6/1/2021 - Prayers of the faithful - 9th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to carry our crosses. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to stand up for our faith. 

Lord Jesus - you are our Savior and our Redeemer. 

1. For the Church: that we will live as a Eucharistic people, giving and sharing of ourselves, as Christ continually does for us, so that all may have life. 

2.  For all missionaries, for the sacrifices they make to spread that Gospel message, and for those throughout the world who are persecuted for their faith.  

3. For our first responders, for the men and women in the military, and for our medical professionals.  

4. For our children and youth: as they start they summer vacation time, may they be safe and may they feel God accompanying them throughout all their summer activities.  

5. For the Gospel of Life: may all profess the dignity of human life in their words and actions, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. 

6.  For those who feel separated from God and for those who have not returned to the Church yet during the pandemic: May they feel a welcome home back in their parish and in the Church. 

7. For the sick and shut-ins and for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  

We present these prayers, heavenly Father, through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

prayers of the faithful - feast of the visitation - 31 May 2021

Lord Jesus - you came to earth as a humble servant - Lord have mercy.

Christ Jesus - you are the son of Mary - Christ have mercy.

Lord Jesus - you meet us in our grief and in our sorrow - Lord have mercy.  

Prayers of the faithful:

Priest:  Let us unite our prayers with the prayers of Mary to pray for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world.

1. For our governmental leaders and Church leaders - that they may be faithful disciples like Mary, our Mother.  

2. That all the nations of the world and their leaders may work for true economic justice and lead the people in unity and solidarity.

3. For the poor, the stranger, and the oppressed - that they may be welcomed by our community.

4. That all youth, like Mary, may be open to God’s call in their lives, that they may say “yes” to serving others.  

5. That we may trust in Mary’s intercessions and imitate her virtues.  

6. For the sick and shut-ins, the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and for the prayers we hold in our hearts.

7. For our Carmelite community in Jackson, and for the Carmelite communities in the Philippines and throughout the world.  

Priest: Gracious God, you called Mary to visit her cousin Elizabeth in her time of need.  Hear the prayers of your children and grant them in the name of your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.

31 May 2021 - The feast of the Visitation - Luke 1:39-56

     The Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth is one of the key stories told regarding the birth of Jesus in the New Testament.  Not only does this Gospel story recount how Elizabeth perceives Mary as being the Mother of the Lord, but we also hear Mary sing the Magnificat, a message that contains many of the main values of the Good News that Jesus will proclaim in his ministry here on earth.

         In the Visitation of Mary, we see two women, Mary and Elizabeth, visit each other and minister to each other.  These two women will soon give birth to two babies, Jesus and John the Baptist, who will change not only the lives of these two women, but their births will change the world.  Mary and Elizabeth are bound together in a way that goes way beyond their place and time in Ancient Israel.  The Visitation captures a particular moment in time, but it is an event that is universal in meaning, which is why we celebrate this feast day in a special way during our liturgical year. 

         Just as Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth to be with her and to help her, Mary is with us in our lives in so many different ways.  Mary is the Sorrowful Mother who understands the sacrifice and sorrows that we experience in our lives.  Mary is our Mother who celebrates our joys, who encourages us on our journey, who helps us get back on track when we stray and when we become apathetic.  Mary is the Mother of our Lord who listens to our prayers and presents them to her Son, present our cause to her son. 

         As we celebrate Mary today and her Visitation with her cousin Elizabeth, we are called to never forget that Mary is always at our side. 

30 de mayo de 2021 - Solemnidad de la Santísima Trinidad - Mateo 28: 16-20

     Hoy, el domingo después de la celebración de Pentecostés, celebramos la Santísima Trinidad.  Debo decir que como sacerdote, siempre es difícil para predicar la palabra de Dios sobre la Santísima Trinidad, un misterio eterno de la fe.  Incluso el gran teólogo Santo Tomás de Aquino dijo que era mucho más fácil decir lo que Dios no era que decir lo que es.  Al hablar del significado y la relación interior de las tres personas de Dios, siempre siento que las palabras de nuestra comprensión humana de las cosas son inadecuadas para expresar esa realidad. El padre jesuita Antonio de Mello dice que los seres humanos hablar de la Santísima Trinidad es como intentar explicar el color verde a una persona ciega de nacimiento.  El gran teólogo alemán del siglo XX, el sacerdote jesuita Karl Rahner conversaba con un sacerdote amigo; el sacerdote le pidió consejo para tratar de explicar la Trinidad en su predicación en la misa. El consejo que recibió de Karl Rahner: ni lo intentes. Dicho todo esto, creo que todavía hay muchas cosas en las que podemos reflexionar sobre Dios y las tres personas que componen su ser.

     Todos los católicos bautizados fuimos iniciados en la Iglesia con la palabras que Jesucristo nos da al final del Evangelio de San Mateo, bautizados en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo.  Reconocemos lo que nos enseña el Catecismo, que Dios es tres personas en el Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu Santo, que cada una de estas personas es Dios, pero hay un solo Dios.  Entonces, podemos reconocer que la realidad de Dios está más complicada de la realidad humana.  Pero aún podemos decir esto: 

(1) Dios, el Padre, es nuestro Padre. Es omnipresente y se refleja en toda su creación. Entonces, vivirá en él y la creación existe en él. 

(2) Jesús, el hijo es Emmanuel, es Dios con nosotros. Él es nuestro Salvador y Redentor. Como somos sus discípulos, él siempre está con nosotros. 

(3) El Espíritu Santo está ahí para acompañarnos, guiarnos, e inspirarnos. El Espíritu habla a lo más recóndito de nuestro corazón. Pero hay un solo Dios. Vive en nosotros. Y vivimos en él.

    Hay algunos enseñanzas que podemos aprender de la Santísima Trinidad que podemos aplicar en el camino de fe.  Primero, la Santísima Trinidad nos enseña a respetarnos a nosotros mismos y a los demás.  Nuestra convicción es que Dios en la Trinidad está siempre presente dentro de nosotros; por lo tanto, estamos llamados a estimarnos como la morada santa de Dios, a comportarnos bien en su santa presencia y a llevar una vida pura y santa, reflejando la justicia y la caridad de Dios.  Esta presencia de la Trinidad con nosotros nos anima a respetar y honrar a nuestro prójimo como templo del Espíritu Santo.

     Segundo, Dios es la fuente de nuestra fuerza.  La conciencia y la convicción de la presencia de Dios en nosotros nos da la fuerza para afrontar los problemas de la vida con valor cristiana.  Los primeros mártires cristianos llevaron esta convicción a su muerte para gritar la oración heroica de l fe de los salmos: "El Señor de la fuerza está con nosotros, nuestro Dios está dentro de nosotros y el Dios de Jacob es nuestro ayudante. "(Salmo 46).

