Dear Parishioners,
For the past two weekends, I’ve been talking about stewardship, which started when God gave Adam and Eve dominion over His creation and told them to cultivate the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, they were not good stewards and lost their privileged position as God’s friends. Thanks to Jesus, we have regained God’s friendship and gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure. If we are truly grateful, we won’t hoard these gifts just for ourselves; we will share them with God and neighbor.
Let us concentrate for the next several weeks on “Time.” What might we give to God to show our appreciation for the time he has given us already and will give us in the future? Are we willing to sacrifice some extra time in prayers each day? How about some extra time with the entire family?
This is the month of the “Rosary.” For on Oct. 7, 1571, the outnumbered Christian naval forces won a stunning victory over the Turkish Muslim forces at Lepanto, preventing them from over-running the Christian lands in Europe. This happened as Pope Pius V, with a number of his Dominican brothers were praying the rosary in Rome. So, why not spend an extra 15 minutes a day praying the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, or Luminous mysteries? As a matter of fact, Pope Francis prays all 4 sets each day. Or perhaps you could give the Lord 15 minutes each evening reading the Gospels. We just had St. Jerome’s feast who wrote: “Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” After all, it’s the best seller of all times!
Whatever sacrifice of your time you give back to God will not be forgotten. Your generosity to God will be outdone in one way or another—either now or in the future.
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, October 4, 2019
Friday, September 27, 2019
Humility And Service
Dear Parishioners,
I have just returned from a weekend at the Deacon Convocation, where the deacons and their wives get together for a weekend of talks, spiritual nourishment, community, and good food. The word that kept coming up for me was humility. It refers to the idea that you treat others as better than yourself. It takes seriously the words of Christ who said that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first (Matthew 20:16). Our Lord died so that our sins may be forgiven and our relationship with God reconciled. This is true humility, a self-emptying, a pouring out of oneself for another.
Humility is that attitude that I will sacrifice for another, because they are worth it. I am privileged and honored to give some of my time and energy to NCEON, the agency that helps the poor in Anne Arundel County with food and financial support. Now on the weekend, we were introduced to two young men, Colin Miller and Nathan Belk. At the direction of Fr. James Boric at the Baltimore Basilica, they have begun a ministry to the homeless. It is called Source of All Hope (Sourceofallhope.org). They walk the streets of Baltimore and share water and pairs of socks with the homeless they encounter. They offer them their time and attention. They show them dignity and welcome their stories. They are humble young men who have been touched by the Spirit to do a great work. They do not see themselves as superior to the men and women they encounter but blessed and called to serve them. They understand well the Church’s call to serve the poor. Let us practice that virtue of humility in all we do.
Our vocation as Catholics is to follow the model of Christ in his mercy and humility. There is much we can offer others not in our pride and superiority but in our humility and service.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
I have just returned from a weekend at the Deacon Convocation, where the deacons and their wives get together for a weekend of talks, spiritual nourishment, community, and good food. The word that kept coming up for me was humility. It refers to the idea that you treat others as better than yourself. It takes seriously the words of Christ who said that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first (Matthew 20:16). Our Lord died so that our sins may be forgiven and our relationship with God reconciled. This is true humility, a self-emptying, a pouring out of oneself for another.
Humility is that attitude that I will sacrifice for another, because they are worth it. I am privileged and honored to give some of my time and energy to NCEON, the agency that helps the poor in Anne Arundel County with food and financial support. Now on the weekend, we were introduced to two young men, Colin Miller and Nathan Belk. At the direction of Fr. James Boric at the Baltimore Basilica, they have begun a ministry to the homeless. It is called Source of All Hope (Sourceofallhope.org). They walk the streets of Baltimore and share water and pairs of socks with the homeless they encounter. They offer them their time and attention. They show them dignity and welcome their stories. They are humble young men who have been touched by the Spirit to do a great work. They do not see themselves as superior to the men and women they encounter but blessed and called to serve them. They understand well the Church’s call to serve the poor. Let us practice that virtue of humility in all we do.
