Second Sunday of Lent 2019

Okay first off Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! ☘️☘️☘️ What a beautiful day it is in the Church. We have some beautiful readings today on the second Sunday of Lent. We are on the journey to the mountain top, we are walking along with Peter, James, and John who get a glimpse of who Jesus really is. 

Don’t you just love Peter in his reactions with the encounters he has with Jesus. Peter’s reaction to the Transfiguration of Jesus is timeless. We will never really know what he truly felt but image for yourself what it would have been like. I’m sure he had to have felt overwhelmed I know for me I probably would have been overwhelmed with emotions. 

There is a lot going on here with the Old Testament making an appearance here. The fulfillment of Jesus is coming. Luke 9:31, “who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.” We have all heard what happened in Exodus, but this is Jesus’s exodus where he does and will be resurrected. 

An encounter with Jesus, something we all seek during this time of Lent. Fr. Paul says, “To get to the mountain top will not be easy, but a struggle, and who wants to come down this mountain when you have an encounter with Jesus.” I know for me I would not want to come down even though I know I have to. We all do at some point have to come down. If we stay up o. This mountain we really never really be able to accomplish our mission for Jesus. When we have an encounter with Jesus our lives will never be the same. Deacon Fausto says, “Our Home is in heaven and they climbed the mountain to have an encounter with Jesus.” Where we are right now is not our forever home we belong with God. This is our final stop on our journey is with God. Yet, while we are here our mission is be be Jesus to others who can not see Jesus. We are to be the hands, feet, mouth, and ears for Jesus. 

During this time of Lent how can we have an encounter with Jesus?

#lent #lent2019 #catholic #catholicfaith #peter #james #john #jesus #deaconfausto #frpaul #standrew #pasadena

Seek and Knock March 14, 2019

Have to say this is one of my top ten Gospel readings. We are asked to go search for God, when we do we are to knock on the door and it will be opened. In Mt 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.” When we come to Jesus He might not answer our prayers right away. We have to be ready to be patient, remember He knows what is best for us. Our culture the way it is we want things on demand we want it now. With prayer though we have to be patient with our Father, He will answer us in time. It is not when we want it but when He wills it. The Father knows when the best time for a prayer is to answered and sometimes those answers will come in the most unexpected ways. So keep your eyes, ears, mouth, and heart open for His answer. 

How many times have you prayed to God and the things you tell Him you want them as soon as you say “Amen?” #lent #catholic #pasadena #standrew #seekandknock #seek #knock #jesus #catholicchurch

Looking at Ourselves 2019

Our last Sunday before Lent begins and the readings we have do not disappoint. Especially the message for this coming week. I know for me it has me looking at myself in what blocks my vision. A truly beautiful message for the beginning of Ash Wednesday. In Luke 6:39-45, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brothers eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?” Powerful especially in the season we are about to enter into this coming Wednesday. This is the time to start looking at ourselves in our relationship with Jesus but with others as well. If we want to have a relationship with Jesus we need to look at ourselves first. Deacon Fausto says, “We all have a beam in our eye, life is not easy with a beam sticking out, we cannot are clearly, and we can fix this beam sticking out.” Touched me to the core and something which was on my mind long before hearing what Deacon Fausto had to say. But hearing this reading again I heard something new which stuck out to me. Lent is just around the corner what a beautiful way to start a new season when we get to take a closer look at ourselves. Like really taking a closer look digging deep into our soul and seeing what blocks us from seeing clearly. 

As we approach the beginning of Lent, how can we take a closer look at ourselves to remove the beam sticking out of our eye? 

#lent #blind #catholic #jesus #pasadena #standrew #christian #lent2019 #ashwednesday #seasonoflent

Being Friends With Jesus March 1, 2019

We are given a challenge just in time for Lent. All about friendship today. Having friends is important in our life, especially in our spiritual life. When Jesus is our friend one can never go wrong.

We all have social media these days. We have what they call friends on some, yet nothing can beat the actual physical aspect of having friends. These are the people we go to talk about anything going on in our lives. Fr. says, “We should appreciate and work on our friendships and what do you want me to do for you?” Again friendship are important especially having a friend like Jesus. I know I want to be friends with Jesus! How about you? This challenge we are given I’m game if you are? Who will join me in this friendship with Jesus?

#jesus #friends #jesusisfriend #catholic #catholicfaith #christian #catholicchristian

The Healing of the Blind Man 2019

Is our faith strong enough? Are we sometimes the blind man in the Gospel, where the mud comes off but not completely? “Do you see anything,” (Mk 8:23). Can you see anything when your eyes are covered in mud? Again how big or how strong is your faith? If the blind man’s faith was strong enough he would have been able to see clearly. But yet, still he can only partly see clearly. It took, “then he laid his hands on his eyes a second time,” (Mk 8:25). Are we like this sometimes where our faith is not strong enough, we have doubts and question things. 

When in our life has our faith been weak and not strong? 

#catholic #blindman #faith #stongfaith

Fishers of Men 2019

Another favorite reading of mine. Being called to go out into the deep is personal for me. For our Catechist Appreciation dinner the Catechist received a gift with this theme. A beautiful message don’t you think? We are called by God, we are visited by Jesus who jumps into our boats. 

As disciples of Christ we will have bumpy roads we will have ruff seas ahead of us. But what happens when Jesus comes into our boat. Fr. Paul says, “This is an encounter with God, go out into deep water, take a risk, feel His peace, we see our weakness and sinfulness, and we cannot be on the shore.” Like I said in the beginning this is one of my favorite readings. We are going to be tested, we are going to be shown our weakness. Because we are sinful beings, yet Jesus needs our help. Are we willing to help when He calls?

We are made for holiness so do not be afraid for when He enters into your boat, He will use you for great things.

Has Jesus ever stepped into your boat? How will you answer His call? 

#catholic #standrew #jesus #simonpeter #peter #gooutintothedeep #fishersofmen #catholicchurch #catholicchristian #frpaul

Parable of the Sower January 30, 2019

“The Parable of the Sower” another one of my favorites. Have you ever watched a flower grow from a seed and blossom into something beautiful? As followers of Jesus our mission is to bring His love to others. Of course this is not an easy task, we will plant seed that will blossom and others that will flop. Yet, do not give up we are Jesus to others. “Jesus is the Divine Sower and His Word is the Seed. Therefore, we should realize that we are also called to act is His person by sowing the seed of His Word in our own lives,” (My Catholic Life). We also need to take care of our own spiritual needs as well. If we are going to plant seeds in others we have to remember we serve the Lord and He needs us. But remember the Lord is always sowing always planting seeds. People have a hunger for Jesus.

How is your hunger for Jesus?

#catholic #sower#parable #parableofthesower #jesus