Dear friends,
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday, which means we also celebrate the Birthday of the Church. The 50 days of the Easter season have come to an end, and with them the special presence of the Easter candle in the sanctuary. Following the Masses on Pentecost Sunday, the Easter candle will be moved near the baptismal font where it will be displayed with honor, reminding us of our own baptism when we first received the light of Christ.
Pentecost is a time to thank God, our Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who ensured that we will never be abandoned after his bodily ascension into heaven. Jesus prepared his disciples for the coming of this great comforter and guide, the promise of the Father, the Spirit of truth, the Advocate who will stand beside us at all times. Just as Mary, our Mother, and the apostles spent time praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so did we pray and prepare for this great outpouring of the Spirit. We thank him for watching over us and for engendering growth in our community, working in and through each and every one of our parishioners. Within the short span of 22 years, the Lord has blessed us beyond measure. It is indeed God’s work.
I want to thank all of you for praying this most powerful of prayers every day, using the prayer for St. John’s community which begins with the invocation of the Holy Spirit: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your Peace and kindle in us the fire of your love.” I am sure all of you are praying this prayer every day. I do know of at least one person who has prayed the prayer of St. John’s community from the beginning of its publication and can recite it by heart … wow! Congratulations, dear Bill Petruska! Bill plays the guitar every Sunday at the 9 a.m. Mass, for those of you who might not know him, and if anyone else is up to the prayer challenge, please let me know.
The end of the Easter season and celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost also signal the resumption of Ordinary Time during which the liturgical color returns to green, barring some feast days. The 10th Week of Ordinary Time resumes on Monday, 6 June 2022 and continues until Evening Prayer I of the First Sunday of Advent on 27 November 2022.
Summer is here, and with it the summer holidays, so I take this moment to wish you a time of relaxation filled with safety and God’s abundant blessings. May you bring peace and joy to all you meet. During this time, we take a break now from many of our regular activities; however, we should never take a
break from our liturgical life. We will be here every Sunday to give praise to God and to partake of theEucharist, so continue to join us throughout the summer months.
I encourage you to take some time to reflect on the “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” a document which was developed by the Committee on Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Have a blessed week! With love,
Fr. John