Dear friends,
It is so good to be back in the swing of things, most of us having returned safely from our vacations and visits with family and friends. Praise the Lord! Our children are back in school, and we are all together again, back in the pews for worship of our Lord. That’s what makes us Catholic, in all things and at all time giving him due honor.
Welcome back to another purposeful year of activities consisting of faith nourishment, community building, and outreach to those in need, all with the sole purpose of giving praise and honor to the Lord.
I am very happy to announce that we are finally in receipt of the long-awaited Certificate of Occupancy from the county for the completed Phase 1 of God’s Heart Our Dream 2.0 project. I take this occasion to thank you for the generosity which made it possible for us to complete the work. For those of us who have not yet pledged for this project, I request that you prayerfully consider participation in Phase 2 of the project, with work on the grotto beginning soon.
This weekend, we celebrate the 21st Sunday in Year C, hearing again from St. Luke’s Gospel. We have been following Jesus the past several weeks as he journeys from Galilee to Jerusalem, teaching along the way. This weekend (Luke 13: 22-30), Jesus begins his “hard sayings,” some of them not only difficult to understand but also to digest. For example, to those who claimed to have known Jesus from his visits to their towns and from listening to his teachings – “We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets” – Jesus would reply rather bluntly, “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!” That would be difficult to hear. So, what is he inviting us to do? The answer is to “strive to enter through the narrow gate” by “proclaiming his glory among the nations,” as Isaiah tells us in the first reading in 66:18-21. The suggestion offered by the author of the Letter to the Hebrews (12: 5- 7, 11-13), our second reading for this weekend, is: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.” These are but a few of the “hard sayings” we hear this week. Let their meaning, their invitation, sink in, and buckle up for more to come.
Our faith formation classes are beginning this weekend. I want to thank Fr. Vincent and the many catechists and volunteers who help our faith formation staff teach our children the truth and beauty of ourfaith. Without them – and without the support and enthusiasm of our parents and grandparents – we would not be able to hand on the treasures of our faith to our children.
Please note the dates and times that the different sessions will begin, as noted here:
SJE Kids (K-5th): THIS SUNDAY, 21 August, immediately following the 9:00 a.m. Mass in the parish hall, a “Welcome Back/Meet and Mingle” with packet pick-up for each student. A registration table will also be available, cash or check only.
EDGE (6-8th): Wednesday, 24 August, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the parish hall.
Teens (9-12th): THIS SUNDAY, 21 August, “kick-off” event; optional dinner from 5:30 – 6:00 p.m. in the parish hall, followed by water activities until 7:30 p.m.
Our 9:00 a.m. Mass is filled with so much involvement from our youth. Children are participating in the choir, serving as greeters, gift bears, and as the welcome and Prayer of the Faithful readers. Some of our children will even be preparing to serve as lectors beginning in Advent. What a blessing!
Family of the Month: During the summer months, we honored Scott and Carmen Mims (May), Carl and Eileen Hazell (June), and Jerry and Joy Antonucci (July). This weekend, we will be honoring the families of Ed and Maureen Moore and Ed Moore, Jr. I wish to congratulate them and thank them for all they do in support of the faith community of St. John’s.
Have a blessed week! With love,
Fr. John