His Goodness Remains

Dear Parishioners,

As we sit in the glow of Christmas and approach the new year, let us reflect on our lives. The worst health crisis in a century continues to plague us with its invisible and invasive presence. The expiration date for Covid-19 however is in the works. We may not get back to normalcy for quite a while, but its tragic consequences may become significantly less. Hopefully at this writing, the election drama is over. Some political stability for me would be welcomed. I teach a class at Catholic University of America, and my grades are in and responsibilities fulfilled. 

I have experienced a different Christmas this year. Yes, there were gifts for the grandkids and new stuff for my wife. But as I write this, I am overcome by awareness of the true value of my family, friends, and church community. Simply put, God has been good! Our time has not been without great pain and difficulty. But God continues to be present and announces with the baby in the manger, the Eucharistic celebration, and the sacramental reminders that His goodness remains. His mercy continues to be offered. His love is still available. 

The truths of God have survived the near-death experience that was 2020! Our woes linger in our minds and hearts and touch our lives still. But God is bigger than all of these. He is a prayer away, and that is a prayer of thanksgiving for His glory. I pray for those I love, and those I know, and even those I don’t. And if I close my eyes, I can feel the warm love of God wrap me up. Like a warm bed on a cold night, God is there for us, eager to hold us in our fear, and anxiety, and doubt. He is there, present to us in our dark moments with His light of love and care. 

For me, I am sustained by the support of God who has walked with us most evidently, with that little baby and the manger, with the beautiful and sacrificing Mother Mary, full of Grace, and the great witnessing of Joseph. Let us fall into the arms of God who longs to hold us in his caring grasp.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

A Change In Plans

Dear Parishioners,

There’s an old saying that “if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” God sometimes has other plans for us, and they take precedence. This we see with David and Mary in today’s readings. David’s kingdom is at peace (2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16). He has subdued all his enemies on every side. So he thought he would do something nice for God. Certainly, it was a noble idea to try to please God, and we all should. However, if we really want to please Him, we should ask God what He wants. It’s like getting a present from someone who thinks they know what will please us. Only it doesn’t. In fact, it can be annoying as I have discovered; I am sure you have as well. What God wanted was to establish his kingdom through the House of David (the Church).

Mary, on the other hand, planned to live a quiet married life with her husband, Joseph (Luke 1:26-38). However, God had other plans for Mary as well. He wanted her, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to have a son to inherit the throne of David and rule forever. Fortunately, Mary said yes, “I am the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say.”

On a personal note, when I retired from the U.S. Navy at the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii, my plans were to return to Baltimore, serve in one parish until age 70, retire, move back to Hawaii, and help the church there. That didn’t happen as St. Jane’s is my third parish, and I turned 70 seven years ago. Even though my plan didn’t work as I thought, I couldn’t be happier. God’s plan allowed me to meet and serve so many wonderful people along the way. So if God changes our plans, it will work not only to God’s advantage but ours as well.

God bless & stay safe.
Fr. Carl

Trust In God

Dear Parishioners,

Today is the Third week of Advent when the priest wears light red vestments to signify the need to rejoice, to be glad, to be uplifting and joyous. But how can we be joyous under the circumstances of our lives? The economy, the virus, the politics? I know, the times are very difficult. We do have vaccines on the way that will protect us and hopefully provide some stability to our society. But I think the question is a more fundamental one. Can we find joy, those of us who follow Christ, even if things look like they are falling apart?

No doubt we can and we must. Our faith tells us that we believe in a power stronger than this pandemic, stronger than our economy, stronger than our political beliefs. Our faith leads us to trust in the one who loves us, the one whose word created us, and the one who gave his life for us. God’s love and mercy go beyond our suffering and difficulty. Are we lost because of the pandemic? Are we lost because of our struggles? It is under these circumstances that we need to look to God for guidance and consolation. Christ represents a power of love that is constant and touches all of us. As Isaiah says, the Lord “has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken” (Isaiah 61). Let us offer our brokenness to God and do so with every piece of joy we can muster. He is our hope. He is the surety that goodness still exists. His is the comforting hands that hold us in troubles. Let us look at the bright vestments and know that we are not abandoned but held in love and mercy by a God who is ever present and wishes for us to trust in his goodness and salvation.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

2nd Sunday of Advent: Repentence

 Dear Parishioners,

When things aren’t going well for us and life is a series of miseries, we need some TLC (tender loving care). With the effects of the pandemic, loss of income, employment, socialization etc, many around the world are suffering and could use some comfort. In the first reading from Isaiah (Is 40:1-5, 9-11), the people of Israel also have been suffering—for 50 years having been exiled to Babylonia. But now God is offering comfort to his people, for her slavery is coming to an end. Her guilt of infidelity in worshipping pagan gods has been expiated (forgiven) through 50 years of forced labor and exile. What a great sense of relief that must have been to the people. God will now come back to his people and lead them home over a highway built by leveling the mountains of their pride and filling in the valleys of their indifference. In short, they must repent.

We hear St. Peter says something similar in the second reading (2 Pt 3:8-14) as he urges the people to be patient with God, for God shows them “generous patience, since he wants none to perish but all to come to repentance.”

Finally, the gospel shows John the Baptist bringing many to God through baptism after repenting and confessing their sins (Mk 1:1-8). So it would appear on this second Sunday of Advent that God is encouraging us to prepare for our Lord’s birthday by repenting and going to confession. That will make it easy for Jesus to come into our hearts.

Fr. Carl

Thank God

Dear Parishioners,

At Mass we sometimes pray that we have an “attitude of gratitude” for God’s plentiful gifts. I am feeling that attitude as we close out Thanksgiving week and begin Advent. 

Our faith is like an anchor that helps to stabilize us when the ship of our life is rocked to and fro. I am thankful for my faith that I can rest my fear upon, that can hold my sadness, that counteracts my worry. When I am tossed about by insecurity, by loss, and by tragedy, God’s word leads me to the warmth of His light. God’s peace gives me reassurance that his presence in my life is the real truth I should attend to. His love offers a quiet repose from the hectic and unstable movements of the world. The love of Christ tells me that I am not alone nor am I drifting aimlessly, but that I have a strong relationship with the King of the Universe who will not allow me to be lost. 

