Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, What does it mean to love, to share love, and to be loved? In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul told the early church and each of us today that: “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Love. The gift of love that Paul described was “poured” into our hearts. It is like an endless stream. It is plentiful and life enhancing. From eternity, God must be self-communicating love. This in turn means that God possesses his identity only in a distinction within himself between lover and beloved, who are both one in love. It is here that we have a starting point for the understanding of the Trinity, and one that proceeds not from knowledge in the word but from self-communicating love. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in Himself. It is, therefore, the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the ‘hierarchy of the truths of faith.”’ (CCC No. 234) This means that the love that exists among the Three Persons in One God should also be present in us. So, what is this love that is shared among the Three Persons of the Trinity? This love is a movement of giving and receiving, and in this movement there are three distinct relations. The Father is purely a giver and sender of love; the Son receives life, glory, and power from the Father, which he receives to pass on; in the Spirit the faithful receive the gift of the Father through the Son, so that we may share in this gift. Thus, in the Father, loves exists as pure source, that pours itself out. Though the three Persons of the Trinity have different roles in the salvation history of humankind, they are equally one and are bound by love. We may not be able to understand the mystery of the Blessed Trinity, but we can feel the love that is a fruit of their oneness. The Trinity is the best example of a perfect and loving community. So how do we bring the love of the trinity into our world? The love of the Trinity must be felt in our families, in our communities, in our country, and in fact the whole world. The Trinity reveals to us that love is at the essence of each person’s calling and our vocations, whether that is to marriage, the single life or to the priesthood and religious life. These are the deepest ways of living out that love. Therefore, we must ask if we are imaging the Trinity in our loves: in our marriages and families; in our places of work; in our schools, in our communities. Are we becoming persons of communion? This notion of communion is integral to the Trinity. If this happens, then the world that the Father has created, and the Son has redeemed, and the Spirit has guided, will be very similar to the Trinity who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Where there is love there is community; there is connectedness. That’s what Trinity Sunday is all about. And once again, that is where we fit in. We can recognize that we are designed for those things, because we are made in the image and likeness of God. Trinity Sunday reminds us that image, that likeness, finds it’s oneness, it’s wholeness, it’s completeness in the revelation that our God is one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All too often we come to Trinity Sunday looking for an answer to a mystery, as if we are looking for the answer to a riddle. We come looking for an explanation on how this one God in three persons is possible. As finite, human beings, we will never arrive at that answer. We can turn to analogies, such as St. Patrick and the clover, and yet every analogy falls short. Trinity Sunday calls us not to focus on the “how” but rather on the “who” that is revealed today. Our God, this one God in three persons, tells us their existence is based on being in relationship to one another. The depth of love uniting Father, Son and Spirit makes it impossible to consider each person independently. We find then that every striving of our souls for union, every reaching for companionship, every urge for a hug and embrace, every act of love gives testimony to the Trinity. In our world of smart phones, emails, tweeting, and texting, we are still looking for connection and companionship. We who are made in the image and likeness of God find a need within ourselves to mirror our origins. On this Trinity Sunday, the Church calls us to meditate on the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. At the same time, it presents us with an opportunity to gain insight into ourselves, to see what motivates us, and how we were created to live and love. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
This Sunday we celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost and our Easter season of 50 days will draw to a close. “Come Holy Spirit” is the theme of our celebrations and a reminder to each of us that we need to call upon the Holy Spirit every day. How very true this is. These gifts that we received at our confirmation are precious. The question is, do I call upon these gifts? Really and truly? Do I call upon the gift of wisdom, and value spiritual things over worldly ones? Do I contemplate the things of God? Do I call upon the gift of courage, and stand up for God and His truths? There is no doubt that this is what the world needs, and it starts in my own home. Do I pray for the gift of knowledge? This is the awareness of God’s plan. This can be a challenge at this time and living through a pandemic. Yet this is what we must pray for. Do I pray for the gift of wonder and awe that increases my desire to draw closer to God and depart from sin? The list goes on. Here we have yet another challenge, but opportunity too. When we call upon these gifts it has the power to change – wait – transform our lives, and live a rich and full life in communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May we call upon the Holy Spirit, the advocate, to make a home in our hearts, and to be an instrument of peace, love, and hope. I look forward to you joining me for Mass this Pentecost Sunday. May God continue to bless and keep safe each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, This Sunday we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord – the entry of Jesus’ humanity into divine glory in God’s heavenly domain, forty days after his Resurrection. Immediately after Christ’s ascension to heaven, the first church in Jerusalem was under intense pressure. Their first task was to find a replacement for Judas Iscariot. They prayed that God would guide the casting of lots. There were two candidates, and Matthias was chosen, whose Feast Day we celebrated on Friday. Many times, when we are under pressure or facing a difficult time, we can push others away. Such was not the case with the first church and the apostles. Instead, they let the pressure drive them closer together instead of breaking them apart. As we continue to “welcome home” our parish family, may all feel the magnetic pull of Christ drawing us to our spiritual home of St. Julia. As our Easter season quickly comes to a close, we prepare for the celebration of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles. Interesting to note, lots are not mentioned again in the New Testament once the Holy Spirit came as the Church’s guide. Below you will find not one, not two, but three prayers to prepare for Pentecost. May we be reminded of the spiritual gifts that we received at our Confirmation, and may we pray to the Holy Spirit to give us the courage we need to navigate these times together as a community of believers, united in prayer. May God continue to bless and keep safe each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
