Search
From the Pastor's Desk: June 25, 2023
-
From the Pastor’s Desk: June 25, 2023
During the Ordinary Time of the life of the Church, we have many great opportunities to “get to know” Jesus better through all of the different aspects of His life and work. So in the months to come, we will walk with the disciples alongside Jesus and learn the rhythm of day-to-day life – a pattern of learning and teaching, love and service. We will continue to grow and to share our faith day by day in the light of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Today, Jesus tells the apostles in the Gospel and He tells each one of us - “Fear not!” The message is as timely now as ever before. Honestly, we are surrounded by fear – children fear darkness and loud noises; young children fear bullies and doing poorly at school; teenagers fear all types of things — peer pressure, failure, pimples, the impulses within us for the opposite sex, whether we will be able to find a good job or get into college — all the things while thinking that finally when we become adults, the fears will stop. As adults, however, we discover that fears don’t stop - they just change, and even increase. We fear for our kids’ safety, we fear for the future, we fear losing our jobs, we fear for increased acts of violence, and as we get on in years we begin to fear that most terrible of fears - pain and death.
Against all of these fears, Jesus tells us again today, “Be not afraid!” And Jesus does not do so naively. Having taken the flesh of the Virgin Mary and becoming fully man, He knows everything human beings experience except sin. He knows what fear is. He knows what pain is and experienced it Himself. He knows what death is and entered into it fully. He knows it all. And He tells us not once, not twice, but 16 times in the Gospels, “Do not be afraid!” So, today, He calls us to look at our fears and then to look at Him and at our faith in Him, so that we will allow Him to take away our fears and begin to live fully as His disciples.
I need to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who was involved in our Corpus Christi procession. In a very special way, I want to thank the First Communion children – how wonderful it was to see you as a part of the procession, but also to Altar Servers, Music Ministry, Knights of Columbus, Ushers, as well as Dan Callahan and seminarian Ken who helped to organize the procession and whoever else made the Feast so special. May the blessings of the Eucharistic Christ remain with you and
all His graces and love.
As you know, over the last few weeks we were working to improve the parking lot as the final part of the St. Luke Catholic Community Growth Fund. The project is to remove and replace island curbs and improve pedestrian passage from the church to the church’s office. In addition, we will create more parking spaces, including a handicapped one. I greatly appreciate your generosity, support, and patience with these projects as we are blessed to continue to beautify and improve the safety of our parish campus.
“True perfection consists in having but one fear - the fear of losing God's relationship.” – St. Gregory of Nyssa
Let us pray for the strength and courage that comes from our relationship with Jesus, so with Him, we can overcome our fear and live in the light, truth, and freedom as beloved sons and daughters of God, one holy moment at a time.
Have a blessed and relaxing week!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy
