News - Notes from the Pastor RSS Feed

Do you remember being out a recess during school and teams being picked for baseball or dodgeball or some other game? It could be scary, thinking about how it would turn out. Will I be the last one picked? Will everybody laugh at me? Will I be good enough? Many of us may approach our faith and relationship with Jesus the same way, asking whether or not God will choose us; whether or not we are “good enough.” The Good News for each of us today is that God has already chosen us, and send us out on a mission that we can accomplish through his grace, power, and authority.

Today’s passage from the Gospel of Mark (Mark 6:1-6) is quite revealing. Those who had gathered in the synagogue that was located in Jesus’ “native place” clearly were familiar with Jesus because they began to name his family – Mary, his mother; his brothers, James and Joses, Judas and Simon. They even mention his sisters. It is important to note that this identification as brothers and sisters must be taken within the context of the culture and language in which in which Jesus was living. These “brothers and sisters” would be more like extended family, perhaps cousins. This passage in no way contradicts the truth that Mary conceived Jesus by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and that she remained ever-virgin, having had no other children.

One important message that we hear in today’s Scripture Readings is that God created all things for good. Still, we cannot deny that there is evil in the world. Illness, poverty, injustice, and war are frequently in the news, but these things do not come from God. Pain, violence, and death came into the world as a result of sin – of man’s disobedience and belief in the lies of the devil.

Today we celebrate the Nativity (Birth) of Saint John the Baptist. In all four Gospels, the descriptions of St. John the Baptist are of a man who understands that his task is to prepare, and then to fade away from the scene, careful at all times not to distract from Jesus, whom he describes as the Lamb of God.

The beginning of today’s Gospel (Mark 4:26-34) tells of Jesus beginning his public ministry by proclaiming that the reign of God is at hand, and calling all to repent and believe the Good News. Jesus invites us to repent and experience conversion of heart. He calls on us to actively participate in the kingdom.

As part of our continuing efforts to upgrade our parish grounds, the Parish Council has approved a project to replace the existing sign on Lomas Blvd. by the entrance/exit to our parking lot.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). The Catholic Church has consistently taught from Apostolic times that during a valid celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the bread and wine are truly changed into the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is what is meant by the “True Presence” or “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist. Although the elements still have the appearance of bread and wine, they have – through the power of the Holy Spirit – actually changed into Jesus’ Body and Blood, just as they did at the Last Supper.

Today we celebrate one of the most fundamental beliefs of Christianity: the Most Holy Trinity – three distinct, coequal Persons in one God. For the Church, the Trinity is considered a mystery. There are aspects of the Trinity that we will never fully grasp while we are this side of Heaven. But it is something we hold as revealed truth. We may never comprehend its totality, but we experience its presence and accept its reality.

In the Scripture Readings for today’s Mass, we hear two accounts of the Pentecost. The more dramatic of the two occurs in our First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11) where the Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles, empowering them to speak in different tongues so that the Jews from different lands who had gathered in Jerusalem could hear the message of Jesus proclaimed in their own language. The second, and perhaps less dramatic account is found in today’s Gospel (John 20:19-23) where the Risen Jesus, himself, appears to the Apostles, breathes the Holy Spirit upon them, and commissions them to go forth and continue the mission of announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Hopefully, by the time you read this bulletin, we will have installed a “Fatima Shrine Stone” in the area of the Fatima Grotto East of the church. This stone was originally placed at the main entrance of St. Joseph Hospital (what is now Lovelace Hospital).

What gives us joy? The beauties of nature, surely! And children. How Jesus rejoiced when little children climbed onto his lap! “Let the little children come to me,” he said. And what joy he must have felt when he brought physical and spiritual healing to people. The deepest source of Jesus’ joy, however, was his loving relationship with his heavenly Father, his Abba. Jesus tells us that wherever he might go, whatever he might do, he remains in his Father’s loving embrace.

Despite any illusions that we are “self-sufficient,” if we are truly honest, we must admit that we cannot “do it all” by ourselves. We will not be useful, productive, or successful unless we go about our tasks and accomplish our mission in and through the power of Jesus Christ. But really, that is a good thing! Having Jesus Christ, Spirit-filled and risen from the dead on our side, and empowered by the gifts of God’s Holy Spirit, is what truly gives value and meaning to whatever we do.

All four of the canonical Gospels use the metaphor of Jesus as shepherd. Indeed, the image is deeply woven into the language of the Old Testament, where God is often described as a shepherd and Israel as his chosen flock. Originally, the people of Israel saw their kings as having been appointed by God to lead the people, as a shepherd would lead his flock. But some of the kings of Israel were so unfaithful to God that they were actually leading the people away from God by their bad example.

Today’s Gospel (Luke 24:35-48) follows the encounter the two disciples had with the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus, where they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Now, these same two disciples have returned to Jerusalem to share news of this encounter with the Apostles who had gathered in the Upper Room where the Last Supper had taken place. All of the Apostles are hidden there, staying out of sight for fear that those who killed Jesus would soon be coming for them.

Healing plays a huge role in our society. As a nation, we spend billions of dollars annually on healthcare. Like our physical health, our spiritual health also needs attention. Throughout the Gospels, physical and spiritual healing are major characteristics of the ministry of Jesus. Some healings are recalled in great detail while others are simply mentioned in passing. Yet all of these healings are signs of the Kingdom of God.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen! This proclamation, spoken since the first Easter, reminds us of what this day – the Feast of the Resurrection – is truly all about. In our modern world, Easter is often seen as a one-day event of bunnies, candy, pastel colored eggs, and a sumptuous family meal. But these things alone really miss the significance that this day truly holds.

Holy Week begins today and we should enter this week with reverence, enthusiastically embracing the rituals associated with it. To celebrate Holy Week is, after all, to celebrate who we have become through Christ’s Paschal Mystery.

During the season of Lent, many people make resolutions or “give something up.” Even with the best of intentions, we often face challenges fulfilling our promises to change. And yet, we should remain hopeful and not discouraged.

In today’s Gospel (John 3:14-21), we heard that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” This is why the crucifix is supposed to be in the sanctuary of every Catholic Church throughout the world.

Saint Irenaeus, a 2nd century bishop and a Father of the Church, taught that “the glory of God is a person fully alive.” This teaching, as appealing as it might be, leaves us with an important question: “Just what brings a person to be fully alive?”