Calm. Serenity. Peace. No matter what part of the world one comes from or one’s faith background, it is what we all long for. Perhaps it is on a walk or when we find that quiet place, at the celebration of the Mass, or as we pray before turning off the lights at night, for us as believers, it all leads to one source. God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you.” It is my prayer that each of us be open to the peace that God wants to give and share with us, and that we be instruments of that peace to others. That is how we can transform our homes and families, our community, and our world. May God bless each of you and those that you love with peace of mind, body, and spirit. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
At the end of a funeral for a priest or deacon the bishop intones the Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen). He then turns to a statue of our Blessed Mother, as the other priests and deacons join in singing. Throughout the pandemic, and more recently as we pray for peace in Ukraine, we have turned to our Blessed Mother in prayer seeking her intercession. I have been reading through the notes from our synod listening sessions for my benefit so that I too can listen to the needs of our community and help lead our parish, and one of the questions asked was “why do we turn to porcelain statue when we pray the Hail Mary?” Rather than wait for Pope Francis to answer this question, I thought it would be of great benefit for all. So, why do we turn to a statue of Mary? Why do we fix our eyes upon the crucifix? Why do we have stained glass in our churches? The crucifix is the very sign of our faith. Throughout history, the Church has used stained glass windows, icons, paintings, and statues to teach the early Christians, many who could neither read or write. Today, these forms of art beautify our churches and homes. They inspire us and enrich our sacred spaces. Our statue of the Blessed Mother, for example, is far more than just decorative. It provides us with a focal point during prayer as we seek her intercession. All of these focal points encourage deeper devotion and lift our hearts to heaven. Statues have been a source of argument in the early centuries of the Church. They are not idols for worship. The Church formally confirmed the use of statues and other art as means of veneration at the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 A.D. They clarified, approved, and encouraged the use of statues. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2132 teaches us: The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, "the honour rendered to an image passes to its prototype," and "whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it." The honour paid to sacred images is a "respectful veneration," not the adoration due to God alone: Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God incarnate. The movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is. Thus, we do not worship the statue, but rather we venerate the person portrayed. As we continue our journey through the month of May, may our eyes be drawn to our Blessed Mother Mary as we seek her intercession for peace in Ukraine and in our hearts. May God bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg “Dear friends, on this day in particular,
but also in the ordinary pastoral life of our communities, I ask the Church to continue to promote vocations. May she touch the hearts of the faithful and enable each of them to discover with gratitude God’s call in their lives, to find courage to say ‘yes’ to God.” Pope Francis My dear friends, This Sunday, May 8, is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. It is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The purpose of World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publicly fulfill the Lord's instruction to, "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into His harvest" (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). As a climax to a prayer that is continually offered throughout the Church, it affirms the primacy of faith and grace in all that concerns vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life. While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates its attention this day on vocations to the ordained ministries of priesthood and the diaconate, consecrated life in all its forms, male and female religious life, societies of apostolic life, consecrated virginity, secular institutes in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life. 2022 marks the 59th Anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. One may ask, “where are the vocations to the priesthood today?” Well, they are in our classrooms, our places of work, and around our kitchen tables. The challenge is how does one hear this calling when there is so much noise in the world. It is in the quiet and stillness of the heart where the Lord speaks to us. And the opportunity is for us to tap that young man on the shoulder and to plant the seed, saying “I see the qualities of a priest in you,” or “have you ever considered being a priest?” If it were not for Bishop Wingle, I would not be here today. On this Good Shepherd Sunday, let us unite our prayers together with those throughout the world as we pray to our Lord that hearts be open to a vocation, and may those discerning response with a heartfelt and generous yes. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg We flip the calendar this weekend and begin a new month. Our daffodils have been in bloom for some time. Now the buds are emerging on our hydrangeas and our gardens are coming to life. It’s the month of May, and it’s the month of Mary.
