Happy Sunday and the last day of August!

One of the many virtues valued here at St. Joan of Arc is humility. In our readings from Sirach and Luke we get inspiration in humility. Sirach counsels, “My child, conduct your affairs with humility… Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God” (Sir 3:17-18).

Happy Sunday!

As we gather here for our Sunday worship of Almighty God, we notice a challenging and beautiful vision. People are gathered from every nation, language and walk of life. This is our church family of faith called to center our lives around the Euchartistic altar. Our Catholic faith has reached people from all directions and assures us they “will recline at table in the kingdom of God.”

Happy Sunday!

What is the cost of discipleship? Is it possible to ponder the prophet Jeremiah being lowered into a muddy cistern? This doesn't seem fair because he did no wrong, but spoke the truth of God entrusted to him. He remained faithful and was not abandoned in the pit. In fact, God raised another voice in the court official Ebed-melech to rescue Jeremiah before he could die.

There was a young mother in my parish community who was depressed due to financial strain. She prayed for help. One morning before Mass, she placed on the counter a zip-lock bag filled with jewelry and old coins. Smiling, she explained she had been fixing an old cabinet and found the items hidden deep within the walls of her home.

Happy Sunday!

As we journey together in the faith with a new month to the calendar year, the Word of God inspires us to something higher, to fix our eyes not on what is passing but on what is eternal. We are reminded of this through Saint Paul’s letter to the Colossians 3:1-5, “If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”

Once I went to a hospice facility to celebrate Last Rites for an elderly dying man. His family had told me that he had been uncommunicative for days. At the conclusion of the ritual, we began to recite the Our Father prayer. To everyone’s surprise, his lips moved, clearly mouthing the words to the Lord’s prayer. Stripped of most of his faculties, the man could still pray those precious God-given petitions. A lifetime of prayer had planted the words even deeper than his failing consciousness.

Happy Sunday!

Our Blessed Lord visits the home of Martha and Mary in our gospel. Having mothers and grandmothers, we can picture them in this passage. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet listening to Him, while Martha is busy with the duties of hospitality. Martha has enough and complains to our Blessed Lord, asking Him to tell Mary to help her, but He replies that “Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.” Both actions are very good from Martha and Mary.

Happy Sunday!

Who is my neighbor? Can we honestly say we know our neighbor? Recently I was brave enough to introduce myself to my new neighbors across the street. I was opportunistic in the introduction because the family was outside unpacking and moving into their new home. It was a cordial encounter and now every time we leave the house we have a wave and I pray for them. If only this came easy for many people, then life would be a community of believers that know each other.

Happy Sunday!

Today you may have noticed the red priest and deacon vestments at Mass. This is because we are offering a Votive Mass dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The feast was established while Pope Pius IX was in exile during the Italian War in 1849. This particular devotion was suggested to invoke the heavenly aid of God to end the war and bring peace in Rome. Shortly after declaring the feast, the war ended.

Happy Sunday!

The church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29th! On this day, Pope Leo XIV will impose the pallium, which is the ecclesiastical vestment worn by archbishops. It is worn around the neck of the archbishop that rests upon the chasuble. It is made of wool and is decorated with six crosses. The process of making this pallium begins on the feast of Saint Agnes on January 21st.

Happy Sunday!

Today’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ reminds us of who we carry close to our hearts. When we hear of the offering of bread and wine by Melchizedek, the traditions of the Eucharist expressed by Saint Paul and the feeding of the five thousand, together they reveal God’s fundamental role as Nourisher of Mankind.

Happy Father’s Day!

This weekend we pause for a brief moment for a debt of gratitude for fathers and honor them for their sacrificial love of the family. This is the natural ability of these men who are faithful to their wives and families. As fathers journey and lead their families in fatherhood, they are reminded to impart justice and mercy in their household.

When I was a seminarian almost 20 years ago, a bank vice president taught us etiquette classes. She said, “Gentlemen, please make sure your breath isn’t bad. Take some breath mints before you hear confessions, okay?” We nervously laughed because the proximity that makes breath noticeable (whether pleasant or not) can be a bit awkward.

When Jesus breathes on his Apostles (John 20:22), he must have been within inches of at least some of them.

Happy Ascension Sunday!

As of May 29th, it has been 40 days since our Easter Celebrations! We give thanks to God for our newly baptized sons and daughters of the church. Our parish is blessed to welcome these new members and continue to foster their faith in the parish family of Saint Joan of Arc.

The Ascension of the Lord is transferred to June 1st and will be celebrated at all the Sunday regular Mass times.