Do not be afraid any longer little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”. This is one of the many instances in the Gospels where Jesus encourages us not to fear, but instead to put our trust in Him. He is letting us know that God the Father is seeking us out and wants to give us the kingdom. We only need to trust Jesus and the eternal life that He promises for us.

In the three parables that follow, Jesus will drive home the point that we should not become distracted by worldly treasures but seek first the kingdom of God. We are both spirit and body, and Jesus understands that we have appetites that we will want to satisfy. The example of the steward who gets drunk and becomes a tyrant is an extreme example of what happens when God is no longer the primary mover in our lives, and the appetites have taken over. Jesus is telling us that God the Father wants to give us the kingdom of heaven, but our time and talents are not to be used only to enrich ourselves. “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be”. When we discover that our actions are not driven by a desire to serve the kingdom of God, then it is time to reevaluate and discard what has become our treasure.

We learn from the Catechism, that “God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him and so to come to paradise” (CCC 1721). We want to serve the one who loved us first, not out of fear but out of love. The caution against allowing our appetites to dictate our actions and behavior is because God knows that it will lead to unhappiness on our earthly pilgrimage and endanger our eternal salvation. Jesus will lead us to the kingdom of heaven, we only have to cooperate with His grace.

​In his encyclical, Caritas Est (“God is Love”), Pope Benedict XVI exhorts us to live the Christian life by willing the good of the other. Pope Benedict wrote, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” It is a privilege to participate in the divine life with Christ. As disciples of Jesus, we profess that God is the primary mover in our lives. 

Our lives belong to God, and discerning how He wants us to serve Him requires time with His Word in prayer.
We pray for the prudence and fortitude to be the faithful steward whom the master finds doing His will.


Manuel Leon

​Business Manager

But as Paul writes in his letter to the Colossians (today’s second reading):
For in him [Christ Jesus] all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Thanks be to God.

There is good reason for hope.

Siempre adelante,
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Dominic MacAller
Worship Minister
Readings

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Dear friends on the journey,

In these last weeks of the Easter season, we hear in the gospels that Jesus is preparing his disciples for his ascension. While Jesus no longer appeared to the disciples in physical form, they still experienced his presence through the promised Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the outpouring of God’s perfect love. Jesus often spoke of God’s love and taught his disciples how to live according to it. This love became present to the first Christians through the Holy Spirit. Despite facing persecution, they found peace and strength because of the Holy Spirit’s presence. This divine love empowered them to continue Jesus’ mission.

In the first reading, we see the Holy Spirit help the apostles in making important decisions by providing clarity and direction. She was crucial in resolving issues and uniting the early Church. The second reading demonstrates that God is not confined to a specific place or building, but rather God’s Spirit, is present always and everywhere.

The role of the Holy Spirit didn’t end with the apostles. She has continued to guide the Church, offering wisdom and support to leaders and believers alike so that the Church remains faithful to the mission of Christ. No better example than that of the recent election of our new pontiff, Pope Leo X1V, who seems to me to be an authentic, wise, servant leader whose entire life and priesthood has been entrusted to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Today, we are reminded of the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, in our own lives, in whom we too can find peace, strength, clarity, direction, and wisdom, who can help us resolve issues, make good decisions, and discern God’s will for us.
I recently came across this short but powerful prayer to the Holy Spirit. Attributed to St. Augustine, this prayer invites the Holy Spirit into active participation in our lives - to breathe, act, draw, strengthen, and guard us - so that we may open ourselves to God’s movement in and will for our lives. 
 
       Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
      Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
      Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
      Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
      Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
      Amen. 

This prayer and today’s readings encourage us to recognize the presence of Godin our lives, in our hearts and in the world around us. This constant presence is a source of peace and strength, helping us to navigate life’s challenges with faith and confidence. ​​

A father is talking to his young son at the breakfast table. “How do you like your new roller blades?” he asks. The son replies, “They’re great! I love them.” Capturing the opportunity, the father continues. “Careful son. Love is a word that should only be said if you really mean it. You see, love is an emotion reserved only for special connections. For example, you love me and your mother; you love your brothers and sisters, but you do not feel the same about the roller blades as you do your family.” The young man answers, “I get it, dad! Thank you. I just like my roller blades, but I really love my new hockey stick.” 

