Congratulations
to all our students who made their First Holy Communion this weekend. Please
plan to receive Jesus every Sunday at the Celebration of the Eucharist. Remember the invitation He gave us on Sunday.
Sunday
Gospel...
How
does God reveal his glory to us? During
his last supper with his disciples on the eve of his sacrifice on the cross,
Jesus speaks of his glory and the glory of his Father. What is this glory? It
is the cross which Jesus speaks of here. The cross of Jesus reveals the
tremendous love and mercy of God the Father and his beloved Son for the human
race. John the Evangelist writes, "For God so loved the world that he gave
his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life".
There
is no greater glory and honor that one can offer than the willing sacrifice of
one's life for the sake of another. This is the true nature of love - the total
self-giving and free offering of one's life for the good of another. A mother
who loves her child will do everything in her power to nurture, protect, and
save the life of the child. A soldier devoted to his country's welfare, will
endure any hardship and suffering and willingly sacrifice his own life to
defend his people. God the Father showed the unfathomable depth of his love and
mercy by willingly offering his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as
the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. To ransom a slave God gave his
only Son.
Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment and
way of love. This new commandment
transforms the old commandment with the love and mercy which the Lord Jesus
poured out for us on the Cross of Calvary.
Jesus proved that love is stronger than death.
Nothing can separate us from that love except
our own stubborn pride, envy, and self-deception.
How
can we love one another as Christ has loved us? Paul the Apostle tells us that
"God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which
has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). Jesus poured out his Holy Spirit on
his disciples at Pentecost and he pours out his Spirit today on all who believe
in him. If we yield our hearts to Jesus and submit to his will for us, then the
Holy Spirit will purify all that is unloving, unkind, and unforgiving in us.
The Lord wants to transform our minds so we can understand his word of truth
and life which has power to set us free from ignorance, unbelief, deception,
and prejudice.
The
distinctive mark of every disciple and follower of Jesus Christ is love - a love
that is ready to forgive and forget past injuries, to heal and restore rather
than inflict revenge and injury. The cross of Jesus is the only way to pardon,
peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Every other way will fail or fall short
of what Jesus expects of us. In order to attain inner freedom, joy, and
strength, we need to love without measure, to forgive without limit, and to
serve without reward.
We
would like to congratule Rev. Mr. Thomas Kluger and Rev. Mr. Julien Malenfant
on their Ordinations to the Priesthood this year. The ordination of will be taking place at St.
Michael’s Cathedral on Saturday April 30, 2016 at 10:00 AM.
Mother’s Day Brunch
Mothers
Day Brunch May 7 and 8 after all Masses
Full
Course Brunch - $12.00 adults $6.00 Children 5 – 12
Free
Under 5yrs.
Totus
Tuus Summer Camp
July
25 – 29, 2016 This is a faith-based
Camp
for grades 1 – 6 during the day and
Grades
7 – 12 in the evening. Two of the
Totus
Tuus disciples will speak to us about
the
program shortly.
I
hope you have a great week!
Fr. Phil
Fr. Phil
