May 27th, 2022

Dear friends in Christ,

PRAYER FOR UVALDE AND BUFFALO

During this past few weeks, our nation has experienced two terrible mass shooting, in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. We weep and grieve with those who lost their loved ones in this senseless violence. We pray for those who died and all those who mourn them and for an end to these shootings.

God of peace,
you are peace itself;
a divided heart cannot find you,
a violent mind cannot welcome you.
 
Hear us as we pray for the victims,
so many of them young children,
of the terrible shootings in Buffalo and Texas.
Grant eternal life to the dead,
healing to the wounded,
and comfort to grieving families.
 
May the grief and shock we experience
unite us in our commitment to rid
our communities of the violence
that echoes in our streets and haunts our imaginations.
 
We ask this through the One
who is our Prince of Peace:
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our prayer in these situations, is necessary and important, even in the face of those who suggest the prayer is worthless or impotent. In response to a man who tweeted out that her thoughts and prayers were worthless in response to the Uvalde tragedy, Sr. Norma Seni Pimentel, the Director for Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley had this to say:
“Thoughts & prayers are the anchor of our souls to the presence of the Holy Spirit leading us to actions of peace and love. We must all pray to stay fearless before the evil that destroys lives and be united in the love that transforms us to be people of good will to all humanity.”

At the same time in our nation and communities, we need to work together to see that these situations do not happen again, to provide necessary resources to address mental illness, to reach troubled youth, to reduce access to weapons used in these kinds of shootings, and to end the sickness of our society which isolates, divides, and breeds such violence.

For a good video reflection on this tragedy by Archbishop Etienne, please click here:
 https://vimeo.com/713879347

For some reflections on guns, human conversation, and the bishops’ approach to gun control legislation, please see this interview with Bishop Flores of Brownsville, TX
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/bishop-flores-
sacralized-guns-and?s=r

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD TO HEAVEN

This Sunday, we celebrate the 40th day after resurrection when the Lord Jesus ascended in the sight of the disciples to heaven and commissioned them to baptize all nations and to share the good news. Pope Francis offered this reflection on this great feast a few years ago:

St Luke says that having seen Jesus ascending intoheaven, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem “with great joy”. This seems to us a little odd. When we are separated from our relatives, from our friends, because of a definitive departure and, especially, death, there is usually a natural sadness in us since we will no longer see their face, no longer hear their voice, or enjoy their love, their presence. The Evangelist instead emphasizes the profound joy of the Apostles. But how could this be? … The Ascension does not point to Jesus’ absence, but tells us that he is alive in our midst in a new way. He is no longer in a specific place in the world as he was before the Ascension. He is now in the lordship of God, present in every space and time, close to each one of us. In our life we are never alone: we have this Advocate who awaits us, who defends us. We are never alone: the Crucified and Risen Lord guides us. We have with us a multitude of brothers and sisters who, in silence and concealment, in their family life and at work, in their problems and hardships, in their joys and hopes, live faith daily and together with us bring the world the lordship of God’s love, in the Risen Jesus Christ, ascended into Heaven, our own Advocate who pleads for us. POPE FRANCIS

Blessings on your week!
Fr. Johnson

From the desk of the Pastor 5-27-22

Dear friends in Christ,

PRAYER FOR UVALDE AND BUFFALO

During this past few weeks, our nation has experienced two terrible mass shooting, in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. We weep and grieve with those who lost their loved ones in this senseless violence. We pray for those who died and all those who mourn them and for an end to these shootings.

God of peace,
you are peace itself;
a divided heart cannot find you,
a violent mind cannot welcome you.
 
Hear us as we pray for the victims,
so many of them young children,
of the terrible shootings in Buffalo and Texas.
Grant eternal life to the dead,
healing to the wounded,
and comfort to grieving families.
 
May the grief and shock we experience
unite us in our commitment to rid
our communities of the violence
that echoes in our streets and haunts our imaginations.
 
We ask this through the One
who is our Prince of Peace:
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our prayer in these situations, is necessary and important, even in the face of those who suggest the prayer is worthless or impotent. In response to a man who tweeted out that her thoughts and prayers were worthless in response to the Uvalde tragedy, Sr. Norma Seni Pimentel, the Director for Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley had this to say:
“Thoughts & prayers are the anchor of our souls to the presence of the Holy Spirit leading us to actions of peace and love. We must all pray to stay fearless before the evil that destroys lives and be united in the love that transforms us to be people of good will to all humanity.”

At the same time in our nation and communities, we need to work together to see that these situations do not happen again, to provide necessary resources to address mental illness, to reach troubled youth, to reduce access to weapons used in these kinds of shootings, and to end the sickness of our society which isolates, divides, and breeds such violence.

For a good video reflection on this tragedy by Archbishop Etienne, please click here:
 https://vimeo.com/713879347

For some reflections on guns, human conversation, and the bishops’ approach to gun control legislation, please see this interview with Bishop Flores of Brownsville, TX
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/bishop-flores-
sacralized-guns-and?s=r

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD TO HEAVEN

This Sunday, we celebrate the 40th day after resurrection when the Lord Jesus ascended in the sight of the disciples to heaven and commissioned them to baptize all nations and to share the good news. Pope Francis offered this reflection on this great feast a few years ago:

St Luke says that having seen Jesus ascending intoheaven, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem “with great joy”. This seems to us a little odd. When we are separated from our relatives, from our friends, because of a definitive departure and, especially, death, there is usually a natural sadness in us since we will no longer see their face, no longer hear their voice, or enjoy their love, their presence. The Evangelist instead emphasizes the profound joy of the Apostles. But how could this be? … The Ascension does not point to Jesus’ absence, but tells us that he is alive in our midst in a new way. He is no longer in a specific place in the world as he was before the Ascension. He is now in the lordship of God, present in every space and time, close to each one of us. In our life we are never alone: we have this Advocate who awaits us, who defends us. We are never alone: the Crucified and Risen Lord guides us. We have with us a multitude of brothers and sisters who, in silence and concealment, in their family life and at work, in their problems and hardships, in their joys and hopes, live faith daily and together with us bring the world the lordship of God’s love, in the Risen Jesus Christ, ascended into Heaven, our own Advocate who pleads for us. POPE FRANCIS

Blessings on your week!
Fr. Johnson