The English language can be confusing. We use the same words to express so
many different aspects of our lives, all with their own merit and individual intent. For example, in the conversation between father and son, both use the word love to define something held dear. Their perspectives, understanding, and personal points of view, however, are quite different but valued at the same time. We too act in a similar way. We even apply terms as synonyms, that if looked at more carefully, can fundamentally alter the meaning of our discussions. The same can said about love in the exchange between Jesus and Simon Peter in today’s Gospel. This time, however, we can get some insight by the Greek language. 

The two words used for love in the reading are ‘Agape’ (ἀγάπη) and ‘Phileo’ (φιλέω). Agape signifies a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional, and divine type of love. It is the highest form as exemplified by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Phileo, on the other hand, refers to brotherly and affectionate love. In context, while asking Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and each time inviting him to feed and tend His sheep, Jesus asks for love that is both self-giving (agape) and affectionate (phileo). This reflects our invitation today as we consider how to care for and support one another. 

Each of us is called to aim for agape love in our relationships with God and our neighbors. Such efforts strengthen our ability to also achieve phileo love. As Pope Benedict XVI said in 2009, “Self-sacrifice in imitation of Christ is the key to the Christian life.”
In short, placing God first in our lives through prayer, humility, gentleness, and selflessness, we open the door to recognizing His face in others. Our role is to become active participants in the process. ​​

We do not have to be perfect in our approach; we simply must be willing to share the Lord’s love in the world. The only question remaining is what will we do?


Endless Blessings,

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Deacon Luc and Diana Papillon

Dear friends on the journey,

Easter Monday was like no other. While still holding the joy of Jesus’ resurrection, we also gripped the grief of losing the “world’s parish priest,” the bishop of Rome, our beloved Pope Francis. No words will ever accurately describe this humble servant, shepherd, and reformer.

Francis’ first appearance as our spiritual leader indicated the man and priest he was and foreshadowed his papal ministry. On March 13, 2013, the newly elected pope met us in humility, breaking from tradition by wearing his own brown shoes and skipping the red cape. Before blessing us, he asked for our prayers for him. St. Francis of Assisi’s reputation as a man of peace, poverty and love for creation would inspire not only his name but his legacy. I’ll always remember the photos showing our new pope paying his own hotel bill and then opting for a simple Fiat for transportation. Even his burial reflects his humble simplicity. In homage to his devotion to Mother Mary, he will be laid to rest in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in a tomb buried in the ground, with no ornamentation and only the inscription: Franciscus. Francis is even paying for his own burial through a benefactor’s gift.

As our pope for twelve years, Francis modeled what it means to be a missionary disciple. As the second most traveled pope, Francis placed at the center of his ministry the poor for they are “at the heart of the Gospel.” Francis emphasized caring for the marginalized, the LGBTQ community, the immigrant, the vulnerable, the speciallyabled, the imprisoned, and creation. He was a trailblazer in reforming the Church to be more inclusive and affirming of women and the laity, to be more transparent in the abuse crisis and to be more fiscally responsible. Francis was a servant for peace, speaking out against war and violence, calling upon world leaders to do better. He opened unprecedented ecumenical and interreligious dialogues and relationships.

​Pope Francis was elected just as I was beginning my pastoral ministry. Francis worked towards a field hospital church. He was a smelly shepherd gently guiding with his flock. This is the ministry and the parish I envision. So let us continue the work of Pope Francis as humble missionary disciples who care for the poor in this life.

Dear Friends,
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With more of Lent 2025 in the rearview mirror than in front of us, and with Holy Week and Easter not far ahead, it seems a good time to take stock of where we are in our quest for closeness with God. Today’s Scripture readings (we’ll hear different ones at 11:00 am because of the 3rd Scrutiny of the Elect) begin with a passage from Isaiah:

            Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs                      forth, do you not perceive it?

