A message from Father Pete

Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45 Facing death! This is a reality that few people want to think about. Today we are overcome with the coronavirus pandemic. We see it on TV, the internet, newspapers, periodicals. People are confused, worried, scared even for loved ones, especially the elderly; many are mourning deaths all over the globe. We have seen processions of many, many caskets in different countries. Are we worried about our own death? Are we praying for the victims as well as their families, friends and loved ones? Are we praying for the caregivers and medical professionals throughout the world? Are we praying for researchers trying to come up with an effective antidote? Are we praying for those who are deprived of medical care and the necessary means to safeguard life? Are we praying for those throughout the world who are deprived of the Eucharist or are unable to attend their own religious services? In 1918 there was a worldwide flu pandemic, the H1N1 virus. Ab...

1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 Am I blind? Am I blind to what goes on around me? Am I blind to what God is telling me each day? Am I blind in following the teachings of the Church? Do I choose what I want and disregard the rest? Am I blind to the commandments of God? Do I chose what I want to follow and disregard the others? Am I blind to Jesus’ triple command of love: to love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul, strength … to love my neighbor, who is everyone in my life and in the world … to love myself? Do I choose what I want to follow and when I want to follow it? Do I put conditions on God/Jesus’ commandments, adding stipulations that God did not put there nor intend? Do I view suffering in my life as being sent by God as a punishment for past deeds or omissions? Do I feel that God is not present with me in my suffering? Do I feel that my helping of a person in need -- a person who is suffering physically, psychologically or spiritually -- will nev...

Exodus 17: 3-7; Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8; John: 5-42 Lent is a time for questions: We started with what am I going to give up for lent. ... The Church encourages us to look at what am I going to do , and they strongly suggest prayer … fasting … almsgiving. Another question is to look at ourselves, which is always a good exercise, and ask what do I thirst for in my life? Thomas Merton wrote a marvelous prayer that I say everyday; have done so for years: The Road Ahead Lord, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road though I may seem to know nothi...

Genesis 12:1-4; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Matthew 17:1-9 Now what would our response have been if: -- Abraham told everyone to pack up their bags and we are moving to a special place. Where we were was special: The crops were growing, the livestock were thriving, the place was a prime bit of property. Why move, Abraham? Everything is great here …why travel to a place we don’t know? The tribes there may be hostile and the land may not produce … why move? Everyone likes it here! And Abraham said, "Have faith: God is telling us to go!" -- Or how would we respond to Paul, who is advising Timothy ... along with us ... that we're going to face intolerable levels of hardship and probably depression because of our trials? This is a little bit much … I don’t know if I will be up to it ... is God really calling us to hardships? How do I know that God will be with me? Look what they did to Jesus. -- Or, how would we respond to Jesus if we were up on the mountain that day and saw Him w...

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 Lent 2020 has arrived and we are beginning again to look at ourselves and how we can experience God’s total presence and how we can get closer to our loving God. Traditionally we do this in a sacrificial way by giving up all sorts of treats, sweets, drinks, internet use, language we do not like coming from our mouths and actions that hurt relationships ... plus much more. While all of these are good, I suggest adding one more activity: understanding the Scripture readings for each Sunday. They tell us about God and God’s total love. They tell us of the direction that God is leading us. They tell us about God’s plan, which is a far more powerful tool than giving up things. Here is an outline* of the readings this Lent: First Readings tell the story of humanity’s troubled relationship with God and God’s continued efforts to bring us back. They start with the human tendency to distrust God. God responds by creating a people, firs...