(805) 482·6417
Padre Serra Parish
  • Home
    • This Month
    • Happening Now
    • Coming Soon
    • Mass & More
    • Events By Age
  • About
    • Parish
    • Gallery
    • Groups
    • Homilies >
      • Homilies 2021
      • Homilies 2020
      • Homilies 2019
      • Homilies 2018
      • Homilies 2017
    • Ministries A - Z >
      • Ongoing Ministries
    • Music >
      • Jason Stoll
    • Pastor
    • 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
      • Gospel Hangout
      • Growing in Faith at Home
      • Lord, Do You Really Mean 7×70 Times?
      • Live, Love, Learn
      • Praying the Psalms
      • Thriving in the New Year
    • Seniors
    • Becoming Catholic
    • Lent
  • Engage
    • Book of Intentions
    • Calendar
    • Fairways to Heaven >
      • Fairways Gallery
      • Register Online
    • Mass
    • Mass Intentions
    • 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
  • Give
  • Home
    • This Month
    • Happening Now
    • Coming Soon
    • Mass & More
    • Events By Age
  • About
    • Parish
    • Gallery
    • Groups
    • Homilies >
      • Homilies 2021
      • Homilies 2020
      • Homilies 2019
      • Homilies 2018
      • Homilies 2017
    • Ministries A - Z >
      • Ongoing Ministries
    • Music >
      • Jason Stoll
    • Pastor
    • 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
      • Gospel Hangout
      • Growing in Faith at Home
      • Lord, Do You Really Mean 7×70 Times?
      • Live, Love, Learn
      • Praying the Psalms
      • Thriving in the New Year
    • Seniors
    • Becoming Catholic
    • Lent
  • Engage
    • Book of Intentions
    • Calendar
    • Fairways to Heaven >
      • Fairways Gallery
      • Register Online
    • Mass
    • Mass Intentions
    • 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
  • Give

​News

Bulletins

OK, Fine! Anything If You’ll Just Stop Your Nagging!

10/18/2019

 
Picture
Dear Friends,

Today’s readings are among several that deal with persistence, an aspect of character that can be seen as a defect or as praiseworthy, depending on the circumstances and who the target of the persistence may be.

In the case of the first reading, Moses is persistent (with the help of Aaron and Hur when he gets tired) in holding up the staff of God. While he does so, Israel has the better of the fight against Amalek (who came and waged war). There was nothing magical about the staff itself. It was a symbol of Moses’ faith in a faithful God’s promises. It could be valuable to reflect upon who helps us with our persistence? Who is our Aaron? Our Hur? What is symbolic of our faith in God’s promises?

In Luke’s gospel, we have another story of a judge who fears neither God nor respects any human still deciding to render a just decision for a widow simply because of her persistence. I remember when I first heard this passage (many years ago) I thought that the judge in the story was a metaphor for God when we pray. It was only later that I realized that the judge in the story actually functions as a contrast to how God responds to our persistence. Again, when what we ask is in accord with God’s nature (kindness, love, beauty, truth, mercy, wisdom, justice), “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

One can almost feel Jesus’ weariness when he asks that last question. C.S. Lewis has said: “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are halfhearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”1

Perhaps if we had a better sense of what God wants to give us, it would influence what we asked for, and how persistently we did so.

In our second reading, St. Paul exhorts us in proclaiming the word to “be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage [emphasis mine] through all patience and teaching.”

It seems to me that persistence is also called for in our efforts to evangelize. To dispense with the million-dollar word, I could put it this way: persistence is also called for in looking constantly for the opportunity to introduce others to our faith by building relationship with them, and inviting them to come with us to Padre Serra – whether it’s to Mass, to an educational gathering, or to a purely social event.

Siempre Adelante,

Dominic MacAller
Liturgy and Music Minister
​
1 The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses


Comments are closed.

    NEWS CATEGORIES

    All
    Adults
    Advent
    Altar Servers
    Audio
    Becoming Catholic
    Behind The Scenes
    Bulletins
    Children
    Confirmation
    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
    Retreats
    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

    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, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 8:00 am
Saturday, 4:00 pm Mass on the Grass
Sunday, 9:00 am Mass on the Grass
Sunday, 11:00 am Online Mass
Sunday, 4:00 pm Mass on the Grass

​​Reconciliation (Confession)

Saturday, 2:30 to 3:30 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