I am grateful for the people that God has put in my path, good people, caring people, honest and supportive people. They create a strong fabric that holds me against the rips and frayed ends that naturally occur in this life. God has been a gift in the churches I have attended, within whose walls exist a shared beauty, a lived faith, and a powerful history of service, witness, and sacrament. I am grateful to my God who has offered hope when it was not readily felt. My God has come through with love and support when it was not expected. My God has given me the wonderful example of His Son, whose suffering and pain are lessons but whose salvation releases me from my own weakness. I thank God for the strength to continue on in the face of adversity and doubt, for the knowledge of His goodness, and for the blessings He offers in family and friends, in work and in joy. I thank God in gratitude for all that I have been given.

May you feel God’s care and blessing,
Deacon Steve

Sheep and Goats

Dear Parishioners,

What a nice surprise I had this morning. Joe DelSignore, the Grand Knight of our local council of the Knights of Columbus, met with me and presented a $5,000.00 check to pay for an upgrade to our live streaming video service. The sound and picture quality is vastly improved over what we had at the beginning of the pandemic. It should benefit St. Jane Frances for many years to come. Thank you Knights so much.

This past week, you should have received a letter from me with a summary of our annual report. Thanks ever so much for your financial contributions during the past year. So many of you mailed your envelopes in, and many others signed up for the online giving. Both helped us to do better than expected. Still our income was down 8%, and we had an extraordinary expense when we spent $338,618 to replace our 60-year old Church roof. We are recouping some of that thanks to donations to our monthly roof collection.
This Fall, the Church needed some masonry work. Some of the mortar around the bricks required replacement, and the limestone around the windows, doors, and railings had to be power washed because it was so filthy. Just see the before and after pictures on our website at stjane.org. Furthermore, the rectory roof was leaking and needed to be replaced. These additional costs are in the vicinity of $130,000. Fortunately, your past generosity provided the necessary funds for these expenses, but our bank balance is a matter for concern, especially with the pandemic still unsettled.

This weekend’s gospel (Mt 25:31-46) describes the final judgement where Jesus separates the sheep (those going to heaven) from the goats (those going elsewhere). The determining factor is generosity to those in need. Our parish is in need of more financial support. If you are able, I ask you to prayerfully consider increasing your support to the parish.

May God bless you and keep you safe.

Fr. Carl

Striving For Higher Things

Dear Parishioners,

I was hoping that after the election, things would settle down. However, the political convulsions continue, and normalcy is still far away. Both in the church and without, there is tension and agitation. In my morning prayer, what does provide relief from the pangs of the world is God’s steadiness. God’s creation in the form of a beautiful sun, warm temperatures, bright, colorful trees, and a constant of love and grace continue to signal to us that while human agitation is still present (and probably always has been), we are loved. Even in the thick of it, God wishes to enter our hearts with his steady and joy-filled presence. As Philippians 4 tells us, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” God has not abandoned us or left us to fend for ourselves. Will he ever? We can easily think so and convince ourselves that we are in charge, and it is all up to us. But no, God’s guiding and steady hand is on our shoulders. His law of love is written on our hearts, and no matter the problems of the day, His will urges us to continue to walk in goodness. Can we fail and succumb to the dark powers of the day? Can we give in to our base desires for control, power, and selfish fulfillment? Of course we can, and we will be the less as a result.

We must strive for the higher things of God, those things that are promised by the Holy Spirit. The clouds of human expectations can blind us to believe so strongly in our own plans that God’s light cannot be seen, and we are left lost and wandering. Now is the time to pray for guidance. Now is the time to pray for God’s divine inspiration. Now is the time to call forth from our hearts that we need God’s presence and guidance. We need God’s steady hand on the tiller of our lives. Our impulses, agitated by the politics of our day, lead us to seek some human recourse, when what we need is the great wisdom of God, guiding us in a great arc of love and peace.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Remembering Our Dearly Departed

Dear Parishioners,

Today, November the 2, is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, better known as All Souls’ Day. It’s a day when we remember our deceased family and friends. But we also pray for them and all the others who have died and might be awaiting entry into Heaven. Not all the good people go there immediately. For the Bible, in talking about heaven, says “nothing profane shall enter it” (Rev 21:27) as well as Is 35:8 and Is 52:1. You see, while God forgives us in the Sacrament of Penance, we have to make up for our sins. An Our Father or Hail Mary, although a sign of repentance, doesn’t really make up for all the damage our sins have done. That’s why it is a good idea to do additional almsgiving (donations to the poor), fasting, and praying. Some good people do enough and go right to heaven, while other good people need some purgation or cleansing in Purgatory. That’s where we come in as our prayers and sacrifices shorten the time of our loved ones in Purgatory.

As we remember our dearly departed, it would be wise to think about our end here on earth. Have you made a will, and is it up to date? What about your funeral? Have you left instructions to have a funeral Mass? A funeral Mass is infinitely more effective than many rosaries in compensating for our sins. If you are considering cremation, the Church encourages the cremation take place after the funeral Mass, and the cremains be treated as a body and buried in the ground or placed in a mausoleum or columbarium at a cemetery. Keeping the cremains on the mantle over the fireplace doesn’t show the respect the deceased deserves.

Finally, we are having a novena of Masses for the dead during November; it would be an act of charity to attend one. You can find the times in the church bulletin, online, or call the parish office. Finally, finally, it would also help your loved ones to visit a cemetery, any cemetery, and pray for your loved ones. Finally, finally, finally it would be good to talk to your family, so that they remember to pray for you when your time comes.

 Fr. Carl 

These Most Difficult Times

Dear Parishioners,

As I write this, there appears to be a surge in Covid 19 cases in a number of states. What does our faith tell us about where God is in all this? I believe that God causes the rain to fall upon the good and the bad, but I think he is saddened by the suffering that is happening. He hears the cries of those who are in pain. He gave us marvelous bodies that have great ability to protect us against various illnesses and diseases. He gave us reasoning with which to reason out problems and create solutions in the form of medicines, procedures, actions, and great knowledge. God gives us each other to support and love each other but also to use our gifts to aid others, to comfort others, and bring hope and care. God gave us his Son as a shining sign and presence that we are not alone, but that He is with us. 