      Además, llamamos a ver a la Trinidad de Dios como modelo para las familias cristianas.  Somos creados por Dios en amor para ser una comunidad de personas amorosas, así como el Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu Santo están unidos en un amor comunitario.  Desde el día de nuestro bautismo, hemos pertenecido al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo.  Crecemos en la gracia de la familia de la Trinidad.  Por eso, nos preocupamos llamados a volvernos al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo en la oración todos los días, pertenecientes a la familia de la Trinidad de Dios.  El amor, la unidad y la alegría que se encuentran en la relación entre el Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu Santo es el paradigma fundamental de nuestras relaciones dentro de las familias cristianas.  Las familias se vuelven verdaderamente cristianas cuando viven en una relación de amor con Dios y con nuestro prójimo.

     También, estamos llamados a ser más como la Trinidad en todas nuestras relaciones, ya que fuimos creados a imagen y semejanza de Dios.  Así como Dios es Dios solo en una relación trinitaria, también podemos ser completamente humanos solo como miembros de una relación de tres niveles: nosotros mismos, Dios y nuestros hermanos.  Podemos reflexionar en esto en la forma en que hacemos la señal de la cruz: estando en una relación vertical con Dios y una relación horizontal con nuestro prójimo. De esa manera, nuestra vida es trinitaria como la vida trinitaria de Dios. Así es muy diferente a nuestra sociedad moderna, donde valoramos el individualismo.  Esta doctrina de la Trinidad nos llama a ver nosotros mismos en relación con Dios y con nuestro prójimo.  Como Dios Padre, estamos llamados a ser personas productivas y creativas contribuyendo a la construcción del tejido de la vida y a la construcción del amor en nuestra familia, nuestra Iglesia, nuestra comunidad y nuestra nación.  Como Dios Hijo, estamos llamados a la reconciliación y la sanación, a ser pacificadores, a restaurar lo que se ha roto.  Como Dios el Espíritu Santo, nuestra tarea es vivir la verdad de nuestra fe, enseñar la verdad y disipar la ignorancia.  La espiritualidad de la Trinidad nos llama a la solidaridad con Dios y con nuestro prójimo y vivir los valores del Evangelio. 

     El misionero jesuita San Francisco Javier del siglo XVI escribió esta oración corta que rezaba a menudo la Trinidad: “Santísima Trinidad, que vive en mí, te alabo, te adoro, y te amo . Dejemos que el Hijo nos lleve al Padre a través del Espíritu, para vivir con el Dios en su Trinidad por los siglos de los siglos. Amén." 

3 June 2021 - Thursday of the 9th week in Ordinary Time – Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1; 7:9-17; 8:4-9A

     We have been hearing readings from the book of Tobit this week. Today, we hear a very long reading from Tobit  In answer to the prayers of Tobit and Sarah, God sends the Angel Raphael to answer their prayers as a special messenger.  The Angel tells Tobit’s son Tobiah to go to the house of Raguel to arrange a marriage with his daughter Sarah.  In our modern way of thinking, we might be put off by the way Tobiah and Raguel arrange this marriage.  Tobias seems unafraid and very trusting in the Lord, even when he hears that seven other men have married Sarah and did not live past their wedding night. 

      What should touch our hearts, however, is the prayer that Tobiah and Sarah offer God in order to bless their marriage. They acknowledge that their marriage not only fulfills their love for each other and their desire to be husband and wife, but that their marriage comes from God, that their marriage is instituted by God.  In their prayer, Tobiah and Sarah pray to God, saying: “It is you who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife, to be his help and support.  It was you who said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone.’” Because they know in their hearts that their marriage comes from God, Sarah and Tobiah pray confidently to God, asking for his help in their marriage.  This wedding prayer from the book of Tobit is commonly chosen as the first reading in the Mass for Catholic weddings, with many brides and grooms identifying with the wishes that Tobiah and Sarah offer up to God on their wedding night.

      This prayer that we hear from Tobit today reminds us of the call to holiness that all of us have in life, of the way we are to pledge our lives to God in the vocation we choose.  May this be our wish.

1 June 2021 - St Justin Martyr - Tuesday of the 9th week in Ordinary Time - Tobit 2:9-14

     Our first reading today comes from the book of Tobit, giving us a description of a righteous man of faith who sticks to his faith even in the midst of sufferings and adversity.  In our reading today, Tobit buries a dead man and gives him a proper burial, even though the consequences may be dire for him.  However, rather than receiving blessings for such an act, he endures great suffering through a freak accident, as droppings from a bird fall on his eyes while he is asleep in his courtyard.  When Tobit accuses his wife for falsely acquiring a goat for the work she had done, his wife cuts to the heart of what she and his friends believe: What have your good deeds gotten you, Tobit?  How are you being rewarded for the good that you do?

      St Justin Martyr, the saint whom we celebrate today, must have been recognized in a special way for his dying for the faith, since the term “martyr” is officially attached to the way he is remembered in the Church as a saint.  Just like the story of Tobit, the story of Justin Martyr is a story of a righteous man of great faith. Justin was born into a pagan family in the year 100.  Even though he was initially attracted to Plato and the Greek philosophers, these philosophies led him to Christ and to conversion to Christianity. Justin is primarily remembered for his Christian apologetics, for the way he defended the faith against other religions and other philosophies.  In a letter Justin Martyr wrote in 155, he gives us a detailed description of a liturgy in the Early Church, one of the earliest descriptions of such a liturgy.  Justin’s description is similar to the flow and elements that we have in mass today.  In particular, what strikes me about his description of mass is his description of the Eucharist:  “This food we call the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed down to us. For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior being incarnate by God’s Word took flesh and blood for our salvation.”  Justin Martyr was beheaded in Rome in 165 as a martyr for the faith.  St Justin Martyr, pray for us. 

2 June 2021 - Wednesday of the 9th week of Ordinary Time - St Juan de Ortega - Psalm 25

     In the psalm today, the psalmist declares: To you O Lord, I lift my soul.  We lift our souls in different ways to the Lord: by following God’s will, by living out our vocation, through love of God and love of neighbor.  

       One of the saints we celebrate today found an interesting way to lift his soul to the Lord.  One of my favorite towns on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela is San Juan Ortega, named after this saint.  It is located on the stage right before the arrival into the city of Burgos, one of the main cities on the Camino.  San Juan de Ortega, also known as St John the Hermit, was born in the city of Burgos in 1050.  He became a priest at a young age.  While traveling back from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the ship he was on almost sank into a terrible storm. Juan de Ortega prayed to St Nicholas to save them from the storm and his prayers were answered.  He founded a Augustinian monastery in the village now named San Juan Ortega, and a monastery church named in honor of St Nicholas. In fact, he specifically founded this monastery and church in an area that was very dangerous for pilgrims on the Camino, as it was nestled in the mountains and was a prime location for robbers to jump out of their hiding place and to attack them.  Juan de Ortega was a good friend of Santo Domingo de Calzada, another great Camino saint.  Both of them spent time repairing bridges on the Camino, improving roads, and constructing new chapels and hospitals for the pilgrims.  He died in 1143. What is interesting is that this monastery and church were abandoned in the 19th century when the monks left and closed them down.  It is only with the renewed interest in the Camino in the last 25 years that the church and monastery are being restored. 

