Dear Parishioners,
In this week’s gospel, Jesus tells the famous story of the widow’s mite (Mk 12:38-44). This poor woman without any source of income approaches the Temple and gives her last two coins. It wasn’t much, but it was all she could give. Last week, Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is what the widow did sacrificing all the money she possessed. What a great example for love to inspire us to greater generosity in giving our time, talent, and treasure.
Let’s contrast her attitude with that of some modern day Catholics. I hear and read in the media that because of recent scandals in the Church, some people are cutting back or stopping their contributions to show their disappointment and anger to the manner in which clerical abuse was handled. Perhaps some are even giving up the church and the faith. How sad that would be. During the widow’s time, the temple authorities were hardly models of virtue. Time and again, Jesus is tested by the religious leaders of his day. The widow could easily have justified keeping the coins for herself, but her love for God led her to give to Him through the Temple. Even has the widow been aware of the faults of the religious leaders, I cannot imagine her doing anything other than she did. Her heart was too full and generous to do anything other than give her coins to God.
Let us not overlook the sins of abuse and coverup. Let us continue to pray for the victims of abuse. But let us be generous to God with our time, talent, and treasure to help build up his kingdom on earth and heaven.
Fr. Carl
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.
Friday, November 9, 2018
Friday, November 2, 2018
Love
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
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
Friday, October 26, 2018
Help Me, Jesus
Dear Parishioners,
I hate to admit it but sometimes it is hard to live out my faith.
I hope this isn’t shocking to people. The model of Christ sets a high standard for our thoughts and actions. Life for me contains many distractions and sometimes downright obstructions. I live with a wife, daughter, son-in-law, and their children, one of whom is a special needs child. To say the least, there are moods that flow through our house at times. I’m sure you know what I mean. The 4-year old has a blowout in her diaper which goes everywhere, or the 6-year old breaks something by bouncing her ball, or the daughter, who is pregnant, needs ice cream, or the son-in-law is looking in the crowded garage for a tool he needs to stop the faucet leak. Yeah, and then there is the need to get up early because I have a Communion service, and the phone says there is an accident on Rt. 2, but the Philadelphia Eagles game went late, and they lost, and I didn’t get to sleep until 2. My brother’s caretaker is calling because he can’t find his Medicare card. I put down my prayer book somewhere. And the car needs gas. Have you had those times and kind of lost your Christian attitude? You know you are to trust the Holy Spirit for grace and patience, but it ain’t working this morning! Life and faith sometimes have a head on collision.
At these times, I try to stop (not an easy task), take a breath, and pause for a second or maybe two seconds. I grab my thoughts (another hard one) and focus on the cross. I center on the cross. “Help me, Jesus” I say in a tired but sincere voice. “Help me, Jesus.” And somehow, things get right, and life is restored. For another day at least!
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
I hate to admit it but sometimes it is hard to live out my faith.
I hope this isn’t shocking to people. The model of Christ sets a high standard for our thoughts and actions. Life for me contains many distractions and sometimes downright obstructions. I live with a wife, daughter, son-in-law, and their children, one of whom is a special needs child. To say the least, there are moods that flow through our house at times. I’m sure you know what I mean. The 4-year old has a blowout in her diaper which goes everywhere, or the 6-year old breaks something by bouncing her ball, or the daughter, who is pregnant, needs ice cream, or the son-in-law is looking in the crowded garage for a tool he needs to stop the faucet leak. Yeah, and then there is the need to get up early because I have a Communion service, and the phone says there is an accident on Rt. 2, but the Philadelphia Eagles game went late, and they lost, and I didn’t get to sleep until 2. My brother’s caretaker is calling because he can’t find his Medicare card. I put down my prayer book somewhere. And the car needs gas. Have you had those times and kind of lost your Christian attitude? You know you are to trust the Holy Spirit for grace and patience, but it ain’t working this morning! Life and faith sometimes have a head on collision.
At these times, I try to stop (not an easy task), take a breath, and pause for a second or maybe two seconds. I grab my thoughts (another hard one) and focus on the cross. I center on the cross. “Help me, Jesus” I say in a tired but sincere voice. “Help me, Jesus.” And somehow, things get right, and life is restored. For another day at least!
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Friday, October 19, 2018
No Pain, No Gain
Dear Parishioners,
It’s the same in spiritual growth. Our natural inclination to be admired and valued is to do better than others so as to receive recognition and honor. So we strive to outdo others. That might be the way of the world, but it’s not the way of Jesus. True greatness for Jesus is service, and that’s painful because it hurts our pride for we want to be served. However, Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.” (Matt 20:26) Several popes have been given the title “Great” like “Leo the Great” and “Gregory the Great,” but their favorite title is “Servant of the Servants of God.” Now none of us is likely to be called “great” by those who survive us, but if we make it to heaven by serving God and neighbor, we will be great.
