Hospitality

Dear Parishioners,

Recently there have been some people on the parking lot asking for money. Please do not give them any. There are legitimate charities to help the poor and needy. If you encounter anybody asking for money, let me know, and I will deal with them. Certainly, it is good to give to the poor which can be done through Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, the poor box, and many other reputable agencies. As a matter of fact, Jesus encourages us to do that as noted in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Lk 16:19–31), and the story of the Last Judgement where the sheep and goats are separated (Mt 25:31–46). The sheep, those who have fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, and clothed the naked will receive the Father’s blessing and be invited into the Kingdom of God.

This week’s readings deal with hospitality. When Abraham sees the three men (Gn 18:1-10a), he knocks himself out to make them feel welcome. He runs out to greet them, bathes their feet, and has Sarah prepare a wonderful meal.

In the gospel (Lk 10:38-42), Mary and Martha show hospitality to Jesus. Mary gives Jesus her full attention by sitting at his feet and listening to him. Martha shows hospitality by preparing a meal. Both sisters show hospitality doing what they can to serve Jesus–Mary by listening and being with Jesus–Martha by preparing and serving a meal.

For the past year, we have been trying to be a more hospitable and welcoming parish with our greeters doing more at the doors. But hospitality shouldn’t end there. We should be welcoming inside as well. Instead of grudgingly moving our legs a bit, why not stand up to allow for easier access and give a smile as they go past. Or you could make the ultimate sacrifice by moving from the end of the pew to the middle. It’s only a small sacrifice but an easy way to love your neighbor as yourself.

God Bless,
Father Carl

Grow In Love

Dear Parishioners,

God sets the bar of love very high. Jesus says “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” And our Lord not only said it but did it himself. He willingly and generously gave himself in ministry and death on the cross. He held nothing back.

St. Jane Frances is a great parish with many loving, faithful, and generous people. We just reached our goal for the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. Actually, we exceeded it! Thank you for your loving and generous support. However, when our Lord calls us to love, he wants more than some of our treasure. He asks for our time and talent as well. We just celebrated Independence Day and rejoiced in the blessings we enjoy here in America. However, all good gifts ultimately come from God. Gratitude calls us to generously give back to God in time, talent, and treasure.

May Jesus, who sacrificed everything for us, help us to grow in our love for God and neighbor.

God Bless,
Father Carl

Thankful For Free Gifts

Dear Parishioners,

On this holiday weekend with the focus on freedom, I want to focus on the free gifts we have been given by God. First of all, God has given us life which we do not have to pay for or earn. It is abundant as Christ declares. As a part of our human nature, we can see, hear, touch, move around. We have free will and an intellect that can discern good from evil. Being made in the image of God, we are also relational in nature. Indeed we could not survive without the loving relationships with others, especially our parents: feeding us, sheltering us, teaching us, nurturing us along the way. We have been given the gift of love by God and it expresses itself in all things that we do. Love is the basic good that describes our relationships and true love is based on respect, understanding, self-giving and care for the other. It is not something invented by us but a wonderful gift given by God. God has given us a sense of beauty and has placed in our midst beautiful things such as the beauty of a sunset, human beauty and created beauty in the arts. Our faith also teaches us that through our nature, we seek the good naturally. As St. Augustine has stated, “My heart is restless until it rests in You.” God has implanted in our nature a desire for God. As we celebrate the 4th of July, let us also thank our founding fathers for the gift of religious freedom that empowers us to experience all that God has given us. Let us make a simple prayer of thanksgiving for our faith, for the beauty of our nature, and for the ability to gather freely as a faith community at St. Jane Frances. Indeed, we have much to be thankful for!

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

True Freedom of Religion

Dear Parishioners,

As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July and our independence from the tyrannical government back in 1776, we are reminded of the freedoms our ancestors won for us. We have those freedoms spelled out in the 1st Ten Amendments to the Constitution in the Bill of Rights. Of particular interest to the Church is the First Amendment which guarantees freedoms of speech, assembly, press, and religion. Those first three freedoms are much respected and protected. However, that’s not so much the case with freedom of religion. There have been numerous efforts to reduce freedom of religion to freedom of worship. In one state, California, a law is being pushed to mandate that the sin of child abuse when confessed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation must be revealed to civil authorities. In other words, priests are to violate the seal of confession. While priests have been guilty of various sins and crimes, I have never heard of any violating the seal of confession. Some have even been martyred or gone to prison for their fidelity to the sacrament.

