6/22/2024 When Storm Clouds Gather![]() Dear Parishioners, Today’s gospel reminds me of an often-painful truth: storms and the suffering that accompanies them are often unavoidable. Suffering is part of life. We get sick, we break our arm, we get stung by a bee. All this to say that God allows suffering. In the Psalm, God commands a storm to rise and rattle the sea and its waves. Yet when his people called to him in their distress, he quieted the storm and brought them to their haven. The same is true for us all. When I suffer, to what or whom do I turn? The world offers many remedies, some good and some ill. Yet neither we nor the world and all its powers are in control of nature, of history. For we are God’s story, we are his beloved sons and daughters. When we forget our place thinking the world rests on our shoulders let us remember as God said to Job in our first reading: “Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands?” God created the world and possesses supreme authority over it. Yet it is not the same with us. He has given us the freedom of will to choose (when we face storms, squalls, and any myriad of suffering) to run to him or to other things. We are his children not his slaves. We are new creations; from the waters of our baptism, we died with Christ and share in his life. For us, this is new life, where in the face of sin, suffering, doubt, and fear, we might hold our peace close to Jesus. Do we not yet have faith? In the gospel, Jesus was sleeping when the storm came. If we are close to him and seek always the good, we too might rest with him. We need only trust in Jesus and all will be well even in the midst of suffering, pain, disease. This world is not our true home. ![]() We must seek Jesus, seek heaven, seek goodness and all virtue so that when he calls us to our true home, we do not say “Who is this who the wind and sea obey?” But rather, “Here I am my Lord and God. I love you, please, have mercy on me and take me home.” Siempre Adelante, Riley Paolella Parishioner art above- Rembrandt’s With Jesus in the Storm 6/14/2024 Shining Examples A life-sized sculpture titled ‘Adoption’ at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels captures the full essence of fatherhood. It depicts St. Joseph stepping away from his role as carpenter to give his undivided attention to 4- or 5-year-old Jesus. Looking intently at one another, Jesus and Joseph share mutual respect knowing full well that their growth is both in the giving and in the receiving. Embracing his fully human nature, Jesus looks to his adoptive parent as mentor, model and teacher. In his fully divine nature, Jesus’ gaze towards Joseph appears to represent what it means to live, love, and act as a child of the Father. What also strikes me about father and son in the work is the definitive bond that transcends all materials used. Joseph shares a connection with Jesus that cannot be ignored. You can clearly see that the seeds of God’s love have been laid in Joseph’s life and in the acceptance of his responsibility as a dad. The same can be said of us. Jesus’ role in our lives invites us to a deep reflection into a full relationship with the heavenly Father. In other words, the Son of God can bring to us hope and growth that far exceed any other event. This does require that we remain open and become active participants in the process. Spending time with God through prayer is a beautiful place to start. Additionally, looking to father figures whether biological dads, adoptive, foster parents, or otherwise can help as we strive to recognize and honor opportunities as they arise. Role models along with the fullness of the Holy Spirit sown into our hearts at baptism provide examples, witness, and grace for us as we choose how to take part in our calling as children of God. Infused by gifts of wisdom and understanding, right judgment and courage, knowledge and reverence, wonder and awe, we are provided the foundation necessary to live a life in Christ. Looking at my own father as well as Diana’s dad, I realize that living by example is not a bad thing at all. Both taught me that living life with God at the forefront can yield great fruit both within the family and with the stranger. Both remind me that being witness to and growing from others can bring about a fuller appreciation for all of God’s creation. ![]() On this Father’s Day, we recognize this is what great role models do every day. They put aside their own needs in favor of embracing their responsibilities as parents and mentors. They become shining examples in the world. They remind us of the One, the Father of all. Endless Blessings, Deacon Luc and Diana Papillon 6/7/2024 Summer and CovenantDear friends on the journey, Last week I had the great opportunity to cruise to Alaska. The sun’s illumination of the immense beauty of the Pacific Northwest for more than nineteen hours a day reminded me of God’s wisdom of the seasons. I’m not certain I can select a favorite season as they each bring their own colors, sights, wonders, and opportunities. Even though I am no longer a student, or a parent of students, and work year round, I still look to summer as a break. I love summer for so many reasons. Longer days and warmer weather allow us to enjoy simple things like dinners on the patio, swimming after a day’s work, and watching sunsets at the beach. Summer beckons us outdoors to enjoy concerts in the park, BBQ parties with friends and family, and vacations near and far. Summer offers a slower pace to garden, read, and do long-awaited projects around the house. I also find summer to be a season of Sabbath, a time to slow, rest, enjoy God’s creation and tend to our spiritual life. So, at this midpoint of the year, one way to do that is to revisit the covenantal promises we made in January: Sabbath I will plan for the full experience of the Mass and be mentally present. I will prepare before, arrive early, journey through the gardens as if on a pilgrimage from my car to the holy ground of the church sanctuary, and be wide open to what will happen at the table. Gratitude Each night before retiring, I will think of three things from the day for which to be grateful. Examine In an effort to grow as a child of God, I will review my day and recognize those moments when God was most present, acknowledge my failures, and ask forgiveness. Prayer I acknowledge that any place can be holy ground (laundry room, car line, red lights ...) and make it a habit to pray when I: pump gas, enter home/work/school, hear a siren, pass any church, cemetery, hospital, or school. Jesus As I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I will strive to choose faith over fear and encourage others to do the same. Discipleship I will focus on the difficult teachings of Jesus to forgive over and over again, to love enemies, to pray for those