St. Mary's Catholic Parish: From the Pastor Fr. Paul E. Demarais, Pastor - St. Mary's Parish

December 7, 2008 - Second Sunday of Advent

John the Baptist tells us to “prepare the way of the Lord” in our world. In the second reading today Peter tells us how to do it. We are to conduct ourselves in holiness and devotion. Our Lord calls us to live a life of holiness. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we heard about a Wal-Mart store worker on Long Island who was trampled to death when he unlocked the doors to allow shoppers to come in. Where was the kindness, compassion and goodness to help him? In all that we do we are called to be people of holiness whether we are in church or in Wal-Mart. We are called to be people of prayer. Are we taking the time this Advent season to pray everyday and prepare a place in our heart for the Lord? Are we so caught up in all the stuff we have to do that we forget to give time to our Lord? If we are to be the witnesses of our Lord and prepare the way of the Lord, we need to be the people of holiness and devotion that St. Peter is calling us to be.

On Sunday night December 7th, there will be a presentation on our Lady’s appearances in Medugorie. There will be a slide presentation and some people who have made the trip will talk about their own personal experiences. Other places where Mary has appeared and her messages will also be discussed. The time is 6:30 pm in St. James Chapel.

November 30, 2008 - First Sunday of Advent

This weekend we begin the season of Advent, the mad rush to do all the preparations for the holiday season is underway. We hear however how tough things may be because people are not going to be spending money as much this year as in years past. While we hear talk about recession, we can reflect over the next few weeks about why the true importance of the season.

What are we waiting for God to bring to our world? What gifts has God already given to us? We wait in anticipation for the birth of Jesus who brings love, peace, forgiveness and mercy to the world. We think about the birth of love that can change all things and make all things new. What will Jesus find when he comes into our hearts? Will he find us watchful and waiting or will we not be there because we are off doing many other things? These hard times can make us more reflective about the meaning of gift giving. It can also make us more reflective about the gifts our Lord brings to the world. The gifts of his love, mercy, peace, forgiveness, joy are worth more than any flat screen TV we can receive; it is worth more than any digital camera or computer that may be under the tree. The hard times we are in can be a reminder of what is truly important.

November 23, 2008 - Christ the King

“Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe”. This is the first line of the opening prayer for the feast of Christ the King. We celebrate today the victory, the love of God overcoming the evil and darkness of the world. We hear a lot of talk today about gloom and doom. We hear dire predictions of what is going to happen to the world. Preachers get on television and radio and talk about the dark days ahead or make dire predictions of the end of the world. We can easily forget what our faith teaches us. “For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to save the world…all who believe in him will have eternal life.

The way we live our lives is a witness to God’s love for the world. The last day will be a judgment on how kind and generous we were to one another. We will be judged on our ability to serve one another and to forgive one another. The grace to do this comes from the presence of Jesus in our lives and the life of this parish. We also celebrate the Sunday the one year anniversary of the opening of our Adoration Chapel. Many graces and miracles have happened because of the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I encourage you to spend some time before our Lord on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for a few moments or for an hour. The grace one receives from spending time before our Lord is so powerful.

Even though times may be hard in many different ways, this Thursday we are reminded to give thanks to God for all the goodness and gifts we have received. Our Mass of Thanksgiving will be at 8:30 am at St. James and all are invited to come and give thanks to God for all the blessings we have received.

November 16, 2008 - Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings this weekend call us to be people of the light. As St. Paul says, “we are children of the light and we should live our lives accordingly”. The gospel tells us of the talents given to us. How well do we use them? Do people see us use our talents and gifts for the good of others? The question is asked once again: When people see us, what do they see? Do they see love, kindness, goodness, mercy, patience, compassion? Do they see someone who is positive in nature, whose outlook on life is hopeful? We hear of and see too much hopelessness and negativity; in our world today, so people should see in us the hope and the goodness our world needs. Our children especially need people who are positive mentors, people who can instill in them the virtues they need to make it through life.

Every year when Mary Beth and I conduct the Confirmation interviews with the teenagers being confirmed, I ask them the question of who it is they admire most. They answer mom or dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles, a brother or a sister or a coach; it is always someone who is a positive influence in their lives. These people use their gifts and talents and gifts to make a difference in a young person’s life.

