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From the Pastor's Desk: July 9, 2023
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From the Pastor’s Desk: July 9, 2023
At the heart of summer vacation, Jesus extends to us an incredible invitation, “Come to me all you who labor and find life burdensome and I will give you rest.” Although summer for most of us is all about rest and rejuvenation, we know that sometimes even vacation can be a time of exhaustion and anxiety. The Lord knows our hearts and is fully aware of our needs. To make this summer break effective, relaxing, and fulfilling, we need to respond to Jesus’ invitation and find time to make an effort to “rest” and to “learn” by spending time in His presence. What do we learn? We learn to place our trust in God, we learn to embrace a life of virtue, humility, and humbleness, and turn to God for guidance. Lives lived on the basis of virtues bring peace and are the only way we can truly “rest”. Unfortunately, in our society today, gentleness and humility are no longer valued. They are rather despised, confused with being a doormat, lacking backbone, or being unable or unwilling to stand up for their rights. Self-assertiveness is much more highly prized, while violence is promoted and even glorified in movies, games, and TV. In a way, we have lost the sense of discipleship Christ calls us to. We are restless and agitated.
That is why Jesus invites us today to find greater meaning in growing in our relationship with Him – to spend time, to learn from Him – how to be meek and humble… and loving. Love that knows no bounds when the good of the other is at stake. Love calls us to let go of our self-importance, to become meek and humble like Jesus, and to serve others. In everyday terms, this means that we always seek God’s Will in our lives. That we truly trust God. It is not an easy task, but it is the mission of Christ. It is our mission as the Body of Christ – His church. This mission brings every mind, heart, and will together into unity through union with the mind and heart of Christ. That is the only way to truly and authentically relax as we learn the significance to find time and to learn to be with our Teacher and Master - Jesus Christ.
Summer plans often take us away from home and unfortunately from participation in Mass. For all who travel near or far, I offer this website that provides Mass schedules, locations, and times worldwide: www.masstimes.org Please plan your vacations that you will not miss giving God thanks and praise for so many blessings He offers us daily.
The month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus. The Feast of the Precious Blood of our Lord was instituted in 1849 by Pius IX, but the devotion is as old as Christianity. The early Fathers say that the Church was born from the pierced side of Christ and that the sacraments were brought forth through His Blood. "The Precious Blood which we worship is the Blood which the Savior shed for us on Calvary and reassumed at His glorious Resurrection; it is the Blood which courses through the veins of His risen, glorified, living body at the right hand of God the Father in heaven; it is the Blood made present on our altars by the words of Consecration; it is the Blood which merited sanctifying grace for us and through it washes and beautifies our soul and inaugurates the beginning of eternal life in it." (Catholicculture.org)
We continue with our parking lot project. The scope of work is to improve safety by replacing broken curbs as well as pedestrian traffic from the church to the parish office by creating a walkway. This project is paid for by the funds collected through the St. Luke Catholic Community Growth Fund.
I pray that you will enjoy your vacations and remember the best rest is always in the company of Christ, because “His yoke is easy and His burden light.”
Have a blessed and relaxing week everybody!!!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy
