A message from Father Pete

Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43 Today we ask: What is our vision of God? Is God a punisher? Is God a lover? Does God get even? Do I feel God is in control of my life? Do I want more freedom? Where am I with God? Do you remember the Gospel passage from St. Mark last week (Mark 4:35-41)? Just before this passage, Jesus has been teaching a crowd on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. He then boards the boat and tells the apostles to go across the lake ... and a horrendous storm blows up as Jesus sleeps in the stern. The apostles are scared out of their wits, terrified of drowning. They awaken ... probably shaking ... Jesus, who stands up, calms the storm and says, “Why are you terrified? Did you not yet have faith?” Then they go back across the lake, where Jesus cures the Gerasene Demoniac [Mark 5:1-20, Mark 4:40]. We go right into today’s Gospel: “When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd surrounded Him, and He stayed clos...

Job 38:1, 8-11; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4: 35-41 How strong is my faith? I would say that I feel I’m in a good place. But what happens when fear enters into my life? I probably would respond that I’m really not afraid and that it seldom arises in my life. Then I pause and think … when was the last time I was afraid? I look at the past year and remember that my brother had serious medical conditions and the surgeon said there was nothing else he could do … consider letting him die peacefully, he told me. We talked, and I talked with my niece and nephews and we agreed. It was not an easy decision. I then thought of the people close to me who died: priest friends I had frequently vacationed with, close friends from my present and past assignments. Talking with their families was difficult. It was a tense experience spending these moments with them. Fear … was present. I went from fear to struggling toward faith … faith in God and His gifts, and responding in faith and love to those wh...

Ezekiel 17:22-24; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34 We are beginning the portion of Gospel readings that tells us more of God’s plan for each of us, the world, and people of all times. It would seem a simple directive, but none of us is simple in our makeup. In this we fight against our culture, which demands quick, fast, accurate and pleasing answers for everything. Ads urge us to have beautiful skin ... hair ... shape and form. We want to have the secrets to lose weight ... to have perfect abs ... to have perfect teeth ... to swallow the perfect pill that accomplishes all we want ... spray the right product ... download the right app ... do this and it’s all done in seconds. In a word, the bottom line message from our consumerist culture brainwashes us that all good things can be accomplished instantly — or sooner. In reality, we know for certain that God doesn’t work this way. Sunday Homily Helps expresses it this way: God’s time vs. our time. a) “Days are coming,” says the Lord, ...

Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:11-15; Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 Today we are celebrating the wonderful feast of the Holy Eucharist, Corpus Christi. It is a special gift to prepare children for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. One of the questions I ask them is, “Do you love Jesus?” With all their innocence, purity, love, and a huge, radiating smile, they say, “Oh yes, I love Jesus.”   I encourage them to say, “I love you Jesus,” after receiving ... and then to be still and listen ... because every time you say “I love you” to Mommy and Daddy, they say, “I love you, too.” Today is the feast of love: pure love. It is on God’s side; it is to be on our side too. Children look forward to this feast; they have been waiting a long time. “Can I have some?” has been a frequent question since they walked as a family in communion line, and not many are satisfied with, “You’re not old enough … you will when you grow up and receive First Communion.” For our little ones this i...

Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40; Romans 8:14-17; Matthew 28:16-20 The concept of God is fairly easy to understand. Even the old catechism states this abstract idea clearly: “God is an infinite being who made all things and keeps them in existence.” It is easy for a child to understand that God is the one who created everything and the one that we have to answer to at the end of time. Children develop a general notion of God depending on how they observe their parents and those in a supervisory capacity over them. Are these people kind or mean? Are they considerate or bullies? Do they respect and treat you nicely, or are they cruel and hurt you? Are they to be avoided or respected? God is the one who loves, they know this. This is the easy part but then the child will ask something like, “What does God look like? Where does He live? Can I ever see Him? What kind of clothes does He wear? Is there food He doesn’t like to eat? Does He like boys/girls? Way back I remember seeing a nice pictur...