Category: Message Of The Week

9/13/2024

Faith and Works

Dear friends on the journey,

Imagine being in a relationship – a marriage, friendship, professional - that was one sided, where you feel like you put in the time, energy, and work but get very little in return. They say things like “I love you: or “I value our friendship” but the other person never does anything to back up those words, never demonstrates in small or big gestures that they’re invested in your relationship. I think we can all agree with the expression “actions speak louder than words.”

The author of James, our second reading today, seems to be saying something similar about our faith. In verse 17, he says, “faith without works is dead.” Our Catechism teaches that faith “is a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused by him” through the sacrament of baptism. Faith requires from us “a personal act – the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself.”

Indeed our faith is a gift from God, one that brings us into a relationship with God, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit. This is the most important relationship we have, one we ought to be investing in daily. This relationship is meant to be experienced and lived in words and action. Our actions, our works express, honor, and reflect our commitment and gratitude to God.

If you watched any old Kung Fu movies, you will see a disciple is someone who goes up a mountain to learn from the master, grows to believe in him, love him, learn and understand his ways, and faithfully serve the master.

Jesus wants committed disciples and co-workers in the vineyard. He does not need fans or to be idolized. He has no desire for spectators nor lip service in this relationship. As it is with us, words of love, appreciation and praise are not enough for Jesus. He wants the commitment and seriousness of our relationship with him demonstrated by our works.

On Sundays, September 29 and October 6, we will have our annual ministry fair so you can see all that our parish offers to grow in faith and discipleship. We have ministries to encounter Jesus personally and intimately, as well as ministries to serve and work in the vineyard. No matter where you are in your relationship with God, no matter your level of commitment of time and energy or your experience, Padre Serra has a ministry for you. Mark your calendar for both Sundays to stay after Mass and visit the ministries.

In these coming weeks ahead of the ministry fair, I invite you to give serious prayer and consideration to these questions: Am I simply a Jesus fan, saying all the right words?

Or can I call myself a committed disciple? Am I willing to trek up the mountain to study and learn from Jesus, in order to become like him, love like him, and to serve him? To what work might God be calling me right now?

See you there!

Siempre Adelante,

Teresa Runyon
Pastoral Associate

9/7/2024

Be Open

Hello Friends,
In today’s Gospel, friends of a deaf man bring the man to Jesus and beg our Lord to cure him of his deafness. The Gospel writer used the original Aramaic word Ephphatha, which we are told means “Be open.” As Bible scholars note, this was one of the few times that the original Aramaic was preserved in the Gospel of Mark. Perhaps the Gospel writer deliberately chose to preserve the Aramaic word Ephphatha, “Be open,” to describe how Jesus cured this deaf man.

I can imagine Jesus tenderly guiding the deaf man away for a personal interaction. Away from the crowd, Jesus is entirely focused on the deaf man. The touching of the ears and tongue gives us the sense that Jesus is not holding back in this compassionate encounter. He performs this miracle, and the man’s ears are opened to hear the word of God directly from the mouth of God when Jesus says, “Be open.” Scenes like this fill me with awe at what our Lord has done for us. He became man incarnate and touched his creation. He lived among his creation, cared for, and taught us how to live. I am encouraged to be open to hearing what God is telling me today. In the Gospel of John, Jesus told us that he would not leave us as orphans but that he would send the Holy Spirit; “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit helps us gain an understanding of the Word of God according to our disposition.

In our lives today, it may not be an auditory nerve problem that prevents us from hearing God, but perhaps it's the noise of the world that distracts us. Contemplative prayer can help us be disposed to gain understanding. In contemplative prayer, we tune out the noise. St. Teresa wrote, “Contemplative prayer is nothing else than a close sharing of friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.” We learn in the Catechism that contemplative prayer is hearing the Word of God (CCC, 2716). I don’t find it easy to do, but when I am intentional about creating a quiet space for contemplative prayer, I find it to be fruitful. Disconnecting from all media is a must. My phone can be a source of distraction, so I power it down or intentionally leave it behind when I make time to be alone with our Lord. God is always seeking us out, but there is much in our modern
world that can be an obstacle to being open to hearing the Holy Spirit.

Our task is to remove those obstacles and tune our sensitivity to be open to
hearing the Word of God.

Siempre Adelante

Manuel Leon
Business Manager

8/30/2024

The Importance of Sabbath

Happy Labor Day weekend, everybody!

While we take this time to rest and celebrate the end of Summer, the idea of Sabbath popped into my head. Especially the importance of rest and how God commands us to do so.

Working with families of teens, I’m starting to get a grasp of the busy schedules that we have on weekends. Whether it’s sports or work, it just seems like we can never get a break. And I know that this can bring about anxiety at times. I know that we all have legitimate goals that need to be accomplished and these should not be downplayed. But I also believe that God knows that rest is important in understanding our relationship with him. It may take some creative ways to find rest, but I know God really wants us to so we can experience Him fully.