I must confess that my knee-jerk answer to that question is often “no.” But when I take the (sometimes) long view back, I can see — if not the actual working of God “doing something new” — then perhaps the fruit of that. The issue there isn’t God – it’s me. I’m reminded of this excerpt from the Prayer of Teilhard de Chardin:

            Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
            We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
            We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
            We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.

I’ve mentioned the bridge between the Gospel and the Old Testament reading that is so often there in our Sunday Liturgy of the Word. Today’s Gospel story from John is that of the Lord’s mercy to the woman caught in the very act of adultery. Jesus here is certainly “doing something new.” In the hope of bringing a charge against him, the scribes and Pharisees quote the law that commands such a woman be stoned and await Jesus’ response.

Jesus’ “something new” is, of course, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one her accusers left until there was no one left to condemn her (and no plausible charge to be brought against him, either). Jesus says “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” How active the spirit of wisdom is. Jesus teaches a gentle lesson in humility to a crowd on the cusp of self-righteous violence. His appeal to their better selves saves them and their intended victim from a terrible sinful action. He certainly must have surprised the poor woman in the story with such mercy.
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But remember that Jesus also said he had not come to abolish the law and the prophets, but rather to fulfill them. Perhaps the most important “new thing” is his revealing the deep tender love and mercy that lies at the foundation of the law and the prophets, the bedrock upon which the Word of God (Jesus himself) stands.

Hello Friends,

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal about a homeless man’s journey gripped my attention. The homeless man, Rob, was a husband, father, and successful lawyer living what most would see as a good life. Mental illness took hold, and a downward spiral commenced. By the time the article was written, he had been on the streets of Los Angeles for two years. Unfortunately, like many homeless, the mental illness made him believe he was fine living on the streets of LA. He was not dangerous to other people, and he could be completely lucid. Rob had many people who loved him and wanted to help him escape the streets. He is from Virginia, and his mother and sister worried about him constantly. They tried to help him many times. But as is the story with many homeless people, Rob came to believe that he preferred the streets rather than being subjected to treatment for his mental illness.

I see God acting in our world today, and I can see it in Rob’s story. Rob’s mother prayed that her son would get off the streets and take medication that would heal his mental illness. The miracle came after Rob once again talked his way out of a treatment facility. While back on the streets, the glow in the sky and debris from the recent LA fires triggered something in him. The miracle came when he contacted his mother in Virginia and asked her if he could go home.

Like the father in our Gospel story today, Rob’s mother wasted no time running out to meet her son. She immediately flew to LA, found Rob at the library in Silver Lake, and took him to his childhood home in Virginia, where he began his recovery. God willing, this will be the beginning of Rob’s sustainable recovery. I have zero expertise to comment on the mental illness factor, but I can’t help but see conversion in Rob’s story. In a moment of clarity, he asks to return home.

In today’s Gospel, there are two brothers—and two conversion stories. There is the more well-known conversion of the prodigal son. But the older brother is also in need of conversion. The parable reveals that the older brother’s adherence to the father’s commandments was not done with a loving heart. The older brother’s resentment spews out in anger toward the father. We don’t know the reaction of the older son when his father responds to the anger with love and mercy. “My son, you are here with me always Everything I have is yours.” The older brother’s character reminds us that conversion is a lifetime process.
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Pope Francis spoke pointedly to Vatican officials in 2022 on the need for lifetime conversion. This was in the context that we should not think of ourselves as safe just because we are now home in the Church. The message resonates with me because I spend my days at the parish. The Pope said, “Let me put it this way: they are ‘elegant demons’: they enter smoothly, without our even being conscious of them. Only the daily practice of the examination of conscience can enable us to be aware of them. Hence the importance of the examination of conscience, to keep watch over our house.”

