1/12/2018 ​Come and See![]() I write this message from the foggy, cool mountaintop home of Serra Retreat Center in Malibu. Fifty women from our parish are retreating to pray on the Epiphany readings and reflect on the stars in our lives, those guiding lights that point us to Jesus. I love beginning a new year with a retreat. This “vacation with God” is a wonderful opportunity to refuel and recommit time and energy to my spiritual journey. While I highly recommend and encourage a weekend retreat to anyone, scheduled intentional time with God to reflect on the Sunday readings each week from the comfort of our own home is just as valuable. God has some message for each of us. We just need to carve out the time in our ordinary day to listen. It’s that simple. The theme of today’s readings is God’s invitation and our response (1). In the first reading, Samuel does not recognize the voice calling his name while he is sleeping: “Samuel, Samuel!” After the third time, his mentor Eli finally tells him what to say. What always strikes me about this story is the trust with which Samuel responds, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” For the rest of Samuel’s life, the Lord was with him always. It was that simple. In the gospel, we hear another call and response. John the Baptist and two of his disciples encounter Jesus. They are curious about him and what he is doing. Jesus said, “Come and you will see.” What did they do? They followed Jesus with complete trust! It was that simple. I wonder what those soon-to-be-apostles were thinking. What did they think they were going to see? Today marks the beginning of Ordinary Time and the readings in the coming weeks will show us exactly what the apostles saw and experienced. They will walk us through Jesus’ daily life. If we are willing to go as the apostles did, we too will see, learn, and experience Jesus’ examples of love, forgiveness, healing, and ministry. Ordinary daily life is where God shows up. Often times I think God is just saying hello. Other times I believe God is saying, “Listen up. Have I got something for you?” Every day, every week God invites us to confront real issues. How can I love the neighbor who irritates me? Can I forgive the family member who wronged me? What can I offer the homeless person on the corner? How can I comfort my grieving friend? We can never go wrong when we discern a situation and respond with loving Christian values. Let’s journey together these coming weeks so we too can see and respond to God’s call to live our ordinary lives with extraordinary love. I promise it’s really that simple. Siempre Adelante, Teresa Runyon Faith Life Minister (1) At Home with the Word 2018 January 14 1/5/2018 What Will You Bring?![]() Dear Faith Family, Merry Christmas to all of you and a Happy New Year as well! I feel like I get the bulletin letter every year around this same time. This is one of my favorite letters to write because of our celebration of the Epiphany of Our Lord. In my previous Epiphany letters, I remember writing about us being the star that leads people to Christ. A star so bright that people cannot help but to be compelled with what makes you so vibrant. While this still rings true, there is another element in the story of the Three Wise Men on Epiphany; the presentation of gifts to the Christ child. During this New Year, we will all make resolutions that will help us be the best version of ourselves. The normal resolutions of eating healthier, spending more time with family and various things like this. These resolutions are wonderful ways to help live life more vibrantly and can also help us learn to love others in an unconditional way and we should not shy away from the wonderful promises to ourselves. But in what ways though, can we learn to unconditionally serve our Lord? A great example can be seen in the Wise Men, by presenting their gifts. This year, I pray that we become more conscious of the idea of what our gifts are. Once we become aware of our personal gold, frankincense, and myrrh then we become more aware of the best way we can serve. Self-reflection is very important for our personal lives, but we often forget that when we get to know ourselves better (in our faults and weaknesses), then we gain the opportunity to serve in the most unconditional way imaginable. So, friends, I invite you all to take time to see who God created you to be. It’s easy to spot the things in our lives that influence a healthy lifestyle. But this year, I invite you to take time to truly reflect on your gifts and talents. If you gain more clarity when it comes to those things, then I invite you to bring the gifts to God and ask Him how he wants you to serve Him. God bless you all and Happy Epiphany everybody! Siempre Adelante, Brett Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister 12/29/2017 Sweets![]() Hello friends, I remember the anticipation I felt as we drove to my grandparents’ home each New Year’s Eve. I so enjoyed the aroma of various meats, vegetables, dumplings and spices that filled the air as we arrived. Let’s face it though, as a young boy I also loved sneaking sweets just before dinner. I always thought I got away with it but I had fooled no one. My parents just watched, smiled and said nothing. They had wisely realized that these were childhood moments to be cherished, appreciated and even ‘hidden’ at times. Little did I know that in their actions I was also being taught how to treat others and deal with relationships. Over time, the education also grew and became more challenging but always provided greater insights. Considering the impact my parents had in my life, I cannot help but wonder how Jesus, Mary and Joseph interacted with one another as a family. We honor them as role models and share our innermost thoughts with them. In many ways we feel we know this family quite well yet questions remain. For example, aside from Jesus’ early years and his time in the temple at age 12, little is known about him as a child, teenager or young adult. A single line in today’s Gospel reads, “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.” Reflecting on this verse however, I now realize this may not represent a gap or an open question at all. It could rather be an invitation for us to consider how Jesus grew up and learned the ways of the world by watching Mary and Joseph. It could provide us with our own opportunities within our own families. We might define our family unit as traditional, nontraditional or communal yet we all are part of the one family of God. Armed with this truth and in celebration of today’s Feast of the Holy Family, I offer the following suggestions as we continue to hone our own ability to grow and participate more fully as active family members:
