Sometimes the most inspiring stories are about losers, not winners.  Derek Redmond was a sprinter for Great Britain at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, in 1992.  In the middle of a 400-meter heat, he pulled a hamstring and fell to the ground in agony. Somehow, he managed to get up and, waving off the medics, he tried to hop to the finish line.  All of a sudden, Derek’s father, Jim, a heavyset machine-shop owner, leapt out of his seat and ran over to his son.  Their arms draped across each other’s shoulders, father and son together then made their way slowly to the end of the course.  The crowd roared.

            “This is enough,” the prophet Elijah says in our first reading.  We all know what he’s talking about: those times in life when we’re about ready to give up, those times when things are so bad that we’re not sure we have the strength to go on.  For Elijah, one of those times was when he found out that the queen was trying to kill him and he fled to the desert.  For us it might be when we’ve been turned down for one job after another, when it’s clear the marriage is over, when the treatments aren’t going well, when the business fails, when we’re rejected by family members, when we’ve come to the conclusion that no one will ever love us, when nothing we do seems to go our way.

            God wants to help us in moments like these but the angels he sends to us will probably look just like the people around us.  In our second reading, we hear this instruction: “So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love.” I think what the Lord is telling us today is that we’re supposed to be angels for one another; it’s the support and encouragement we give to one another that will help people to keep going and not give up.  And it might be just the simplest words or the smallest gesture that makes all the difference.

              Sooner or later, we’ll all have those times when we’ve reached our limit, when we’ve had enough of the struggles of life and we think our strength has run out. That’s why it’s so important for each one of us to work with God and allow his love, compassion, and kindness to flow through us to our sisters and brothers.  In this way, we will ensure that there will be plenty of angels for everyone.

Because of the recent change in county guidance, the Diocese of San Jose once again requires face masks for all participating in indoor worship, regardless of vaccination status.  The only exception is that liturgical ministers—priests, lectors, musicians—may remove their face masks when they are performing their liturgical duties and are sufficiently distanced from the worshiping community.  Please make sure that your face mask covers both your nose and your mouth.  

I also remind you of the continuing need to sanitize your hands when entering the church and just before receiving holy communion. I recommend that each person bring his/her own hand sanitizer.  It is easy to purchase small containers that fit into a pocket or purse.

If you are feeling ill or if you have any medical condition that may make you particularly vulnerable, please worship at home.  If for any reason you are unable to comply with the diocesan requirements, please worship at home.  The dispensation from attending Sunday mass is still in effect.

As Bishop Cantu said at the beginning of the pandemic, it is not only an act of Christian charity, it is a moral imperative that we do all that we can to protect others and stop the spread of disease.

May God bless with good health and safety our St. Mary parish family!