together for the Wednesday Community Night.  

“This Wednesday evening is designated as Community Night.  It is when all the families and all the communities are supposed to come together so that we can learn of the kingdom of God.  Sunday is a time of worship.  It is a time of focusing our praise toward God, but Wednesdays are meant to build us – to fix our lives, to give us understanding and knowledge.  We take the things which we have learned on Sunday and put them into a deeper understanding so that we can grow in the things of God.

I wonder how many of us are concerned about our communities that we find out, “Why are you not attending on Wednesdays?”  Do we even pay attention to who is not present?  Do we care enough that we want them also to grow?  That we want them to be deeply rooted in the things and in the principles of God?

Love your neighbor as yourself!  We can see that there are many empty seats.  On Sunday, we don’t have these many seats empty.  People want to worship God, but you cannot worship God if you do not have the Law.   God doesn’t accept worship without the Law.  We follow the principles that are established, then, He can receive the worship.  God says, “I am tired of your feasts; I am tired of your ceremonies; I am tired of your sacrifices because you are not following Me.  You are not following My law.

Part of what Wednesday is all about is establishing an understanding deeper in our hearts so that when we prepare ourselves for Sunday, we have followed His commandments and we are ready.  Look around: who is missing?  Identify them.  Who isn’t here?  Do you care?  It is a challenge for us to care about our neighbor.  Have you asked them why they did not come?

There may be some valid reasons and I am not saying that there isn’t, but there is the basic understanding that this is a time when we should be focusing deeply because we want to know about our God.  We want to walk more closely to Him because if we are not growing in Him, as it says in Matthew 25, “If you are not using the talent that I gave you, I am going to take it away from you and you are going to be in darkness.”

Do we care?  We need to be concerned about this as we come before God.  It is not just us.  We want the rest of the community to be with us. We want our family to be with us.   We want others that we care about to also move ahead with us. We don’t want them to be left in darkness. We don’t want them there because Christ moved us out into a marvellous light.  Are we not walking in that light?”

Wednesday teachings are an expounded and amplified version of the Sunday’s homily. Archbishop relates it to bring one to see life’s situation in a different light and positive perspective, all in line with God’s principles.  It is during these nights when one can find singing together with brethren psalms, songs, and hymns of worship in exuberance, making alive Hebrews 10:25, “Forsake not the assembly of believers.”

Wednesday Community Night is an avenue of making a believer secure of who he is, who he is in God, and what he can do with what God has given to him.   Quoting our Shepherd, “The Church should be something that is entrenched in our lives.  The Church is where you belong.  This is your family.  This is your identity. This is your hope.  This is your tomorrow.  This is your security.     Without the Church, you are not going to know who you are.” 

These are some of the words of encouragement that is expressed in love by Archbishop Hines every Wednesday.  Truly, Wednesday Community Night is a fulfilment of the Law of God: to show our love for Him whole heartedly, we are challenge to encourage our Community members to be part of this night that the Body may together grow in love and in unity together, for God’s glory.