A message from Father Pete

For Sunday, September 14, 2025 Numbers 21:4-9, Philippians 2:6-11, John 3:13-17 There is a commonality in all of us reading this blog. Each person who listened to and studied the readings at today’s liturgy knows about pain. We’ve experienced suffering; we are well aware of death. They surround us. They come when expected and unexpected. No matter how and when they come, we are not ready for them. It seems that for the most part they overwhelm us. Does God know how we feel? Yes — look at His cross. One spiritual writer states that the complete response of God to your suffering, my suffering, everyone’s suffering — from all time, down through the ages — the raison d'être of God’s actions and the most important reason for His existence — is that God completely changed the story’s end . Suffering, pain and death are the instruments Jesus lived through to show us that God does love us and He knows how we feel. In Paul’s day crucifixion meant shame, debasement, degradation, loss of pri...

For Sunday, September 7, 2025 Wisdom 9:13-18; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14:25-33 The readings this week continue to stress that as Christians, each person must strive: to be more in love with God, to be continually grateful for His presence and care each day, and to realize He is helping every individual continually to make the right choices — love choices. That is how much God is in love with you and me — right now, and every moment. How can I get in touch with this love? The readings help us. Thank you, Lord. The readings bring out a fact of our daily lives — the need we have to make choices. Wisdom puts it bluntly that life is a matter of choices. Paul’s teachings and the Gospel of Luke give us examples of the way Christians should choose. Then Psalm 90 puts it all in perspective: God is eternal; we live day by day: God doesn’t worry about providing a plumber, an electrician, a master repair artist for our problems. His desire and promise is for you and me and all of creation to l...

For Sunday, August 31, 2025 Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24; Luke 14:1, 7-14 At first glance, today’s themes talk to us about being humble, realizing that our lives are a gift from God. Underneath there is a deeper insight into our actions in responding to God’s gifts to each of us. I’m gifted — you’re gifted. We look at our basic gifts: sight, hearing, speech, taste, feeling, smell. Then we explore how these gifts have influenced our memory, understanding, imagination and dreams for the future, and the development of our personalities and relationships. We should start with a basic question: How grateful am I to God for these unique gifts He has blessed me with? Have I abused them more than using them gratefully? Why? How have my actions influenced my relationship with my loving God? The readings today describe the attitude we should have when we give and when we receive. Am I developing humility and gratitude and a desire to spread the extravagant generosity of Go...

For Sunday, August 24, 2025 Isaiah 66:18-21; Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13; Luke 13:22-30 How do I view myself in God’s eyes? God considers all of us as His friends. “This is my commandment: Love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. ” [John 15:12-14] This is God’s vision. Is it mine? Some points to ponder: The vision of a disciple must be the vision of God. My vision cannot be small-minded — I must see with wide-angle lenses. God offers the grace of salvation to ALL , including people I don’t know, don’t like, or are mean to me — and all others. God’s saving grace is unbounded — limitless. It reaches out to those whom the People of God not only distrust but even sometimes despise. Do I feel that only those in the right groups, who believe the correct religious doctrines and follow an approved way of life, should be in the company of the saved? God doesn’t. There is something dang...

For Sunday, August 17, 2025 Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53 Why did Jesus do what He did? Why didn’t He fill the people who came to Him with all the necessary “needs” — “help” — “changes of attitude” — “enthusiasm” — for loving that they needed? Why did Jesus have to die that horrible death? If God is a good and loving God, why didn’t He make loving an easier task to do? Why do I have to love those I just can’t stand? It’s good for us to put Jesus’ life and teachings in perspective. Jesus came to tell us that God loves us and created each person to show that love — and Jesus witnessed that, promising that those who have faith and believe in Him will be welcomed into God’s home — heaven. God never promised an easy life. The central mystery of Christianity is that of the redemption of Christ, through suffering and death to His resurrection and glory. That is the way for each of us: no cross, no crown. Life is living love, and love is wonderful — especially when we ar...

For Sunday, August 10, 2025 Wisdom 18:6-9; Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19; Luke 12:32-48 A few personal thoughts to start our reflections today: Where and how did I come to believe and have faith in the important people who have come into my life: parents, siblings, family, teachers, religious figures, bosses, acquaintances? And: Since faith involves trust, acceptance and confidence in someone or something, EVEN WHEN there is uncertainty or lack of complete evidence or proof, how do I process faith in my life? One more: What have I learned from my trials in living my faith when I had to redefine what faith means to me? Today — in the middle of Ordinary Time — we are confronted with a theme normally associated with the end of the Liturgical Year and the season of Advent: the vigilance that we live a life of faith by looking at examples of faith and the heroes who have witnessed to God and His love for us and our love for Him. The book of Wisdom was written about 50 years before the coming of ...

For Sunday, August 3, 2025 Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23; Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11; Luke 12:13-21 Let me ask you a question: What is your life like? I ask the same question of myself: What is my life like as I approach my 84th year, my 58th year in priesthood and in “retirement” (whatever that is)? I’m sure many would reply that the pace of their lives is hectic. It really is hectic. We are constantly on the move, filling our calendars with appointments — doctors, business and friends. Our society is very mobile, speeding from one place to another. Our daily living is driving kids around … caring for elderly parents and/or relatives … helping where we can in parishes, communities, hospitals, nursing homes, volunteer work, and so on. Life seems to be a set of problems to be solved, worked out — and we are “programmed” — “geared” — to get things done quickly. Our days are never long enough. We are surrounded by cell phones, tablets and computers which crave our constant attention. Our socie...