I believe that God is in the hearts of the medical personnel who are working long hours. I have a friend whose daughter is an intensive care nurse in Kentucky. My friend prays that God is with her as she begins another shift, applying her skills to care for her patients. I pray that God protect my brother in Tennessee who works at Home Depot. I ask God to take away his anxiety about bringing home the virus to his wife who has medical complications. I pray for my Mom who is in a nursing home in Pennsylvania. At one point she had a roommate who had Covid, but she herself did not. I pray for the Michigan facility where my mother in law resides. She is weak and declining, and an added illness would probably overwhelm her fragile body. I ask God to strengthen those who work at jobs that keep the shelves filled and the doors open. I pray that God give courage to the many millions who are unemployed and not sure about next week’s food or mortgage payment. I thank God that my sons have jobs that allow them to do their work online with minimal visits to the office and so support their families. I pray daily that my granddaughter who is immune compromised, will stay safe as she goes in person to her special school. I pray for God’s consolation for my friend whose older co-worker passed quickly away from the virus a few months ago.

We call on God in our prayers, in our actions, in our love for each other. Let us fall on our knees for his mercy, consolation, and protection in these most difficult times.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Loving Your Neighbor

Dear Parishioners,

As the days become fewer and fewer leading up to the coming election, so many of us look forward to the end of the most contentious one of our times. Voices on the right and the left have been so mean and vicious that it has been difficult to say, “I’m proud to be an American.” Hopefully, the election will settle angry attitudes, so that once again different factions will be able to disagree more agreeably. 

Last week we saw opposing factions join together to trap Jesus and get rid of him (MT 22:15-21). But Jesus was brilliant and disarmed them with the words, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s but give to God what is God’s.” This week, some other enemies of our Lord’s, the Pharisees, try again to trap Jesus (MT 22:34-40). In asking Jesus which of the commandments is the greatest, they hope Jesus will make a mistake. After all, there were 613 commandments in the Jewish law. How could one be more important than the others? But, of course, there is one, and Jesus tells what it is: “Love God.” And even though they haven’t asked him, Jesus tells them the second greatest commandment: “You shall love your neighbors as yourself.”

Let us pray that all political factions may be able to adhere to the second commandment up to and following the election. But they better start with the first one. For if you can’t love the loveable (God), how can you learn to love the unlovable (your neighbor)?

Fr. Carl

Giving To Caesar

Dear Parishioners,

We hear today in our Gospel reading Christ say, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” (Mt 22:15-21) We are in a political season of great import but also, great tumult and intensity. Political debate is not so much debate as it is an argument. There is, at times, little dignity given to one’s opponent and insult added for good measure. For me, I am sickened by this level of acrimony. And here comes Jesus asking us to differentiate where God is in all this. It is a good question.

Where are we as far as the guidance our faith can offer? What does my Christianity, my Catholicism, call for in this situation? I refuse to fall for the call to hatred of the other that seems to be present. I refuse to see others as enemies or somehow less than full human beings. I want to keep hold of my peace that comes from Christ, my confidence in his Resurrection and Salvation. I must remind myself of his call to love one another, and—amid all the noise—to love God with my mind, heart and strength.

All of this will pass as will the virus. There may be rancor over these divisions that last for a while. The virus may leave its imprint on us for a while. But my faith is my anchor. It is the thing which I must protect and hold onto, no matter the circumstance, no matter the issue, no matter the current state of affairs. My faith is the light that will brighten my way when all this darkness engulfs me. Yes, I will vote, and I will participate in this fragile democracy. I will do my social duty. But I will also not forget the teachings of my Lord, the teachings of my Church, the wisdom of scripture. I will hold onto the stability and dignity of my faith that will, no doubt, still carry me long after November!

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Helping Out Where We Are Able

Dear Parishioners,

 As you know during these unprecedent times in our world, the Coronavirus has changed the way “normal” society and communities operate. We have seen the unfortunate outcome of businesses closing, people losing their jobs, and of course the adjustments with our day to day family activities. One thing that we are reminded of during these times is that we need to rely on one another and help out where we are able.

During the recent weeks, we received a request to help out an independent Catholic School who, because of COVID and regulations, were unable to use their expected space. After weeks of searching from Bowie, Baltimore, and Annapolis, Divine Mercy Academy still needed to find a location. After they wrote a letter to the Archbishop’s office, they were granted permission to hold classes here at the Parish Center at St. Jane Frances. Beginning on Monday, October 5, Divine Mercy Academy will occupy our Parish Center for their K–8 school of about 35 Children Monday through Friday.

Divine Mercy Academy will use our Parish during the day and will not have an effect on our current Preschool program in the school. Both schools will remain two different entities.

As always, we are happy to help out a sister Catholic organization as best we can, when it is needed. If you have any questions please call the Parish Office.

May God continue to bless you and your families and keep you safe.

Fr. Carl

What An Idea!

Dear Parishioners,

It is easy to get down about all that is happening. Social media reflects the great polarity of views that Americans hold concerning politics, government, social relations, sports, and even medicine. For me, I am tired of the restrictions in my life. I would like it to be like it was before. I liked my life before, but now it is difficult, and my mood is not happy and joy-filled. What has helped me is that I can pray to a God who is bigger than all of this. 

Humanity has always struggled with tension, division, war, and conflict. We are a selfish and self-centered lot, seeking control and possession. That is why the message of Christ is so revolutionary. We are to love each other. What an idea! We are to treat each other with respect. We are brothers and sisters. We are to seek the good for others. We are to work with others. God offers us a glimpse of a world that is so different than the world I see. And yet, there are examples of fidelity, honesty, care, solidarity, reverence, and healing everyday. There are many instances of kindness that people show each other. 

God is present in our brokenness. He does continue to offer us his mercy and love. There is a healing balm for our wounds that resides in the powerful presence of Christ, in his words, in his sacrifice, in his wisdom, and in his invitation. That invitation is for us to let go of our pride and anger, and to believe in the greater love that God offers. He has placed the Holy Spirit within us so that we may imitate Christ in thought and action. Let us allow that Spirit to guide us, to build up rather than tear down, to join rather than separate, to seek similarity rather than difference. We may try to fix things, but only through the perfection of God can things be truly solved.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

The Road To Hell

Dear Parishioners,

When I was a young boy and failed to do some chore or put off an unpleasant job, my father would call me in for a little talk. My usual excuse was that I intended to do the task but just hadn’t gotten around to it. My father would often respond by saying, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

In today’s gospel (MT 21:28-32), the older son intended to carry out his father’s request. He had the right intention, spoke courteously to his father, but never got around to fulfilling his father’s request. Meanwhile, the second son’s intention was just the opposite of his brother’s. But he changed his mind and did as his father asked. 

Why did he change his mind? Was it out of guilt or love or fear of punishment? Maybe it was a little bit of all those reactions. The important thing is that he did it because his father asked him. God our Father asks us to work for him in the fields of life. It would be best if we did it out of love and gratitude, but maybe we have to start with less noble motives. The important thing is that we do it and serve him simply because he asks us. After all, our loving Father only wants what is best for us. As the title of the 1950s sitcom suggested “Father Knows Best.”

