Philippians 2:9-11 – Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BEND, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 1: 27a - Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ

Sirach 27:30-28:1 – Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the Lord’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).”

Tomorrow, we will join with our fellow Americans in celebrating Labor Day. Many will have the day off. We should take some time to pause and reflect on the dignity of all work.

To have a grateful heart is to see that one is blessed in so many ways, actually too many to count. 

Matthew 16: 15-19 – He (Jesus) said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

“harvest is great, but the laborers are few.”

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This is unusual because it is celebrated on a Sunday only when August 6 falls on a Sunday. Nevertheless, we hear of this great manifestation each year in the gospel of the Second Sunday of Lent.

Usually, during a California summer, the image of rain coming down on us is rather remote. However, when I was a child in Pennsylvania and later Indiana, summer rains were common. I still remember listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops, safe and snug in bed under the eaves in our cozy Cape Cod house; or, as a young man, on the sides of a pup tent after a day of hiking. There was always a sense of peace and calm before the voice of God in nature. I felt assured to rest in the Lord’s loving embrace.

In our secular society we accept the same challenge St. Paul made in ancient Rome in his letter to the Romans: “You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. ..For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” More than ever we are true patriots when we are devoted and faithful Christians.

Dear Parishioners and Friends, May God bless you and your loved ones on this Fourth of July weekend!

Many spiritual writers bring before their readers the need for spiritual warfare. The first thing to realize is that there is a battle between good and evil, heaven and earth. Many are complacent, indifferent, or apathetic. Once a person is aware of this struggle then the antidote to the poison can be utilized. The Gospel this Sunday points us to Jesus Christ.

As Church we are always looking for ways to encourage our families: husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, and children. It is because we believe that the vocation of married people is special; it is integrally linked to God’s plan in many wonderful ways

This feast is set aside to remind us of the great gift we have from the Lord Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. The night He was betrayed by sin and hate, ourselves included, He did the opposite and instituted for us the Most Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Love.

The entire Church is called upon to be renewed by the Most Holy Trinity through authentic teaching, discipline, and spirituality. There is no other way and no short cut. It is the Way of the Lord, which is tried and true. He is our first, last, best, and only hope. We are confident that He will remain with us always, as He promised.

Pentecost marks the fiftieth day of the Lord’s Resurrection when He sent among us the Holy Spirit to carry on His work. The apostles were afraid until they received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then they went out to preach, teach, shepherd, and sanctify by the power of Christ crucified and risen. This power remains with us in our day and will continue to He returns at His second coming.

The Solemnity of the Ascension makes clear the Lord’s mandate that we continue His work in the Church until He returns in glory. What could be more explicit than the words: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

As we prepare to be renewed in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for the Great Feast of Pentecost we are asked to turn over to God what matters most. He wants from us our loving, faithful, obedience. What we treasure and possess in Jesus (and thus in union with Him and by His saving grace) we dare to present to our Heavenly Father by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This Fourth Sunday of Easter we meet Christ, the Good Shepherd. The comparison of the Lord to a good shepherd comforts and encourages us. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, will never abandon his sheep.