Our vocation as Catholics is to follow the model of Christ in his mercy and humility. There is much we can offer others not in our pride and superiority but in our humility and service.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Friday, September 20, 2019
More Happiness In Giving Than Receiving
Dear Parishioners,
In St. Luke’s gospel today about the dishonest steward (Lk 16:1-13), a basic principle emerges on the topic of riches—one cannot serve both God and money.
Wealth is not necessarily bad when used wisely. Christian stewards—that’s all of us—recognize that all gifts of treasure are ultimately God’s. Therefore, out of gratitude, we should give back generously a portion of these blessings to God (through the church) and to those in need. Today’s culture honors and respects money and wealth instead of generosity and charity. Although a significant donation from billionaires does make the news, it’s not very inspirational as he/she has plenty more in the bank. What is inspirational is sacrificial giving, because it reflects on Jesus’ sacrificial gift of his body on the cross. Besides, there is more joy and happiness as St. Paul quotes Jesus, “There is more happiness in giving than receiving.” (Acts 20:35)
Fr. Carl
In St. Luke’s gospel today about the dishonest steward (Lk 16:1-13), a basic principle emerges on the topic of riches—one cannot serve both God and money.
Wealth is not necessarily bad when used wisely. Christian stewards—that’s all of us—recognize that all gifts of treasure are ultimately God’s. Therefore, out of gratitude, we should give back generously a portion of these blessings to God (through the church) and to those in need. Today’s culture honors and respects money and wealth instead of generosity and charity. Although a significant donation from billionaires does make the news, it’s not very inspirational as he/she has plenty more in the bank. What is inspirational is sacrificial giving, because it reflects on Jesus’ sacrificial gift of his body on the cross. Besides, there is more joy and happiness as St. Paul quotes Jesus, “There is more happiness in giving than receiving.” (Acts 20:35)
Fr. Carl
Friday, September 13, 2019
Our World Is A Gift
Dear Parishioners,
I live in Annapolis, and I love looking out on the water as I go over the several bridges to get to St. Jane Frances parish. There are usually a scattering of sailboats, some power boats, and a big ship or two. My grandfather was a sailor, and I think I’ve got some of that love of the water in me as well. But it goes beyond the water. I have backpacked the Appalachian Trail and the Adirondacks, and gone up Pike’s Peak. We have traveled the Rockies and the mountains of Alaska. I think in order to stay reasonably sane, you need a hit of the ocean and the mountains regularly. There is such beauty in nature but there is also the message of God’s grandeur and power. It is humbling to be in the presence of the immensity of the ocean or at the foot of a mountain range.
I grew up in Philly so it wasn’t until I was a young man that I saw the Milky Way in the big sky of South Dakota. God has given us a beautiful place to be. He himself even said that it was good as he created it. As we witness the destructive power of Dorian, we must be aware of God’s gift in our world but also the need to respect its power. Like our faith, we can’t take the earth for granted. We must nurture and care for it. So as we move from the heat of summer into the cooler days of fall, let us thank God for the great gift of our world. Let us be mindful of our role in being good stewards, not simply taking advantage, abusing, and desecrating it, but seeing it as a gift from our Creator who lovingly gave us a place in which to live, to grow, and to love.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
I live in Annapolis, and I love looking out on the water as I go over the several bridges to get to St. Jane Frances parish. There are usually a scattering of sailboats, some power boats, and a big ship or two. My grandfather was a sailor, and I think I’ve got some of that love of the water in me as well. But it goes beyond the water. I have backpacked the Appalachian Trail and the Adirondacks, and gone up Pike’s Peak. We have traveled the Rockies and the mountains of Alaska. I think in order to stay reasonably sane, you need a hit of the ocean and the mountains regularly. There is such beauty in nature but there is also the message of God’s grandeur and power. It is humbling to be in the presence of the immensity of the ocean or at the foot of a mountain range.
I grew up in Philly so it wasn’t until I was a young man that I saw the Milky Way in the big sky of South Dakota. God has given us a beautiful place to be. He himself even said that it was good as he created it. As we witness the destructive power of Dorian, we must be aware of God’s gift in our world but also the need to respect its power. Like our faith, we can’t take the earth for granted. We must nurture and care for it. So as we move from the heat of summer into the cooler days of fall, let us thank God for the great gift of our world. Let us be mindful of our role in being good stewards, not simply taking advantage, abusing, and desecrating it, but seeing it as a gift from our Creator who lovingly gave us a place in which to live, to grow, and to love.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Friday, September 6, 2019
Who Doesn’t Love A Hug?
