Monday, July 31, 2023

4 August 2023 - prayers of the faithful - Friday of the 17th week in ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you call us to holiness.

Christ Jesus - you call us to follow the will of the Father.

Lord Jesus - you are our Savior. 

Priest: As we are called to be attentive to the voice of God in our daily lives, we bring our prayer petitions for the Church, the world, and our community to our loving God. 

1. On the feast day of St John Vianney, we pray for all priests who are ordained to serve the Church, that their ministry may be fruitful and appreciated by the people whom they serve 

2. For vocations to the priesthood, religious life, the diaconate, and lay ministry. 

3. That God’s Word will touch our hearts and open before us the beauty and value that God unfolds each day for us. 

4. For the divisions and frustrations and plague our society, for the anger in human hearts that refuses to heal, that we be open to healing and reconciliation and show compassion to our fellow human being. 

5. For wisdom for our parents, our school principals, and our teachers as we look to a new school year. 

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

Priest: Help us, Lord, to listen to the stirrings of our hearts.  We present our prayers through your Son, our Lord for ever and ever. 

4 August 2023 - Friday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time - Matthew 13:54-58

    Sometimes, we can feel limited by the expectations that are placed on us or by the way people know us or perceive us. Jesus travels throughout Israel.   The people recognize him and acknowledge the special way he proclaims God’s kingdom in his preaching and in his miracles of healing. But, when Jesus starts preaching in his hometown synagogue, the people cannot see beyond the son of a carpenter whom they know, the son of Mary and Joseph.

   We can place expectations on ourselves as well.  We think we know our limits. We don’t want to push ourselves beyond that.  We think that some of God’s laws and commandments are too restrictive and beyond what we can do. Perhaps the values of the world have too much an influence on us. Perhaps the expectations others have on us place limits on what we think we can do.

     John Vianney, the saint we celebrate today, ties into our reading so well. He had very little schooling and just barely got through his seminary studies.  He was put in a parish in a rural area of France, where it was thought by the Bishop that he would do the least harm.  He was expected to be a mediocre priest at best. Arriving at his parish, he found a congregation indifferent to the faith. Through fasting and prayer, he endured and grew in his abilities and wisdom.  He became well-known for his preaching, for his compassion as a confessor and spiritual director. As his reputation grew, more than 300 people visited him each day from all over France to hear him preach and to go to the sacrament of reconciliation with him. John Vianney died in 1859.  He is now the patron saint of parish priests. 

     Many people of Jesus’ day rejected his teachings, which culminated in his death on the cross. In our modern world, we have seen people defacing religious statues, we have seen them mocking the values of Christianity.  A lot of people in our modern world call out for social justice, but what are they themselves doing to help bring about that justice?  We have a choice to follow the values of Christ or not. Let us make the choice to follow Jesus without limits and without expectations. It is easy to criticize the decisions of others, but what are we doing in our lives to follow our faith and to see Jesus for who he is?

      

Prayers of the faithful - Wednesday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time - 2 August 2023

Lord Jesus - You came to set the earth on fire, Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - You endured the shame of the cross, Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - You are seated at the right hand of the Father, Lord have mercy. 

Priest: In our weaknesses and brokenness, we come before God as we trust that our prayers will be heard. 

1. For the prophets and martyrs of our modern world, that they may persevere on the path to Jesus, we pray to the Lord. 

2. For nations and communities who are divided in conflict, war, or violence, that their divisions may be healed and that peace may be achieved, we pray to the Lord. 

3. For those we have been affected by natural disasters such as fires, floods, drought, heatwave, or storms, that they find strength in the midst of their losses and their sufferings, we pray to the Lord. 

4. For all who gather at the Eucharistic table of the Lord at Mass today, that they may find hope and encouragement, we pray to the Lord. 

5. For the sick and the shut-in, that they may feel God’s healing presence in their lives, we pray to the Lord. 

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts, both spoken and unspoken, we pray to the Lord. 

