A message from Father Pete

For Sunday, July 31, 2022 Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23; Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11; Luke 12:13-21 What do I live for? What is important to me each day? Do I trust more in the world or in God? Do I feel that an accumulation of possessions is a sign of God’s love? Do I feel it is important to have? Or is it more important to give? The world Americans live in is one of wealth, control and power. Msgr Chet Michael preached extensively that the evils in our society are power, possession and pleasure ; Fr. Richard Rohr adds prestige. How often am I caught up in the attitude of getting more? In what areas do I crave for more? Do I even ask for the grace to live my life in the love of God and to show that love in all I do? Consider these “eccentric” stories: John Paul Getty led the world’s wealthiest family. The film All the Money in the World tells of the kidnapping of one of his grandsons for whom Mr. Getty refuses to pay the demanded ransom. A reporter asks him, “Why not? You have all the mone...

For Sunday, July 24, 2022 Genesis 18:20-32; Colossians 3:12-14; Luke 11:1-13 Am I comfortable with my prayer life? I think many people hope that they are praying correctly. Many people consciously or unconsciously feel that they are not praying enough, so they add more devotions, novenas or prayers from the back of Holy Cards. We have a tendency today to feel that more is better. It comes from the custom that if we “flood the Lord with words” He will give in and respond positively to my pleas. So the question remains: Is more better? Other times we feel, or people suggest, that it's just finding the right prayer … the one that God will definitely hear and respond to just the way we want and the way we need Him to respond. If it doesn’t happen immediately, some might keep praying that prayer more and more. Some feel that if He doesn’t answer in the affirmative … well, He just doesn’t like me because of something I’ve done in the past. Some devotions … prayers … novenas insist tha...

For Sunday, July 17, 2022 Genesis 18:1-10; Colossians 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42 What is my role in being a disciple of the Lord? Do I feel that I am called to be present to the Lord in being aware and responding to the needs of others? Or do I feel that I have to spend more time being present to the Lord in prayer, adoration, spiritual reading and devotions? What is the right way? Is there a right way? Do I use one way as an escape from doing the other way? Do I notice myself making rationalizations so that I can do what I’m comfortable doing instead of what I am called to do? Is there only one right way? Are these distractors from Satan? Are these distractors from God? What am I called to do? What am I called to be? Does it all really matter to God? Unfortunately, people try to place themselves in categories. I have heard a number of people say, “Well, I’m just a Martha type” or “I’m a Mary type.” I feel that people sometimes use these statements to justify which “category” they c...

For Sunday, July 10, 2022 Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37 How am I to live in the world today? How can I live the life God has called me to live? How am I to live in a world that is constantly changing directions, from being a believer and Christian to someone who is not respecting life in all its aspects … from supporting war and violence among peoples to not granting all peoples the basics — food, clothing, the ability to work and earn a living, and living in conditions that cannot sustain the basic necessities of life? How can I allow people to be treated as slaves, second-class citizens, people whose lives are subservient to mine? What trends exist in our world that hinder the development of universal solidarity, fraternity and working together to advance all people closer to the ideals Jesus taught of love, forgiveness, healing, mercy and care? People commonly share these concerns with me: “Father, there is so much evil in the world … in our world. It exist...

For Sunday, July 3, 2022 Isaiah 66:10-14; Galatians 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-1, 17-20 We’ve been on many trips and vacations. We’ve made necessary plans on what clothes, medicine, etc., we would need. We’ve hoped and prayed that everything would be perfect. Many times it was; other times it was an ”adventure” ... that's the kindest word I can think of. We look forward to the experience but what actually transpires may cause apprehension. No matter what happens, the adventurer (that’s us) is changed. Our lives are a journey which have many stories in themselves, from their very inception to our final journey to our invited place in heaven. We can plan as much as we would like, but the bottom line remains the same: Am I preparing myself to be with the Lord each day and live my life accordingly? Have I started already? Am I waiting because I feel that I have plenty of time later to prepare to meet the Lord? Am I not concerned at all, and just feel I’m OK and don’t need anyone or any supreme...

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...