      I love hearing the stories of the lives of the saints, how they followed the will of God in their lives.  May the story of San Juan de Ortega inspire us on our own journeys. 

Welcome Back to Mass - Message from Father Lincoln and Bishop Joseph Kopacz

  In March 2020, the priests and Bishops of the Church here in the United States advised the Catholic faithful to remain at home and not to come to church. It was an unprecedented decision in our modern times, but we had no choice in the matter, as we were complying with state and national health guidelines that required us to close our church buildings.  At the time, we reminded the Catholic faithful that protecting our health and the health of others was of utmost importance.  

       We at St Jude and at other parishes in our Diocese and throughout the country responded with live-stream Masses.  It was a new frontier for us.  We made the effort to bring mass into your homes over the internet, but we know it was not the same as being there in person.

       When we re-opened in-person Masses at St Jude two months later in May 2020, we invited you back to Mass with certain limitations.  We required you to sign-up on-line in order to accommodate everyone as best we could.  We had our weekend Mass in cars in our parking lot.  We at St Jude and at other parishes instituted scrupulous cleaning, sanitation, ventilation, distancing, and other restrictions.  We required masks.  There was no holy water in the fonts or no sign of peace.  There was no contact and no communion from the chalice.  We did what we had to do to keep everyone safe.

      Many of the faithful returned to Mass in May 2020 and in the subsequent months, even with all these restrictions in place.  We priests have tried very hard to rise to the occasion and to reach out to our people.  We are so glad that the faithful are coming back.  

      Attached is a letter from Bishop Kopacz about coming back to Mass.  Bishop Kopacz and our other Church leaders (your St Jude pastor included!) are encouraging all the faithful to come back to Mass.  We have been working hard at St Jude to institute a lot of positive changes.  We have a lot of good things planned for our children and youth, including renovated classrooms and atriums for religious education classes.  We have instituted a Sunday afternoon Mass at 4:00 pm to give one more option of attending Mass on the weekend.  During the school year, the youth activities and youth religious education will take place after that Mass.  We will still continue our Saturday evening drive-in Mass to have that option.  As the summer unfolds, we will be working hard in planning to resume many of our parish activities in the fall.  

       We the easing of the pandemic, we are able to ease up on our restitutions, which I know is a welcome relief.  Still, keeping all of us safe is of utmost importance.  

       We at St Jude are a warm, welcoming community.  We would not be so without all of you, our parishioners.  As we just finished celebrating the Easter season, as we just finished celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the joy of those celebrations is still in our hearts.  

     Coming to Mass should not be seen as just an obligation of the faith.  On the contrary, celebrating Mass and participating in our community of faith are called to be the highlights of our faith. It should be a joy and a pleasure for us.  

      I recognize that this has been a tough year for all of us.  Please read the attached announcement issued by Bishop Kopacz.  We hope to see all of you at one of our daily or weekend Masses soon.  

Blessings to all of you,

Father Lincoln Dall

Pastor

St Jude Catholic Church

Pearl, Mississippi

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MOST REVEREND JOSEPH R. KOPACZ, D.D., PH.D.

Catholic Diocese of Jackson Catholic Diocese of Jackson

May 20, 2021

Dear Disciples of the Lord,

May the Holy Spirit pour out the love of God into your lives as we look ahead to the great feast of Pentecost. In this mailing you have the latest updates in our ongoing response to the impact of the pandemic. It can be a twisting kaleidoscope for sure, replete with uncertainty, but there are tangible positive trends in our nation, state and communities. New infections are much lower, and more people have received the vaccine, and/or continue to utilize the safety protocols. Many venues have reopened and are fully engaged. In response to the current landscape we have adapted our protocols for Mass and ministries. This being said, we all know that the virus is not dead, and therefore, it remains wise to err on the side of safety and the common good. It is everyone’s hope that the virus will be suppressed further, and that we will not be sidelined by a summer surge. Nonetheless, we are loosening the protocols and “taking down the ropes” as some have urged me to do months ago. I thank the leadership of our diocese who have contributed to these updates for our protocols. Of course, there is not total agreement on all of the items, but there is substantial consensus over the steps that we are taking at this time.

The Dispensation from Sunday Mass will end on the Feast of Corpus Christ, Saturday and Sunday, June 5/6.

The Sunday obligation will be restored on this great feast when we can satisfy our hunger for the Bread of Life, in Word and Sacrament with the reception of Holy Communion. Keep in mind that the Church always dispenses from the Sunday obligation when any of the faithful are confronting serious health concerns. Therefore, someone can validly make the decision to attend Mass during the week, if able, and to participate in the Mass on the Lord’s Day through live streaming.

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz Bishop of Jackson

30 May 2021 - homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity - CYCLE B - Matthew 28:16-20

    Today, the first weekend after the end of the Easter season, we celebrate the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.  I must say that as a priest, I always feel inadequate in preaching about the Holy Trinity, one of the eternal mysteries of our faith.  Even the great theologian St Thomas Aquinas said that it was much easier to say what God was not than to say what he is.  In speaking about the meaning and inner relationship of the three persons of God, I always feel that the words of our human understand of things are inadequate to express that reality.  Father Anthony de Mello says that human beings talking about the Holy Trinity is like trying to explain the color green to a person who has has been blind since birth.  There is a story told about the great 20th-century German theologian, Jesuit priest Karl Rahner.  Supposedly, a priest friend of his asked his advice in trying to explain the Trinity in his preaching.  The advice he received from Karl Rahner: Don’t even try.  Having said all this, I think that there are still many things we can reflect upon concerning God and the three persons that comprise his being.

     All of us baptized Catholics were initiated into the Church with the formula that Jesus gives at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  In recognizing what the Catechism teaches us, that God is three persons in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that each of these persons is God, but there is one God, we can recognize that the reality of God is beyond our human intellect, but we can still say this: (1) God, the Father, is our Father.  He is omnipresent and reflected in all his creation.  So, will live in him and creation exists in him.  (2) Jesus, the son is Emmanuel, he is God with us.  He is our Savior and Redeemer.  As we are his disciples, he is alway with us.  (3) The Holy Spirit is there to accompany us, leading us, guiding us, and inspiring us.  The Spirit speaks in the inner recesses of our hearts.  But there is only one God.  He lives in us.  And we live in him.  

