Pastor's Updates
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Winter of 2022
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Mary is the Mother of God! This really is a bold claim and has caused and continues to cause confusion and controversy among Christians. Yet this title for Mary is accurate and true. Now, perhaps the reason why we have such a hard time accepting this title is because it seems to place Mary above Jesus. After all, doesn't a mother have authority over her son? Yes, she certainly does, but it is an authority that is exercised in love and one that is understood in relationship. A good mother comes to understand her son, and her authority is used primarily in nurturing, caring and loving him, so that he becomes who he truly is. Mary did all this with and for Jesus. Mary understood her authority correctly and did not misuse it. She reflected on all that was spoken to her about her child and pondered in her heart this unique and beautiful child, to whom she gave birth. Mary does not make herself better than her son, or anyone else. She, like all loving mothers, recognizes that this child is a gift entrusted to her care, who will be a blessing for her and others. The proof of Mary’s humility and thanksgiving is the Magnificat prayer she proclaims, when Elizabeth, her cousin first addresses her under the title of Mother of God. Mary knows that she has been blessed and chosen, and did not earn this honor; it has been bestowed upon her and entrusted to her. Mary comes to know who her son is and she becomes his most faithful, obedient, trusting and loving disciple from the moment he was conceived in her womb. Mary, help us to recognize that we too are blessed. Blessed to have received the gift of salvation through our baptism and confirmation. Blessed to have our sins cleansed and our hearts purified through the sacrament of reconciliation. Blessed to have the opportunity daily to enter into a personal and intimate communion with Jesus through the Eucharist. As we celebrate Mary the Mother of God, we are also entering upon a New Year in which it is our custom to make resolutions. What greater resolution than to adopt some new disciplines that will help us to be more authentic disciples of Jesus in imitation of Mary - the first and most perfect disciple. I challenge each of us to consider the following general resolutions for our spiritual lives this New Year: (1) Spend 10 minutes each day reflecting on the Scripture (Starting with the Gospel of Mark), (2) Plan to make time for regular confession either monthly or every two months, and (3) Do something every month to help someone in need. Through these disciplines, teach us Mary, Mother of God and our mother to be truly humble, loving, trusting and joyful disciples of Jesus.
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John the Baptist is a servant of the Lord and does what he is called to do – prepare the way for Jesus. He does this by preparing people to receive Jesus; receive his teaching and learn to live according to the Gospel. This is precisely our role! As we hear in the first reading we are called to be a “light to the nations.” A light does not attract attention to itself but makes other things more clearly seen by others. Our light is to provide evidence of Jesus so that those who know us and live near us will recognize Jesus and his teaching in our words and actions. Sometimes a light can become darkened and dimmed and needs a good cleaning. When the casing of a light is cleaned or polished the light shines more brightly. Likewise, we are polished and refined by God so that our light can shine more brightly and influence more people. We each face challenges in our lives, which help us to grow and to know ourselves more completely. We learn our limits and also discover our talents. These challenges present chances for us to grow in virtue. For Instance, we grow in humility when our weaknesses are exposed and in patience when our ability is hampered by age, injury or illness. When we are open to God’s grace in our lives, God uses these experiences to refines us. God purifies us as gold is refined in fire. Our impurities are burned off by God’s love when we allow Him to act in our lives. Each of us has limits, which we need to recognize and respect. Taking time to rest and exercise helps us to maintain good health and deal effectively with stress. Knowing and respecting our limitations teaches us humility. We all need help from others and to depend on and trust more fully in God’s love. Through our willing acceptance of our personal trial and limitations we can better understand ourselves and how God is calling us to be a witness of his love and truth to others. God can use what we see as broken, small and weak to bring us and others greater understanding, freedom, and joy. The following prayer shows what God can do with our brokenness:
“If you are indeed broken,
you need to gather up
each other’s fragments gently,
and remember how,
again through you,
God feeds so many
with so little.”
Jesus, help us cooperate with your grace so you can purify us and make us bright shining lights that will lead others to know and love You!