The National Catholic Register writes: For centuries, the Catholic Church has set aside the entire month of May to honour Mary, Mother of God. Not just a day in May, mind you, but the entire month. The custom spans both centuries and cultures, with roots going back as far as the Ancient Greeks. In early Greece, May was dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of fecundity. In Ancient Rome, May was dedicated to Flora, the goddess of blooms, or blossoms. They celebrated ludi florals, or floral games, at the end of April and asked the intercession of Flora for all that blooms. In medieval times, similar customs abounded, all centering around the practice of expelling winter, as May 1 was considered the start of new growth. During this period, the tradition of Tricesimum, or “Thirty-Day Devotion to Mary,” came into being. Also called, “Lady Month,” the event was held from August 15 to September 14 and is still observed in some areas. The idea of a month dedicated specifically to Mary can be traced back to baroque times. Although it wasn’t always held during May, Mary Month included thirty daily spiritual exercises honoring Mary. It was in this era that Mary’s Month and May were combined, making May the Month of Mary with special devotions organized on each day throughout the month. This custom became especially widespread during the nineteenth century and remains in practice until today. Here at St. Julia, we will continue to seek the intercession of our Blessed Mother for peace in Ukraine as we turn to her at every Mass in prayer. I also thank our C.W.L. for leading us in the rosary after Monday morning Mass. May our eyes be fixed on Mary, our Blessed Mother, and may God bless each of you and those that you love as we begin this new month together as a parish family here at St. Julia. Mary, pray for us! Fr. Greg This weekend we gather together as a parish family to celebrate the most important event in human history: the resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
What is interesting about this event is that it is recorded in history, verified by eyewitnesses, confirmed by revelation and testified to by God Himself. It is a fact. This is what we celebrate. Prior to Jesus’ resurrection, death was final, it was the last word, and there was no hope. That all changed on that first Easter morning. This is what we celebrate. We celebrate that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and that death no longer has the last and final words on our lives. It is our Saviour who conquered death, having come back from the dead, and to never die again. This is what we celebrate. Jesus has also made a promise to us. That what happened to him will also happen to us. Like Jesus, we will rise to a new life, a journey from life here on earth to life in heaven. This is what we celebrate. We are here to help one another as a community of believers here at St. Julia. We are on this journey together, united in prayer, serving and supporting one another, and helping one another as sisters and brothers to get to our ultimate home of heaven. This is what we celebrate. This is the promise God has made to us, made anew each Easter. This is where we place our hope. This is where we place our trust. This is our source of joy. Christ is truly risen from the dead. This is what we celebrate. I warmly welcome you and your family, friends and neighbours too, to join me for our Easter celebrations this weekend here at St. Julia. Whether in person or virtually, just being able to gather is a reason to celebrate in itself. On behalf of your parish family of St. Julia, I wish each one of you and those that you love a most blessed and grace-filled Easter. Christ has truly risen from the dead. Alleluia! Fr. Greg We are about to enter into the most beautiful and sacred weeks in the liturgical life of our church. We begin this weekend with Palm Sunday. We will encounter Jesus when we wave our palms as He descends from the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem and we cry out “Hosanna.” On Holy Thursday, we will gather around the table as He celebrates the Last Supper with his apostles and we listen to Jesus’ command to each of us to “take this all of you and eat of it” and to love one another. On Good Friday we will stand at the foot of the cross as Jesus takes his last breath. Then at our Easter Vigil, we will encounter the resurrected Jesus, having conquered sin and death.
This week, I invite you to listen to the words of Sacred Scripture as if you are hearing them for the very first time. Be still. Be in the moment. Just be. Immerse yourself in these liturgies and make the very most of this week as we journey with Jesus through His passion, death, and resurrection. I look forward to us being united together this week as a parish family, and I wish you a truly blessed and grace-filled Holy Week. May God bless you and those that you love. Fr. Greg This Sunday we celebrate the Third Scrutiny with our now 6 catechumens and 1 candidate from our R.C.I.A. family. This is an examination within, not only for those preparing to be welcomed into the church this Easter, but for each of us.
In our Gospel from John 11:1-45, we will hear Jesus proclaim, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Do you believe this? I can’t help but sit and pray in our church and be drawn into the mysteries of our faith by just taking everything in that is found in our sanctuary. Our lent banners, “He died so that I may live,” and “Forgiven,” speak so beautifully to this passage from Sacred Scripture. Jesus died for each one of us so that we may live. Jesus died for our sins. So many times, in our world the message is you only live once, and if it feels good, just do it. Many around us act like this is the only life and there is no life other than the one we know today. As disciples of Christ, we know otherwise. We believe that there is a life after this one here on earth. When we die, we journey from life to life, life here on earth to life to eternal life. There is a resurrection. All of this and so much more helps us to understand that there is more to living, and that everything we do today helps us to prepare for the life to come. This is what Lent is all about. Preparing, striving to move closer and closer to being one with Christ, and mirroring Christ here on earth. Jesus’ death opened the gates of eternal life. He died for our sins. When we turn to God and confess our sins, we are forgiven, and receive grace, the sharing in the supernatural life of Christ, so that we may live. Our crucifix and Jesus’ dying on the cross makes this real for us, now, in the most profound of ways. As we journey through this Fifth Week of Lent together and prepare for Holy Week, the holiest of weeks for us in the church, please know of my prayers. I pray that you will open your heart to encounter Christ in the sacraments, and receive the graces you need live. Embrace these days ahead. Consider coming to weekday Mass. Join us for our Lent Penance Service, either in person or virtually. Pray the Stations of the Cross with our community this Friday. Immerse yourself into the mysteries of our faith, so that you may live today, in this life, and prepare for the life to come. May God bless you and those that you love. Fr. Greg |
AuthorFrom Our Pastor Archives
July 2024
|