Fr. Carl

Generosity and Thankfulness

Dear Parishioners,

Our Gospel today points to an important quality of God, his generosity (Mt 20:1-16A). This is a mysterious quality of God. God has given us so much, from the world to our very lives, while there is little we can do to make the awesomeness of His gifts. It points to the idea that God can give of himself yet never be diminished by giving. He has created the universe, has created humanity, and has given us the Holy Spirit, and continues to be present in our everyday lives. God’s generosity does not enrich God but leaves us with a beautiful world filled with wonderment and awe.

During the pandemic, I have watched numerous travel shows going around the world. There is such beauty around the world. The mountains, the rivers, the forests and plains, the magnificent ocean views. We are blessed ourselves with the Bay and its surroundings. If you let it, you can be filled with a great sense of awe and humility. The night sky, for instance, just can take your breath at times. 

What can we return to God for this gift of beauty and awe? Nothing really. But we can honor and glorify God in all his gifts. We can read the Scriptures and allow them to be a guide to our lives. We can attend to the life of Christ and live according to His example. We can participate actively and fully in the life of the church here at St. Jane Frances. We can appreciate all we have been given and all the lives placed in our paths through this life. We can thank the Lord for His work in our lives and strive to listen to His voice calling us to goodness and truth. Let us be thankful for the generosity of God, and respect and appreciate his creation.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Forgiveness

Dear Parishioners,

I hope you all had a relaxing Labor Day Weekend. This week, many schools will open with different types of settings: remote, classroom, and combinations of the two. Last week, St. Jane Frances Preschool opened for ages two through four. The three and four-year-old classes are almost full, but there are a few openings left. If you hear of anyone looking for in-school classes, please have them call the school.

Last week, the scriptures talked about love of neighbor and that particular form of love known as fraternal correction. To correct anyone is difficult and challenging, but to do it in a loving way is even harder. Nevertheless, we must try, for “we are our brother’s/sister’s keeper.” And it is one of the 7 spiritual works of mercy—“warn the sinner.”

This week, we are encouraged to grow even more in our love of neighbor by forgiving their offenses against us. After all, in the Our Father, don’t we pray “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us?” Since God has been generous to us, we must do the same and be generous to others. Besides, Jesus said at the end of the Lord’s Prayer, “If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you.” (MT 6:15)

Fr. Carl

The Language Of God

Dear Parishioners,

Love is the fulfillment of the law, declares our second reading today from the Book of Romans (13:8–10). This is a powerful text of great theological meaning. Indeed, love is the language of God. We believe that the Holy Spirit emanates from the love of God the Father and Christ his son. Love is that mysterious phenomenon that brings us together. It is that thing that attracts us to each other. The word is used to describe the highest form of adoration or value. We love what we hold dearest. 

Now of course I am speaking of authentic love, the kind of love that demonstrates a real caring for the other. Love is the life blood of a marriage. It is that glue that holds things together. It says that I hold you, my spouse, in great esteem and promise to love you as myself even in bad times. This is how God feels about us, He loves us. We are his creation and his children. His love wills for us to live. His love wills for us to be good. His love wills for us to respond to him and others with love. It is this love that causes the man to buy the pearl of great price. It is this love that causes the woman to give her last two coins to the Temple. This love planted in our hearts by God calls us to join this church. It causes us to open our hearts and give food to strangers, to give our time to those in need, and to pray for others who need prayer. 

This mysterious gift from God makes the world go round I think. It is the real gift we give our families, our children, and our spouses. It causes us to kneel before the presence of God when we come to church, to give each other the sign of peace, and to open our hands with a great “Amen” when we receive the Eucharist. Thank you Lord for this most magnificent gift of your being and presence. Help me to share it with others.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Second Chances

Dear Parishioners,

In last week’s gospel (MT 16:13-20), Peter was praised by Jesus for recognizing who He really was, “the Son of the living God.” Of course, Peter didn’t figure that all out by himself. It had been revealed to him by Jesus’ heavenly Father. Nevertheless, Peter was the willing instrument testifying to the Apostles and the world the true identity of the Christ. This week when he finds out our Lord’s mission (MT 16:21-27), Peter becomes an obstacle, a stumbling block to Jesus who rightly puts him in his place, rebuking him as a satan, a deceiver. So in the span of just a few lines in the gospel, Peter goes from good and strong to weak and wimpy. But don’t you and I sometimes do the same? We are living our faith in grace and peace, and then some temptation comes along, and we fall. However, Jesus doesn’t leave Peter in his fallen state. Six days later, he takes Peter along with James and John up the mountain to witness his Transfiguration as a sign of the final outcome to his Passion and Death (MT 17:1-8).

This all serves as a reminder to us that when we trip and fall into sin, we need not lose heart, for Jesus wants to lift us back up into his good graces as he did St. Peter.

Fr. Carl

Get Involved. It’s Rewarding!

 Dear Parishioners,

My wife and I had our 45th wedding anniversary recently. We don’t get each other gifts, but we usually go out to dinner for a nice meal. Well this year with the Covid epidemic, we ordered out and ate at home. It is a time to reflect and reminisce. One of things that came to mind was the many wonderful communities we have been a part of. 

We joined a Marriage Encounter group early on in our marriage that provided us with a wonderful group of couples to meet with, to spend time with, and to develop relationships. They taught us so much about marriage and the ins and outs of communication, sacrifice, and healing that are a part of marriage. These skills and abilities strengthen and sustain us as a couple. 

Another community that was instrumental in our growth as persons, as a couple, and a family was that of the several parish communities of which we have been a part. The opportunities for growth and relationship building that come through the ministries of the church, through the opportunities for service, have been wonderful and greatly fulfilling. We have never lived around family, so we have relied on our church as a place for community and a place to belong. We have had work for sure, but the parishes we have been a part of have given us the greatest foundation and space to find out who we are and who we are in the eyes of God. Our relationships with the several priests we have encountered on our spiritual journey have been powerful and given such a warm and strong sense of the role that God plays in our lives. 

Finally, our connection to the deacon community in Indiana is a cherished experience that formed us both not only as deacon and deacon’s wife but as people of the Word, Sacrament, and Community. God has shown a great light on our lives, a light of love, a light of joy, a light of community. I can only wish that you, as well, find such a place where you can thrive and grow in faith, service, and love. 

