8/1/2023 Rochelle Hithe
7/28/2023 Seeking the Kingdom of GodToday’s Gospel tells us about the immeasurable value of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is always present and mysteriously hidden. In both examples of the parable, the person finds the treasure and recognizes its value, filled with immense joy and giving up their previous possessions (treasures) in order to acquire it. As I meditated over the Gospel it made me think about an experience one of our Summer Camp children shared with his mother and me. One of our camp activities is a scavenger hunt; the kids have some clues to solve and go around our parish campus and find the treasures (toys). As this camper, who is new to our parish, was on his quest, he noticed the palm trees of the Prayer Garden; he thought how beautiful and wanted a closer look. As he walked into the garden he said he received the best welcome from “the myth, the man, the legend ... Jesus himself!” He said he was suddenly filled with joy and so much peace. He shared how he felt Jesus was telling him, “Welcome home, you belong here.” This was extremely impactful for him as he has been struggling with certain issues and felt that he was attending summer camp by “accident.” His joining summer camp was a very last-minute change of the family’s plans, and being new he was not sure if “he belonged.” In this scavenger hunt he found the real treasure — he had an encounter with our Lord. Friends, we too are seekers, looking for the perfect treasure. Is it the perfect job, life companion, money, happiness, etc.? All these things that we hold with so much value and importance, may only give us temporary happiness, but our Lord’s gift of the Kingdom of Heaven, will give us true everlasting joy and peace. This gift is free for us to take; he has already paid the price. When we are open to having a true encounter with the living God! How will you know if you have had this encounter with our Lord? Well there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” experience. What I can tell you is, we will forever be changed; we will know it in our souls, in our minds and in every part of our being. When we come to Mass and see Jesus waiting for us in the Eucharist, do we understand and see its true value? It is now our turn to seek the Kingdom of Heaven. Are we willing to change our ways, give up everything in order to attain it? ![]() Please pray for me as I continue to pray for you all that we may continue to have strength in the journey, and not miss the opportunities to have true encounters with our Lord. May we obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. Siempre Adelante, Tere Delgado Faith Formation Minister 7/21/2023 There is No Shame in AskingDear Friends, If you had difficulty understanding this Sunday’s Gospel, don’t worry, you are in good company. The parable is a confusing one. Without the proper wisdom, it is hard to decipher just what Jesus is trying to say. Who/What are the weeds? Who is the enemy that plants the bad seed? What is with all this wheat? Like I said though, if you are confused, you are in good company. The good company I mention are the disciples. They were also confused about what Jesus was trying to teach. Within their confusion, though, they did not default to pride and try to decipher the parable on their own. Rather, they humbled themselves and asked Jesus what he meant. This may seem like an easy task, but for some of us, it’s hard for us to ask God the clarifying questions. Do you ever get discouraged about not fully understanding what God is calling you to do? The anxiety of asking a clarifying question can be difficult at times. But like any teacher would, Jesus would not shame you for asking the right questions. There is no shame in trying to ask God what he asks of you. When the disciples asked Jesus to clarify the parable he just preached, he did not shame them one bit, because Jesus is a good teacher. This is why we have so much trust in our pursuit of discipleship; we have so much faith in our teacher, our Lord, Jesus. So when it comes to life’s big questions, or the questions of what God is asking of you, the best way to find the answer is to be a good disciple and ask to Jesus for assistance in your understanding. We aren’t disciples simply because of the past, and the good things that happened in scripture. We are disciples because the living God wants us to learn and to teach in the present. ![]() The best way to get a grasp of this is to ask our God without shame, with full humility. He wants to provide, sometimes we just have to ask. God Bless, Brett Becker Youth and Young Adult Minister 7/14/2023 Quiet HeroesParishes thrive when parishioners step forward and take ownership. When this happens, in beautiful fidelity to Matthew 6:3, where we hear the command to not “let your left hand know what your right is doing,” the good people do is so often quiet and unnoticed. I’d like to point out some people who have made a wonderful difference, even though in a very quiet way. It’s hard to notice an absence, I know, but have you noticed an absence of trash on the parish grounds, which are always so neat? There are no plastic bags blown around by the wind, no donut napkins on the ground, no candy wrappers or cigarette remains. The first person to arrive at the parish, early, early in the morning during the week, is Dane Henriksen. You’ve probably never met him. If our yards are neat, and trash is picked up and all looks orderly, it’s because of Dane. He has adopted the parish grounds as a place of beauty that needs constant attention so that it can be restful for people who bring their complicated lives onto this beautiful campus. His tools are rakes and blowers. He is a very quiet hero. Terry Griffin, also an early riser on Sunday morning, walks from table to table in the courtyard, cleaning the accumulated dust from the decomposed granite. She brings a smile to this grungy work that always lights up my morning when I see her hard at work. Hospitality matters, and she makes it happen. For those who have come later to the parish, you might not know that Terry is an extraordinarily gifted artist. You can see an example of her work under the beautiful tabernacle. She designed the depictions of the California missions found on the marble slab of the tabernacle, to remind us of our founder, Padre Serra, and his many labors to bring the faith to this place. As one of the parish founders, among that generation of giants, she was part of the original environment team making the church beautiful. I have caught her with a can of paint and a brush, unobtrusively repairing the bases of the church columns. Ordinary bumps and bruises leave their marks on the columns, but Terry has taken ownership of our parish church, and the comfort of her fellow parishioners in the courtyard. She is an amazing, quiet, hero. I don’t know if you can remember the two long white cloths that hung over the ambo during the Easter Season. They may have seemed simple in construction, but nothing could be further from the truth. The closer you get to the material, the more textured it looks, with gold flecks, and the more special you realize that they are. They rested this last weekend on the altar, just to bring them closer to our worship. A team of adults with diverse abilities and challenges spent months weaving them, not with an electric machine, but by the hand on a loom. They were an amazing work of art by weavers from Threadbender Textiles (www.threadbendertextiles.org) for the parish from people who are often in the background of society. Their handiwork of love blessed us every day in the Easter Season. They are our quiet heroes. I’d also like to acknowledge the small but growing orchestra of talented musicians who have been making our Sunday mornings so very special. We have Kathleen MacAller on the flute, Lisa Barra on the synthesizer, David Cravens and Mike Garcia on the guitar. Mike Velasquez plays the base, Chris Kneisel and Naomi Bernardino plays the cello, Geri Lisanti-Levy plays the violin, Steve Burch plays the viola, and Karen Gatchel and Tom Romero play the clarinet. We have Butch Alandy and Ian Padolina on percussion, and young Sabas Guevara on the drums. Our amazing Dominic, often enough, writes their parts for them, where needed. All of their musical skills, so generously shared, their times at practice, offered so generously, are a sweet gift to us. We get to live our lives with the soundtrack they provide us of sweet beauty. 7/12/2023 Patricia Rosales1930 - 2023Rosary
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