Fr. Carl
“No pain, no gain.”I first heard this phrase 40 years ago from a U.S. Marine gunnery sergeant. At that time, I was at the Navy Chaplain School in Newport, RI. Gunny Crank was leading us through our morning PT exercises, and he noticed some of the chaplains were having difficulties, especially in the running. He was telling us that if we wanted to get in shape, there was going to be some pain in the process.
It’s the same in spiritual growth. Our natural inclination to be admired and valued is to do better than others so as to receive recognition and honor. So we strive to outdo others. That might be the way of the world, but it’s not the way of Jesus. True greatness for Jesus is service, and that’s painful because it hurts our pride for we want to be served. However, Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.” (Matt 20:26) Several popes have been given the title “Great” like “Leo the Great” and “Gregory the Great,” but their favorite title is “Servant of the Servants of God.” Now none of us is likely to be called “great” by those who survive us, but if we make it to heaven by serving God and neighbor, we will be great.
Fr. Carl
Friday, October 12, 2018
Respect Life Month
Dear Parishioners,
October is Respect Life month. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has labeled the theme for the month as “Every life: cherished, chosen and sent.” We are cherished by God, created in His image; chosen by God to be in relationship with Him; and sent by God to spread his love. The bishops are using the appearance of Mary, Mother of God to St. Juan Diego in 1531 as the backdrop for the month. If you recall, near present day Mexico City, Juan Diego encountered Mary who, in the form of Our Lady of Guadalupe, instructed him to ask the bishop to build a church for her and her son. This church, now the New Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City displays his cloak with Mary's glorious image.
Abortion is the main issue of Pro-life activities, with others being assisted suicide, issues at the end of life, contraception, persons with disabilities and healing from abortion. There are others.
In response to the encyclical of St. John Paul II called The Gospel of Life, the US bishops wrote in 1998, Living the Gospel of Life. Here they suggest that opposing abortion and euthanasia, “does not excuse indifference to those who suffer from poverty, violence and injustice. Any politics of human life must work to resist the violence of war and the scandal of capital punishment. Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism, poverty, hunger, employment, education, housing and health issues.” My view of Pro-life includes these many issues that impact Godly living. Let us this month, pray for and cherish the life of the unborn, the elderly, the disabled, the poor, the war torn, the victims of racism, the hungry, the homeless, the imprisoned, the uneducated and those suffering for lack of health care. God asks us, I believe, to go against all suffering and injustice.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
October is Respect Life month. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has labeled the theme for the month as “Every life: cherished, chosen and sent.” We are cherished by God, created in His image; chosen by God to be in relationship with Him; and sent by God to spread his love. The bishops are using the appearance of Mary, Mother of God to St. Juan Diego in 1531 as the backdrop for the month. If you recall, near present day Mexico City, Juan Diego encountered Mary who, in the form of Our Lady of Guadalupe, instructed him to ask the bishop to build a church for her and her son. This church, now the New Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City displays his cloak with Mary's glorious image.
Abortion is the main issue of Pro-life activities, with others being assisted suicide, issues at the end of life, contraception, persons with disabilities and healing from abortion. There are others.
In response to the encyclical of St. John Paul II called The Gospel of Life, the US bishops wrote in 1998, Living the Gospel of Life. Here they suggest that opposing abortion and euthanasia, “does not excuse indifference to those who suffer from poverty, violence and injustice. Any politics of human life must work to resist the violence of war and the scandal of capital punishment. Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism, poverty, hunger, employment, education, housing and health issues.” My view of Pro-life includes these many issues that impact Godly living. Let us this month, pray for and cherish the life of the unborn, the elderly, the disabled, the poor, the war torn, the victims of racism, the hungry, the homeless, the imprisoned, the uneducated and those suffering for lack of health care. God asks us, I believe, to go against all suffering and injustice.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Friday, October 5, 2018
The Case For Marriage
Dear Parishioners,
This week’s scripture readings (Gn 2:18-24; Mk 10:2-16) deal with Holy Matrimony which goes all the way back to creation. In the Book of Genesis, we hear how delighted Adam is when Eve is given to him in the Garden of Eden. “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Even though Adam was in Eden with total control over the garden, something was missing—a partner that would complete him. And so Eve is created from a rib of Adam’s side to show that she is equal in dignity although different in other ways.
These days people in seeing so many failed marriages are more reluctant to enter into a life-long commitment and dedicating their lives to another person. But when you look at a couple married for a long time, you see how worthwhile it is. I have been reading a book entitled “The Case for Marriage.” The authors describe studies that show married people are happier, healthier, and better off financially. One study found that 40 percent of married men said they are very happy with life compared to 25 percent of unmarried men. Another study showed that marriage improves mental health. While still another study showed that married surgical patients were far less likely to die in the hospital than singles. As for finance, studies show husbands earn 10–40 percent more than unmarried men. In short, marriage is a win-win-win proposition. No wonder Adam was so pleased to be given a wife.