Our Lord is the most critical and condemning of those of us who will not use their gifts and talents for others. We will have to make an accounting to God someday of why we did not use our gifts and talents for others if we have chosen to do nothing to help others. St. John finally tells us that if we live in God’s love and mercy and rely on him for our help, he will help us when the time comes to do great things.

November 9 , 2008 - Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

This weekend we honor the building of the Cathedral of Rome “St. John Lateran”. St. John’s is the Pope’s official parish. Even though he worked at St. Peter’s in Rome as head of the Church; the pope at the same time is also a pastor of a parish. The commeration of the building of this cathedral gives us a chance to reflect on what the church is.

Each time we receive the Eucharist, the priest says “The body of Christ.” The body of Christ is more than just the physical structure of a church, but also its members. We are the body of Christ. We are the living members of this church. We are the living members of the presence of Jesus in the world today. We are the witnesses of mercy, forgiveness, love, compassion, and justice. St. Paul calls us the “living stones of the church”. We are temples of the living Lord. We are living tabernacles of Jesus in the world today.

Is our heart a holy place for our Lord? Is our heart a reflection of the sin in our life? Does the Lord want to live in us? So we are called to conversion. We are called to make the changes that will let us be living examples of God’s mercy in the world. In the book of Revelation Jesus says that he comes to knock on the door of our hearts, when we open that door for him; He will come in and live inside our hearts. It is up to us to open the door and let him in.

November 2 , 2008 - All Souls Day

There is one Gospel that can be used for both All Saints Day, which we celebrate today, that Gospel is The Beatitudes from the 5th chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel. “Blessed are the peacemakers – Blessed are the merciful – Blessed are the clean of heart.” These and other qualities are what we celebrate in the lives of the Saints and all those who have died. They teach us how to live our faith and teach us what really matters. What does God look for in his people? Peace, joy, justice, love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness. When we can live these values each day, the Lord can say to us, “Rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in heaven.” The lives of the saints can always be a source of inspiration. The example teaches us how to be good people. We have mothers, fathers, grand-parents, uncles, aunts, friends, teachers, or coaches who may now be deceased but were an example to us of how to live good faith filled lives.

This weekend we remember the impact they have had on our lives. We thank God this weekend for the Communion of Saints we mention every weekend in the Creed. These Saints may have lived hundreds of years ago or they may be family members or friends who passed away this year. These are the people who have taught us the love and mercy of God. They have taught us how we ourselves can strive to be saints in our world today.

October 26, 2008 - Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. We love him because we belong to him and he is in our lives. Our thoughts, ideas, dreams, hopes belong to him. Our feelings such as anger, rage, envy, jealousy, patience, hope, peace etc belong to him. Our very being, our very lives belong to him. Yet do we believe that someone who loves us this much; is really a part of our everyday life? Do se turn to him in our daily needs? Do we spend time in prayer? Are we too busy and distracted to think about his place in our lives? Do we only come to him in times of distress or tragedy? Do we try to bargain with him when we or someone we love is in need?

What we forget is that God’s mercy and love are always with us but how much time do I give to him? This love he has for us is then reflected in the way we treat ourselves and others. Do we reflect the love of God onto others? When God gives his love to us so freely the expectation in the gospel today is that we give that love back to others. We are a living reflection of the love of God to the world. Our Lord calls you and me to love each other as he loves us.

October 19, 2008 - Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s gospel could not have come at a better time as we approach the elections. We hear more and more that faith is a private matter and that faith and religion have no place in politics. Religion plays a key role in politics today. Our faith challenges you and I to see the world as God sees it. Each time we pray the Our Father, we are praying for the kingdom of God to be built here on earth today. We pray that the will of God be done. It becomes our responsibility to learn the will of God to build his Kingdom. The most important issue in our society today is the protection of all life. It is the central issue that all other issues are built on.

Caring for the poor, the immigrants, our environment, and end to the death penalty all depend on our ability to respect life as God has given it to us. Unfortunately many people see our world as a commodity. We consume what we need and forget about the rest. A materialistic culture such as ours forgets that all that God has created is sacred and must be treated as such.

This not only applies to abortion, it also applies to the way we treat all people in our society today. Our world, our planet belongs to God. He has placed it in our care asking us to safeguard all that has been given to us. What kinds of stewards are we of the world God has given to us? These are important issues for us to think about as we get closer to meet next month’s elections. Let us all pray for the guidance and wisdom we are going to need to elect the people who can best build the kingdom of God; a kingdom of justice, a respect for life, and a kingdom of compassion and goodness for all god’s people and God’s planet.