that persecute. Evangelization I will preach the “Good News” with family and friends by sharing what God has done in my life and by actively inviting them to join me at church. Love Neighbor Recognizing that everyone is made in God’s image and likeness, and that everyone has their own struggles, I will extend the dignity and respect to each person that I would hope to receive. Charity Over the course of the next year, I will choose a local and international mission to support with my time, talent, and treasure. Stewardship (support of parish) I will examine my heart, my budget, and my schedule to see how I can support the parish in service. ![]() I invite you over these next weeks and months to focus on the promises you identified. Pray, recommit, and act. I pray that you will rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit in this delightful season of summer. Siempre Adelante, Teresa Runyon Pastoral Associate 6/1/2024 The Real Presence of JesusHello Friends, It is a common theme of my faith journey that many of the rich Catholic practices I now cherish were late discoveries for me but are, in fact, well-established practices in our Catholic faith. Visiting the Blessed Sacrament has only been a part of my prayer life for the last ten years or so. I have always been Catholic, but I was not always attentive to God’s prompting to draw me closer. Once I finally responded to God’s calling to spend time with Him, I found my appointments to meet our Lord in Eucharist adoration to be the most fruitful time of prayer. At first, carving out a few minutes to pray before the Blessed Sacrament was almost a survival tactic. During rough patches of living out career and family life, I sought refuge with the Blessed Sacrament. I became very familiar with several parishes across the LA area as I was usually far from home during the workday. A fifteen-minute stop to visit the Blessed Sacrament would turn into thirty minutes – time flew. Once outside of the church or chapel, life’s problems were still there waiting for me, but prayer before the Blessed Sacrament had changed me, and my reaction to those same problems was different. This is the great gift that God gives us of His presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus said, “I will be with you always until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20), and in the Blessed Sacrament, through faith, we are in the presence of our Lord. After receiving many graces during those moments of prayer, I wanted to go back and just spend time with Him and be attentive to what God wanted to tell me. Whether out of desperation or in gratitude, God always responds with His grace. Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, and our attention turns to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The long-awaited (it has been 83 years since the last one) 10th National Eucharistic Congress will take place in July in Indianapolis. Last year, Pope Francis wrote to the organizing committee of the National Eucharistic Congress, “It is my hope, then, that the Eucharistic Congress will inspire Catholics throughout the country to discover anew the sense of wonder and awe at the Lord’s great gift of himself and to spend time with him in the celebration of the Holy Mass and in personal prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.” The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist has been central to the Church’s teaching since the beginning. From Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth (1 Cor:10-16) to Pope Francis, the Eucharist remains the Source and Summit of the Christian life (L.G. 11). In his book “Visits to the Blessed Sacrament” St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote, “Realize that you may gain more in a quarter of an hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament than in all other practices of the day” Those words ring true in my spiritual life. ![]() I encourage my friends to try this most fruitful devotion. Let us come and adore the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Manuel Leon Business Manager 5/24/2024 Beauty and Truth Beyond ComprehensionDear Friends, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This is how we begin all our communal prayer as Catholics and much of our private prayer as well. We make the Sign of the Cross while saying it, putting ourselves under its protection. We bless those we love with the same sign, and we are blessed at our baptism, at our funeral, and many times in between with the Sign of the Cross, invoking the Holy Trinity. It would be arrogant and foolish of me to think that I could explain to you the doctrine of the Trinity, or even to think that I understand it myself. Yet it is something we believe as Catholics. It’s one of the Big Basics — One God, Three Persons. It is a Mystery — a truth we can meditate on, contemplate, pray about, yet never fully grasp, never understand. I have no original thoughts on this, God knows, but I will share some thoughts with you that I remember from what I have heard over the years in homilies given by people whose wisdom I respect, right here at Padre Serra. Here they are, in no particular order, and paraphrased: • One God, Three Persons — and each of the three is God in all God’s fullness • The Trinity as a way to imagine with our finite mind what is infinite • Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the ideal familial relationship • The Holy Spirit as the “embodiment” of the love between the Father and the Son • Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer — this one is problematic, though, because it implies distinct attributes to each of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity who all accomplish all of these things Maybe God gave us the doctrine, the truth of the Trinity to help us turn to him more readily when we feel particular kinds of needs. For example: • When we are awestruck by the beauty of creation, and need to address thanksgiving and praise to God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth • When we are acutely conscious of our sins and failings, and our great need for forgiveness and healing, and need to address sorrow, love and repentance to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Redeemer • When we seek courage, strength and inspiration to continue responding to God’s call in the face of challenges, and need to address our neediness and thirst to the Holy Spirit, the mighty wind, the breath of life, the giver of wisdom ![]() “Let all things their Creator bless, and worship Him in humbleness, Alleluia, Alleluia! Praise God the Father, God the Son, and Holy Spirit Three in One. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!” Siempre Adelante, Dominic MacAller Director of Liturgy and Music |
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