      I want to look at some life messages we can learn from the Holy Trinity.  First, the Holy Trinity teach us to respect ourselves and respect others.  Our conviction is that the Triune God is present within us always; thus, we are called to esteem ourselves as God’s holy dwelling place, to behave well in his holy presence, and to lead pure and holy lives, reflecting God’s justice and charity.  This Triune presence with us encourages us to respect and honor others as temples of the Holy Spirit. 

      Secondly,  God as the Source of our strength and courage. The awareness and conviction of the presence of God within us gives us the strength to face the manifold problems of life with Christian courage.  It was such a conviction that prompted the early Christian martyrs being taken to their execution to shout the heroic prayer of Faith from the Psalms: "The Lord of might is with us, our God is within us, and the God of Jacob is our helper" (Psalm 46).  

     Next, we called to see the Triune God as the model for Christian families. We are created by God in love to be a community of loving persons, just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in a community love.  From the day of our Baptism, we have belonged to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We grow up in the grace of the family of the Trinity.  Thus, we are called to turn to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in prayer every day, belonging to the family of the Triune God.  The love, unity and joy that if found in the relationship among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the foundational paradigm of our relationships within our Christian families.  Our families become truly Christian when we live in a relationship of love with God and with others.  

     Thirdly, we are called to become more like the Triune God in all our relationships, as we are created in God’s image and likeness.   Just as God is God only in a Trinitarian relationship, so we can be fully human only as one member of a triune relationship: ourselves, God, and our brothers and sisters.  We can think of this in the way we make the sign of the cross: being in a vertical relationship with God and a horizontal relationship with others - those relationship integral to each other.   In that way our life becomes Trinitarian like the Trinitarian life of God.  That is very different from our modern society, where we value individualism and the “I” is seen above everything else.  This doctrine of the Trinity calls us to see “I” linked with God and neighbor:  Like God the Father, we are called to be productive, creative persons by help to build up the fabric of life and to build love in our family, our Church, our community and our nation. Like God the Son, we are called to reconciliation and healing, to be peacemakers, to restore what has been broken and shattered.  Like God the Holy Spirit, it is our task to live out the truth of our faith, to teach truth and to dispel ignorance.  The spirituality of the Trinity calls us to solidarity with God and with our neighbor. to live the Gospel values of justice, and live in rightly ordered relationships with others.  

      Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier from the 16th century has the wonderful short prayer that he prayed often the the Trinity: “Most Holy Trinity, who live in me, I praise you, I worship you, I adore you and I love you. Let the Son lead us to the Father through the Spirit, to live with the Triune God forever and ever. Amen.” 

prayers of the faithful - 28 May 2021 - Friday of the 8th week of ORDINARY TIME

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the kingdom of God. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to follow God's commandments

Lord Jesus - you bring us justice.  

With simplicity of heart, we present our prayers to the Lord: 

1. We pray for the Church: that we may be imitators of the Lord, receiving the word faithfully, and experiencing the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

2. We pray for conversion of hearts: that a culture centered on the respect of every human life will replace the bipartisan politics that surround issues such as abortion, gun violence, workers’ rights, health care, foreign affairs, human trafficking, and euthanasia. 

3. We pray for all who have asked for our prayers: that the Lord may be for them a rock of refuge and a stronghold of help and powerful kindness. 

4. We pray for the fift of Wisdom: that the Holy Spirit will guide us in being faithful citizens without compromising our discipleship and service of God. 

5. We pray for all with mental illness: that God will comfort them and their families, and inspire leaders with ways to expand treatment and assistance for them. 

6. We pray for the sick and the shut-in.  We pray for the faithful departed: that Jesus may deliver them from all evil and bring them into His glorious heaven. 

We make our prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever. 

Prayer in honor of the Holy Trinity - 30 May 2021

God, the Father, you are our hope. God, the Son, you are our refuge.  God, the Holy Spirit, you are our protector. We give glory to you God, the holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. We praise you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We bless and exalt you O God.  Almighty and everlasting God, to you we owe the gift of professing the true faith.  While acknowledging your glory of the eternal Trinity and adoring your unity, we humbly ask that through your majestic power, we may be confirmed in the faith and defended against all adversity and strife.  Holy Trinity, as we journey through life, we ask for your grace and the presence of Holy Spirit to enlighten us, to correct us, and to guide us in the way of your commandments and in all perfection, until we come to the joy of heaven, where we shall glorify you forever.  As we present our prayers to God the Father, we make these prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

prayers of the faithful - 8th week of ordinary time - 25 May 2021

Lord Jesus - you are the Son of the Father.

Christ Jesus - you have the heart of a servant 

Lord Jesus - you love us with your sacred heart

As we commemorate the 8th week in Ordinary Time, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father.

1. We pray for the Church: that we may recognize the depth of God’s love for us, and reach out to all who have become separated from God or the Christian community.

2. We pray for leaders of all nations: that God, who reconciled the world to himself in Christ, may inspire the powerful of the earth to thoughts of peace and deeds of life and justice.

3. We pray for all recovering from natural disasters: that God will give them strength and heal their wounds and fears.

4. We pray that we may follow the Gospel of Life in our lives - that we may respect all human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.

5. We pray for all vocations in the Church - to the ordained ministry, lay ministry, and religious life.

6. For the sick and shut-in and for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.

Heavenly Father, we present our prayers today through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  

Quote from the Venerable Bede - love of God and love of neighbor

 "He alone loves the creator perfectly who manifests a pure love for his neighbor." 

Today is the feast day of the Venerable Bede (673 - 735).  A Benedictine monk and English Church historian, he was declared to be a Doctor of the Church in 1899 by Pope Leo XIII.  Bede was a skilled linguist and translator.  Through his work in translating the works of the Early Church Fathers from Latin and Greek into the Anglo Saxon language, he contributed significantly to the development of English Christianity.  With his book The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, he is considered the father of English history.  

Revised COVID-19 Pandemic Protocols - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi as of 24 May 2021

The Diocese of Jackson issued revised protocols for our parishes last week.  Starting the week of May 24 and going forward, these are the protocols that will be in place at St Jude for Mass based upon the on-going reality of the pandemic:

 Social distancing will be at 3 feet.  Every pew in the church will be open. We ask parishioners to be aware of where they sit in relation to others. Please give fellow parishioners plenty of space and stagger seating in the pews when possible.

Masks are strongly encouraged for those who are not vaccinated and for children and youth under 16 years old.  However, families and individuals may make the decision to use masks considering the risks involved after prayerful discernment. 

