(805) 482·6417
Padre Serra Parish
  • Home
    • This Month
    • Happening Now
    • Coming Soon
    • Quick Links
    • Events By Age
  • About
    • Parish
    • Gallery
    • Groups
    • Homilies >
      • Homilies 2021
      • Homilies 2020
      • Homilies 2019
      • Homilies 2018
      • Homilies 2017
    • Ministries >
      • Ministries A - Z
      • Ongoing Ministries
    • Music >
      • Music Ministries
      • Jason Stoll
    • Pastor >
      • Fr. Patrick Mullen
      • Fr. Patrick Online
    • Prayer
    • Sacraments >
      • Baptism
      • Reconciliation
      • Eucharist
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage >
        • Wedding Liturgy Music Planner
      • Holy Orders
      • Anointing of the Sick
    • Stations of the Cross
  • Encounter
    • Children >
      • Spark! at Home
      • Spark! Grade 5
      • Faith Formation Videos
    • Youth
    • Young Adults
    • Adults >
      • A Retreat with Mark's Gospel
      • The Bible and the Church Fathers
      • Catholics in Conversation
      • Catholic Social Teaching
      • ChitChat
      • Gospel Hangout
      • Growing in Faith at Home
      • JustFaith
      • Lord, Do You Really Mean 7×70 Times?
      • Live, Love, Learn
      • Praying the Psalms
      • The University Series
      • Thriving in the New Year
    • Seniors
    • Becoming Catholic
  • Engage
    • Book of Intentions
    • Calendar
    • Fairways to Heaven >
      • Fairways Gallery
      • Register Online
    • Mass
    • Mass Intentions
    • Retreats
    • Reopening Home
    • Presiders
    • Sponsors
    • Volunteer
  • Contact
    • Baptisms
    • Contact Us
    • Directory
    • eNews Sign up
    • Funerals
    • I need help
    • Join
    • Weddings
    • Safeguard the Children >
      • VIRTUS®
      • Fingerprinting
    • Serra Center
  • News
    • COVID-19
    • Watch
  • Donate
  • Home
    • This Month
    • Happening Now
    • Coming Soon
    • Quick Links
    • Events By Age
  • About
    • Parish
    • Gallery
    • Groups
    • Homilies >
      • Homilies 2021
      • Homilies 2020
      • Homilies 2019
      • Homilies 2018
      • Homilies 2017
    • Ministries >
      • Ministries A - Z
      • Ongoing Ministries
    • Music >
      • Music Ministries
      • Jason Stoll
    • Pastor >
      • Fr. Patrick Mullen
      • Fr. Patrick Online
    • Prayer
    • Sacraments >
      • Baptism
      • Reconciliation
      • Eucharist
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage >
        • Wedding Liturgy Music Planner
      • Holy Orders
      • Anointing of the Sick
    • Stations of the Cross
  • Encounter
    • Children >
      • Spark! at Home
      • Spark! Grade 5
      • Faith Formation Videos
    • Youth
    • Young Adults
    • Adults >
      • A Retreat with Mark's Gospel
      • The Bible and the Church Fathers
      • Catholics in Conversation
      • Catholic Social Teaching
      • ChitChat
      • Gospel Hangout
      • Growing in Faith at Home
      • JustFaith
      • Lord, Do You Really Mean 7×70 Times?
      • Live, Love, Learn
      • Praying the Psalms
      • The University Series
      • Thriving in the New Year
    • Seniors
    • Becoming Catholic
  • Engage
    • Book of Intentions
    • Calendar
    • Fairways to Heaven >
      • Fairways Gallery
      • Register Online
    • Mass
    • Mass Intentions
    • Retreats
    • Reopening Home
    • Presiders
    • Sponsors
    • Volunteer
  • Contact
    • Baptisms
    • Contact Us
    • Directory
    • eNews Sign up
    • Funerals
    • I need help
    • Join
    • Weddings
    • Safeguard the Children >
      • VIRTUS®
      • Fingerprinting
    • Serra Center
  • News
    • COVID-19
    • Watch
  • Donate

​News

Bulletins

The Good, the Bad and the Heavenly

7/21/2017

 
Picture
My Dear Parish Family,

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that the kingdom is like the good seed and the bad seed. This reminds me of my Catholic high school religion class when we learned about the ancient Chinese concept of yin and yang. Black and white. Sun and shade. The idea I remember is that without darkness, we cannot know light. Without sadness, we cannot know joy. Without bad, we cannot know good. These seeming opposites are actually complimentary and necessary. Two halves that together complete wholeness.