Happy New Year. Endless Blessings, Deacon Luc Papillon 12/22/2017 Christmas 2017![]() When politics are intense, and contentious, when hillsides and homes are burning, when the news sources offer a steady stream of grim stories, how do we lift our spirits? How do we find joy? Where do we find peace? We always need to have an answer to these questions because every year, every age, has its own agony. Jesus chose just such a time to enter into our human history. Rome had conquered everyone in the known world. Millions had been forced into slavery, and most others lived at the margins of hunger, making only just enough to get by, from hand to mouth, day by day. Good farmland was hard to come by; so much of it had been depleted. Lives for peasants were hard and short. Judea was just a tiny kingdom, subject to the whims of Roman emperors and governors. Both Nazareth and Bethlehem were tiny backwaters. It was that very moment and place of desperation that the Lord chose to enter into human history. In dark times, He is the unfailing light. In uncertainty, He is the Unchanging Word of God. In your struggle, He is strength. In poverty, He is the richness of the Father. In your loneliness, He is God with you and for you. He knows your story. He can feel your pain. He shared in it in His own time, and walks with you now. I encourage you to place your burdens at the foot of the manger, where the Creator of All reveals Himself in the helplessness of a baby. I also invite you to take from that simple gathering, birthed by Mary and sheltered by Joseph, renewed commitment to foster the Lord in your own life. May this Christmas time bring you hope, the real hope that endures all changes and human problems. May this New Year find you and all you love, richly blessed with all you truly need. May the Infant of Bethlehem be reborn in your home and life. I wish you and all you love a Merry Christmas, and joy in the New Year! Fr. Patrick Pastor Also visit: Christmas Masses 12/14/2017 Point to Jesus![]() My Dear Parish Family, In the Gospel today, John cried out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” John is pointing to Jesus and encouraging us to abandon our crooked ways, our self-centered paths. John points to Jesus in his statement, and then recedes into the background. His actions say, “It’s not about me, it is about him.” I wonder what percent of our actions say it is not about me. How do we point to Jesus? Daily. Do we recede into the background? It is easy to see examples of when folks are behaving selfishly, in general we seem to be less trained or focused on when people get things right. I want to stay positive ... I love that we have 466 parking spots at church and six of them are dedicated to visitors. When I see them full, I rejoice! What a dishonor it would be if able-bodied parishioners used those spaces. We are all grateful to the wonderful hospitality ministers that brew fresh coffee, 275 pots a year, 5 every Sunday plus Christmas and Easter. What a dishonor it would be to grumble about one pot that is a little delayed. Take it from St. John, it is not about me, it is about our Lord Jesus. How can we point to him? Offer others good parking and hot coffee. I have been talking with middle school children about growing up and growing into a deeper, more lived out sense of Christian responsibility. I am proud to hear their ideas and even more proud to witness their actions such as hosting bake sales to raise money for hurricane and fire victims, picking up trash, saying ‘hello’ to people in wheel chairs, helping with Angel Tags. There is so much goodness in the world! It seems it has to do with giving. Giving consideration to others ahead of myself. Giving to Angel Tags gifts. Giving time and so much talent at the Christmas concert. Giving prayers and words of encouragement to those in need. Giving the gift of ourselves, our time, to our loved ones. Consider going to a movie, mass or a ball game, baking cookies, helping to shop or wrap packages or decorate, whatever you are good at or want to be good at … try doing it for someone you care about. When we empty ourselves of self-centeredness, we make space that fills up with the love of Jesus. We point to Jesus. In a spirit of networking, I want to share that in January, we will be looking for a new Business Manager for the parish. We will advertise both in and outside the parish. We trust that God will bring us the right person to manage our business processes, connect with the people that God brings to our doors, and lead us in ways to Encounter Jesus and Be Disciples. In a spirit of giving, I want to remind everyone, including my own family, tis the season! To remember our favorite charitable organizations and of course the parish in year-end giving. It is easy to get busy and postpone this task. It is so important to keep the parish not only going, but growing. The fruit of the gifts of our hands is immeasurable. I am convinced that God is working in and through the people of Padre Serra Parish to point to Jesus. Thank you. God bless you and all those you love this Christmas, Eve Collier Parish Life Minister |
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