Anyone, especially those individuals who have compromised immune systems and other underlying health conditions, may choose to still wear masks and are encouraged to do so. Those individuals who are not comfortable inside with others who are unmasked are encouraged to attend the drive-in Mass or one of the weekday daily Masses as a safe option of attending Mass at St Jude. 

We will continue to offer the 6:00 pm Saturday evening Mass in the cars at the drive-in in the parish parking lot.  

We will resume our entrance procession and recessional procession down the main aisle.  

We encourage the faithful to receive Holy Communion in the hand, since this is the safest way to do so during the pandemic. However, we will allow Holy Communion on the tongue at the end of the communion time, having families come together, and sanitizing after each family unit receives Holy Communion on the tongue. 

We will continue to have the offertory basket at the table at the entrance of the church.  

Hymnals will return to the pews.

Hand sanitizer will be available to parishioners upon entrance to the church.   

We will continue to hand out bulletins at the church but we also will email bulletins through Flocknote.  

Priests and eucharistic ministers will wear masks when distributing Holy Communion.  Parishioners may come up to receive Holy Communion without masks or they may choose to wear masks.  

Signing up for mass will no longer be offered.  With these new protocols and social distancing, we should be able to accommodate everyone at Mass, especially with five Masses offered each weekend.  

We want to thank all of you for your efforts in helping keep all of us safe at St Jude during the pandemic.  We acknowledge that all of us are very weary of dealing with the pandemic.  However, we acknowledge that this still is not the time to let our guard down completely.  We will continue to monitor the situation and will issue modified guidelines when the reality of the pandemic changes.  Blessings to all of you during these challenging times.

 

Father Lincoln Dall 

Pastor

Reflection on the 500th anniversary of the cannonball injury that led to the conversion of St Ignatius of Loyola

 Last Thursday, on May 20, and continuing until July 31, 2022, the Society of Jesus worldwide and the entire Ignatian family will celebrate the spiritual journey of St. Ignatius of Loyola from the 500th anniversary of the event in 1521 that led to his conversion and ultimately to his canonization as a Catholic saint in 1622.

On May 20, 1521, in a battle at the Spanish town of Pamplona, a cannon ball broke one leg of Iñigo López de Loyola and severely wounded his other leg. With this terrible injury, Iñigo hit the bottom of what had been already a very difficult journey through life.  At 26 years old, he had lost his mother when he was young, perhaps even shortly after his birth.  His dad also died during Iñigo’s childhood. One of his brothers died in war.  Another brother journeyed to America and never returned back to Spain. He was raised by another brother and his wife.  Since boyhood, he had served as a knight and court member to a Spanish aristocrat who had lost his standing with the king, so Iñigo has no idea what his future would hold for him. His future did not look good at the time of his battle injury.  

Iñigo’s conversion took place during his long recovery from his injuries.  During that time, he read about the lives of the saints like St Francis of Assisi  and St Dominic. He read about the life of Christ.  After his conversion, Iñigo’s dreams were no longer a life as a knight and victory in battle, but rather serving Christ and the Church.  He would devote himself to the Church, changing his Basque name of Iñigo to the Latin name Ignatius.  He and his group of friends would be the founders of the religious congregation of the Society of Jesus, known to the world as the Jesuits.  Today, this is the largest religious order of Catholic priests in the world.  Ignatius and the Jesuits have had a big impact in my own spiritual life, as I prayed the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola at the place of his birth in the Basque country of northern Spain for an entire month in the summer of 2019.   

The conversion of Ignatius did not happen instantly following his fall in battle in Pamplona on May 20, 1521. However, this injury in battle set in motion a new course for his life. It turned his life upside down. It led him into a time self-examination, transformation, and conversion. Out of this spiritual awakening, Ignatius had a burning desire for holiness and a zeal to do great things for God.  This led him to a process of self-surrender.

I encourage all of you to watch the video of St Ignatius’ life on the FORMED website.  

Also, here is a short video produced by the Jesuits about the cannonball incident that led to the conversion of St Ignatius of Loyola.  Blessings to all of you.  Have a wonderful week.  

Father Lincoln 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUDb4uhvb_w

prayers of the faithful - 21 May 2021 - 7th week of the season of Easter

 Lord Jesus - you fill our hearts with joy.

Christ Jesus - you bring us the love of the Father.

Lord Jesus - you call us to justice.

We bring our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. For all missionaries: that God will help them to announce the Good News boldly and sustain their spirits as they help build the church

2. For all those working for an end to the pandemic: that God will give strength to those caring for the sick, working against the Covid virus, distributing the vaccine, or educating people about daily health practices

3. For those overwhelmed by the reality of life - that the Lord will give them perspective and strength and help them have hope and continue on their journey.  

4. For the gift of peace: that the reign of Christ will open new opportunities for dialogue and inspire them to work for justice and the preservation of life.

5. For the sick and the shut-in - for healing, wholeness, and reconciliation.  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and for those souls in the process of purification in purgatory.  

We present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

28 May 2021 – Friday of the 8th week in Ordinary Time - Mark 11:11-26

      You know, on average, I have at least one homily to write each day.  Each week, I also have a homily to write in Spanish, and sometimes it is not so easy writing a homily in a language that is not a native language.  And unlike many of the Protestant ministers, I don’t get to choose the Scripture passages for my homilies, but rather am called as a Catholic priest to preach on the Scripture reading for the day.  

         Sometimes, Scripture is straight-forward and very easy to understand.  Other times, it is quite a challenge.  And some days, it is quite a challenge to find the inspiration to write a homily.   Today, we have a very curious Scripture passage from Mark’s Gospel about a fig tree that has always perplexed me.  It is one of the Bible readings that I would gladly ignore, which is a good reason why I should preach about it today. I wonder about today’s Gospel:  Why did Jesus curse that tree, telling it that never again would anyone eat its fruit?  Generally, this story has been interpreted as a parable, with the fig tree without fruit representing the people of Ancient Israel who openly rejected Jesus and his proclamation of God’s kingdom. When Jesus went to them, looking to see how they responded to his Good News, he found criticism, rejection, and bitterness. In a way, the people became like the fig tree, their minds and hearts all withered up and without fruit. Perhaps what happens next in the Gospel reinforces this interpretation of the fig tree story, as we see Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers in the Temple area and Jesus driving out those who turned God’s holy space into an opportunity to make money and achieve personal gain.

      There are times when we feel like our lives are not bearing fruit.  There are times when our life of faith feels all withered up.  How can we bring new life to our journey of faith?  What can we do to bear fruit for the kingdom of God?  

27 May 2021 – Thursday of the 8th week in ordinary time – the story of the Blind man Bartimaeus – Mark 10:46-52

      A blind man named Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus from the side of the road: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”  The disciples rebuked him for calling out to Jesus - how dare he do such a thing!  However, this does not stop Bartimaeus.  Jesus finally responds, telling him that his faith has saved him.  Bartimaeus is able to see and to continue on his way.

