Roots and Recipes of Discipleship

Fr.Sajo Jacob, Pastor

Let us give thanks. Life is all about recognizing the blessings.  Let us think about what we have, instead of what we don’t. In our faith journey, we call ourselves as a worshipping community. The very word Eucharist comes from the Greek eucharistia, meaning thanksgiving. We gather around the altar to say, “Thank you, Lord” — thank you for the gift of life, for our families, for our faith, for our community, and for all the blessings we have received. Thanksgiving has to become a way of life. An attitude of gratitude is the essence of our life.

Roots and Recipes

This weekend, our young people are organizing a special event called “Roots and Recipes.”. It's all about celebrating our roots and expressions of our identity and uniqueness. A few months ago, when we were sitting together and discussing what we might call this gathering, the idea of “Roots and Recipes” emerged. The purpose was to bring together our international students, young adults, parishioners, and people from different cultures and backgrounds — to ask a simple question. How can we celebrate who we are and where we come from, while becoming one community? Our parish is located very close to the University of Calgary (U of C), which attracts a larger number of international students and people from diverse cultural backgrounds. It’s a blessing to know different cultures and traditions. This event will give better insights into celebrating the diversity and cultural mosaic of our parish.

Our Roots. The word “roots” is very powerful and historical. Historically and socially, roots speak about our identity, heritage, history, memory, belonging, and values. Roots tell us where we come from. They remind us of the people who shaped us, the stories we inherited, the traditions we hold on, and the values we live. A tree with deep roots can grow in many directions. In the same way, we can welcome others and grow in new ways when we know who we are and where we come from. Easy to separate, but hard to make our life functional and meaningful while holding one another.

Our faith itself has roots too. Jesus did not appear in history without a people, a culture, and a tradition. Jesus was born into the Jewish culture. He learned Torah, the sacred scripture of Hebrews, celebrated the Jewish feasts, prayed the Psalms, went to the synagogue, and celebrated the Passover with His disciples. At the Last Supper, Jesus took something deeply rooted in the history and faith of His people — the Passover meal — and gave it a new and deeper meaning. The Eucharist has become the cornerstone of our spiritual journey as it has become the source and summit of Christian life.

We, too, have roots. How do we celebrate our roots-  family roots, cultural roots, spiritual roots, and ethnic roots. Our roots include the prayers we learned, the traditions our parents shared to us, the languages we picked up, accents that we speak, idiosyncrasies we carry, the stories we ruminate, the celebrations we cherish, and the values that have shaped our lives. The roots are not meant to help us to realize who we are and also open our eyes and hearts to become more inclusive and embracing of diversity.  

Our Recipes- A recipe is much more than a collection of ingredients. A recipe carries a story. Behind a particular dish there may be someone special, a mother, a father, a family celebration, a wedding, a festival, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a memory from childhood. Food carries not only flavors and delicacies but also culture, wisdom, customs, traditions, creativity, and identity. Food is a medium through which we share cultures, stories and traditions. So let us celebrate the cultural diversities and unique traditions that enrich us where we are.

What it means to our  Our Parish here at St. Pius X.

We are blessed to be close to a university community that welcomes students from many different parts of the world. Many of these young people have travelled thousands of kilometres away from their homes and families. They bring with them their stories, languages, cultures, traditions, faith, talents, and dreams. They may have left their home behind, but they carry their roots with them. And our hope is that St. Pius X can become a second home for them. Perhaps they arrived here not knowing many people. Perhaps they are far from their parents, and childhood friends. But when they come through our doors, we want them to discover a community that says: “You belong here.” That is what Christian community is about.

Bring your roots. Bring your stories. Bring your traditions. Bring your gifts. Bring your recipes. Bring who you are. We love to have you. And together, we create something beautiful- a community rooted in Christ and His love. We come from different countries, languages, cultures, and traditions, but we gather around one altar, one Eucharist, one Lord, and one faith. That is the beauty of our spiritual life. Our differences do not have to divide us but help us to rediscover who we are and what we can become.  

So, this Thanksgiving, let us give thanks for our roots. Let us give thanks for our families and the people who shaped us. Let us give thanks for our cultures and traditions. And let us give thanks for the beautiful diversity of our parish community.

Happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you, your families, and our entire parish community.