We
welcome Bishop John Boissonneau this weekend. He will be conferring the
Sacrament of Confirmation on our students. We, as parishioners of St. Dominic,
pray for them that they will be guided in their faith by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
How
can we know who God is? Jesus revealed to his disciples the great mystery of
our faith - the triune nature of one God in three persons and the inseparable
union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus' mission is to reveal the
glory of God to us - a Trinity of persons - God the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit - and to unite us with God in a community of unbreakable unity and
everlasting love. The ultimate end, the purpose for which God created us, is
the entry of God's sons and daughters into the perfect unity of the blessed
Trinity. The Jews understood God as Creator and Father of all that he made and
they understood the nation of Israel as God's firstborn son. Jesus reveals the
Father in an unheard of sense. He is eternally Father by his relationship to
his only Son, who, reciprocally, is Son only in relation to his Father. The
Spirit, likewise, is inseparably one with the Father and the Son.
The
mission of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit are the same. That is why Jesus tells
his disciples that the Spirit will reveal the glory of the Father and the Son
and will speak what is true. Before his Passover, Jesus revealed the Holy
Spirit as the "Paraclete" and Helper who will be with Jesus'
disciples to teach and guide them "into all the truth". In baptism we
are called to share in the life of the Holy Trinity here on earth in faith and
after death in eternal light. Clement of Alexandria, a third century church
father, wrote: "What an astonishing mystery! There is one Father of the
universe, one Logos (Word) of the universe, and also one Holy Spirit,
everywhere one and the same; there is also one virgin become mother, and I
should like to call her 'Church'."
How
can we personally know the Father and his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ? It is the
Holy Spirit who reveals the Father and the Son to us and who gives us the gift
of faith to know and understand the truth of God's word. Through the Holy
Spirit, we proclaim our ancient faith in the saving death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ until he comes again. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit as our
divine Teacher and Helper that we may grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God.
Do you seek the wisdom that comes from above and do you willingly obey God's
word?
Jesus'
departure and ascension into heaven was both an end and a beginning for his
disciples. While it was the end of Jesus' physical presence with his beloved
disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus' presence with them in a new way.
Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the end of time. He assured
them of his power - a power which overcame sin and death. Now as the glorified
and risen Lord and Savior, ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven,
Jesus promised to give them the power of his Holy Spirit, which we see
fulfilled ten days later on the Feast of Pentecost. When the Lord Jesus
departed physically from the apostles, they were not left alone or powerless.
Jesus assured them of his presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. esus' last
words to his apostles point to his saving mission and to their mission to be
witnesses of his saving death and his glorious resurrection and to proclaim the
good news of salvation to all the world. Their task is to proclaim the good
news of salvation, not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations.
God's love and gift of salvation is not just for a few, or for a nation, but it
is for the whole world - for all who will accept it. The gospel is the power of
God, the power to forgive sins, to heal, to deliver from evil and oppression,
and to restore life. Do you believe in the power of the gospel? (Servants of
the Word 2018)
Totus
Tuus - Please remember that the summer camp program will be here from July 15 –
20. Registration forms can be had from the front desk.
Bake
Sale for ShareLife –There will be a bake sale for Sharelife on June 16 – 17 in
the parish hall. We are looking for volunteer bakers to help us. Please sign up
at the entrances of the church on the forms provided.
I
hope you have a great week,
Fr. Phil