However, as those of you who are married know, a good marriage requires maturity, work, and sacrifice. But the benefits are surely worth the effort.
Finally, one reality not discussed in the book is the purpose of marriage. Actually there are two ends: procreation and mutual support to grow in holiness, so as to get to heaven. May God’s grace help our married couples in achieving those ends.
Fr. Carl
This week’s scripture readings (Gn 2:18-24; Mk 10:2-16) deal with Holy Matrimony which goes all the way back to creation. In the Book of Genesis, we hear how delighted Adam is when Eve is given to him in the Garden of Eden. “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Even though Adam was in Eden with total control over the garden, something was missing—a partner that would complete him. And so Eve is created from a rib of Adam’s side to show that she is equal in dignity although different in other ways.
These days people in seeing so many failed marriages are more reluctant to enter into a life-long commitment and dedicating their lives to another person. But when you look at a couple married for a long time, you see how worthwhile it is. I have been reading a book entitled “The Case for Marriage.” The authors describe studies that show married people are happier, healthier, and better off financially. One study found that 40 percent of married men said they are very happy with life compared to 25 percent of unmarried men. Another study showed that marriage improves mental health. While still another study showed that married surgical patients were far less likely to die in the hospital than singles. As for finance, studies show husbands earn 10–40 percent more than unmarried men. In short, marriage is a win-win-win proposition. No wonder Adam was so pleased to be given a wife.
However, as those of you who are married know, a good marriage requires maturity, work, and sacrifice. But the benefits are surely worth the effort.
Finally, one reality not discussed in the book is the purpose of marriage. Actually there are two ends: procreation and mutual support to grow in holiness, so as to get to heaven. May God’s grace help our married couples in achieving those ends.
Fr. Carl
Friday, September 28, 2018
Gratefulness
Dear Parishioners,
Well, we have encountered the beginning of fall. You can feel it in the air, just a little cooler. Some trees agree with a few yellowing and reddening leaves. I appreciate the changing of the seasons. God has given us a world that is immensely interesting and changeable. My wife and I took a long walk on the eastern shore. The diversity of the trees was amazing. What was truly inspiring was the number and diversity of the butterflies we encountered. There were large Monarchs, black and purple ones, white ones. We saw several small, half-inch butterflies. And along the beach were numerous pieces of driftwood. Each was somewhat different in shape and hue. How can this be? The diversity of the world reflects the imagination of God. Just as every face of the people we meet is different, so are the manifestations of life: trees, butterflies, driftwood, clouds. I know that there are many troubles in this world. There are the effects of a terrible hurricane and its devastating and destructive impact on an entire region of the country. There are places in the west lost to raging fires. And there is a 6-year old civil war in Syria that has displaced millions and destabilized Europe. Yet in the midst of this turmoil, which we pray for, God offers us a simple and beautiful piece of the world to be in. Amid the strife and agony, there are small places of joy locked up in the presence of a small butterfly. Thank you Lord for your beauty and diversity.
Your wondrous imagination leads us to appreciate your greatness and creation. Thank you for the world you have given us. Help us to live in it with respect and appreciation, seeking not to destroy it with our selfishness and desire. It is a gift that sustains us. Make us wise in our use of it.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Well, we have encountered the beginning of fall. You can feel it in the air, just a little cooler. Some trees agree with a few yellowing and reddening leaves. I appreciate the changing of the seasons. God has given us a world that is immensely interesting and changeable. My wife and I took a long walk on the eastern shore. The diversity of the trees was amazing. What was truly inspiring was the number and diversity of the butterflies we encountered. There were large Monarchs, black and purple ones, white ones. We saw several small, half-inch butterflies. And along the beach were numerous pieces of driftwood. Each was somewhat different in shape and hue. How can this be? The diversity of the world reflects the imagination of God. Just as every face of the people we meet is different, so are the manifestations of life: trees, butterflies, driftwood, clouds. I know that there are many troubles in this world. There are the effects of a terrible hurricane and its devastating and destructive impact on an entire region of the country. There are places in the west lost to raging fires. And there is a 6-year old civil war in Syria that has displaced millions and destabilized Europe. Yet in the midst of this turmoil, which we pray for, God offers us a simple and beautiful piece of the world to be in. Amid the strife and agony, there are small places of joy locked up in the presence of a small butterfly. Thank you Lord for your beauty and diversity.
Your wondrous imagination leads us to appreciate your greatness and creation. Thank you for the world you have given us. Help us to live in it with respect and appreciation, seeking not to destroy it with our selfishness and desire. It is a gift that sustains us. Make us wise in our use of it.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
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