Priest:  God, source of power and might, we will perish without your mercy.  We ask that you hear our heartfelt prayers that we make in the name of your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

1 August 2023 - Tuesday of the 17th week of Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - You gather your flock - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - You are our savior and redeemer - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - You are the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end - Lord have mercy. 

Priest: As we put our trust in God’s promises, let us present our concerns to him with confidence:

1. That all of us as followers of Christ may remain vigilant in prayer, in our service to others, and in our resistance to the ways of the world. 

2. That God may bless and inspire our president, our governor, our mayor, and our other governmental officials, that they may serve in integrity and justice. 

3. That all our children and youth have a blessed beginning to the new school year. May they feel the Lord leading them and guiding them in their studies and school activities. 

4. That the elderly and infirm, especially those who are lonely or homebound, may be treated with dignity, patience, and love. 

5. That we may be thankful for those who have passed down the faith to us and be conscientious of our responsibility to pass down the faith to future generations. 

6. For the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life.  

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts, both spoken and unspoken, we pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Generous God, as you refresh us with the nourishment we need, we ask that you hear the prayers that we make through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

2 August 2023 – Wednesday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time – Matthew 13:44-46

      We have been hearing different parables in our Gospel readings these past few weeks, both in our daily masses and in our Sunday liturgies. It is striking to me that the treasure we hear about in today’s Gospel parable is found by accident. The person was probably not even looking for that treasure when he found it. Our life of faith is that way as well.  We can have a plan for how we want our faith life to unfold, but Jesus can come to us in very surprising unexpected ways. Perhaps those surprise visits from Jesus or these surprise epiphanies we have on our journey of faith are the greatest treasures we can have.  

       As a priest, I can have a “to do” list with everything I want to get done on a certain day, but so much can happen to wipe away with my plans. We may try to plan out every little detail of life that is possible. Indeed, it is important for us to be organized in our personal lives and at work. However, sometimes our planning and our organization do not leave opportunities for God to interact with us in those unexpected ways. A big part of our pilgrimage through life is being open to God in those unexpected ways.  Even if we are happy and content with life, Jesus can come to us out of the blue and really upset our plans. Let us try to open up our hearts to those unexpected ways God speaks to us in daily life.

1 August 2023 - Tuesday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time - St Alphonsus Liguori - Psalm 103

      As I was looking at the calendar of saints these past few days, our liturgical calendar is filled with a lot of great luminaries of our Church. Sunday, July 30, is the feast day of St Peter Chrystologus, a great preacher, the Bishop of Ravenna, Italy, and Doctor of the Church from the 4th century.  Then, yesterday, was the feast day of St Ignatius of Loyola who lived in the 16th century in the era of the Protestant Reformation.  Ignatius is the founder of the Jesuits and author of the influential Ignatian spiritual exercises.  Then, today, we have St Alphonsus Liguori, who lived in the 18th century and who is also a doctor of the Church. Liguori studied law at the young age of 16.  After a very successful law career, he decided to become a priest at the age of 27.  He started his priesthood working with the poor and marginalized youth of the city of Naples, Italy.  Soon afterwards, he founded the congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists.  For several years, we had members of the Redemptorist congregation working in Hispanic ministry in the Delta in our Diocese. This congregation specialized in preaching and teaching in the slums of the cities and other poor areas.  From his experiences in ministering the poor, he developed a moral theology that had great influence in the Church.  Liguori was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1871.

       In light of St Alphonsus Liguori and his theology, psalm 103 stood about to me, as the refrain proclaims: “The Lord is kind and merciful.”  The psalmist goes on to say that: “The Lord secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed….Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.” I came across a quote of St Alphonsus Liguori that seems to reflect the spirit of today psalm: “God never rejects a humble and repentant heart.”  When we have done wrong, we need to go to God for help in humility and faith. Let the intercession of St Alphonsus Liguori help us to be kind and merciful today. May St Alphonse’s help us stay on the right path. 