          Bartimaeus had faith in Jesus – total faith.  I wonder if we let things in life get us down, if we feel weary and dejected, or if we are able to show the tenacity, courage, and steadfastness that Bartimaeus displays in today’s Gopsel.  I have kept this short prayer that a student gave me when I was an associate pastor at St Richard in Jackson.  That was probably 12 years ago when this many was in junior high school.  He is now married with a child. This young man originally gave me this prayer thinking that I could share it with the prisoners that I visited at CMCF.   I see this prayer as relating to the story of Bartimaeus that we hear today: 

Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work,

I give you my feet, to follow your path.

I give you my eyes to see as you do.

I give you my tongue to speak your words.

I give you my mind so that you can think in me.

I give you my spirit so that you can pray in me.

Above all things, I give you my heart, so in me you can love your father and all people.

I give you my whole self so you can grow in me, until it is you, Lord, who lives, works, and prays in me.  AMEN.

26 May 2021 - St Marianna de Jesus de Quito - Wednesday of the 8th week of Ordinary Time - Sirach 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17

      In yesterday’s first reading from the book of Sirach, we heard verses giving us instructions in the moral life according to God’s laws. Today, from Sirach, we hear a prayer that is offered up to the Lord on behalf of the people of Israel, asking for God’s assistance and for the light of his mercy to shine on his people.  In the light of our Catholic faith, we see this prayer as foreshadowing the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, asking God to gather together the tribes of Israel and to fill Jerusalem and its temple once again with the glory of God. By showing his mercy to the people of Israel, God will show his love and justice to all the nations. 

      We cry out to the Lord at times in our lives, appealing to his love and mercy in times of tribulation and suffering, just as Ben Sirach does in the prayer in our reading today.  It is up to us to embody God’s love and mercy in the world, even when we ourselves are treated harshly and violently.

      Today, we celebrate the feast day of a saint from South America who perhaps is not very well known here in the United States.   Mariana de Jesus de Paredes was born at Quito, Ecuador of noble Spanish parents. She was orphaned as a child.  She then was raised by her older sister and her sister’s husband.  Mariana was drawn to the Catholic faith as a child.  Later, under the guidance of a Jesuit priest confessor, she lived a consecrated life as a lay woman, practicing great austerity in devoting her life to prayer and prophecy with little sleep and little food.   An earthquake and an epidemic struck the city of Quito in 1645.  Mariana felt herself being called by God to offer herself as a sacrifice for the sins of the people of Quito.  When the epidemic began to subside, Mariana was stricken with illness and died on May 26th. She is known by the faithful as Mariana de Jesus or Mariana of Quito.  She was canonized in 1950. She is the patron saint of the Quito of Ecuador.   I remember arriving in Ecuador in May 1996 as a lay missionary with the Comboni Missionary religious order.  I remember that on the first Sunday we were in the country of Ecuador, we went to Mass in the old town center of Quito on the feast day of St Mariana de Jesus.  I remember seeing many different religious sister in their habits attending Mass.  It is a beautiful memory I have from my time in Ecuador, an experience which brought me here to the priesthood in the Diocese of Jackson.  I love the story of St Mariana de Jesus.  In her faith and in her humility, she brought the mercy of God to the people of her hometown.  Her example of faith calls out to us today.  

25 May 2021 - The Venerable Bede - Doctor of the Church - Tuesday of the 8th week of Ordinary Time - Sirach 35:1-12

     An oblation is an offering.  It is something we present to God or something we offer to God. Each time we celebrate Mass, the gifts of bread and wine are given to God as an oblation.  In our reading from Sirach today, it states that when we keep God’s law, it is an oblation, an offering that we give to him.  I am not sure we perceive keeping God’s laws as an offering to him. This perspective certainly adds to our understanding of why we are called to keep God’s law and commandments as disciples of Christ.  Furthermore, our reading from Sirach states that the one who keeps God’s commandments gives a peace offering to God.  

     Today, we commemorate the feast day of the Venerable Bede, an English Benedictine monk from Northumbria, which was a medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom located in what is now the northern part of England and the southeastern part of Scotland.  Bede was born in the late 7th century.  As a young child, he survived a terrible plague that struck that region in 686 that killed the majority of the population.  Even though he spent the majority of his life at his monastery, he was a well-known author, teacher, and scholar.  His work entitled the Ecclesiastical History of the English People has brought him claim as being consider the father of English history.  I remember reading that book in college in a course on Western Civilization.  Pope Leo XIII declared the Venerable Bede a Doctor of the Church in 1899.  Bede is the only native of Great Britain to achieve this designation of Doctor of the Church.  St Anselm of Canterbury, is also a Doctor of the Church, but even though Ansel was a Bishop in England, he was born in Italy.  Bede was also a great linguist in Latin and Greek, having translated the works of the Early Church Fathers into the language of the Anglo-Saxons, which contributed greatly to the spread of Christianity in England.  Bede is the patron saint of English writers and historians.  We unite our prayers with his prayers today.  

23 de mayo de 2021 - Domingo de Pentecostés - Hechos 2: 1-11, Juan 20: 19-23

      Bienvenidos a todos a nuestra celebración de Pentecostés, la venida del Espíritu Santo en el mundo y el final de la temporada de Pascua.  Pentecostés siempre es una celebración muy importante aquí en nuestra parroquia.  Tenemos un festival anual de comida internacional de Pentecostés. No podemos tener nuestra celebración tradicional este año.  Los sacerdotes usan el color litúrgico rojo en Pentecostés. El color rojo simboliza el fuego ardiente del amor de Dios y representa las lenguas de fuego que descendieron sobre los apóstoles como se describe en la primera lectura de hoy.   En algunas partes de Italia en Pentecostés, hay una tradición de tirar pétalos de rosas del techo de la iglesia para recordar esta historia de las lenguas de fuego. En algunas partes del mundo, como Inglaterra, el color litúrgico es blanco en Pentecostés, que representa la paloma, que es otro símbolo del Espíritu Santo. En algunas partes de Francia, existe la tradición de tocar trompetas durante la misa el domingo de Pentecostés, recordando el sonido del viento, que es otro símbolo del Espíritu Santo. El gran viento del Espíritu Santo también se menciona en la lectura de Hechos de los Apóstoles este tarde.

