5/14/2023 The Reason for Your HopeDear Faith Family, It is still Easter! Celebrate accordingly. No, I’m not speaking in a general way to express our joy in salvation, but according to our Liturgical Calendar, we are still celebrating Easter. We are still rejoicing in the gates of heaven being flung open. In this Sunday’s second reading, the author boldly exclaims to, “Always be ready to give reason for your hope.” What is our hope? Our hope lies fact that our Lord rose from the dead and conquered death to open the gates of heaven for us. There are many reasons for our hope, and most of these reasons are rooted in the Resurrection of our Savior. I have mentioned the idea of the virtue of Hope before. It’s not a virtue desiring the best outcome, but rather, Hope is knowing for certain that God’s will is done. It’s not trust in odds or probability, but Hope is the trust given by the Holy Spirit. This brings us to Pentecost, which comes next week. When the Easter season ends next week, it doesn’t mean that we cease celebrating. When we celebrate Pentecost, it is a great reminder that it is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to give the vibrant reasons for our hope. Things make some sense with evidence, but the Holy Spirit gives us the hyper clarity and courage to make disciples of all nations through our reasons for hope. With Pentecost, we use our celebration as the reason for our hope, to share with the masses. Reliance on the Holy Spirit is the reason for this upcoming season. The same Holy Spirit that descended on the Apostles, is the same one that dwells with us. The same Holy Spirit that gave clarity to the reason for Hope, also dwells with us. The same Holy Spirit that motivated the Apostles to change the world, also dwells with us. The funny thing is, that same Holy Spirit expects us to do the same. Not with self-righteousness, but with “gentleness and reverence. Rely on the Holy Spirit and always give people the reason for your hope. God Bless, Bret Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister 5/6/2023 The WayDear friends on the way, Ever since I saw the movie The Way with Martin Sheen in 2014, I have been intrigued, inspired by, and a little obsessed with El Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James. Often called simply the Camino, this centuries-old 500-plus-mile walking pilgrimage across Spain concludes in Santiago de Compostela, a city in western Spain and the home of a cathedral where the remains of St. James the apostle are said to have been buried. Pilgrimages like the Camino are not only about the destination, generally a religious, holy site, but more about the journey itself on which people embark to connect with God and self, for transformation and self-discovery, and to experience the graces that come with a spiritual pilgrimage. If you are unfamiliar with the movie, the drama tells the story of a grieving father who walks the Camino and finds healing, new meaning and purpose, and evaluates his relationships and priorities, all the while experiencing physical and mental challenges, difficult situations, detours, laughter, and friendship and enjoying good food and drink. So, Jesus’ words in today’s gospel from John, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” call to mind Sheen’s movie as well as the post resurrection apostolic Christian movement known as the Way. The early community of Jewish Christian followers of Jesus called themselves that because they lived in a new way. “The way and the truth and the life” was not only Jesus’ self-identification but also the one who connects us to God. Jesus’ life and teachings were all about thinking, acting, loving, and approaching all of life differently, namely to live in harmony with God and one another. In today’s first reading from Acts, we hear how seriously the early Christians took Jesus’ words. They were deeply concerned that “their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution” and responded by appointing deacons to care for widows and all the vulnerable. Clearly, they put into practice all that Jesus taught about caring for those in need and working together in community. Like any pilgrimage, our life’s Camino has a holy destination, that glorious dwelling place in God’s house prepared specially by Jesus for each of us. Today’s readings are a reminder that there is a specific path to our dwelling place. Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life.” Jesus is the path, the way, the Camino. We need only to look to Jesus’ example of how to live in harmony with God and with one another. Yes, on this Camino, we will stumble, fall, and fail, but if we consistently seek Jesus, make him our shepherd, I am confident we will experience mini conversions and transformations that cause us to think, act, and love in Jesus’ way. Hopefully, laughter, friendship, and good food and drink will grace us along the way. I’m hoping my room is a large dining room with a long table, comfy chairs, twinkle lights, candles, flowers, delicious meals (that always include potatoes and cheese), wine, music, and all the amazing people I have met on the way. Siempre Adelante, Teresa Runyon Pastoral Associate P.S. Fr. Patrick has walked the Camino twice and shares his experience on his website www.pilgrimheart.org. 4/28/2023 God is good, all the time!Dear Friends, Many symbols of the Risen Christ are present in our Easter season celebrations. They are gifts to us, all conspiring to lead us to a deep, joyful relationship with the Lord — if we will let them. One of those symbols that is constantly present is the assembly of which we all are a part. As we look around our beautiful worship space, it is the People of God, next to us, or across the way that we see week after week. The actions that we do together in worship — like standing, singing, praying, listening, walking in procession, sharing silence — all of these are ways the Lord can become present to us ... if we will allow it. Of course you have noticed the white banners, the beautiful pedestals with the Holy Oils on display near the baptismal font and the Easter Candle, and all the lovely flowers and greenery that lift our spirits and tell us without a doubt that we are in a special place during a special season. Their purpose also is to serve as “signposts” or icons pointing toward God, if we will open “the eyes of our hearts” to see. Next weekend at the 5:00 pm Mass we will confirm seventy young men and women, completing the initiation that began with their baptism and continued with their participation in the Eucharist. That group, in white garments, being anointed with the sacred chrism, is another symbol of the Good Shepherd, the Risen Jesus, active in our midst. Many of us know these young men and women and have been blessed to minister with them in a number of ways. Those experiences are all blessings from our loving God. Two weeks later, another group of younger Catholics (my granddaughter among them) will make their First Communion at our 5:00 pm, 9:00 am and 11:00 am liturgies. The love and care which have gone into their preparation for this sacrament are still more evidence that Jesus lives among us. And of course they themselves in their Sunday best, on their best behavior, receiving the Bread of Life for the first time are signs of the love of God, present and active. Let’s continue to pray that Jesus the Living Savior may be more and more revealed to us and to the world by the way we live and care for one another and all we meet. Siempre Adelante, Dominic MacAller Director of Liturgy and Music |
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