October 12, 2008 - Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Saint Paul in his letter to Philippians says that “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.  Saint Paul says that in all of the ministry in his life, God gives him the grace that he needs to touch the lives and hearts of the people he ministers to.

His words, his power only come to him because he is open to Jesus love for him.  In facing the daily challenges of his life, he relies on the love of Jesus to be there for him.  St. Paul knows his strength is not his own, it is from his Lord, Jesus Christ.  Today we are all faced with many challenges.  The things we have trusted in to be there for us are now in turmoil.  We worry about jobs, health care, retirement, the money we have invested in the stock market.  Can we afford to send our kids to college?  We face and stand up to the challenges to every day life because we find our strength when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

We know how difficult it can be to stand up for and defend our faith.  How do we get our young people to go to church?  How do we find the motivation to go to church ourselves?  We know how unpopular it is to speak out against abortion, to be pro-life.  We know how unpopular it is to speak out against same-sex marriages.  People ask what’s wrong with you.  The strength of our faith through love in Jesus Christ and his love for you and I, give us the courage of our convictions.  St. Paul faced many persecutions and challenges in his life, but most importantly, he knew the love his Lord Jesus had for him; that was his strength.  Jesus love for you and me is our strength today and everyday of our lives.

October 5, 2008 - Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

How well do we use the gifts God gives to us?  How well do we use our talents for the service of others?  Since we saw the destruction left by hurricane Ike we have witnessed a great outpouring of help and support for the victims of this disaster.  Everyday of our lives someone is in need of our love and support.  Parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, friends, neighbor etc., all need the love and support we bring.

God gives us the awesome responsibility to care for one another.  He has placed us in this world to praise and worship him, but also to take care of the world He has given to us.  As the news media spends less coverage of this recent disaster, let us not forget we have a responsibility to care for all God has given to us everyday of our lives.

September 28, 2008 - Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

When was the last time we went to confession to say to God we are sorry for our sins?  When was the last time we received forgiveness for our sins?  In the Eric Segal book “Love Story” there is a line in the book that says, “Love is never having to say you’re sorry.”  But the fact is we have to say we are sorry and seek forgiveness for our sins. 
We are all in need of healing and forgiveness of our sins.  The pain, suffering, resentment, anger and rage sin causes only grows and festers without forgiveness.  When we admit we are sinners we acknowledge our own human weakness, but we also open ourselves to receive mercy, compassion and love from God.  God warns us the person who forgives little will receive little when it comes to the forgiveness of our sins and final judgment on the last day.  We can’t let all our negative feeling just fester in us.  We pray at mass today, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” 

The grace from the sacrament of confession leads us to conversion, a desire to change the way we hurt one another by our actions.  God loves us no matter what happens or what we do in our life, but we cannot cut ourselves off from the grace God wants to give to each of us through the sacrament of reconciliation.

September 21, 2008 - Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.”  Is 55: 8-9.

The gospel today talks about a landowner who is overly generous to workers who worked for him only an hour.  The owner is compared to God and the land is the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus is trying to teach us just how generous God is.  In the story the owner of the vineyard goes out all day looking for and searching for people to come to his vineyard.  Jesus wants us to know that the Father reaches out to us calling us to be at home with him.  Jesus wants us to know that the Father’s love for us is endless.  No matter what we do or how distant we feel from him, his forgiveness of our sins and love for us is endless.  It is why he tells Isaiah that my thoughts are not your thoughts.  None of us can know the mind or heart of God.  We see in Jesus the love, mercy and forgiveness our four sins made real. 

Jesus comes to touch us with the power of God’s love.  He says that no one can know the Father except through him.  The greatest example of that love Jesus and the Father have for us is the cross.  Jesus in an appearance to St. Faustina said that the blood and water that gushed forth from his heart is a font of mercy for us.  Let us thank God for the great mercy he shows us.