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Vaccines and The Rosary

Dear Parishioners,

In the late 1800s, a university student in France was riding a train and sitting across the car from an elderly gentleman who was holding a rosary. When the man began to doze off, he dropped the rosary. The young man picked it up and handed it back to him. But he couldn’t help asking the gentleman if he still believed such things as praying the rosary. When the gentleman said that he still did, the young student said that his university professors thought it to be an old-fashioned superstition and went on to talk about the more modern and enlightened view of the world. He said that intelligent people thought the rosary was nonsense.

As the older gentleman got up to leave the train, the young man offered to send him materials to bring him up to date. The older man kindly accepted and gave the student his business card. As the train pulled away, the young man read the card aloud, “Louis Pasteur, Director of the French Institute of Scientific Research, Paris.” This was the scientist who developed the process of pasteurization to increase the shelf life of milk, wine, cheese, etc; the man who discovered a vaccine for rabies, anthrax, and cholera of chickens; and the man who was known as a devout Catholic from Brittany (a province on the northwest coast of France known for its faith). On one occasion, he was told admiringly, “You have great faith like a Breton peasant man.” Pasteur replied, “If I had great faith, it would be like that of a Breton peasant woman!” It would seem that this great scientist also had the greatest of all virtues—humility, which led him to prayer and worship. As we pray the rosary for the discovery of a vaccine to combat the Covid-19 virus, it might be wise to say some prayers to Louis Pasteur, who developed not just one but three lifesaving vaccines.

Fr. Carl

Be Not Afraid!

Dear Parishioners,

I have always had a boat. My father had a fishing boat when we lived in New Jersey. We would go crabbing. I had a small sailboat after high school that I transported on the roof of my car. As an adult, I had a small fishing boat that I took to small lakes and ponds in Indiana. I have a small sail boat now that I take out on the Bay, although I am doing that less and less. But last year while on the Bay, a storm kicked up. I remember seeing the clouds and starting to head for port, but it caught us, and we were tossed around quite a bit. Now, I didn’t see Jesus walking toward us as in our reading today (Matthew 14:22-33). But I may have sent off a little prayer for help! Matthew provides us with a wonderful example of Christ’s love and salvation.

Our life these days seems to be a battle at times with a good deal of tossing waves and fierce headwind. Christ offered the disciples, “Be not afraid!” Let us put our faith in God’s goodness and salvation. He cares for us and wants to see us prosper. And he comes to us like for Elijah, in a small voice at times, a whisper. Maybe his whisper is in the small kindness that someone shows us, a small caring gesture that someone demonstrates, or an offer of help in time of need. These times require that we help each other. As God loves us, we are to love one another. So let us rest on our faith, knowing that it will be our guide in these tumultuous times. It will be the boat that gets us back to shore. It will be the light that shines when things are dark. It will be the voice that speaks to us, providing comfort and consolation. Thank you Lord for your presence in our lives!

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

This Too Will Pass

Dear Parishioners,

With the ebb and flow of the Covid 19 virus, our country has been like a giant yo-yo, down and up, and down and up. As the severity of the virus became more widely known and infections and deaths multiplied, businesses, recreation, churches, restaurants, and social gatherings were forced to shut down. Non-essential activities were closed, and we were down. But then the virus seemed to abate, and life began to return somewhat to normal. And we were up again. Now with an upsurge in the virus, we seem to be going down again and so, too, is our morale.

We need a little good news and encouragement which we find in today’s scriptures (Is 55:1-3; Rom 8:35, 37-39; Rom 8:35, 37-39). In the psalm response, we are told “The hand of the Lord feeds us, he answers all our needs.” The gospel describes Jesus showing people pity, curing the sick, and providing food for 5,000 men not counting women and children. Finally, St. Paul tells us that we will never be separated from the love of Christ neither by death nor life. In other words, no matter what difficulties or tragedies come our way, Jesus will be there to see us through into his everlasting covenant, eternal life. We need only to remain faithful. In the meantime, let us stick to the precautions prescribed by the medical community, pray, read the bible, attend Mass, and be patient. For this too will pass.

Fr. Carl

Pearl Of Great Price

Dear Parishioners,

I live with our daughter, her husband and three children. When I think about all that is happening in our world, it is often with a view toward what the world will be like for them? Our readings today offer some insight into that future (1 KGS 3:5, 7-12; PS 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130; ROM 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52). The Gospel from Matthew contains several parables about the kingdom of heaven. It is a place, a state of being that people prize and go to great lengths to obtain. It is described as a treasure, a pearl of great price, an abundance of good. This is the goal for which we are to give our lives and to endeavor to make real. We are to give over our efforts, our focus and our actions so that God’s reign may become real. We are to make goodness happen, to create a way of life that is worthy of Christ’s sacrifice and God’s creative spirit.

I want my children and their children to live their lives open to this goodness. It starts with following God’s commandments to love God and to love our neighbors. It follows also to participate in the community of Church and to have frequent and regular participation in the sacraments. The “pearl of great price” is not some possession, some wealthy piece of real estate, or an expensive piece of jewelry. Rather it is a way of life that reflects and respects God’s presence in our world. Because all people have been created by God, we are to hold all people with respect as we love others. That is why the focus that racism has received recently is also important. Racism holds others as less than me, less worthy of love and respect, less of a person. I want my kids and their kids to look to others without the bitterness, meanness, and violence that racism brings. I think a world without racial discrimination is one that manifests in part the treasure, the great pearl, the goodness to which our scripture today refers.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

St. Jane Frances School closing

Dear Parishioners,

St. Jane Frances has been a great school. I don’t think there’s a better one in the Archdiocese. From it’s inception 72 years ago in 1948 with 3 grades and 105 students under the leadership of 3 School Sisters of Notre Dame, the school grew into one of the largest and finest in the Archdiocese.

When I arrived here in August 2009, the enrollment for the 2008–2009 year was 568. But the stock market crashed in September 2008. It went down 771%, the biggest ever. So people lost their jobs, and enrollment dropped by 30% (171 students).

Naturally, rumors abounded that the school would close. That was never our intention, consideration, or even a thought. As enrollment declined over the next 4 years, the rumors of closure persisted, but we knew that with our faculty and staff, we were strong, vibrant, and viable.

Since then we have had good years and bad years financially, but overall we’ve broken even until this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Still we were determined and committed to continue.