Monday, July 24, 2023

30 July 2023 - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful - CMCF state prison

Introduction: God draws us to Mass today to be nourished by God’s word and by the Eucharist.  We may take our faith and the rituals of the Church for granted sometimes, but today’s Gospel remind us of the gifts we have been given by God.  Jesus’ gift of his body and blood, broken and shared for all of us, is a great treasure in our lives.  Let us gifts that God has given us, that we may treasure them 

Lord Jesus - you are the living word of God, you are the source of all that is good, Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus, you lead us to the joys of God’s kingdom, Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you are a just judge who will come in glory on the last day, Lord have mercy. 

Priest: Let us ask God to bless us in his abundance as we present our prayers for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world: 

1. For the Church, that we may joyfully share the treasure of our faith with those who are searching for hope, peace, and meaning in life.  May we reach out to other inmates who need us to bring them the Gospel message.  We pray to the Lord. 

2. For the governmental leaders of the world, that they may exercise wisdom in the decisions they have to make, we pray to the Lord. 

3. For peace in our communities, for peace amongst the nations, for peace in our hearts.  We pray for those who are broken and conflicted, who cannot find peace in their lives.  We pray to the Lord. 

4. For those who have hurt us.  For those we have trouble forgiving.  For those who disagree with us.  For those who have abandoned us.  May we all be open to reconciliation and forgiveness in our lives and our relationships.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. That we may nurture an understanding heart.  May we treat others with kindness and mercy.  We pray to the Lord.  

6. For our children, our youth, and our families.  For safety and joy in their activities and as they start the new school year.  We pray to the Lord.  

7.For healing for those inmates and family members and friends who are sick, who are in pain, or who are suffering.  For those who are struggling with addictions and mental illness.   

8. For the repose of the souls of our deceased friends and family members.  For inmates who have died.  For their entry into eternal life. We pray to the Lord. 

9.  For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  For our prayer intentions, spoken and unspoken.  We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: God of wisdom, in your generosity you have blessed us.  As you promise the fulfillment of your kingdom, may we pursue the joy of Christ’s Gospel message in our lives.  We present our prayers to you through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.   

30 July 2023 - prayers of the faithful - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction: God draws us today to be nourished by God’s word and by the Eucharist.  We may take our faith and the rituals of the Church for granted sometimes, but today’s Gospel remind us of the gifts we have been given by God.  Jesus gift of his body and blood, broken and shared for all of us, is a great treasure in our lives.  Let us gifts that God has given us, that we may treasure them 

Lord Jesus - you are the living word of God, you are the source of all that is good, Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus, you lead us to the joys of God’s kingdom, Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you are a just judge who will come in glory on the last day, Lord have mercy


Priest: Let us ask God to bless us in his abundance as we present our prayers for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world: 

1. For the Church, that we may joyfully share the treasure of our faith with those who are searching for hope, peace, and meaning in life, we pray to the Lord. 

2. For the governmental leaders of the world, that they may exercise wisdom in the decisions they have to make, we pray to the Lord. 

3. For peace in our communities, for peace amongst the nations, for peace in our hearts.  We pray for those who are broken and conflicted, who cannot find peace in their lives.  We pray to the Lord. 

4. For those who have hurt us.  For those we have trouble forgiving.  For those who disagree with us.  For those who have abandoned us.  May we all be open to reconciliation and forgiveness in our lives and our relationships.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. That we may nurture an understanding heart.  May we treat others with kindness and mercy.  We pray to the Lord.  

6. For our children, our youth, and our families.  For safety and joy in their activities and as they start the new school year.  We pray to the Lord.  

7.For healing for the sick and the shut-in.  For those who are struggling with addictions and mental illness.   For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  For our prayer intentions, spoken and unspoken.  We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: God of wisdom, in your generosity you have blessed us.  As you promise the fulfillment of your kingdom, may we pursue the joy of Christ’s Gospel message in our lives.  We present our prayers to you through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.   