Dear Parishioners,
I was awakened recently by my 7-year old granddaughter jumping on our bed. My wife had been up for a while, so little Amelia thought she had the right to come and awaken me with her jumping and peals of giggles. I wasn’t so amused. But I am also aware of the fact that it is a gift for us to live so close to family. I have a friend who is going out to California to see family, and he is not sure that his daughter will speak to him. They have a conflicted relationship. My wife and I are blessed with children who speak to us and with grandchildren who play with us. I hope that it is good for them, because it is certainly rejuvenating for us to be in their presence.
I think that God intended us to be in community. We all need personal space no doubt, but isn’t it also great to have a hug sometimes? I know our society has this value about doing it my way. But isn’t it also wonderful to be able to be supported by friends and family who love you?
Loneliness is a great despair that many people experience. To be known and to know another person is a gift. I think that God puts people in our lives for us and for them to be held and supported. To know and to be known means that I am not alone, but I am a part of a social fabric that gives me strength, a social network that holds me, a connection that says that I am thought about, remembered, and not forgotten. This is a quality of church that brings me back every day. Christ tells us that he is with us until the end of time (Matt 28:20). I need that, I seek that, I am thankful for that! Let us at St. Jane Frances be community for each other. We all need a little more of that.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
I was awakened recently by my 7-year old granddaughter jumping on our bed. My wife had been up for a while, so little Amelia thought she had the right to come and awaken me with her jumping and peals of giggles. I wasn’t so amused. But I am also aware of the fact that it is a gift for us to live so close to family. I have a friend who is going out to California to see family, and he is not sure that his daughter will speak to him. They have a conflicted relationship. My wife and I are blessed with children who speak to us and with grandchildren who play with us. I hope that it is good for them, because it is certainly rejuvenating for us to be in their presence.
I think that God intended us to be in community. We all need personal space no doubt, but isn’t it also great to have a hug sometimes? I know our society has this value about doing it my way. But isn’t it also wonderful to be able to be supported by friends and family who love you?
Loneliness is a great despair that many people experience. To be known and to know another person is a gift. I think that God puts people in our lives for us and for them to be held and supported. To know and to be known means that I am not alone, but I am a part of a social fabric that gives me strength, a social network that holds me, a connection that says that I am thought about, remembered, and not forgotten. This is a quality of church that brings me back every day. Christ tells us that he is with us until the end of time (Matt 28:20). I need that, I seek that, I am thankful for that! Let us at St. Jane Frances be community for each other. We all need a little more of that.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Friday, August 30, 2019
Get To Know God Better
Dear Parishioners,
What a blessed summer we have enjoyed. Bright and sunny and hot, it was so much better than last year’s rainy and dreary weather. Praise the Lord! Now that school is starting, our children will be learning and studying all kinds of subjects, but what about you and me? There’s an old adage that says, “You are never too old to learn.” Furthermore, the old Baltimore Catechism taught us, “God made me to know Him, to love Him, and serve Him in this life so as to be happy with Him in heaven.”
Here at St. Jane’s, we have several opportunities to do that. First, there is RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). It is primarily for those interested in learning about the Catholic faith and possibly becoming Catholics themselves. It’s also a good refresher course for adult Catholics whose education most likely ended at age 14 with the sacrament of Confirmation. Second, our Alpha program on Sunday afternoons is designed to help anybody enter into a more personal relationship with God. Third is the Men’s Fellowship meeting starting Monday, Sept. 9th at 7:00 pm to study the Gospel of John. Finally, how about home study where you take a book of the Bible and read a little bit (15 minutes) each day until finished. I would suggest Luke first, then the Acts of the Apostles—followed by Matthew, Mark, and John. I promise that you will get to know Jesus better. As St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” Or to put it in positive words, “Knowledge of the Bible leads to knowledge of Christ.” As I hear at the end of one TV commercial (with Joe Namath), if you follow any of these suggestions, “You will be glad you did.”