September 14, 2008 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross

How often do we make the sign of the cross saying the words “In the name of the Father and of the Son and off the Holy Spirit.”  We pledge that all that we do we do in God’s name.  The sign of the cross is a sign of friendship and witness.  We acknowledge God’s great love for us.  The blood and water which came from his side would be a font of mercy for us.  It has given us the gift of God’s love for us.  The cross is now a sign of healing, forgiveness and love.  Let us not forget that when we made the sign of the cross we also are a witness of the love that God has given to the world.

All that we do and say we do in God’s name.  Try to remember that all that we say and do each day is in god’s name.  We are living witnesses of what Jesus did for us on the cross over 2,000 years ago.  Since then we have carried on the witness of love to the world.  When we wear the cross, we publicly proclaim God’s love for the world and all that he did for us.  We are living witnesses of Jesus love, his healing and mercy.  We give these gifts and other gifts to those around us.  We are patient, kind, understanding, forgiving.  We are people of peace and the joy that God has for the world.  We are living witnesses of what Jesus says in the gospel.  “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

September 7, 2008 - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. Paul tells us “love, do no evil to thy neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.”  Strong words for our world today.  Especially in the climate we live in.  A climate of fear.  Maybe this is one of the reasons people watched the Olympics, because for a couple of weeks the world came together to compete not on a battlefield somewhere, but in sports.  The Olympics showed us the world could come together.  We fear today terrorists, Al-Quada, immigrants, the person at work who may be a threat to our job.  We may fear people of different races or nationalities, different religions.  The words of St. Paul become strong ones “love does no evil to thy neighbor.”  From our homes to workplace, to the community we live in, and the country we share, love is the fulfillment of God’s law.  To love one another in our community and the world means working for justice and peace.

To solve the immigration issues in our country, we call a congressman or senator asking them to work for better immigration reform so there is justice for all people.  Our World’s Country’s problems are complex ones but hatred, distrust and fear will never overcome them.  To fulfill the law God has given to us for the “life of the world” He wants to give us.  God tells us that love is the fulfillment of that law.

August 31, 2008 - Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. Paul says “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may discern what is the will of God”.  We are so bombarded by images today of what will make us happy.  Having the right things are supposed to make us happy.  The right job, or car, or clothes, etc, etc.  St. Paul tells us true and real happiness only comes when we know the will of God for us.  When we discern God’s will our hearts will be at peace as St. Augustine tells us.  Our hearts are only at rest when they rest in Him.  It takes prayer, patience and time to know the will of God, to hear his voice in all the noise around us.  Do we give God that time we need so he can speak to us and we can hear him?  To hear the voice of our Lord speaking to us or discovering the will of the Holy Spirit in us, pray for the virtue of patience so that we do not become discouraged.  Set aside some time to be with our Lord. 

This Labor Day weekend, let us be grateful for the gift of work.  Work that helps to sustain us and care for our needs.  Let us use this Labor Day weekend to thank God for all the people whose work makes our lives easier.  Let us ask God’s blessing upon them and upon our own work.  Notice I did not use the word job.  Caring for our families, children, parents, or running errands for someone with no means to do it, are work that truly makes people lives a little easier.

August 24, 2008 - Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Peter says to Jesus “You are the Christ the Son of the living God”.  Jesus says “You are blessed Simon Peter for no man has revealed this to you but my heavenly Father”.  God’s grace comes into Peter’s life to make this revelation.  Grace: the love and power of God working in our lives.  We might remember well the definition of grace we were taught.

Sanctifying Grace: The love of God that forgives us our sins and brings us closer to God and Jesus.  The love and power of God’s work in our lives to make us holy.  What then are the barriers we put up to grace?  The greatest barrier to grace of course is sin.  Sin has always been a roadblock to holiness.  Just go down the list of the commandments to see how we have sinned against God and others.  God intervenes in our sinfulness by giving us forgiveness of our sins in confession.

The Mass is the greatest source of grace we have.  Yet look at how many people come to mass late during the week and on Sundays.  I have watched people walk into mass during the sermon and leave after communion.  Where is the grace when the only thing people want to do is fulfill an obligation?  Our Lord loves us so much He wants to give us so much more yet we fail to realize it.  The grace Peter received helped him in the most difficult times of his life.  After saying he did not know Jesus three times, grace allowed him to come back to Jesus and be forgiven.  Grace later in his life would allow him to suffer martyrdom.  We always begin mass by invoking the grace of God upon us.  The grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

August 17, 2008 - Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today's gospel we have a wonderful example of the power of faith.  We have a mother who recognizes in Jesus the power to heal her daughter.  Because she loves her daughter so much, she comes to Jesus with the plea for him to heal her daughter.  The first ingredient to faith is love.  When she is rejected by Jesus and the disciples, her faith makes her plead all the harder.  Jesus is impressed by her faith, determination and love for her daughter.  How many times do we hear Jesus say, Your faith has healed you.