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Life is short then you die. This is a stark and bleak account of human life, but it is also a true account because without faith death is final. Yet our readings today shine a new light on this reality, and provide a meaning for life that was never before realized. “No more shall people call you “Forsaken,” or your land “Desolate,” but you shall be called “My Delight.” Jesus has changed our outlook on life; he provides the light of hope and the promise of resurrection! Jesus is our hope and the one who brings meaning and purpose to our lives here on earth. Throughout the ages people have been searching for the meaning of life. Books and movies are made to reflect what life is all about. Whether it’s a serious reflection, like Viktor Frankl’s book, “Man’s Search For Meaning”, or a more comical account, such as the Monty Python movie, “The Meaning of Life”. This search for meaning and purpose drives all of us, and our response to it either leaves us gloomy or joyful. Without faith and trust in Jesus, who comes to reveal the Kingdom of Heaven, we will remain in darkness and gloom. Relying on our own efforts and assets, we soon realize the futility of life. Without a savior; death is inevitable and inescapable and we remain lost and in despair. The Gospel account of the Wedding at Cana reveals to us the truth of God’s love and compassion for us in Jesus Christ. Desperate and in despair the wedding couple have no one save them, restore the party and save them from disgrace. Jesus responds with great compassion even for our seemingly small needs; he provides the wine so that the wedding may continue and saves the families from dishonor. Jesus is the Savior of the world and he loves each of us with the care and compassion we witness in this Gospel. Mary teaches us the proper response to Our Savior, “Do whatever he tells you.” Following Jesus will lead us to a life of hope, joy and peace through the path of holiness. The first Apostles heeded these words of our Blessed Mother; they turned away from their former way of life and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. May we have the same courage to be disciples of Jesus who welcomes us to hope and new life. We encounter Jesus today in the Eucharist. He invites us to accept him as our Lord and Savior and become his disciples. Lord, grant us the courage and grace to live according to your teaching. Yes, life is short and then we die, but Jesus shows us that death is not the end but the beginning of a life that endures forever!
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Look Intently at Jesus - He Is Here to Save Us!
Wisdom be attentive! It is wise to be attuned to what is going on around us. Every person understands this if he or she aspires to greatness. Business people are attune to the markets, the trends of society and the desires of the people in order to predict what business will thrive, or what stock is about to boom or bust. Sports players pay attention to all the practices, disciplines, and other specific regimens that will keep them ready to perform at the highest levels. It is the same in our relationship with God. If we want to be great, and we all should because only greatness will lead us to heaven, then we must be attentive to the Word of God. God is speaking to us constantly and his words are the key to our freedom as they serve to discipline our human desires leading us to become great. In the reading from Ezra the people are weeping as they hear the law of God read to them. Why the weeping? For some and indeed most perhaps they cry tears of repentance. Truly hearing and heeding the word of God will always convict our hearts of the truth and make us aware of how our lives reflect the truth and goodness of God. It is right and good to express tears of repentance, yet we must not remain there, “for rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength!” The Old Testament reminds us that yes there is the time for repentance, but a repentance with hope because the Lord comes to bring us Salvation. Jesus is the reason for our joy and rejoicing. We have an answer for our sins; we have the power now through the sacraments to live according to the truth. We can carry out the law of the Lord if we rely on the strength provided by God. Jesus comes to the people, a new prophet, to read to the people the word of God. He brings the reason for rejoicing, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor….proclaim liberty to captives….sight to the blind….let the oppressed go free.” Jesus proclaims today once again to his people, to us, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Do we believe? Are we attentive and ready to hear and heed God’s word? Jesus is among us. He is present to us in the sacraments, most especially the Eucharist. Look with the people of the Gospel, look intently at Him present in the Eucharist. See and believe. It is Him, it is Jesus our Savior. He has come to set us free from sin, despair and death. This is truly a reason for rejoicing!
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Summer of 2021
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Faith in Jesus, The Bread of Life
Have you ever been oblivious to the presence of someone in your life, or not accepted someone for who they truly are? The Gospel this week witnesses people who lived during the time of Jesus earthly ministry, expressing these attitudes. Some are completely oblivious to Jesus and never approach him. Others cannot fully appreciate that Jesus is the Messiah because they are caught up with his human appearance and what they personally know of him - “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Their unwillingness to see beyond their own observations and open their heart and mind to the full truth of what Jesus is saying, prevents them from experiencing Jesus the Son of God. We might think to ourselves today, “If I was there and witnessed Jesus on earth I certainly would have recognized and accepted Jesus as the Savior”. However, would we really? Faith in Jesus as more than just a human being was needed then and is still needed now. Accepting Jesus at his word and not only by what we can personally observe was needed then and is still needed now. Can we really say that we accept Jesus for who he says he is and not simply who we say he is? Jesus says to the people of his time and to us today that He is the bread of life and that this bread is Jesus’ flesh for the life of the world. Taking him at his word would then mean having faith that Jesus is truly present to us in the Eucharist, and that the Eucharist is essential for eternal life. The manna of the Old Testament was physical food that sustained the people only for the day for which they ate it. Jesus promises us spiritual food in the Eucharist that will sustain us for eternal life, because it is Him; the one who has come down from heaven to give life to the world! Let us take stock of our commitment of faith and honestly ask ourselves, “How do I express my faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? Let us work this week to increase our faith in Jesus present in the Eucharist, so that we better reflect to others that we are not oblivious to Him and we do accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
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Come, We Have What You Are Looking For!