Elsewhere, preaching on sexual morality and the sins involved, have resulted in the preacher being accused of fostering hate speech.

In any event, we need to pray for and work toward true freedom of religion and not just freedom of worship. As we do, St. Paul today (Gal 5:1, 13-18) reminds us to use our freedom not for selfish purposes but to “serve one another through love.” That will truly set us free.

Happy Fourth of July,
Father Carl

Relics of St. Padre Pio in Baltimore

Dear Parishioners,

Recently relics of St. Padre Pio were presented at the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. I drove up after the morning communion service. St. Padre Pio was born in Italy in 1887 and died in September 1968. He was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II on May 2, 1999. His feast day is September 23. St. Padre Pio was religious at a young age and knew he wanted to live a life for God at the age of 5. He was also a sickly individual having Typhoid fever at 10, being significantly ill at 17 and later. However, it didn’t stop him from joining a monastery as a monk when he was 15. He became a priest in 1910.

As a young, man he experienced the stigmata of Christ and had wounds on his hands and feet. They bled but did not become infected. They were noted to be perfectly round. After some initial controversy, Fr. Pio was allowed to minister more publicly and became noted for his piety, charity, and his preaching. He is noted to have said, “Pray, hope and don’t worry.”

The experience of being in the presence of the St. Pio’s relics was wonderful. I felt a deep peace as I prayed for several people I know and for my family. There was a continuous flow of people. People would touch their rosaries and other items to the glass encased relics. Deacon Bob Shepherd (who helps out with communion services here at St. Jane) is assigned there, and we talked. He told me that Fr. Boric, the rector of the Basilica, attended a Mass in Italy presided by Fr. Pio when he was 14!

Let us pray for the intercession of the saints as we believe they are close to God. We need all the help we can get!

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Happy Father's Day!

Dear Parishioners,

Happy Father’s Day!
The Trinity is the central and deepest mystery of our faith. How can there be 3 persons in 1 God? And yet, that is what Jesus and the Bible tell us. We get a clue in the Book of Genesis in the creation story where God said “Let us create mankind in our own image.” (Genesis 1:26–28) St. Iraneaus thinks that is the Father talking to the Son. However, in last week’s gospel, Jesus clearly refers to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit coming to live within those who love him by keeping his word.

What can we learn from the Trinity?
We learn that they are a community of persons living in harmony and love. And since we are created in the image and likeness of God, that’s how we are supposed to live—in harmony and love with God and one another. That’s not easy, but the harder we try and pray to God, the better we will be and the happier we will be as well.

God Bless,
Father Carl

Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

Pentecost by Jean II Restout, 1732, oil on canvas, Louvre Museum, Paris

Dear Parishioners,

I can only imagine what it must have been like for the disciples to experience Pentecost!

These were unlearned men for the most part. They left their jobs to follow this young man whose wisdom, love, and challenge was intriguing and perplexing, yet deeply felt. Here they are going through the embarrassment and fear of the crucifixion to find out that he lives as he visits them and pronounces peace to them. What a whirlwind of experiences, hard to fathom and understand. Then they are given the Holy Spirit with tongues of fire and extraordinary capabilities. It is perhaps the same with us. (Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13; Jn 20:19-23)

What is this Holy Spirit given to us at Baptism and Confirmation?

This powerful force leads us to extraordinary situations and results. Did I know when I was a teenager that one day I would be preaching, baptizing, and standing in front of people readily sharing the word of God? No, it was a far, far off thought. Yet my life has come to this place, at this time, doing such things. Why? It is the Holy Spirit. Simply, the Holy Spirit has directed me, given me courage, opened up opportunities for me, given me the words to say. And I offer to you, how has the Holy Spirit affected you?

The disciples challenged the culture they were in, the religious authorities, the basis of their religious practices and beliefs. The Holy Spirit made that happen. It brought to them truth, motivation, and energy that resulted in their actions changing the world. We can do that as well. We need to do that. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created. And Thou shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Deacon Steve

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.

From the sequence at today’s Mass.