To believe in the healing power of Jesus, you must believe in his love for you, your faith must have that ingredient.  Do you believe Jesus loves you?  Have faith and trust in his love for you.  When you come to him in prayer; thank him first for all the blessings he has given you.  Thank him for his love for you.  Tell him you need to be touched by the power of his love for the intention you pray for.

When people come to our monthly healing mass or holy hour and Healing Service on Wednesday night, we are encountering the power and the fire of his love.  Jesus says, seek and you shall find.  The woman in today's gospel sought the love of Jesus for her daughter.

August 10, 2008 - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

After the fire, there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.  1 Kings 19: 13.  Elijah was considered the greatest of all the Hebrew prophets.  Despite this, he is a prophet marked for death by King Ahab and his wife Jezebel.  He has to put his confidence and faith in the power of God to save him.  He is able to do it because he recognizes the voice of God speaking to him.  It took Elijah time to come to recognize God's voice.  Prayer is about coming to recognize the voice and presence of the Lord in our life.

We talk to God as a friend; we come to him with our cares and concerns.  We approach God as we would a best friend.  We have love and faith and trust in a friend.  Elijah who is alone and on the run can put his life in the hands of God because he trusts him.  We are assured we can have the same trust in God.  Elijah did.  We are assured by God's son Jesus that God will listen to us in our need.  When Peter in the gospel begins to sink in the water, he cries out to Jesus to save him.  Peter would suffer much in his life but he knew the Lord was always at his side.  When we pray we can pray with confidence that the Lord hears our prayers and he is always at our side.

August 3, 2008 - Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Freddy and the Lord stood by to observe a baseball game.  The Lord's team was playing Satan's team. The Lord's team was at bat, the score was tied zero to zero, and it was the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs.  They continued to watch as a batter stepped up to the plate named Love.  Because ‘Love never fails.

The next batter was named Faith, who also got a single because Faith works with Love. The next batter up was named Godly Wisdom.  Satan wound up and threw the first pitch. Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it pass:  Ball one.  Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked because he never swings at what Satan throws.

The bases were now loaded.  The Lord then turned to Freddy and told him He was now going to bring in His star player.  Up to the plate stepped Grace.  Freddy said, He sure doesn't look like much! Satan's whole team relaxed when they saw Grace.  Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and fired his first pitch.  To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball harder than anyone had ever seen!  But Satan was not worried; ;his center fielder let very few get by.

He went up for the ball, but it went right through his glove, hit him on the head and sent him crashing on the ground;  The roaring crowds went wild as the ball continued over the fence. for a home run!  The Lord's team won! The Lord then asked Freddy if he knew why Love, Faith and Godly Wisdom could get on base but couldn't win the game.  Freddy answered that he didn't know why. The Lord explained, If your love, faith and wisdom ;had won the game, you would think you had done it by yourself.  Love, Faith and Wisdom will get you on base but only my Grace can get you Home: For by Grace are you saved, it is a gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Psalm 84: ll, For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly!

July 27, 2008 - Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the first reading from the 1st book of Kings, God says to King Solomon Ask something of me and I will give it to you.  What would we ask for if God said that to us?  What would we want?  Would we ask for material wealth or success in our life?  Would we ask God to give something to someone else?  Would we pray for world peace, an end to war on poverty?  King Solomon asks for wisdom.  Solomon says, Give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people and distinguish right from wrong.  Solomon asks for a heart filled with wisdom, compassion, kindness and knowledge.  Imagine what our lives could be like and our world be like if everyone had an understanding heart.  We could see an end to hatred, violence, prejudice, jealousy, envy, pride, because we would be kind, understanding and compassionate people.  Our lives and our world would be ruled by the wisdom of God for all of us.

