A message from Father Pete

For Sunday, June 26, 2022 1 Kings 19:16, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-62 Sometime or other down through the years, each of us, myself included, have been on a discovery journey: discovering who we are. We have taken made roads … had setbacks … and have come back to this same question … even “run away” from responding to it. Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man , a book set within the context of the African-American experience in the 20th century, responds: “When I discover who I am, I’ll be free." We spend much time to discover who we are so that we can be free and, we could add, “feel free” as well. The questions that resonate inside me are: Who am I? What am I being called to? What is my purpose? Where do I belong? For me it has been in the context of my Catholic priesthood. But today’s scripture readings highlight that everyone is called by God to be His people of love, care, forgiveness. Do I realize that this is an individual call to each person? Do I realize that every...

For Sunday, June 19, 2022 Genesis 14:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11-13 We celebrate the feast of the Eucharist, Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. How many times have we come to receive the Eucharist? Are we aware of what this mystery is all about? How many times have we been so preoccupied with ourselves and the happenings around us that we wonder whether we really received? How many times have we let the Lord just be with us after we have received ... loving, caring and thanking us for loving Him and those we've touched who've come into our lives, expectedly and unexpectedly? How many times have we just loved our Lord? Why do I say this? Do we realize that the Body of Christ in the transformed bread and wine we receive is transforming us as well as the believers who have received with us? Do we allow this to happen? We receive the Body and blood of Christ for spiritual nourishment. We know about eating; we need food and drink for our own nourishment. We h...

For Sunday, June 12, 2022 Proverbs 8:22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 What do I know about God? John tells us: “God is love, and whosoever remains in love remains in God and God in them.” [1 John 4:16] So if God is love, every time I witness love or share love, I am finding out more about God’s love. Do I reflect on this? Do I realize that these moments are when I am actively involved in God’s mission to share Jesus? To be God right now and right where I am in my living module? Even more importantly, do I reflect on these moments of love because they are telling me about God and His love for me and those I am with? Do I trust the Holy Spirit in leading me and enabling me to Be God in these moments? We might want to say, “Lord, I’m not worthy” ... but it’s not about our worthiness. It’s about God choosing you and me to bring about God’s union of love to His creation. How blessed we are. Consider this encounter in The Little Burgundy Book : One day, a visitor to the monastery asked ...

For Sunday, June 5, 2022 Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13; John 14:15-16, 23-26 Today we are celebrating Pentecost, the day of the Holy Spirit’s coming upon the Apostles. Some Sacred Scripture passages state it this way: “The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of all I told you.” [John 14:26] “ No one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.” [1 Corinthians 12:3] “Therefore, I say to you every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”[Matthew 12: 31-32] “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong, driving wind , and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appears to them tongues as of fire , which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy ...

For Sunday, May 29, 2022 Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Luke 24:46-53 I remember when I was a youngster and it was time to go to bed ... one of my parents joined me as we knelt down together and I said my nightly prayers. As usual, I wanted to stay up longer but it never worked. The message always was, “Peter, time to go to bed.” So I would drag my time out by praying for everyone I could remember. It worked a very few times, but then it was bedtime. Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus. One might imagine that its importance is in Jesus’ returning to heaven and assuming the authority He won in His death and resurrection. He descended to be with us … to teach us God’s love … to show us God’s care, love and mercy … to tell us that heaven is our home too. He rose to give us a glimpse of that eternal glory here and now, even as we continue our journey though our designated earthly life. Jesus’ Ascension doesn’t celebrate Jesus’ descent into our dreariness, but th...

For Sunday, May 22, 2022 Acts 15:1-2, 22–29; Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23; John 14:23-29 Today’s first reading from Acts recounts what has been called the Council of Jerusalem. It was held in Jerusalem around 50 A.D. and is unique among the ancient pre-ecumenical councils in that it is considered by Catholics and Eastern Orthodox to be the first model and forerunner of later ecumenical councils. Its topics: the controversy about male circumcision and the validity of the Mosaic Law. So what was required of the “new members ” of the Church? At this point Christianity is not a distinct religion but is living out the covenant relationship with God as taught by Jesus. As Jews, they observed all the religious practices and going to Sabbath worship, then participating in the Breaking of the Bread on Sunday. So what about the “new” members … the Gentiles? Were they required to become Jews? Paul and Barnabas had been working with the Gentiles and welcomed them into the faith. They went to Ant...

For May 15, 2022 Acts 14:14, 21-27; Revelation 21:1-5; John 13:31-35 What is the goal of my life in living as a Christian, as a Catholic? What is the goal of my life in living? Are these the same? Do I separate the way I am living from the way I am living my belief in God? Am I two-faced in this? If someone asked me these questions, I would have a strong tendency to be defensive, alarmed even ... disturbed by being so openly challenged. Why? Because I would feel that I try to do the best I can in living my life as a person of love, caring and obedience to God’s commands. These demanding, testing, taxing questions leave me uncomfortable and could make me irritable rather than realizing that these are questions to me, about me. Is my goal in life really heaven, and am I living my life accordingly? Why not? Is there anything more basic in my life than my life in heaven? One could answer, “I’m married” — “I have children” — “I have grandchildren to raise.” — “I have people for whom I'm...