Blog Archives

8/26/2022

“Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.”

Our first reading has such a pithy ending, and is so pertinent for those of us who live in California. The double threat of wildfire and insufficient water constantly confront us. If only our careful husbanding of water in our homes, even if it’s only a small portion of the overall water use in the state, could preserve us from wild fires into the future. But that’s off message.

The real point here is the effect of water on burning flames, blotting out access to oxygen and extinguishing the fire, while dissipating its lingering heat. It’s a lovely metaphor for the parallel effects of the generous support of the poor blotting out, literally wiping away our offenses. What a gift it is to have God’s pardon. What could we possibly do to earn it?

In Sirach’s time, sacrifices were possible if sins were committed unwittingly (Lev 4), but there was no
confession or reconciliation, no rituals for the forgiveness of deliberate sin, except to stone the sinner. Even Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (Lev 16), seems directed at ritual impurity, rather than moral offenses. So what is a poor sinner to do? – Well, give alms.

So, as we now have the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins, should we still give alms? Absolutely!

Many passages in the New Testament actively encourage almsgiving. When speaking on the value of doing good acts and praying in secret, Jesus simply presumes we are giving alms for the poor
(Matt 6:2-4). When addressing the evils and bad inclinations that can pour forth from the heart, He directs us, “Give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you” (Luke 11:41). When encouraging us to rely with greater trust on God, He instructs us to sell our belongings “and give alms” (Luke 12:33). In Acts 10:2, Luke recounts for us a story about a good man, Cornelius, a Gentile who is judged devout and God-fearing, in part because of his generous distribution of alms (Acts 10:2). Later in Acts (24:17), Paul defends himself to the governor, Felix, detailing his motive for returning to Jerusalem, which was to bring alms.

There are so many ways to give alms. The parish’s special collections all aim at the care of different poor populations. Giving to the United Way also counts, as does supporting health care
exploration – I’m thinking breast cancer research, in particular, but there are
many other worthy efforts.

Boys and Girls Clubs, scouting and youth sports are worthy recipients. And there is always our own St. Vincent de Paul Society and Many Meals to support. As always, be as generous as you are able!

Siempre adelante,
Fr. Patrick Pastor

8/25/2022

Ralph Durazo

1945 -2022

Funeral Liturgy
Tuesday, September 13
10:00 am
Padre Serra Parish

Mortuary
Pierce Brothers, Westlake

8/19/2022

Are we ready to recline at the table in the kingdom of God?

Dear Parish Family,
Many years ago, I was asked what seemed to be a very simple question with a logically simple answer: Do you consider exercise to be important and valuable to maintain good health? My imitate response was, yes, it’s very important. Then came the follow-up question, which I still to this day continue to discern. If I consider exercise important, as I say, then is exercise part of my daily life, a Value (I make time for it, regardless of what I have going on in my life), or is it an Ideal (As long as I do it once a week/month/year, it is good enough; if I’m in the mood; in a few years when I really have the time)? This subject of this question can be substituted by any other topic which we can consider important to us. However, the underlying question is the same.

I think our Gospel reading this week is asking us a similar question. Do we wish to enter into God’s kingdom? Do we want God’s Salvation? The invitation is there for all of us; however, the response to this invitation, only each one of us can answer for ourselves. Is it a value or an ideal? How important is our relationship with our God, and how much time do we dedicate to him? Do we know about him, or do we Know him? We do not want to reach the gates of heaven and have our God say he doesn’t know us. We must strive to always be recognizable to our Lord.

How do we do this? In love, prayer, and action, as we go out into the world and all our daily activities. As we truly “Put On Christ” (Romans 13:14), all will recognize us as followers of Christ (Christian) and to whom we belong. No matter where we think we may be in this faith journey, there is always room to grow. Here are a few suggestions to consider:

Receiving the sacraments regularly: come to Sunday Liturgy, nourish your soul with the Eucharist, receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation as needed. We are then filled with God’s Sanctifying Grace.
Meet with a spiritual director to figure out where we are in the journey, to identify God working within us, and areas where we can grow. Contact: Ann Pettit annpettit@mac.com, Deacon Bob Fargo deaconbobfargo@msn.com, teresa@padreserra.org For teens: Brett Becker brett@padreserra.org
I encourage you to learn about the lives of the saints; no matter our life’s situations, there is probably a saint who lived through similar struggles or worse and still attained holiness. It will be the inspiration we need.
Join a ministry; there are many parish ministries that are in need of Your time and talent. For it is in giving that we receive. Contact teresa@padreserra.org or tere@padreserra.org to help you discern the best ministry for you.
Attend Formation sessions throughout the year; Padre Serra offers many learning opportunities for all age levels. Faith formation is more than just Sacrament Preparation. It helps us learn about our faith and prepare for eternal life. Register your child or teen for Children’s faith formation, sessions available for children ages 3 - 18. Online registrations at www.padreserra.org/registration contact tere@padreserra.org for more information.
Spend time in prayer, especially in the presence of our Lord in Adoration. Being present with our Beloved.

May your journey be blessed and fruitful, that when we reach the gates of heaven, we will be recognized by our Lord. Pray for me as I will continue to pray for you too.
Siempre Adelante,

Tere Delgado
Faith Formation Minister

8/16/2022

Sheila Passegger

1971 - 2022

Funeral Liturgy
Saturday, September 3
10:00 am
Padre Serra Parish

Mortuary
Santa Clara Cemetery

8/12/2022

My Soul Proclaims the Goodness of the Lord

Dear Faith Family,

Today’s Gospel is one of my favorites. When a pregnant Mary encounters Elizabeth, the latter is overjoyed and her son (the unborn John the Baptist) leaps with joy because of the encounter.
At surface level, this is a cute story about family reuniting and celebrating the upcoming birth of the Savior of the World. While it is indeed true (it’s pretty darn cute), it also is a strong callback to the Old Testament. What John the Baptist does, closely resembles how King David would act in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant.

In the book of Exodus, when David would “dance before the LORD with all his might,” the Ark of the Covenant was believed to have contained the living God. Jesus, present in Mary, the New Ark, received a similar reception from John the Baptist. We are also blessed to have Arks scattered around in parishes across the world that hold the living God.

What does this mean for us? While I may not be advocating for a dance session in front of the tabernacle, I do believe that it is vital for us to look at God with a joyous heart. If we truly believe that God opened the gates of heaven for us, how can we not be joyous? If we truly believe that God wants to encounter you, simply because He loves you, how can we not be moved?

Sometimes when we think of the disciples of the New Testament and various saints, we think of solemn people who kept their emotions in check. People that were beyond human inclination and had a hyper fixation on God. The reality is, these holy men and women were joyous, first and foremost, even in the face of fear and persecution. The joy that God brings truly can overcome all things.

Our faith is quite unique. We have a God who was willing to become man, just to be with us. I truly believe a proper response to this love, is joy. This obviously may look different for each person, but I know it’s a common denominator for all those who pursue the living God.

If you struggle with understanding the joy that God brings, I invite you to spend more time with Him. Add more intentional time to pray and listen to God.

Allow yourself to be immersed more at Mass (for those with kids, Little Church is pretty awesome). And allow yourself to be a little Ark when you receive Communion.

God Bless,
Brett Becker

Youth and Young Adult Minister