How many times in our daily life and our work-a-day life have we used these gifts?  We pray for an understanding heart for our husbands, wives, children, brothers and sisters, our friends and co-workers so we can interact with each other in goodness, kindness, love and charity.  Solomon asked for the gifts that would guide his conscience throughout his life.  These gifts guide our conscience.  These gifts lead us in all that we do for ourselves and for one another.  Let us pray and ask God to bless us with an understanding heart.

July 20, 2008 - Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend we welcome to our parish the international pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima.  The message Our Lady gave to the three children of Fatima is the same message we hear in the Book of Wisdom today. But though you are master of night, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power whenever you will attends you.  Wisdom 12: 17-18. 

The power of God that the book of Wisdom talks about is not something God uses to crush his people.  God's power is about clemency and leniency.  The bible also says that God is slow to anger and rich in kindness and compassion.  When we come to God with our sinfulness we find not only forgiveness but inner healing for the sins we have confessed.  We can also find God's healing when we have been hurt by something done to us.  The Christian life is not a walk across a minefield; one false step and boom! The Christian way of life is about being forgiven and having mercy and compassion given to us.

Peter learned the hard way what forgiveness and compassion is all about.  After his great sin of denying the Lord 3 times, Jesus gives him, his peace, on Easter Sunday night.  Instead of retribution, Peter finds the Lord’s peace.  The only thing we have to do is acknowledge our sinfulness before God, admit our weakness, and let God forgive us and heal us.  St. Paul said that in his weakness he was strong because God would bless him with the grace he needed.  Today as we come here we are reminded that we are blessed by God when we admit our sins and seek his love and mercy.

July 13, 2008 - Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Each and every week we hear the word of God spoken and preached to us.  How many of us can remember what we heard in church by the time we get into the parking lot after mass or later on during the day?  There are plenty of things that can distract us during Mass.  We may have come to church worrying about many things going on in our life.  We may be sitting here in church wondering how our everyday life will be.  All the cares and concerns of life can weigh heavily upon us.

We hear the gospels talk about the saving love of God helping us cope with lif's struggles.  I hear so many people say that they could not get through there challenges of life without their faith.  People ask me, How do people without faith do it?  How do they cope?  Faith and belief in our Lord does not give us easy answers; rather we receive what we need to cope with life's challenges.  The Eucharist and the word of God are the two most powerful ways to see and feel the presence of the Lord in our life.  Today, as we do each week, we place our needs, and our lives in his hands.

July 6, 2008 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.  The words of the gospel today sound like the beginning of the words on the statue of Liberty.  Bring me your tired, your poor.  Today we hear the gospel talk about the power of the love of God.  Our Lord coming into our lives to bring us his comfort, his mercy, his peace.  In him we find our hope.  He calls us to trust in him so he can become the center of our lives.

People look to this country for hope, for a better life, for freedom from oppression.  It is a unique position this country finds itself in, especially today when many people are coming here to find work, a place to live, health care and a better future.  As we as a nation struggle with the question that surround immigration, let us not forget that we are all God's sons and daughters.  All of us are created in the image and likeness of God.  It is easy today to give into fear and distrust of people whose race and nationality are different than ours.

People will come to see our country as the great nation we are when we reach out to people in love and understanding.  Deacon Paul reminded us several weeks ago that a Mexican mother named her daughter America because people in the United States helped her.  We are still called to live out the values of the gospel every day.  We too are called to give rest and comfort to all who labor and are burdened.

June 29, 2008 - Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

This weekend we honor the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul.  Two of the churches greatest disciples.  We honor them not because they were perfect; we honor them for the way they let our Lord touch their hearts.  Peter denied knowing Jesus three times.  Paul persecuted those who followed Jesus.  God's grace came to them in different ways.  Paul was knocked off a horse.  Peter's conversion was a life long experience.  Both men allowed their hearts to be touched by the power of God.  The grace of God overcame the weakness of their lives.  God's grace forgave them their sins.  The Holy Spirit gave them the power to preach and teach the message of Jesus.

God's love for them overcomes the weakness of their lives.  It overcomes their sinfulness.  We too are called to be God's instruments.  We too are called to live lives that are examples of God's love and mercy in the world.  We do not have to be perfect people.  We don't have to be saints to be called by God.  We are called to let his grace live in our hearts and God uses us the way he wants to. 

Peter and Paul trusted in the love of God to take care of them.  They knew that when God called them to be disciples, He would always watch them and give them what they needed to do God’'s work.