However, while enrollment and reenrollment were not so bad, many parents were, because of the pandemic, reluctant to sign up for FACTS (the tuition payment plan). By the end of June, we had approximately 80 students signed up for FACTS and 80 not signed up. Therefore, we would not have the funds to pay the faculty, staff, and the other expenses of the school.

The school, as it was constituted, was no longer viable, so we had to make a decision and let families, faculty, and staff know as soon as possible in order to make other arrangements for the new school year before it was too late.
Our plan is to transition the school to a K-2 to K-4 and eliminate the K to 8 for the time being, in the hope of rebuilding in years to come. Hopefully, that will come to fruition in the not too distant future.

In the meantime, let us pray for all those affected, that God may comfort them in their pain and sorrow, and that good solutions will be found for all concerned.

Fr. Carl

What Can You Do About It?

Dear Parishioners,

I teach a class at Catholic University to seminarians about ministry. They are going into a vocation that is guided by the idea of service to others in their roles as pastors, teachers, and administrators. It is fundamental to our Christian identity and at the heart of evangelization. Christ poured himself out for others. He gave all of his life in the service of others. We are all to follow his example.

In giving to others, most of the time, the other person we are serving is different than us. Maybe they come from a different state with somewhat different cultural norms. Or they are different ages than us, or a different gender and subsequent different outlook on life issues, or their racial background is different than our own. However, an important idea that helps to mediate our service to others is the idea that we are all children of God made in the image of God. I look at the soul as that part of us that contains the fire that God put into it. He has kindled a piece of himself, and it resides in our soul.

Of course, we also manifest God’s likeness. Women, men, children, Asians, African Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, seniors, youth, babies: we all have been created in the image of God. The idea, I think, means that God goes beyond the color of our skin or the type of hair we have or the language we speak. It goes beyond the habits we engage in due to our culture and background. We all reflect somehow the parentage of God (and this is the miracle only God can perform) just as a child looks a little like both of his or her parents. We, as well, all imitate God somehow in how we are.

This brings me to a risky question. How are you with your Godly sisters and brothers? If we are all children of God, how are you treating and serving others, not just your family but others in your neighborhood? The protests around the country are calling to mind that some of us in this family of God’s children are victims of racism and not being treated justly. I am asking myself where am I with that, and what can I do about it. I ask you the same.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Freedom To Say Something Nice!

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate our independence and the many freedoms our ancestors won for us through their courage and persistence in opposing the forces of tyranny. Today, we enjoy freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech. However, none of these freedoms is absolute. If the press writes something libelous, it can be sued. If a religious sect practiced human sacrifice, the members would be jailed. Freedom of assembly cannot be used to justify treason or mutiny, and freedom of speech cannot be used to maliciously slander a person.

As Catholics, we have several commandments that deal with speech. The second, which deals with the Lord’s name, makes lying under oath not just a crime against the state but a sin against God.
The eighth commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbor” has for its immediate focus a lie or falsehood that does injury to one’s neighbor. That’s called slander or calumny. However, the Church teaches that the commandment is broader in scope and lists detraction as a sin against the eighth commandment. Detraction is the unjust violation of the good reputation of another by revealing something true about him when there is no need to do so. It’s gossip, and Pope Francis has spoken out against it many times. In other words, if we cannot speak good of another person, we shouldn’t speak about him/her at all.

This summer, as we socialize with our family and friends, let us refrain from any negative gossip, and build up the reputations of the people we know, the schools our children attend, and the parishes to which we belong. Who knows? Maybe we will start a trend towards a more civil discourse in our society and help heal some of the divisions that threaten the tranquility of our United States

Fr. Carl

Together

Dear Parishioners,

One of the things that I have experienced lately is that of being alone. Even if I go out in public to the grocery store or for a pickup at Target, with a mask on, I feel alone and separate from others. The pandemic has also had an insidious effect on my thinking in that I don’t know if the person who is approaching down the aisle or bringing things to my car is infected or not. I like to trust others and expect good to come from our interaction, but the virus has injected a degree of distrust into things. So, my recent experience has included a little bit more alone time and separation for others. Now I make it up with Zoom family meetings where the 5-year-old hams it up for the camera and makes all the faces she can. Also, I have connected with friends from Indiana online, and this can be personal and up close.

I am reminded that we are a communitarian religion guided by a triune God of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a God in relationship, expecting us as well to be in relationship. I do not simply relate to God in my own unique way, having a special exclusionary relationship. No, I am a child of God among many, speaking not as a me but as a we. For me, God is less exclusionary and more inclusive. It is not a special club with a secret handshake. I am a part of creation that God pronounced good in Genesis. In Jesus’ final discourse in John (17:22) he says, “And I have given them the glory you gave me so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one…” so we are to be one in Christ. He also makes the point that He is with us, and we are not alone in Matthew (28:20), “And behold I am with you always until the end of the age.” Let us find comfort in our being church together, having a Savior with whom we are one and Who is with us always. There is great solace in these words. May God help us to persevere through these tough times and remember our connectedness with Him and each other.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Mutual Sacrifice

Dear Parishioners,

Life here at St. Jane’s is starting to open up again. Our sinners are returning to confession Saturday afternoon in the Hall. The first weekend of Masses in the church saw an average attendance of 50 at our four Masses. And last weekend, the average was up to 75 per Mass. However, there is plenty of room; with social distancing, we can accommodate 126 individuals and even more if families sit together.

I am particularly pleased with everyone’s support. I have received a number of communications in support of our efforts to bring information and the Mass to you by electronic means. I also appreciate the continued financial support you have given either by online giving or mailing your envelopes to the rectory. Thank you so much.

The month of June is a month when many couples get married. In 1981, Pope St. John Paul II wrote about the connection between married love and the cross. “In the sacrifice which Jesus Christ makes
of himself on the cross for his bride (the church), there is completely revealed that plan which God has imprinted on the humanity of man and woman since creation; the marriage of baptized persons thus becomes a real symbol of the new and eternal covenant sanctioned by the blood of Christ.” In short, married couples are called upon to reflect on Christ’s sacrificial love and incorporate it into their marriage and rise above petty selfishness. As a reminder of their call to mutual sacrifice, it is essential to have a crucifix prominently located in the home, for whatever loving sacrifices a husband or wife may make pales in comparison to our Lord’s sacrifice on Mount Calvary.

Fr. Carl

Challenging Times

Dear Parishioners,

Isn’t it the case that life will always bring surprises.