Bulletin Reflection - 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time - 30 JULY 2023

       We can treasure different things in life.  We can treasure something for the sentimental value it has for us, perhaps because it was passed down to us by our parents or grandparents.  We can treasure something because it is worth a lot of month.  We can treasure something because it brings back a lot of memories of a person or a place.  God’s kingdom is a place where God’s peace reigns, a place of healing, wholeness, and justice.  God’s kingdom is to be treasured like a buried treasure or like a valuable pearl.  Each person in the Gospel today chooses that treasure above everything else.  Upon finding that treasure, the person feels an incredible joy that is unlike anything else.  Back in the end of May, we celebrated the feast day of St Philip Neri, a Catholic priest who live back in the 16th century who is a patron saint of joy.  Philip Neri infused the joy of his faith in all he met, radiating in his holiness and in the way he evangelized others.  It was said that all who met Philip Neri immediately felt the joy of his faith.  Do we truly feel joy in our life of faith?  How are we passing on the joy of our faith with others?  May the joy of Christ’s Gospel message always fill our hearts.

28 July 2023 - prayers of the faithful - Friday of the 17th week in ORDINARY TIME

Lord Jesus - you call us to justice. 

Christ Jesus - you proclaim the values of God's kingdom. 

Lord Jesus - you show us how to have the heart of a servant.  

PRIEST: My brothers and sisters, as servants in God’s kingdom, let us turn to God in prayer:

1. That our worship may stir the Church to bear witness to the Gospel in the reality of our world. 

2. That our governmental leaders may be guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the people, unifying our communities and our country. 

3. That those suffering drought, storms, or high temperatures may find relief and safety.  

4. That all who are ill with diseases and illnesses may receive the healing touch of God.  For front-line workers, caregivers, and family members, that God may give them the strength and courage that they need. 

5. For our students, teachers, and families at the beginning of the new school year. For God's presence with them in their studies, their learning, and their school activities.  

6. For all who have entered into eternal life, for our deceased loved ones, family members, and parishioners.  For the faithful departed who have no one to pray for them.  

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

PRIEST: God of love, you call us to be a people of prayer and to persevere in faith. Help us to be faithful servants of your kingdom. We ask our prayers through your son Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

27 July 2023 - Prayers of the faithful - Thursday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - You are the word of God. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to a life of discipleship. 

Lord Jesus - You teach us about the kingdom of God. 

With humble hearts, we now bring our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. For our church leaders, may they help us bear witness to the Gospel in our lives each day. 

2. For our community of faith: that we reach out to the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized in our words and in works of mercy. 

3. For all who are persecuted for the faith, for those who are struggling with committing to the faith, for those who have fallen away from the practice of their faith: that they may feel God’s love and mercy reaching out to them. 

4. For all couples preparing for the sacrament of holy matrimony and for couples who are newly married: that the Lord strengthen their bound of love and unity.  

5. For all who have died: that the Lord welcome them into the kingdom of light and peace. 

6. For all missionaries who spread the Gospel message throughout the world: that we may collaborate with them and may all of us be missionary in spirit. 

7. For healing for all of us in body, mind, and spirit. 

8. For the prayers we hold in our hearts. 

As we ask you to encourage us on our journey of faith, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.   

26 July 2023 - prayers of the faithful - Wednesday of the 16th week in ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father.

Christ Jesus - you are our savior and redeemer.

Lord Jesus - you call us to love and compassion. 

Prayers of the faithful:

Priest -  As disciples on our journey of faith, we present our prayers and concerns to our loving and merciful Father: 

1. For our Holy Father Pope Francis, for our Bishops and for all Church leaders, that they we lead the people in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel. We pray to the Lord.

2. For our political and governmental leaders, that they will help us guard the dignity of all human life, especially the unborn and the most vulnerable.  We pray to the Lord.

3. For all who are traveling, that the Lord will bless their travels and their time of rest and leisure and keep them safe.  We pray to the Lord.