Father Carl
https://www.stjane.org/free-the-best-catholic-content-all-in-one-place/
What a blessed summer we have enjoyed. Bright and sunny and hot, it was so much better than last year’s rainy and dreary weather. Praise the Lord! Now that school is starting, our children will be learning and studying all kinds of subjects, but what about you and me? There’s an old adage that says, “You are never too old to learn.” Furthermore, the old Baltimore Catechism taught us, “God made me to know Him, to love Him, and serve Him in this life so as to be happy with Him in heaven.”
Here at St. Jane’s, we have several opportunities to do that. First, there is RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). It is primarily for those interested in learning about the Catholic faith and possibly becoming Catholics themselves. It’s also a good refresher course for adult Catholics whose education most likely ended at age 14 with the sacrament of Confirmation. Second, our Alpha program on Sunday afternoons is designed to help anybody enter into a more personal relationship with God. Third is the Men’s Fellowship meeting starting Monday, Sept. 9th at 7:00 pm to study the Gospel of John. Finally, how about home study where you take a book of the Bible and read a little bit (15 minutes) each day until finished. I would suggest Luke first, then the Acts of the Apostles—followed by Matthew, Mark, and John. I promise that you will get to know Jesus better. As St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” Or to put it in positive words, “Knowledge of the Bible leads to knowledge of Christ.” As I hear at the end of one TV commercial (with Joe Namath), if you follow any of these suggestions, “You will be glad you did.”
Father Carl
Also available FREE to St. Jane Parishioners… Formed.org
The Catholic Faith on Demand. Get unlimited access to thousands of movies, video programs, scripture studies, audios and ebooks in English and Spanish for Adults and Youth.https://www.stjane.org/free-the-best-catholic-content-all-in-one-place/
Friday, August 23, 2019
Tension And Conflict
Dear Parishioners,
I grew up in a family that at times was marked by great tension and conflict. It is hard to talk about at times because of the easy tendency to cast blame and to designate who was wrong. My parents both carry some of the blame, as it takes two to engage in conflict. I remember evenings with loud arguments and mean-spirited exchanges. I did my best to stay clear. If any of us children were focused on during these arguments, it was my brother who was limited. He was the most vulnerable, and given the difficult course his life has taken, it showed some effect. I mention this in part because I feel that our society is reaching a place where I feel the same as I did growing up. It was unsafe often in my household, like walking into the crossfire of a battle. The anger, animosity, blaming, and conflict expressed daily in the actions of prominent politicians and media in our country is sad and points to no positive process, but a negative tearing down of the fabric of our country. My reaction to my family’s difficulties was to hole myself up in my room or leave and be with friends. At the national level of conflict, there is no easy way to avoid or leave. Now as a member of the clergy of our church, I do not wish to get political and take sides. But the level of animosity is greatly disheartening. I think we deserve better than this. I pray every day that our national dialogue will take on a more constructive stance. I ask that God soften the hearts of our national leaders, that His truth will prevail and be served. God’s love permeates my faith. If only it could be more present in our national conversation.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
I grew up in a family that at times was marked by great tension and conflict. It is hard to talk about at times because of the easy tendency to cast blame and to designate who was wrong. My parents both carry some of the blame, as it takes two to engage in conflict. I remember evenings with loud arguments and mean-spirited exchanges. I did my best to stay clear. If any of us children were focused on during these arguments, it was my brother who was limited. He was the most vulnerable, and given the difficult course his life has taken, it showed some effect. I mention this in part because I feel that our society is reaching a place where I feel the same as I did growing up. It was unsafe often in my household, like walking into the crossfire of a battle. The anger, animosity, blaming, and conflict expressed daily in the actions of prominent politicians and media in our country is sad and points to no positive process, but a negative tearing down of the fabric of our country. My reaction to my family’s difficulties was to hole myself up in my room or leave and be with friends. At the national level of conflict, there is no easy way to avoid or leave. Now as a member of the clergy of our church, I do not wish to get political and take sides. But the level of animosity is greatly disheartening. I think we deserve better than this. I pray every day that our national dialogue will take on a more constructive stance. I ask that God soften the hearts of our national leaders, that His truth will prevail and be served. God’s love permeates my faith. If only it could be more present in our national conversation.
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)