      El mensaje del Espíritu Santo que descendió sobre los apóstoles no fue algo que se guardaran para sí mismos.  Los apóstoles inmediatamente comenzaron a hablar a las multitudes   en Jerusalén. Las multitudes estaban compuestas por visitantes judíos y conversos de muchos lugares diferentes, como el norte de África, Asia, Roma y toda el Mediterráneo.  Aquellos en la multitud se sorprendieron al escuchar a estos hombres hablándoles para que todos pudieran entender el mensaje en su propia idioma.  Los apóstoles fueron comisionados por el Espíritu Santo para hablar un mensaje para todos, no solo para un pueblo, una nación o una cultura.  En el capítulo 11 del libro de Génesis, informa que debido a su arrogancia y orgullo, los hombres intentaron construir una torre que llegara hasta el cielo. Dios castigó a estos hombres haciéndoles hablar una miríada de idiomas que los demás no pudieron entender. Como resultado de esta arrogancia, la humanidad se dividió profundamente. Lo que sucede hoy en Pentecostés es lo opuesto a la Torre de Babel, ya que todos están hablando y escuchando el mensaje de Dios con pleno entendimiento.  En lugar de división por su arrogancia y orgullo, hay unidad bajo Dios.

       Cristo nos trae un mensaje de paz hoy en la celebración de Pentecostés este Domingo, así como Cristo trajo un mensaje de paz a los apóstoles en la mitad de su temor en el Evangelio.  La humanidad está lista para escuchar un mensaje de paz en medio de una realidad muy dura este año pasado. También recibimos la misma llamada misionera  que Jesús les dio a los apóstoles. Nuestra misión es continuar la misión de Jesucristo en el mundo.  

      El Espíritu Santo es en el centro de nuestra celebración de Pentecostés hoy, pero, podemos tener muchas preguntas sobre el Espíritu Santo.   ¿Quién es exactamente el Espíritu Santo? ¿Un gran viento? ¿Una presencia dentro? ¿Un fantasma misterioso? ¿Un ser personal?  El Papa Benedicto XVI dijo una vez que el Espíritu Santo es quizás la persona más olvidada de la Trinidad. Quizás porque estamos un poco inseguros acerca del Espíritu Santo, es posible que no sepamos cómo darle la bienvenida a nuestras vidas.

      En un discurso que él pronunció en la Plaza de San Pedro en 2012, el Papa Benedicto XVI afirmó que el Espíritu Santo es una presencia verdadera en nuestras vidas. Él afirmó que todos "los cristianos deben valerse del Espíritu Santo en la oración, especialmente cuando no pueden encontrar las palabras o la inspiración para orar". El Papa habló de cómo “Pablo nos enseña que en nuestra oración debemos abrirnos a la presencia y acción del Espíritu Santo, que ora en nosotros con indecibles gemidos, para llevarnos a adherirnos a Dios con todo nuestro corazón y con todas nuestras fuerzas.” Según el Papa Benedicto, el Espíritu Santo puede ser la fuerza en las oraciones débiles, la luz de las oraciones apagadas, el centro de las oraciones secas. El Espíritu puede darnos libertad interior y puede enseñarnos cómo afrontar nuestras pruebas, asegurándonos que nunca estamos solos, que el Espíritu de Cristo siempre está con nosotros. Invocamos al Espíritu Santo para que nos ayude en nuestras oraciones. Invocamos al Espíritu Santo para que guíe nuestros pensamientos y nuestras acciones también.

     Sí, ven Espíritu Santo y renueva la faz de la tierra. Ayúdanos a vivir nuestra fe con valentía y convicción, con compasión y amor. Al celebrar hoy Pentecostés, celebramos con alegría el Espíritu que está con nosotros. Pero, al hacerlo, también aceptamos la responsabilidad que viene con el Espíritu de Dios.  

23 May 2021 - Pentecost Sunday - Acts 2:1-11, John 20:19-23

     We welcome you all to our celebration of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the end of our joyful season of Easter.  Pentecost has been  a very important celebration here at St Jude, with our annual Pentecost international food festival that has become very well-known in the Jackson metro area.  We cannot have our traditional international food celebration this year, but instead we will have a fish fry picnic prepared by the Knights of Columbus.  We priests wear red vestments on Pentecost, symbolizing the burning fire of God’s love and representing the tongues of fire that descended on the apostles, as described in the first reading today. In some parts of Italy on Pentecost, there is a tradition of scattering rose leaves from the ceiling of the church to recall this story of the fiery tongues.  In some parts of the world, such as Great Britain, some priests wear white vestments on Pentecost, representing the dove, which is another symbol of the Holy Spirit. In some parts of France, there is a tradition to blow trumpets during Mass on Pentecost Sunday, recalling the sound of driving wind, which is another symbol of the Holy Spirit.  The great wind of the Holy Spirit is also referred to in our reading from Acts of the Apostles today. 

     The message of the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles was not something they kept to themselves.  The apostles immediately began to speak to the crowds that had assembled in Jerusalem.  The crowds were comprised of Jewish and convert visitors from many different places such as North Africa, Asia Minor, Rome, and all over the Mediterranean basin.  Those in the crowd were amazed to hear these men speaking to them so that all could understand the message in their own native language.  It is clear that the apostles were commissioned by the Holy Spirit to speak a message that is meant for all, not just for one people or one nation or one culture.  In the 11th chapter of the book of Genesis, it reports that out of their arrogance and pride, to make a name for themselves, men tried to build a tower that reached right up to heaven.  God punished these men by having them speak a myriad of languages, unintelligible to others. As a result of this arrogance and pride, humanity became deeply divided.  What happens today at Pentecost is the opposite of the Tower of Babel, as all are speaking and hearing God’s message with full understanding.  Rather than being divided out of their arrogance and pride, people are being brought together in unity under God.

      Christ brings us a message of peace today at our celebration of Pentecost, just as he brought a message of peace to the apostles as they huddled in fear in the Gospel today.  If you are like me, we are all ready to hear a message of peace in the midst of a very tough challenging reality we have had this past year.  We also receive the same mission call that Jesus gives the apostles, saying  that as the Father sends him, so he also sends us.  Our mission is to continue the mission of Jesus in the world. 

     As I thought about the Holy Spirit at the center of our celebration of Pentecost today, I thought about the questions a lot of us might have.  Who exactly is the Holy Spirt.  A great wind? A presence within? A mysterious ghost? A personal being? Pope Benedict once stated that the Holy Spirit is perhaps the most neglected person of the Trinity.  Perhaps because we are a bit unsure about the Holy Spirit, we might not know how to welcome him into our lives.  

      In an address he gave at St Peter Square in 2012, Pope Benedict XVI asserted that the Holy Spirit is indeed a real presence in our lives.  He stated that all “Christians should avail themselves to the Holy Spirit in prayer, particularly when they cannot find the words or inspiration to pray.” The pope talked about how “Paul teaches us that in our prayer we must open ourselves to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, who prays in us with inexpressible groanings, to bring us to adhere to God with our whole heart and with all our being,”  According to Pope Benedict, the Holy Spirit can be the strength in our weak prayers, the light of our dimmed prayers, the focus of our dry prayers. The Spirit can give us inner freedom and can teach us how to face our trials, assuring us that we’re never alone, that Christ’s Spirit is always with us.  We call upon the Holy Spirit to help us in our prayers.  We call upon the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and our actions as well. 

