It may have been 5am in Dallas, Texas, but American Catholic singer-songwriter and evangelist Steve Angrisano brought hundreds of households to a standstill during HOME Ground’s Worship Wednesday last Wednesday evening in the Diocese of Parramatta.
Using his gifts for storytelling and personal reflection, Steve created a familiar and intimate atmosphere of hope. He explained that being together, albeit virtually, creates the Body of Christ and encouraged us to seek balance in our ‘little monasteries’ during lockdown.
“The Body of Christ is not virtual, it’s actual, no matter by what means we gather. This is the true and actual and real community and Body of Christ gathered,” he said.
Steve recommended that during lockdown, we ‘borrow’ some of the ways the Benedictines stay strong in God.
“I love the Benedictine character of stability. It reminds me that I have to be rooted in faith. I have to make, say Worship Wednesdays, or something similar, a part of my week, every week,” he said.
“The Rule of Benedict, written 2000 years ago, is supremely practical. If I could give it one word, it would be that it teaches balance and balance of life.
“In a time of pandemic and particularly in lockdown, balance is important, allowing our lives to take on a rhythm because our homes become ‘little monasteries’ where we need to remember to mark our day with prayer.
“We need to work but then stop working, and then, finally, let ourselves enjoy each other’s company,” he said.
American Catholic singer-songwriter and evangelist Steve Angrisano is seen during a special edition of the Diocese of Parramatta’s Worship Wednesday. Image: Diocese of Parramatta/Facebook
Steve acknowledged that right now, we need to live our faith courageously.
Working in a parish close to Columbine High School in Colorado, where two students shot and killed 13 and injured 21 others in 1999, he attended the graduation of the last class in the school to have lost classmates in the tragedy.
A graduate explained that when the shooters asked her if she believed in God, she said “Yes”. It was at that moment, she said, she first realised she believed in her faith.
Steve added, “She said, ‘while I pray that what happened to me never happens to you, in many ways, I wish it could happen for a moment to everyone…I don’t know why I’m here, but there’s a reason that I am. God has given me this opportunity to live my life and I’m not going to waste it.’
“We are called to live our faith courageously. We face difficult times, but I believe that we have a choice of which lens to view them through – do we view them through a lens of hope, faith and trust that God sees the end? Or do we view this through a lens of despair? And I choose hope.
“I say this to you from the bottom of my heart – I have great hope and faith in the young church. As young adults, as youth, as young families, we are called to bring to this world the life and the light of Jesus, to live in a way that it brings hope and faith to the world around us,” he said.
Tonight, HOME Ground hosts our second The FaithFeed Conversations session. Join Donnie as he provides an opportunity to gather to share openly and honestly on faith and life and the experiences of God’s presence throughout stories.
Join The FaithFeed Conversations from 7.30pm on Zoom. Email met@parracatholic.org for the link to the session. To view the full schedule of HOME Ground events, visit parracatholic.org/homeground.
Watch last week’s Worship Wednesday session with Steve Angrisano here on The Well. You can follow Steve Angrisano on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/steveangrisanomusic
Enjoyed the songs that Steve led us in during Worship Wednesday? Look them up on YouTube or on your music platform of choice:
- King of My Heart by Steffany Gretzinger and Jeremy Riddle and Bethel Music
- Goodness of God by Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson
- My Soul is Thirsting by Steve Angrisano
- One Thing Remains by Jesus Culture
- Thank God Ahead of Time by Steve Angrisano