Notable for me is the fact that astronauts from the US went up in a US rocket to the Space Station. It takes me back to the moon landing years ago when I was much younger. I can remember the grainy, black and white image of Neil Armstrong with his, “One small step for man, one leap for mankind” statement upon setting foot on the moon. The crisp images of the SpaceX launch and docking with the Space Station are a reminder of how far things have come. But also, we are in the midst of yet another death of an African American at the hands of a policeman caught on video. How much longer will racism show its ugly and vile face in our culture? And finally, it seems that the pandemic numbers are decreasing, slowly yet still with fatal consequences. The lower numbers coupled with the opening up of society, churches included, may slowly bring our world a little closer to normalcy. I don’t think however that things will be as they were, but we shall see!

We have been through a great deal of pain and suffering, and hopefully it will lessen. I reflect on these things because our Christianity, our Catholicism, must inform our reaction to the events in which we find ourselves. I believe that Christ came not only to reconcile us with God but to inform our way of life. We are to create with our lives, the city of God, the kingdom of God. I am reminded of the old adage, “may you live in interesting times,” very pertinent for the year 2020. It is also the case that God continues to be present to us and calls us to live out the wisdom of scripture, the virtues of faith, hope, and love, the community and holiness of church, the precept of service to others, and the embodiment of goodness and truth in the life and being of Jesus Christ.

Let us seek out the Holy Spirit as guide and companion as we live our lives in these interesting and challenging times. The mysteries of the universe are still before us, the challenge of treating all with dignity and respect still exists, and the need to care for each other in the light of sickness and death is still our call. God be with us, strengthen us, and lead us to right choices.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Welcoming Back Safely

Dear Parishioners,

We are preparing for your return back to St. Jane Frances. We have been busy ordering cleaning supplies, making sure that we are following the health and safety guidelines, and preparing for your arrival when we are able to gather as a large group. Just over two months ago, we had to close our doors to gatherings. We are very excited to welcome our Parish family back.

Even though we are in the planning phases of opening soon, please remember that the state is still under the “Safer at Home” order. If you are in the age range where you are at higher risk, have underlying health conditions, or are uncomfortable with attending public gatherings, Archbishop Lori extended the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass. We will still be live-streaming Mass at 5:00 pm on Saturday afternoon.

If you are attending Mass, please know that keeping our community safe is our Number 1 priority. When we fully open, we will be asking for your help. Enclosed in the bulletin are some new procedures that I would ask that you become familiar with before we open for Mass. Again, we look forward to welcoming everyone back safely.

Fr. Carl

Pray For God’s Strength

Dear Parishioners,

I saw an interesting article about how things may change as a result of the pandemic. It also spoke about how things have changed. If we imagine that we are slowly coming out of our houses, what world will we see, what culture will we experience and what reality awaits us? Of course, I hope for all the good things to remain. Although there is still strong divisions in our society, I have felt a sense of strong community as my wife and I walk around the neighborhood. I have had more conversations with people I didn’t know than ever before. There is a picture of a mountain range taken from a nearby city that has not been seen for decades from that location. I have spent more time with my grandchildren with whom I live than I really did prior to this. I have heard from friends and communicated with others much more than before. I feel a certain urgency and a need to connect with others which before would have been put off as, “I'll get to it later.” I have a group of friends from Indiana that I get together with weekly over Zoom. It has become an important part of the week.

Economically, it will be interesting to see what places survive and what places are gone after this. There is for sure great sorrow and tragedy in that loss for the people involved and for the community. We have lost a wonderful little coffee shop nearby for instance. I wonder as well what will be different about church? Certainly, we will have social distancing for a while and changes in how we do Mass. But will we look at church differently? Will we see it differently now that we have been kept away for a while? Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? But as well, has our relationship with God changed? Have we relied on Him to get us through? How is your prayer life? If it is the same as it was, then I wonder. My prayer life has taken on a bit more depth and seriousness. My brother had Covid but got through. My Mom in a nursing home had a roommate who tested positive, but she herself is negative for the virus. These are little skirmishes with death and doubt that call forth the need to pray and ask for God’s protection. They also call for thanksgiving at the little things that show us love and goodness. Of course, God will be the same. He is the same now and forever. He didn’t leave nor abandon us. Remember he doesn’t take away our crosses but helps us to carry them. So let us prepare to return to “normalcy.” I hope for the good and pray for God’s strength to carry us.

Blessings,

Deacon Steve

I Am With You Always

Dear Parishioners,

These last several months have been difficult and challenging to say the least. Closed restaurants, churches, and movie theaters; empty parks, sports arenas, and beaches; not to mention shut down businesses and the economy—this has been the new normal since the middle of March. The times have not been exactly uplifting. So it’s time for a change as life seems to be opening up bit by bit, and we are lifted up with the hope of recovery and better days ahead.

How appropriate it is that we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension when as we hear in the first reading that on a mountain in Galilee, among his disciples, Jesus was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took him from their sight (Acts 1:1–11). While His glorified body ascended into the heavens, so too must the spirits of the disciples be lifted up. And so too should ours be as well, for Jesus is showing us our destiny. But first we have work to do. In the gospel, Jesus gives the disciples and us our marching orders (Mt 28:16–20). He gives us the Great Commission to baptize and teach. In other words, we are to live and practice and share our faith boldly and without compromise. That’s a challenge, but we don’t have to do it alone. For his closing words are: “Know that I am with you always until the end of the world.”

Fr. Carl

Everlasting Truth

Dear Parishioners,

It has been a tough week starting with Mother’s day on Sunday. My mom is in a nursing home in Pennsylvania that is locked down. She doesn’t have a phone. My sister visited her through the window a couple of weeks ago. It was difficult not talking with her on the phone or in person. These times have brought unusual sacrifices to us. But as I look back on Easter, there was a part of Lent and Holy Week that was made real by our dealing with this deadly virus. We were not only giving up chocolate or TV. We were making a greater sacrifice for the greater good, for the common good. I was not doing my normal routine for the sake of my vulnerable granddaughter and for those others who are vulnerable. While we were remembering Christ’s passion and death, there were numbers being counted of people who were in fact dying.

The recent events in our country and the world in fact, make this living real and our choices, serious. I am sorry, but I am not one that sees this as a hoax or as, “just like the ordinary flu.” This has been a case of unprecedented sacrifice and restriction with great consequences for families and communities, especially in terms of the healthcare system and the economy. We have been given the example of Christ to carry us along the way. We had the Church with its rituals and deep history as an aid to help us make sense of what was happening. We were accompanied by Christ in a real way as we experienced an emotional reaction to events outside of our control, not knowing where this was going. Easter morning still came with its beautiful and powerful realization of the empty tomb. Even in our difficulties, in our uncertainties, our anxieties and fears, we were reminded that God is still present to us. It was still clear that we are His children, that we still have the Church helping us to work through our sufferings, joining with us, and giving us comfortable and familiar words and actions to hold on to.

