Seeking the Kingdom of Heaven

Dear Parishioners,

If you seek knowledge about God’s Kingdom of Heaven, you need not look for it in a cathedral, or by taking a pilgrimage to a holy place or by attending a seminary. Of course God is to be found in these places, but you can also find the Kingdom of Heaven breaking through into this world in the laughter of children, the knowing glance of an elderly couple who still hold hands after many years of marriage, the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset, the forgiving embrace of a friend, the hospitality of a stranger, or the generosity of people caring for those less fortunate than themselves. To seek the Kingdom of God, we must use the language found here on earth…words like joy, sacrifice, surprise and abundance. Here is where we find the treasure buried in a field, where the proverbial “X” marks the spot for us to begin digging for the treasure of heaven.

- Deacon Robert

“Do not allow yourselves to be
overly saddened by the unfortunate
accidents of this world. You are not
aware of the benefits they bring and by
what secret judgment of God they are
arranged for the eternal joy of the elect.”
- St. John of the Cross

Saints and Sinners

Dear Parishioners,

The Catholic Church has always been a mix of saints and sinners. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. Some who appear to be saints have hidden vices, while others who seem to be sinners have hidden virtues. So it is good to follow our Lord’s advice elsewhere in the gospel, “Judge not lest you be judged.”

Furthermore, the gospel is a reminder of God’s patience in allowing the weeds to remain in the wheat field. What may appear to be weeds may turn out to be wheat and vice versa.

If we examine our lives, we will see that there were times when we seemed to be wheat in God’s field and times when we were wicked weeds. All the while, God is patient with us. However, unlike weeds and wheat, we have free will and can choose how we want to turn out. We can root the weeds out of our hearts only through prayer, penance, and the sacraments. If we do, we need have no fear when the master of the harvest comes.

- Fr. Carl

A Message From Our Deacon

Dear Parishioners,

Jesus provides us with an explanation of the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9). He compared the various soils to different receptions of the gospel message: sometimes rejected, other times off to a good start but poor follow-through, other times choked by too many competing interests, and thankfully sometimes received to produce an amazing fruitful life. We want to be the good soil that is receptive to God’s word. But notice that all of the soils mentioned are in the same field, and each of us has experienced having all four types of this soil within us. We have all had times when God’s message bounced right off of us, or took root quickly, then withered soon after, or got choked by the weeds of our competing interests. But then we have also had those moments when the message of God found us at just the right time, when our minds and hearts were ready to hear, when the insights bore fruit and an amazing harvest for God’s glory and our delight.

- Deacon Robert

“Those who are led by the Holy
Spirit experience all sorts of happiness
in themselves.”
- The Saint Cure D’Ars

The best “pick-me-up” ever!

Dear Parishioners,

Whenever you walk into a church, it’s easy to tell if it’s a Catholic Church by the red lamp hanging over, or nearby, the tabernacle to signify that Jesus is there in the Blessed Sacrament. We keep extra hosts there for three reasons. First, we keep hosts to bring Jesus to the sick and the dying. Second, sometimes a person may be prevented from attending Mass when scheduled, but could come at another time. Third, we keep the Blessed Sacrament there in order for people to come and pray in the presence of our Lord.

In days gone by, most churches were left open so that the faithful might stop in and pray for a bit before the tabernacle. And many people did just that. Sometimes we might go for a cup of coffee, a soda, or a candy bar for a pick-me-up. There can be no better pick-me-up in our hectic schedules than a short or long visit with Jesus. In case you don’t know it, our Blessed Sacrament Chapel is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. And on Mondays and First Fridays, we have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on the altar there. So give yourselves a break and stop in for a visit with Jesus. You will be glad you did.

- Fr. Carl

One bread, one body

Dear Parishioners,

One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
the cup of blessing which we bless.

Those words are from a hymn we learned as children, but have we given serious reflection to what those words mean in our lives? Our risen Lord, Jesus Christ, is the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation. Because there is one bread, we are part of one body. And because we drink from one cup, we are members of this holy fellowship. His body and his blood are not only given sacrificially for us, they are given generously for the Church. This consecrated bread and wine, this most Holy Eucharist, spiritually nourishes every follower of Christ and sustains the Church as faithful witnesses to Christ.

- Deacon Robert

“HAPPY is he that lives to love,
receive and serve God!”
- The Saint Cure D’Ars

Living Miracles

Dear Parishioners,

It was only three weeks ago that I found myself in Prague, the Czech Republic. Known as the “Paris of Eastern Europe” and the “City of a Thousand Spires,” it has three hundred churches. Unfortunately, they are not very well attended. Still, with the Vltava River running through it, and the old town (over 300 years old) untouched by the ravages of World War II, and the beautiful cathedral palace and churches, it is well worth the effort of crossing the Atlantic.

St. Vitas Cathedral contains the remains of Prague’s patron, Saint Wenceslaus, who helped establish the Catholic faith in the early 10th century. He was murdered by his brother right outside of church after Mass; his mother, St. Ludmilla, was murdered earlier as well. The Cathedral also contains the body of St. John Nepomucene in a 2000 pound silver sarcophagus. He, too, was murdered. However, the biggest thrill of Prague was the day I celebrated Mass at the Carmelite Church, Our Lady of Victory, and saw a miracle. That church contains the famous Infant of Prague Image. Just before Mass, I was chatting with a lady from Venezuela who had come on a pilgrimage. She had an incurable form of cancer several years before, and her prayers to the Infant of Prague resulted in her cure. What a blessing it was to meet a living miracle! However, we get to see a miracle every time we gather for Mass. When we do, we see ordinary bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus. And when we worthily receive Holy Communion, Jesus cures us of our venial sins. That’s a miracle we have right here. We don’t have to cross the Atlantic Ocean to have our own special miracle.

- Fr. Carl

Happy Birthday!

Dear Parishioners,

Everybody loves a birthday. It’s a joyful opportunity to celebrate our love for the person being honored. Today we celebrate the birthday of the Church on this Pentecost Sunday. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles (Acts 2:1-11) that Sunday turned a small, timid, fearful group into a bold and courageous, faith-filled band. From that moment on, the Church began to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Since we are part of the Church, and since we too have received the Holy Spirit in Baptism and Confirmation, our mission is the same. We do it by the way we live our lives. Let us not forget that and become more aware of the many opportunities we have in all our dealings with those around us.

- Fr. Carl

The more we know of men, the
less we love them. It is the contrary
with God; the more we know of Him,
the more we love Him.
- The Saint Cure D’Ars