4. That we the local Church may be a place of welcome and spiritual  renewal. We pray to the Lord.

5. For all who keep us safe in society: for first responders, for the men and women in the military, and for our medical professionals.  In gratitude for their service and their sacrifices.  We pray to the Lord.

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life.  For the souls in the process of purification in purgatory.  We pray to the Lord.

7. For healing for us in body, mind, and spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. We pray to the Lord.

Priest - As we ask you to send us the presence of the Holy Spirit to help heal our world, we present our prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

Sunday, July 23, 2023

30 July 2023 - homily for the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Matthew 13:44-46

      Last Tuesday, on July 25, we commemorated the feast day of St James the Greater, one of Jesus’ original apostles and the first apostle who was martyred as recorded in the 12th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.  The pilgrimage of St James in Spain is a very important part of my personal spirituality, as I have hiked that pilgrimage trail on five different occasions. When I traveled to Spain for the first time in the summer of 2003 to hike that pilgrimage route, I also had the opportunity to visit some other religious sites around the country of Spain. One of the most interesting places I visited was the city of Segovia, which is the city where St. John of Cross spent his last days and where he is buried.  There is an ancient Roman aqueduct that was used to transport water that is located in the city of Segovia as well. In Segovia, I visited the apartment of the famous Spanish poet Antonio Machado, which is now a museum. This is where Machado wrote most of his well-known poems. One of his poems talks about the state of his soul.  This is what Machado wrote:

One clear day the wind with the aroma of jasmine called my heart:

( The wind said:) "In exchange for my aroma I'd love to have the fragrance of all your roses."

(I replied:) " I have no roses, there aren't any flowers in my garden; all have died."

(The wind then said:) " I will then take the fountain's waters, the yellow leaves and the withered petals."

The wind left...My heart wailed....

"Soul, what have you done to your garden?"

        As Machado writes, our soul can be a wonderful garden with beautiful flowers and a sweet aroma.  Or our soul be a garden where all the flowers have died and withered, where there is nothing but dead plants and parched ground. 

         There are a lot of things we can claim for our treasure in life.  In recent years, there have been reality TV shows that have addressed the issue of hoarding, how some people accumulate material possessions to the extreme, to the extent that they accumulate so many stacks and things that they barely move around. 

         Jesus’ parable today addresses the great treasures that people find in the lives, such as buried treasure in a field that is so wonderful that one is willing to sell everything to obtain it, or a pearl that a merchant finds after many years of searching.  The point of these parables is that God’s kingdom is that treasure for us, far more valuable than any earthly treasure. Yet, we can be so caught up with our material treasures on earth that nothing else matters. Some in our society are ready to sell their souls for the accumulation of material wealth. Some of them may end up compromising their salvation for the sake of fame, power, popularity or worldly success.  That is the sentiment that Antonio Machado captures in his poem.  The Lord can come to us in a quiet whisper and a calm breeze with the good news of salvation, with a call for us to follow him that can be as subtle and beautiful as the smell of jasmine blooming on a hot summer’s night.  Yet, if we’ve neglected our faith, if the garden of our soul has not been cultivated, we might not be ready to receive God’s message, no matter how beautiful and inviting it may be. 

         When I was in Rome with the youth choir from St Richard parish in 2010, we visited the basilica of St Paul. For centuries, Church officials had tried to find the exact spot of Paul’s tomb. One spot of ground was ruled out because it looked solid rock, so they thought that there was no way Paul could have been buried on that spot.  However, it turned out not to be rock, but soil that had been hardened for so long that it was hard as rock. This is the place where Paul’s body was eventually found. Just like soil that can become hard as a rock, our hearts can become so hard that we might not think that this is the place where we’ll find our treasure, so we start looking for treasure in other places. But Jesus tells us that we need to keep searching for the treasure that we will find only in God’s kingdom, for this is the only treasure that is worth a great price. 