The truth is that God still offers us his consolation and love, his care and mercy, no matter what the challenge. The words are different, the events different, the cause different, but Christ has always walked with us in our needs and uplifted us in our darkness. This season of Easter is perhaps a more powerful example of that everlasting truth.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

Dear Parishioners,

Happy Mother’s Day! This weekend we remember and give thanks to our mothers, grandmothers, and other women who have shown us a motherly concern. They have encouraged us when our spirits sagged and corrected us when we needed it. Their sacrifices on our behalf were great blessings which we can never fully repay. At the same time, we are mindful of those married women trying to conceive a child with no success. Let us pray for them.
 
This week’s gospel scene takes place at the Last Supper right after Jesus’ announcement of his betrayal (Jn 14:1-12). So naturally the apostles are upset, worried, and discouraged. To comfort them, lift up their spirits, and give them hope and courage, Jesus says to them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God and faith in me.” Our Lord goes on to assure them that he is leaving to prepare a special place in his kingdom for them.
 
As we continue dealing with this pandemic, a lot of hearts are troubled as many have lost loved ones, employment, or both. And we who have not been touched by these effects are concerned that it could touch our lives as well. So what do we do? Stay busy; practice social distancing; and practice the faith through regular prayer and reading the bible. These are some of the things we can do to keep our hearts untroubled and lift up our faith in God and Jesus.
 
And don’t forget your mothers and wives on this Mother’s Day.

Fr. Carl 

Seek The Comfort of Our Mother

Dear Parishioners,

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

I have been saying those words a lot lately. There is comfort in calling upon the Holy Mother of God to help us. There is a great consolation that comes from praying to Mary, gentle Mother. Her humbleness before God and her openness to God are characteristics that make her easy to approach. 

Reciting the “Hail Mary” brings a comfort, for it is a beautiful statement that conveys so much. In my meditation upon Mary, I am always brought back to the realization that she carries our humanity and gives it as a gift to Jesus. She reaches out to the divine and offers our identity as human beings. As a young woman, she says “yes” to God, giving over her life to a mystery which she scarcely glimpses. She lays down her life, puts it on the line, makes a judgment that will impact and direct her life completely. She is indeed blessed, and brings her love and dedication to Christ over the years to the Cross. She stands there at the Cross in unimaginable pain and sorrow watching her son die. It is only later that she sees him alive in his resurrected life. 

Mary has been remembered and honored over the centuries for her openness, gentleness, humility and persevering the arrow of pain that pierced her heart. She is indeed blessed among women and all humanity for the example she is of how to love and how to use your life in the service of God’s will. I have been thinking as well about the last part of her prayer. Mary pray for us sinners. We continue to need help in our weakness and selfishness. We need God’s intervention in our lives so that we may continue to be in a relationship with Him. But also—and I hope this isn’t too weird—we need to ask Mary to continue to be open to us at the time of our death when we are most alone and most vulnerable. Let us seek the comfort of Mary, especially in the month of May, so that we may take on her beautiful qualities and experience her comforting intercession.
 
Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Lifting The Haze

Dear Parishioners,

One of these days, I want to get back to the Holy Land, which I visited over 40 years go. While I then visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Seas of Galilee, and other places, I never got to Emmaus. This weekend we all go to Emmaus to hear the familiar story of the two disciples of Jesus walking from Jerusalem (Lk 24:13-35). Now it doesn’t come right out and say so, but they were discouraged and despairing over the death of Jesus. You know that because Emmaus is 7 miles west of Jerusalem toward the setting sun. And a Christian is someone traveling east to the rising sun symbolic of the risen Jesus because of his/her joy in the Lord’s victory over sin and death and his/her hope in the future.

It was indeed fortunate that Jesus came along to show from the scriptures that his death was all part of God’s plan over the centuries but not the final chapter. It lifted some of the haze around their minds until the breaking of the bread opened their eyes to recognize Jesus. It’s what Mass is supposed to do for us. The Liturgy of the Word (the scriptures) helps us to understand God’s plan and our way of personally incorporating it into our lives. Then the Liturgy of the Eucharist not only helps us recognize his presence under the appearance of bread and wine, but also unites us to Him.

The experience of those two disciples energized them to share their experience with others. May it open our hearts and energize us when we again gather at St. Jane’s for the “breaking of the bread,” the Mass, so that we too can reach out to others.

Fr. Carl

Divine Mercy

Dear Parishioners,

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. I have on the wall in my small study, a picture of Jesus with the blue and red waves of light emanating from his sacred heart. Written below is “Jesus I Trust in You.” When I consider His great mercy, his Divine Mercy, I am left speechless. How can we understand this divine mercy? How can we understand something that is divine in nature. How is it that Jesus can forgive so much of what we do? We all engage in things that go against God or turn our backs on God in our selfishness and self centered actions.

It goes so far as the understanding that it was our sins that he carried on the cross in his pain and suffering. We contributed to the crucifixion being as terrible as it was. And yet, he can still forgive us and show us mercy. I think it is probably true that there are things which we do not forgive in those people we know and love. We probably all have something, maybe small, that we haven’t forgiven in others. Yet Christ forgives. It isn’t that he doesn’t know our guilt. Christ understands the affront we have made to him by our sins. He knows the depth and breadth of it. He knows what we deserve. And yet, there it is, if we admit our faults and confess our sins, he responds with His forgiveness and His abundant and divine mercy. I cannot fathom how this happens or why it happens. I do not understand the mind of God. I can do okay with human beings. I can track where they are going most of the time, but God, nope. I do not know how it is that He loves us as He does and why He is so willing to give to us His many gifts. I will be the first to say that there are many things I do not clearly understand about God. This is one of them. But, I have learned that regardless of my ability to understand God and all that He is and stands for, I am to accept Him. I say “yes” to God as much as I can. If God says that this is how it will be, I am a fool to put up resistance! I have been shown by God in my life that His will is so far above mine! So thank you Lord for your forgiveness and your mercy. I will continue to seek Your will for me and admit my mistakes. Help me to be your servant!

Blessings, everyone, 
Happy Easter, 
Deacon Steve