5/17/2024 Come, Holy SpirtHappy Pentecost! It’s always fun to dwell on the power of the Holy Spirit and the beauty of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Especially when we are lucky enough to watch and celebrate our own teen parishioners as they receive the Sacrament on the same weekend that we celebrate Pentecost. Whenever I find myself reflecting on the Pentecost, it often takes me some time to realize that when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the upper room, that it wasn’t just to empower the Apostles, but it was done so we were all impacted, even to this day. It is often said that Pentecost Sunday is the birthday of our Church. The Apostles were empowered, even in the face of fear and death, to preach the word of Christ and bring other’s salvation through His church. But why is this personal to us? Because that same Holy Spirit who empowered the Apostles to evangelize the whole world (no exaggeration), is the same Holy Spirit that dwells within us. What does that mean? It means those of us with the same seal of the Spirit, is called to do the same. We have heard it many times when Jesus asked us to “make disciples of all nations”. At first glance, that is a scary commission. And honestly, when we overthink what Jesus asked us to do, it may seem impossible and it is, if we were alone in this endeavor. We are not relying on ourselves to do what he asked, but he sent His Spirit to aid us. We are not alone in this journey, because we have each other, and we have the actual, living God who never leaves our side. With the Holy Spirit, the impossible is possible. We as a church, need to help each other recognize this reality. As we celebrate our teens getting Confirmed, let’s also show them that we are on their side. Let’s be the church that helps them to see the power of the Holy Spirit in their own lives. Let us be the examples of the living church, and let us assure them that we are here to aide them on their journey. Let us also be humble enough to ask for their aide. On behalf of all those who help with Confirmation, I want to say thank you for all of your support for our Confirmation teens. You truly are the living Church. Veni, Sancte Spiritus, Brett Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister 5/10/2024 Go out to the whole world ...Dear Parish Family, In today’s gospel, we, just like the apostles, are commissioned to “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the gospel to all creatures.” His promise is that those who “believe and are baptized will be saved.” He then is taken up to heaven and takes his place at the right hand of God. This great commission given to ALL of us, and the work of the community as a whole, has been very evident in recent weeks. Easter season, what an exciting time of the year! From Easter Vigil, welcoming children and adults into the church, as they were baptized and received the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Most recently, this past Sunday, we welcomed 129 children to the Table of the Lord and received the Eucharist for the first time. Next weekend there will be 84 teens and adults who will be sealed in the Holy Spirit, confirming their Baptism. If you are like me, these days always bring to mind memories of our own sacraments. I specifically remember my First Communion most clearly. It was one of the best days of my life! I desired so deeply to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, and the experience was so visceral. The level of intimacy with our Lord; I can only describe as hearing his voice so clear and loud in my soul. Being told I am loved, and created for a purpose, to love and bring others to our Lord. The grace we receive with each of the sacraments strengthens the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us to do as we have been asked. “Go out to the world.” We were given a task, but we are not left alone to do it. Our Lord has given us his example to follow, his Spirit to be with us always. And we are fed with his body and blood to strengthen and sustain us. Whether you are “proclaiming the Gospel” in an official capacity as a catechist or teacher, or as a loving parent, grandparent or friend, it’s not always about what we say, but the opportunity to be Christ to others. The sacraments not only unite us intimately with Jesus, but solidify our unity as the body of Christ. I will leave you with a quote from St. Teresa of Avila, which reminds us, “Christ has no body now on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless his people.” Today, in a special way, let us be grateful for: Our mothers, and mother figures, who nurtured us and supported us through life. Our Church who takes on the maternal role of guiding us through life. And our Blessed Mother, who protects both the Church and all her children. Siempre Adelante, Tere Delgado Faith Formation Minister 5/3/2024 Remaining With JesusDear Friends, Several decades ago, when I was a student at UCLA trying to figure out what God wanted me to do with my life, I struggled with the concept of altruism. It seemed like a conundrum. God wanted me to act unselfishly to do the right thing, yet if I looked after the welfare of others, I would feel good about my own actions. I reasoned my actions couldn’t be considered altruistic because they were in my own best interests. I foolishly wondered if there really is such a thing as altruism. I no longer worry about such dilemmas. Life has a way of throwing situations at us, and many times our choices are tough. Whether we make our decisions instantly or after careful consideration, they reflect who we are. As God’s children — chosen and befriended by him — we bask in his love. This love is reciprocal. God loves us, and we are called to be love to others in God’s image. Of course, there will be confusing forks in the road where we make unfortunate choices. Love may get lost as we wander in the shadows alone for a bit, but our Lord finds us, heals us, and lures us back to the path of true altruism so we can walk with the others who have been gifted to us by our loving God. Some encounters are brief — a smile and perhaps only a short greeting for a passing stranger. Other opportunities can involve a lifetime partner or friend who knows and forgives our faults. Love goes both ways. God shows us that, whether we label it altruism or not. Jesus tells us to remain in his love, and he commands us to love one another. It really is all about responding to God’s love! Siempre Adelante! Linda Lowe Parishioner 4/27/2024 God Loves UsMy mom loves her garden. For as long as I can remember and to this day you can find her in her garden clearing away weeds, removing withering or dying branches or pruning back flowers that have long since dried out. When she cannot be tending to her garden because of weather, wind, or illness she will be visibly sad. My mother has been known to water her flowers, while it is raining, in a thunderstorm. That’s my mom, always loving her garden. In this week’s gospel, I am reminded of the love that God has for us and how He gently tends to the garden of our lives. As God cleans and prunes the branches to produce more fruit, we too must consider those items in our lives that may require a good cleaning or pruning? Are there things in your life that prevent you from spending quality time loving your family? Do you spend more time on devices than in conversation with others. Maybe, we do so much that we are not producing as well as we could. Speaking from personal experience, we can sometimes resist the need for change. We want to hold tight to those things that we believe have some value or that satisfy a need we have. Our thoughts, beliefs, and human needs are not God’s and when we put our faith in Jesus, He will provide the nourishment we need to look at those areas of our lives that require change and make those hard decisions. Change can be painful, but God meets us where we are. A good place to start is in prayer. How much time do you spend in the silent presence of God? My mom sends me pictures of her flowers that have pushed through the winter’s snow marking the beginning of spring. She sends me pictures of those flowers that have grown in abundance due to her tender care or those that have returned after a long absence. My mom loves her garden and I know God feels the same way about each of us. Siempre Adelante, Dave Gutierrez Parishioner 4/19/2024 A Love Like No OtherThe first year of a baby’s life is so much about learning and adjusting. While parents are learning to distinguish their babies’ cries in order to respond accordingly, babies are learning about their new world through their senses. Studies show that the maternal voice is audible in utero so an infant will recognize mom’s voice after birth. I am witnessing this right now with my three-week-old granddaughter who knows her mother’s voice, touch, scent and responds to her very presence. The comfort and peace a parent’s presence can bring a child is beautiful. Just imagine if we bring this gentler, kinder, more compassionate love to ourselves and to all those we meet. Siempre Adelante, Teresa Runyon Pastoral Associate |
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