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                  The spirit of this season of longer nights and darkness is, in the words of Scripture, lift up your heads, for your deliverance/salvation comes closer.

                  When I hear dr. Kazickas’s name, my thoughts go back almost 50 years to 1965-6, when we were preparing the first ever Lithuanian World Youth Congress. The finance committee had faltered, and it was not easy to solicit donations for this new venture. Dr. Kazickas saved the day, representatives from 17 countries participated that summer. The tradition continued with Congresses on four continents, so important for Lithuanian unity and activity when no contact with Lithuania was possible. There have been 15 such Congresses since the first one.

                  In the darkness of today’s world, the light of Christ is our hope and guide. The light of Christ is shared by those we may call “our lights”, “our beacons”. They are our parents, teachers, public figures, clergy and lay, even persons we never met or meet - in the media, family memories and history. They illumine any interior darkness, shadows in public life, disappointments in the larger world with their hopeful attitude and spirit of cooperation and compassion.

                  Today is Thanksgiving day in the U.S., as many of us know, having participated in family reunions with a grateful heart. Gratitude marks our Eucharist, our Masses, as we thank God, those near and dear to us as well as other persons who touch our lives.

                  As God our Lord shares life with us by sending Jesus Christ, who gives himself to us, so it is our vocation as baptized persons to share love and bread, as our prayer at meals says. We understand that sharing means not “charity” in the sense of giving things, superfluous items to someone lesser than ourselves, but sharing person-to-person, whatever advantages one may possess by education, resources or connections. Charity is clearly giving oneself along with any other exchange or relationship, and receiving friendship and compassion from others as well. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5) describe this loving and kind sharing of our lives in the family of the Church and in the human family.

                  We can be sure that Juozas and Aleksandra Kazickas, upon meeting the Lord at the end of their lives on earth, hear the judgment, “Come, faithful servant, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the beginning of time.”

                  Our Scripture reading spoke of wisdom acquired not by ageing and gray hair, but by inner spirit and sharing with others. Although Dr. Kazickas did have gray hair, this Christian wisdom was apparent in the conduct of his life, his business and affairs, in support of education, culture, economic development, in personal and personable relations. Such wisdom is truly a beacon, a light in the darkness of confusion, uncertainty, fear and danger.

                  Dr. Kazickas attended the Kaunas Jesuit School as a youth, supported Jesuit projects around the world. He contributed to the installation of the organ at St. Casimir’s and the continuing religious music concert each Sunday of the year ever since this church was returned to divine service.

                  We celebrate this Eucharist/Mass with hearts grateful for the Light and lights in the darkness of the season and of today’s world. We lift up our heads and stand up straight, for God’s salvation, the kingdom of God is nigh.

KFF is greatful to Father Antanas Saulaitis SJ for the summary in English, privided to us on March 30, 2015

After the Mass Sacred Music Concert was held with: 

Organists: prof. LEOPOLDAS DIGRYS and prof. RENATA MARCINKUTĖ LESIEUR                                                 

Soloists:  prof. IRENA MILKEVIČIŪTĖ , prof. VIRGILIJUS NOREIKA,  RASA VOSYLIŪTĖ (violin)

Played by: ŠV. KRISTOFORO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, conducted by prof. DONATAS KATKUS

Sung by:  VILNIUS CULTURAL CENTER CHILDREN'S CHOIR,  conducted by REGINA MALECKAITĖ

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