News - June 2014 RSS Feed

In today's gospel Jesus asks us, his present day disciples, a question - "who do you say that I am?" The question has been raised ever since Jesus began his public ministry. Who is this man who lived in the first century, spoke with authority, went around doing good, forgave the sinner, and raised the dead to life? It is a fundamental question that we all must answer because the answer takes us to the very heart of our Christian beliefs. Lord you called Peter and Paul to be part of your creation and they both listened for you and they discovered your voice. In like manner, you gave all humanity your blessed assurance that all who seek you we will find you. However, you forewarned us that you would not be found where most people look. You will not be found in the sound of thunder, nor will you be found in the roar of the ocean. You will not be found in our most recent purchase, nor will you be found in our bank account. You are the Emmanuel who resides in each of our hearts. You dwell in the very center of our being, giving us life and providing us with a knowledge which is beyond the understanding of the mind of man.

Today we celebrate Father’s Day. We honor and are grateful for the dads in our parish community. Today is also the Solemn Feast of the Holy Trinity – a major doctrinal feast of the Church seeking to define who God is as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – three persons in one God. Building on the connection with Father’s Day, the solemnity of the Trinity is not a feast for scholars; this is a celebration for lovers. It is none other than God who invites us into share the divine life of love. God described himself: “The Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” God’s own explanation of divinity emphasized the tender parental fatherly qualities of patience, forgiveness, and fidelity. From the Gospel, in His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus teaches us that God is love, offers only love, and has sent us His only son to lead us to love. May we never forget that God created the world and in the act of creation saw that it was very good. Even when we sin, God does not stop loving us. In fact, He sent His only Son that we might be saved. The way to know the Triune God is through comprehending God’s love for the world made visible in the Son.

The gift of forgiveness, of welcome, of hope, of joy, and of faith. These are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is the grace of the Feast of Pentecost we celebrate today. The great truth of Pentecost -- for the first disciples and us as well ? is that the Holy Spirit has the power to enlarge and expand the human heart if we allow the Spirit of Jesus within us to grow and enliven us with the power to live, with the power to forgive, with the power to welcome and receive all others in Jesus? name. That power, the power of Pentecost becomes our own. In our journey of faith, our first Pentecost is the day of our baptism. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. What does that mean? The Spirit of Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us. The Holy Spirit within us is our spiritual center. We have within us the wellspring of eternal life. With each celebration of Pentecost, we seek to deepen the Spirit of Jesus that is within us. What are some signs that the Pentecost Spirit is present in our faith community? On this Day of Pentecost may we all take a few moments to reflect and claim our God-given giftedness. Further, may we all commit ourselves to using our God-given giftedness in the service of one another.