Interestingly, newborns literally see only black and white. Toddlers learn basic concepts in opposites, up and down, in and out. Young children study patterns to learn basic math concepts. Square, circle, square, circle, square …. Children see moral issues clearly as black or white until about mid­to­late middle school when they begin to see that life presents gray areas.

If all we had was wheat, we would stop noticing it. It is precisely because of the weeds that we can distinguish the wheat and therefore appreciate it, treasure it, care for it. Our impulse to discard the bad is natural. Jesus said to let them grow together. Presumably, to see one, find favor with one, reject one, choose one, discard one.

With yin and yang, as one part decreases, the other part increases to maintain the overall balance of the whole. I think of the wheat and the weeds in my own life. What can I do to increase the wheat and reduce the weeds? It definitely takes work and intent and patience then more work like a real garden. I wonder if Jesus gave us another yin and yang in Reconciliation and Holy Communion. One removes the bad, kills the weeds and one feeds, nourishes and strengthens us for life in the garden.

God is merciful because we need mercy. God is love because we are lovable. So let’s love.

It is all about Jesus’ great love for us. How do we live that love? How do we show that love to all we meet?

The kingdom is like … sharing an ice cream with a grandchild, lingering in conversation at the dinner table, road trips, giggles, smiles shared, picnics, helping and being needed, cool water and warm sand, fresh­cut flowers, comfy cushions, sending and receiving caring messages, movies and music, a crackling fire on a chilly evening, candlelight … being connected with the people that God has put in our lives and being connected with God. With hearts on fire for God and Jesus by our side, every day is heavenly. 

Siempre adelante,
Eve Collier
​Parish Life Minister
July 23, 2017


Comments are closed.

    NEWS CATEGORIES

    All
    Adults
    Advent
    Altar Servers
    Audio
    Becoming Catholic
    Behind The Scenes
    Bulletins
    Children
    Confirmation
    Easter
    Eucharist
    Events
    Everyone
    Faith Formation
    Friday
    Funerals & Memorials
    Giving
    Knights Of Columbus
    Lent
    Liturgy
    Men
    Message Of The Week
    Monday
    Music
    Ongoing
    Other Notes
    Parish Safeguard
    Photo Albums
    Reconciliation
    RSVP
    Saturday
    Scouts
    Seasonal
    Seniors
    SMMS
    Special Needs
    Spiritual
    Sunday
    Support
    SVdP
    Thursday
    Tuesday
    Virtual
    Volunteer
    Wednesday
    Wellness
    Women
    Workshops
    Young Adults
    Youth


    Past News
    ARCHIVES

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    January 2017
    May 2016
    April 2016
    September 2015
    April 2015


    RSS Feed

Mass Schedule

Monday to Friday, 8:00 am
Saturday, 5:00 pm Mass on the Grass
Sunday, 9:00 am Mass on the Grass
Sunday, 11:00 am Online Mass
Sunday, 5:00 pm Mass on the Grass

​​Reconciliation (Confession)

Saturday, 3:30 to 4:30 pm
​​or by appointment:
Barbara Morgan
​
​(805) 482·6417 x324​

Blessed Sacrament Chapel Hours

Monday, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesday, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Friday, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Vertical Divider

Telephone

(805) 482 · 6417
(805) 987 · 8100  FAX

For emergencies requiring
a priest after hours,
such as serious illness or death,
​please call:

​(805) 512 · 3208

Email Us

(staff first name)@padreserra.org
​
parish@padreserra.org

Address​

5205 Upland Road, Camarillo, CA 93012

Guest WiFi

Login: psp-guest
​Password: pspwelcome
Bulletin
Calendar
Donate
Join Email List
For eNews you can trust.
Sitemap

Staff Login​

​Contact Communication

​Disclaimer