Dear Parishioners,
Our readings today illustrate the commandments that Jesus has given us (Mk 12:28b-34). He asks us to love God with all our being and to love each other. Of course, these lead to a beautiful, full and balanced life if we follow them. There is no room for hatred, injustice, selfishness or pride. We are to bow down to worship God our Father, our creator, Jesus His son, our friend and Savior and the Holy Spirit, the gift of power that opens our minds and hearts. We are to love those in our lives who are on the journey with us. We are to love all humanity, for we are all children of God. We all know the commands of God. We know what he expects of us. It is in the doing that we often fail and fall down. It is that little anger or resentment, that selfish desire, that bad habit, that automatic thought that takes us away from God that we need to worry about. It is that stranger we don’t trust, that person who hurts us that we suspect, that individual whom we do not understand that we avoid. In little pieces, here and there, we cut ourselves off from God’s love, and we fail. Let us today hear God’s word, that perfect healing word, that life-giving word that extends us to the fullness of His love. Yes, it is risky. Yes, it is uncomfortable. Yes, it is challenging. But the Church has been carried on the shoulders of those who follow these commands for two millennium. Can we also carry it for a little while?
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Rev. Stephen Hook is Pastor of the Pastorate of the Visitation which includes the Catholic Churches of Pasadena, Maryland: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Riviera Beach) and Our Lady of the Chesapeake (Lakeshore). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Rev. John Belinki, Deacon Howard Klohr, and Deacon Rick Clemens. To learn more about our pastorate, please visit www.catholicpasadena.org.