         The great Catholic writer Ron Rolheiser writes that there are many tragic ways to die in our world, but there are two ways that are most tragic of all. If we die without expressing the love we have in our hearts for God and for our brothers and sisters, or if we die without feeling the love that God has for us, or without feeling the love of our brothers and sisters, those are the greatest tragedies of all.  God, indeed, is the essence of love.  And since we were made in God’s image, we are called to love and to experience the love of others.  May we keep searching. May we never give up until we find the treasure that awaits us in God’s kingdom, that awaits us in God’s love. 


Wednesday, July 19, 2023

23 July 2023 - blessing of the backpacks at the beginning of the school year

Let us pray: God of wisdom and knowledge, we pray for the beginning of the school year as we bless our students and their backpacks today.  

We ask that you bless our teachers and our school administrators, that you affirm them and their calling in their sacred vocation to teach our students.   We ask that you make all our schools lively centers of sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom.

We thank you for each student. Lead them in your way, your truth, and your life. Let each classroom they enter be a place of life and light, warmth and welcome, discovery and growth. Give them good friends and let them be good friends for others. Set them at tasks which demand their best efforts. Lead them to accomplishments that satisfy and delight. 

We ask for a blessing for our parents, for their support and efforts to help their children receive a good education and to be formed in the values of our faith.  Encourage our parents on their journey with their children. 

Send your holy angels to stand guard and keep watch over our students, teachers, and families, keeping them safe and protected.  May our Blessed Mother Mary and all our saints accompany them always.  

Bless these our students and their backpacks. May they always feel the divine love and support of our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and the love, support, and prayers of our parish family.   AMEN.  

23 July 2023 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - CMCF state prison - prayers of the faithful

Introduction: On the 4th Sunday of July, we celebrate a special Sunday for grandparents & the elderly as established by Pope Francis. Our grandparents & the elderly provide a link between the younger generations & those generations who have passed away. The kingdom of God is like a small mustard seed that can grow into a huge bush. Today’s elders were once small seeds themselves. With the blessing of the Lord, our elders have persevered as they continue to help make present the kingdom of God. We honor our grandparents & elders at Mass today. 

Lord Jesus - you are the living word of God - Lord have mercy.


Christ Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer - Lord have mercy. 


Priest: In our prayers today, we call to mind our needs, the needs of our brothers and sisters, and the needs of the Church, confident that God who searches our hearts’ understanding will intercede on our behalf before the Father:


1. For the Church: that in the same way the mustard seed grows in to a dwelling place for the birds of the sky, may we become a dwelling place where others can encounter God, we pray to the Lord. 

2. For our governmental leaders, that they will promote the dignity of all persons, especially the most vulnerable and those whose voices are not heard, we pray to the Lord.


3. For judges, attorneys, and all who work in the legal system: that they may implement our laws with justice and mercy, with clemency and temperance. We pray for justice for all the inmates at CMCF in their legal cases. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For all of us, that we may be yeast in the world and in our community here at CMCF, that we may nurture and build up each other, we pray to the Lord.


5. For healing for the sick, for those who are in pain, for those who are suffering in different ways. We pray for those who suffer from mental illness and who battle addictions. 

6. For the repose of the souls of our deceased family members and loved ones. For all deceased family members. For their entry into eternal life with God. We pray to the Lord.


7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. For our prayer intentions, spoken and unspoken. We pray to the Lord.


Priest: Merciful God, you give love and love to your children. May we all bear fruit for your kingdom, spreading your love and grace to others. Grant our fervent prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN 


Bulletin Reflection - 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time - 23 July 2023

       When Pope Francis chose the date of a Sunday liturgy to commemorate grandparents and the elders of our community, he chose the date closest to the feast day of St Anne and St Joachim, the parents of the blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on July 26 each year.  Pope Francis wanted to celebrate the link between the generations, the wisdom that is passed down from one generation to the next.  Pope Francis, from the country of Argentina, learned from his parents who immigrated from Italy to Argentina in 1929 in the midst of the political turmoil that gripped Italy and many other countries in Europe right before WWII.  Like weeds sown in a field, like weeds that need to be distinguished from a valuable crop, we need to distinguish the wisdom that is based down by our elders from the false teachings that can lead us astray.  We honor the elders of our community and our families this weekend.  We give thanks for the wisdom they have passed down to us and the ways they have nurtured us.  Blessings to all of you this weekend - Father Lincoln.  