Dear friends on the journey,

Have you heard the modern-day parable of the man caught in a storm? With flood waters rising, he takes to his roof, praying for God to save him. Along comes a rowboat. When asked to get in the boat, the man declines, saying, “God will save me. I have faith.” This happens again when a motor boat comes along. Again the man declines and continues praying for God to save him. Finally, as the water rises higher, a helicopter flies over, dangling a rope, with an invitation to climb up. The man declines once more, sure that God will save him. He eventually drowns and dies. Upon arrival in heaven, the man asks God why he was not saved. God replied, “I sent you two boats and a helicopter. What more did you want?”

Today’s readings remind me of this story. The Israelites have long been enslaved in Egypt, but seeing their suffering and pain, God promises to Moses to save them from slavery. Moses asks God for a response to the anticipated question from the Israelites about whom sent Moses. God tells Moses to say, “I AM sent me to you.”

In today’s gospel, Jesus offers the parable of the fig tree that has not produced fruit in three years. The gardener assures the owner, who’s ready to cut down the seemingly dead tree, that with good cultivation, fertilization, and patience, the fig tree will yield fruit in one year.

We often feel trapped by our own sins and problems and, like the Israelites in Egypt, can feel like there is no escape. But God’s promise shows that there is always hope. God’s action in freeing the Israelites is a reminder of God’s constant love and desire for our freedom from the struggles that bind us. We are called to trust in God’s timing and ways.
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Luke’s parable highlights God’s patience. The gardener’s request for more time is a reminder that God does not give up on us easily. God gives us time to change and grow in faith. However, we must respond to this opportunity. We are called to use the time wisely by cultivating and fertilizing our soil of faith.

Dear Parish Family,

I wish you all a joyful Lenten season. I wonder how many of you may think why I would use the word joyful when so often we think of the Lenten season as a time of sacrifice and giving up many of our favorite indulgences. A time where some would say we are more somber and reflective, perhaps even mournful. I say joyful because every Lent is an opportunity to hit restart or have a do over, in our lives. It’s the perfect time not only to abandon self-destructive habits, but also to form new life-giving habits, habits that can extend beyond the 40 days of Lent. This should fill us with hope and joy, that it is not too late to start over again. I love the way Fr. Patrick reminds us about our Lenten sacrifices, how it is OK if we fail, they should be difficult and challenging. Yet we must remember though we may fail, we should start again every time this is how we know it is worth doing.

Parish family, another reason this should fill us with joy, we do not do this alone — our Lord is with us in our journey. There is no sacrifice or difficulty that we encounter in our lives that our Lord Jesus did not endure himself.

In our Gospel today, we hear about how Jesus was tempted in the desert by the devil. He was tempted in his physical human needs, knowing Jesus was experiencing hunger. He tempted him in his emotional and spiritual needs, offering him power and glory. He was provoked and taunted to prove he was God. Yet our Lord did not fall for the devil's tricks. He chose to fully trust in God the father’s will for him. He used his time in the wilderness to pray and prepare himself for his mission. In a similar way during this Lenten season let us take the time to reflect on the choices that we make each day, how this reflects our priorities and what we consider to be important to us. Is our relationship with God the priority of our lives? How much time do we spend with our Lord? What about our relationships with the body of Christ? Is there someone we have neglected or we need to reconcile with? How are we preparing to fulfill our mission?
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Jesus’s response to the devil’s temptations remind us that God is to take priority in our lives. Our Lenten practices prepare us to choose God above everything else in our lives. As we journey in those moments of wilderness in our lives, let us use those moments to pray and reflect. But we can not stay there, we must return and take action, make changes that bring us closer to our Lord. Where we can magnify the Lord that lives in us. With the confidence and trust that our God will give us the strength we need to do all things.

In this spirit, I suggest a simple Lenten challenge this week, not just to give something up but to take action. Such as to phone a long lost friend or relative, and reconnect, visit a sick person, or invite someone to join you to Mass next Sunday. What a joyous encounter this could be. Whatever it may be, may it bring you closer to our Lord.

I will be praying for you, please pray for me too.

Siempre Adelante,
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Tere Delgado
Faith Formation Minister 

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