       Yes, come Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth.  Help us to live out our faith with courage and conviction, with compassion and love.  As we celebrate Pentecost today, we joyfully celebrate the Spirit that is with us.  But, in doing so, we also accept the responsibility that comes with it.  

prayers of the faithful - 7th week of Easter - 18 May 2021

Lord Jesus - you are the spirit of truth - Lord have mercy.

Lord Jesus - you care for the hungry & the lonely - Christ have mercy.

Lord Jesus - you bring us justice and peace - Lord have mercy.

PRIEST: In the midst of the reality of our lives, let us raise our minds and hearts in prayer to God:  

1. May our Church and its leaders help us to go out and make disciples of all nations.

2. May Christ’s spirit of truth, goodness, and love guide all of our governmental leaders, bringing peace to the people, and care to the weak, the sick, the hungry and the homeless.  

3. For all those who have committed their lives, both at home and abroad, to be missionaries and to bring the word of God to others.

4. For all involved in the world of communications and media. We pray that their work may serve the cause of truth and justice and bring real benefits to all.

5. We pray for the sick, for those recovering from natural disasters, and those who need Christ’s healing presence in their lives.  

6. We remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers.

PRIEST:  Father, may your love and compassion be constantly with us in our lives.   Through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

20 May 2021 - John 17:20-26 - Thursday of the 7th week of Easter

      We are in the last days of the Easter season, as this weekend we celebrate the end of Easter with Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world.  Today, from the 17th chapter of John’s Gospel, we hear a continuation of a prayer that Jesus prays to the Father, right before he is arrested.  Jesus prays not only for the disciples that he has brought to the Father, but also for those who will be brought to the faith that will be preached by these disciples.  Jesus has confidence in their missionary spirit that will spread the faith throughout the world.  Earlier in the week, as we commemorated the funeral liturgy of Miss Katie Kirby, one of the matriarchs of our parish, Father Gerry Hurley and Father Tom McGing were here at St Jude concelebrating her funeral Mass.  I think of how Father Hurley and Father McGing came here to Mississippi from Ireland as young priests with the same missionary spirit as those first disciples of Jesus.  The Irish priests adopted Mississippi as their new home, bringing love to the faithful here and willing to leave their homeland and make many sacrifices for the love of the Gospel.  This is not a task that is just reserved for the priests and the nuns.  All of us are called to this same spirit of evangelization with joy in our hearts for the Good News of the Gospel.  As we commemorate Pentecost this weekend, may the Holy Spirit bring us new energy and new joy in our hearts in spreading the Gospel message.   

Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696 - 1787 - Doctor of the Church).

As we celebrate Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit this weekend, I would like to share the Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696 - 1787 - Doctor of the Church).  Blessings to all of you this weekend.  Father Lincoln.  

     Holy Spirit, divine Consoler, I adore You as my true God, with God the Father and God the Son. I adore you and unite myself to the adoration You receive from the angels and saints. I give you my heart and I offer my ardent thanksgiving for all the grace which you never cease to bestow on me. O Giver of all supernatural gifts, who filled the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with such immense favors, I beg you to visit me with your grace and your love and to grant me the gift of holy fear, so that it may act on me as a check to prevent me from falling back into my past sins, for which I beg pardon.

      Grant me the gift of piety, so that I may serve you for the future with increased fervor, follow with more promptness your holy inspirations, and observe your divine precepts with greater fidelity.

      Grant me the gift of knowledge, so that I may know the things of God and, enlightened by your holy teaching, may walk, without deviation, in the path of eternal salvation.

      Grant me the gift of fortitude, so that I may overcome courageously all the assaults of the devil, and all the dangers of this world which threaten the salvation of my soul.  

       Grant me the gift of counsel, so that I may choose what is more conducive to my spiritual advancement and may discover the wiles and snares of the tempter.  

       Grant me the gift of understanding, so that I may apprehend the divine mysteries and by contemplation of heavenly things detach my thoughts and affections from the vain things of this miserable world. 

       Grant me the gift of wisdom, so that I may rightly direct all my actions, referring them to God as my last end; so that, having loved him and served him in this life, I may have the happiness of possessing him eternally in the next. Amen.

Reflection for Pentecost - twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit

We Catholics are fairly familiar with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, there are also the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  The twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit taught by the Catholic Church come from the Vulgate Latin translation of the Bible by St Jerome of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.  Matthew 7:17-20 states: “Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.”  A follower of Christ who lives out his faith and who is led by the Holy Spirit will produce these fruits of the Holy Spirit in his life.  

1. Charity - In charity, we express love of God and love of neighbor unconditionally, expecting nothing in return.  Our charity comes out of our faith. 

2. Joy - The joy we experience in our lives comes from putting God at the center.  

3. Peace - Our peace comes from our reliance on God, putting our faith in our future in him.  

4. Patience - Our patience allows us to have compassion for others in spite of all of our flaws and our weaknesses.  

5. Kindness - Kindness goes beyond just being kind to others.  Kindness calls us to have a heart that reaches out in acts of compassion, going above and beyond what is expected of us.  

6. Goodness - Goodness calls us to renew our relationship with God each day, to renounce our sins and renounce the works of the Devil.  In goodness, we seek the path of righteousness and we seek to do God’s will in all things.  

7. Generosity -  in generosity, we carry our crosses and endure our sufferings.  We remain steadfast on the ups and downs of our journey.  

8.  Gentleness - In gentleness, we have a heart of forgiveness and grace, we choose to reconcile and heal rather than to take revenge and attack.  

9. Faithfulness - Our faith is to be the core of our Christian life.  In faith, we seek to discern the will of God in our lives and to follow that will.  In faith, we live out a life of discipleship.  

10. Modesty - In modesty, we are called to humility, knowing that our successes, blessings, and talents come from God.  In modesty, we leave behind our selfishness and self-centeredness.  

11.  Self-control - Through self-control and temperance, we exercise moderation in all we do.

12. Chastity - In chastity, we give ourselves completely to Christ no matter what our state of life, whether we be an ordained priest or deacon, a professed member of a religious order, or a layman or laywoman living a single or married life.   No matter what our vocation or state of life, we are called to chase in our way of living.  

This weekend, we will celebrate Pentecost, the end of the season of Easter, with the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Blessings to all of you as we celebrate the Holy Spirit in our lives in a special way.  Have a blessed week everyone.   

Father Lincoln