Blessing of Grandparents and elders of the community - 23 July 2023

    Lord Jesus, you were born of the Virgin Mary, the daughter of St Joachim and St Anne. Look with love on our grandparents and on the elders of our community, protecting them and supporting them. They are a source of enrichment for families, for the Church and for all of society. As they grow older, may they continue to be strong pillars of Gospel faith for our families and for our community. May they be living treasuries of sound religious traditions and teachers of wisdom and courage who pass on to future generations the fruits of their human and spiritual experiences.

    Lord Jesus, help families and society to value the presence and role of grandparents and the elders of our community.  May they never be ignored or excluded, but always encounter respect and love.
Help them to live serenely and to feel welcomed in all the years of life which you give them.
     Mother Mary, keep our grandparents and the elders of our community constantly in your care, accompanying them on their earthly pilgrimage. Grant that all families may one day be reunited in our heavenly homeland, where you await all humanity
for the great embrace of life without end.  

      In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.  

23 July 2023 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful

Introduction:  On the fourth Sunday of July, we celebrate a special Sunday for grandparents and the elderly as established by Pope Francis.  Our grandparents and the elderly provide a link between the younger generations and those generations who have passed away.  The kingdom of God is like a small mustard seed that can grow into a huge bush.  Today’s elders were once small mustard seeds themselves.  With the blessing of the Lord, our elders have persevered as they continue to help make present the kingdom of God.  We honor our grandparents and elders at Mass today  

Lord Jesus - you are the living word of God - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer - Lord have mercy. 

Priest: In our prayers today, we call to mind our needs, the needs of our brothers and sisters, and the needs of the Church, confident that God who searches our hearts’ understanding will intercede on our behalf before the Father: 

1. For the Church: that in the same way the mustard seed grows in to a dwelling place for the birds of the sky, may we become a dwelling place where others can encounter God, we pray to the Lord. 

2. For our governmental leaders, that they will promote the dignity of all persons, especially the most vulnerable and those whose voices are not heard, we pray to the Lord. 

3. For judges, attorneys, and all who work in the legal system: that they may implement our laws with justice and mercy, with clemency and temperance, we pray to the Lord. 

4. For all of us, that we may be yeast in the world and in our community, that we may nurture and build up each other, we pray to the Lord. 

5. For healing for the sick and the shut-in.  For those who are struggling with addictions and mental illness.   For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  For our prayer intentions, spoken and unspoken.  We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Merciful God, you give love and love to your children.  May we all bear fruit for your kingdom, spreading your love and grace to others.  Grant our fervent prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

23 July 2023 – homily for the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Matthew 13:24-43

      In today’s Gospel from Matthew, Jesus tells a series of parables to the crowds.  Why would he speak to them in parables? Perhaps these parables were meant to get the people of his day to think about their faith and to think about the kingdom of God. These parables challenge us to critically think about our faith and about God in our modern world as well. Perhaps it is not proper to say that we interpret the parables, but rather that the parables interpret us. In these parables, we’re able to see things differently through the paradoxes, contradictions, and multiple meanings contained therein. The parables in today’s Gospel get us to think about the different meanings God’s Kingdom might have for us.

      So, how can we describe something that is basically indescribable? That is why Jesus’ parables give us little glimpses into what God’s Kingdom is all about. We hear about a tiny mustard seed that grows into a plant large enough for the birds to nest there. We certainly want God’s kingdom to grow in our lives and in the world, don’t we?