God specifically wants us to rest with Him. Why? Because it helps us to see how loving He is. It helps us to see that God is always present, especially in the times that are peaceful. It is even said it scripture, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Through rest, peace is illuminated and we understand who God is. It is through rest that we can learn to worship even more fully.

I try to spend as much time in Eucharistic Adoration as possible. It has become easier for me to adore Christ in the Eucharist because it has become a time of rest for me. Sometimes when I pray, I have a glorified task list (pray the rosary, read scripture, written intentions, etc.). And while these things are very good, I’ve realized that I sometimes felt like it was a chore. To change this, I’ve taken some advice from some holy people who really showed me the importance of rest in Adoration. This has changed my perspective drastically and has allowed me to pray those things in my task list with more fervor.

I invite you to rest on this Labor Day weekend and on our Sabbath. Not just so we can refuel and go back into the “real world,” but so we can also see the importance of rest to allow God to speak through us.

It’s through peace, not anxiety, that we are able to see
God. Allow yourself some rest on Sunday, you need it.
Be still and allow Him to love you.

God Bless,

Brett Becker
Youth and Young Adult Minister

8/23/2024

As for me and my household we serve the LORD

Dear parish family,

I was out and about the other day when I saw a whole family dressed in their favorite sports team gear. I giggled as I thought even the baby had a team onesie. I guessed there was a game that day, and the family was ready to show their support. There was no doubt in my mind who they were rooting for. As I encountered them and seeing their excitement, I cheered them on “Go team!” The young son told me who his favorite player was, then turned to his dad, “He is the best, right dad?” Dad proudly confirmed and off we went our separate ways.

As I walked away, I wondered how much the little ones knew about their team. How often the family may have conversations on the team stats, and highlights that every #1 fan needs to know. I imagine the joy in the gatherings, the excitement when they watch the games. The commitment the family has made to their team, to show their support, and to let others know who their team is.

With this encounter still fresh in my mind, as I read today’s first reading, the phrase that immediately stood out to me was, “As for me and my household, we serve the LORD.” This made me think, are we just as enthusiastic about openly showing Love and support to our Lord as we might do with our favorite sports team, celebrity, etc. Do we proudly wear Catholic gear (sacramentals/ armor of God [Eph. 6:10-17])? Do we speak of our faith just as proudly with our children and all we encounter? Do our children know as much about our God, as they might know about sports/ video games /celebrities, etc.? When others encounter us, do they recognize we are followers of Christ? Am I living by this same phrase, As for me and my household we serve the LORD?

Parish family, I encourage you, talk to your children, youth and all your loved ones, about your faith and encounters with the Living God, with as much enthusiasm as we use when talking about those things we love.

Just like we invest time and money in extracurricular activities, with the same enthusiasm we should bring them to faith formation (pre K through adulthood), to the sacraments and especially to receive Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass. So that they have every opportunity to KNOW God, not just about him.

Siempre Adelante,

Blessings,

Tere Delgado
Faith Formation Minister

8/16/2024

Whoever eats this bread will live forever

Dear Friends,

Every 3 years, in Lectionary Cycle B, we interrupt the proclamation of Mark’s gospel for several consecutive weeks in the summer to hear and to contemplate the sixth chapter of John’s gospel — the Bread of Life Discourse. This weekend, we are about halfway through. In this week’s gospel reading, Jesus “doubles down” on his claim to be the Bread of Life:

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews who heard this “quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ Jesus does not back down at all:

“...unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.”

As Catholics, we take Jesus at his word and believe that the bread and wine offered at mass are transformed into the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, given to us to nourish us spiritually as we work in service to one another and to the world, to build God’s kingdom.

I am one who identifies with the quarreling Jews of Jesus’ time, wondering how this can be. Fr. Patrick’s remarks during his homily at First Communion celebrations a couple of months ago are helpful. To paraphrase, he says that the Holy Spirit transforms the bread and wine, and that no one can understand nor explain how. Happily, Jesus commands “take and eat” rather than “take and understand.” So when we partake, we trust in Jesus’ promise to be with us always, and to feed us so that we may have eternal life.

In the first reading this weekend from Proverbs, Wisdom (a symbol for the Holy Spirit?) invites us “whoever is simple” to “Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed!” This invitation is given specifically to “the one who lacks understanding.”

In the responsorial psalm (34) we are invited (exhorted?) to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” In none of the verses of that psalm are we invited to understand anything. Rather, we’re called to “bless,” to “glory,” to “extol,” to have “sought,” to “look to him,” to “call out,” and to be saved from all distress.

Eucharist comes from a Greek word meaning “to give thanks.” I think that the gift of Jesus’ body and blood, available to us every single day, is more than enough reason for us to do just that.

Siempre Adelante,

Dominic MacAller
Worship Minister