Father Prince's Gospel Reflection
The Seventh Sunday of Easter:
Eternal life and God are as close as the air and stillness at the center of our lives, but also as distant as the unreflective search so detrimental to those lives.
There is a story of a young man who goes in search of God and finds an old hermit on the seashore. He begs to become the hermit’s disciple. The old man says nothing, but takes the young man and plunges him into the water and holds his head under water for a good, but a reasonable length of time. Released, the young man shakes the water off and attempts to regain his composure when the old hermit asks him what he wanted most of all while he was under water. “Air, of course,” said the young man. “Yes,” said the hermit in reply. “Return home and come to me when you want God as much you wanted air just now.”
The message of Jesus to the first group of his followers is the same one for us, the followers of Christ today. Following the Christian way is not easy. It means surrender, suffering, sometimes even death. We hear Peter say in the second readings: “But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name.” To live the Christian life is to suffer for Christ because love demands giving of self like Jesus did for us, and the basic commandment given to us is to love God and love one another with a sacrificial love.
A mother, bidding goodbye to her child at the school door or at the bus stop can say, “I shall be thinking of you and I’m only a phone call away.” But we, Christians do not have to wait to place the call. This Sunday’s gospel reading reminds us that Jesus has given us the Spirit of God, the divine life that permeates us, enlivens us, ties us to the Father by cords far stronger than telephone wires. We, Christians can rejoice in the knowledge that our God is the “Abba” Father. God has not been revealed to us as a primal force or a neutered way, or a creator who, having brought the world into existence, left us to our own resources and withdrew into his glory.
Just as every parent would like to protect the children from pain and suffering but know it can not be done, so our Father in heaven does not guarantee us that we shall not suffer, but He gives us the power of his loving Spirit to assist us along the way.
Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.
Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Church Hours
The Church is open daily 6:30am-10:30am and 12:30-4:30pm for private prayer. The parish office remains closed until further notice. Email and phone messages are checked regularly.
Thank You!
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Second Collection
This weekend's Second Collection is for the Catholic Communication Campaign. Let us thank the Lord for the technology and communication methods that have kept us in touch with one another duing this pandemic.