June 22, 2008 - Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do not be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.  These are encouraging words today when many people are afraid of what is happening in the world today.  It seems life is cheap or has no value at all.  How often in the abortion debate do we find people who are pro-abortion refusing to believe that the baby in the womb is a human life?  In so many other ways we cheapen human life.  We fail to treat all people the way God intended you and I to love one another.  The gospel today reminds us of the value God places on all life.  When God created the world, He saw that it was good and that the creation of man and woman was very good.

The rise in gas prices has made us look carefully as to how we use the resources of the world.  We can never take for granted the planet God has placed in our care.  He has called us to use wisely the resources of the world, not waste them.  Respect for all life comes when we look at our world through the eyes of God to see what he sees.

St. Paul tells us to put on the mind of Christ, to see and think the way he does.  If all; of us could do that what a better place our world can be.

June 15, 2008 - Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cure the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse lepers, drive out demons.  Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give.  The Lord gives great blessings to his disciples.  He gives them his love and power.  The holiness of the apostles comes not from what Jesus has given them.  Their holiness comes from how they will use the gifts they have received.  Sharing with others what God has given them is their call to holiness.  Their gifts and talents are not meant to be hoarded, they are meant to be used for one another.

What good is a gift from God if we do not use it?  The call to holiness is to build up the kingdom of God.  In the Acts of the Apostles Peter and John will meet a crippled man.  They will say to him, I do not have gold or silver to give you, but in the name of Jesus Christ, stand up and be healed.  What they share with the crippled man is the love Jesus has for him.  The sharing of our time, gifts, and talents is sharing the Lord's love with someone else.  To express our love for other we may buy flowers or candy, cards or a present.  We can also share the gifts of our faith with one another.

When we are kind or compassionate or forgiving, we are sharing the greatest gift we can give to one another.  That is the gift of Jesus love.  We have received these gifts freely from God; we are now called to give them to one another.

June 8, 2008 - Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Go and learn the meaning of the words I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

When people complain about the Catholic Church today, they say we are more interested in rules and regulations than in mercy or compassion. In some instances they are right. If we follow the laws of the church and yet are unkind, or uncharitable, if we are not kind or loving to one another, then what is the point of rules, laws and worship? We worship God who calls us to love one another as we love him. Our rules and laws teach us to treat one another with kindness, mercy and compassion. How can we do that if we are unloving? What is happening in our culture today is an indifference towards one another. It seems people are more concerned about their own needs or desires, and we show no care or concern for the needs of one another. We can even become indifferent with our faith. God is no longer the center of our lives. Our faith is not the center of our lives. We might leave God on the outside of our lives trying to get into our hearts.

God is love and he who lives in love lives in God and God in him. Our faith calls us to be people of love. When God dwells in our hearts we more and more become the people of mercy God calls us to be. We recognize our own weakness and sinfulness and we can be transformed into people of love and compassion. When we fail to see our faults and sinfulness it is much harder to love one another or care about one another. The two men who left a beaten man alone on a road to die were more concerned about their own needs than the needs of that man. The Samaritan man who came to his rescue understood the call to mercy because he was hated by others for his belief. He understood what it was to be an outcast. He learned how to love and be merciful.

June 1 , 2008 - Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus says the one who does the will of the Father will enter the kingdom. Do we take the time to figure out what is the will of God for me? What does God want me to do with my life? When I was growing up I learned we were put in this world to know, love and serve God, to be happy in this world and the next.

The first thing we were taught was to know God. We can only do this through prayer, mass and the sacraments and the word of God. To know God then is to love him and because we love him we want to serve him. When we do these things we know his will for us. God does not want to be on the fringe of our lives. He does not want to be on the outside looking in. He wants to be the center of our lives.

We may be doing all sorts of things in our lives but is it really what God wants us to be doing? Do we do too much; do we belong to too many groups or clubs that we have no time for family or friends? Are we too tired to go to mass on Saturday or Sunday? Do we go days without praying? When was the last time we read from the bible? It is no wonder then that Jesus says “I do not know you.” We can find so much more peace, or strength or perseverance, we can become kinder, gentler more forgiving and compassionate when we try to know the will of God for us. Take time to pray and read the word of God.
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From the Pastor: January to May, 2008

From the Pastor: September, October, November, December 2007

From the Pastor: June, July, August 2007

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