What are you looking for? People ask us this question when they see us searching for something. So what are you searching for in this life? I think we all desire some share in happiness but where do we find this happiness? Some of the greatest saints began their journey to sanctity by following their desire for happiness. St. Augustine sought happiness in the pleasures of life and in the quest for knowledge and wisdom. He became a very learned man and accumulated many possessions, but they did not bring the happiness he sought; he was left with an ache for something more. St. Ignatius of Loyola sought happiness through fame and glory as a soldier. Yet even through his success in battle, he didn’t find a full or abiding happiness in his pursuits. Both men, through their authentic and thorough search for lasting happiness and joy, were led to the only one who can fulfill this otherwise insatiable desire ...Jesus Christ. Today’s Gospel helps us to realize where we can find true happiness now and eternally. Jesus knows what we truly need and how he can and will fulfill all our holy desires when we come and open our hearts to him. Jesus has compassion on the huge crowd coming to him; he knows that they need food and he provides for them through the miracle of the loaves and the fish. Our Savior loves us and will always give us what is best for us when we approach him in faith, trust and love. From whom or what do we seek our happiness or fulfillment? What is it that we seek above all else? Where do we search for happiness? The world leads us to believe that happiness can be found in money or fame and glory, but these things are easily lost and then we are left destitute and alone. Only Jesus and our obedience to the truth of the Gospel will bring us true and everlasting fulfillment. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us the truth of our faith, and helps us to form our conscience so that we know what is truly good for us. It also helps us to know what is bad for us and what will lead us astray. The best thing about the teachings of the Church is that it is available to all people, not just the rich and famous, and even when we lose our faith the Church does not abandon us. The Church always seeks to call us back to the practice of our faith so that we can find the happiness we desire. Both St. Ignatius and St. Augustine realized that true, lasting happiness is found only in God. We pray to the Lord that we may all discover and experience the superabundant compassion of Jesus Christ through our commitment of faith and through an encounter with Jesus truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist.
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Do You Love Jesus?
Do we love Jesus? Before we can respond we first need to know who Jesus is for us. Yes we know that Jesus is the Son of God; He is the Savior of the World. However, the more pertinent and personal question is this: Is Jesus my personal Lord and Savior? In other words do I allow Jesus to be the Lord of my life? The Gospel message this week reminds us that our acceptance and living life according to God’s word is that which will bring forth great fruit in our lives. Our love for Jesus means we keep his words; we live according to his word and plan for our lives. Jesus desires to be the Lord of our lives, because he wants us to know his love, peace and joy! To often we misconstrue the commands of Jesus to be restricting and confining. We think that by allowing Jesus to lead and guide all aspects of our life, we will lose our freedom and ability to enjoy our lives. This way of thinking and living is a temptation placed before us by our culture and the devil to lead us away from experiencing the fruits of God’s Word: true peace, joy and happiness. Jesus promises that for those who keep his word that He and the Father will come to dwell with him, giving us the peace that is beyond this world. Jesus knows that it is not easy for us to keep his word and be his disciples so He sends us the help we need through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will teach us, encourage us and empower us to love Jesus. Let us be courageous and generous with ourselves and entrust our lives to Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit for the courage and discipline necessary to live according to the Gospel - make dedicated time for personal daily prayer, time to read and study God’s word and time to pray together at home as a family. These are some of the practical ways we open our heart to Jesus, keep His word and make Him the Lord of our lives.
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August and September
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Month of May
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Fr. Gaitley's reflection - click picture
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Happy Easter! - April 12, 2020
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April 7, 2020 - Betrayal can be redeemed!
Daily Humor
Formed Faith Feature: Holy Tuesday - Jesus' prophecy
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April 6, 2020 - Lent is ending, or is it?
Daily Humor
Formed Faith Features: Palm Sunday & Holy Monday
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April 5, 2020 - No Palms?!
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April 4, 2020 - Invite Jesus
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