      We probably think that God’s kingdom growing as quickly as possible without any hindrances is a good thing – perhaps the best thing possible.  But life is not always so smooth and easy and uncomplicated. Maybe there are other things to consider. What if only one tiny little mustard seed blows into a garden where other plants are already growing, where there is already order and structure. The mustard seed could grow into this huge plant, it could produce other little mustard seeds that grow into other plants, and pretty soon the mustard plants have taken over the entire garden. God’s reign can grow and grow. And we want God’s reign to be a welcome addition in our lives, don’t we?  We want it to grow from this tiny seed into a big, beautiful plant, but the changes it brings can make us frustrated and insecure. The power we see in God’s reign and the way it calls out to us can stir up a lot of fear in our hearts.

      Unfortunately, we may want to help God’s kingdom grow, but there are weeds that sprout up as well. Through today’s parable, we know that God understands that weeds are going to sprout up in his Kingdom. The master is afraid of doing damage to the wheat, of destroying those parts of God’s kingdom that are growing alongside the weeds, so he lets the weeds remain until harvest time. God is forgiving and merciful. He forgives our weeds. He lets us grow and develop without uprooting us or casting us off.

       When we see the reality of the world around us today, we cannot just assume that God’s kingdom is going to continue to grow and grow.  We cannot just assume that the Church is going to be around when we need her if we do not do our part today.  There are so many people committed to our parish, committed to help God’s kingdom grow.  Part of God’s Kingdom is about dealing with the ups and downs of life.  We had a conversation with some of you parishioners at the Drinks and Doctrine program last Tuesday evening.  We recognized our busy schedules that pull us in many different directions.  We want our parishioners to grow, we want God’s kingdom to grow in wonderful and creative ways in our parish, but how do we fit that into our busy lives?  That is a question all of us need to ponder.  We need to fit God into our reality, now matter how busy we are. 

      When we hear these parables in the Gospels – and there are certainly a lot of them – maybe we should try to go beyond the meaning on the surface. We need to see the paradoxes, the multiple meanings, and the contradictions that Jesus presents us.  And maybe this will help us better understand what God’s Kingdom is all about.

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

20 July 2023 - Prayers of the faithful - Thursday of the 15th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - You bring us the blessings of the Father. 

Christ Jesus - You open our eyes and our ears to the truth of God. 

Lord Jesus - You are the beloved son of the Father. 

With humble and faithful hearts, let us now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Christian faithful: that we may follow Christ, the head of the Church, ever more closely and continue his mission of reconciling others to God and to one another. 

2. For our communities of faith at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception: that our deeds of compassion and service may be signs of God’s presence in our midst. 

3. For openness of heart: that we may allow the pain and suffering of others to move our hearts and spirits to a loving response. 

4. For insight: that God will help us recognize our neighbor in the refugee, the homeless person, and the marginalized of society, inspiring us to reach out in help and service. 

5. For conversion of heart: that God will teach us how to love with our whole hearts and guide us in moving our religious ideals from ideas into action. 

6. For the faithful departed: for their entry into eternal life.  And for the souls in the process of purification in purgatory. 

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

As you call us to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need and to live out the spirit of the Eucharist in our daily lives, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 


21 July 2023 - Prayers of the faithful - Friday of the 16th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to hope.  

Christ Jesus - you call us to be missionary in spirit. 

Lord Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the Father. 

Priest -  As disciples on our journey of faith, we present our prayers and concerns to our loving and merciful Father: 

1. For our Holy Father Pope Francis, our Bishops and all Church leaders, that they we lead the people in joy in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel. 

2. For our governmental leaders, that they will help us guard the dignity of all human life, especially the unborn and the most vulnerable. 

3. For all who are traveling, that the Lord will bless their travels and their time of rest and leisure and keep them safe. 

4. That we the local Church may be a place of welcome and spiritual  renewal.

5. For all who keep us safe in society: for first responders, for the men and women in the military, and for our medical professionals.  In gratitude for their service and sacrifices.  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life.  For the souls in the process of purification in purgatory.

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest - As we ask you to send us the presence of the Holy Spirit to help heal our world, we present our prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

19 July 2023 - prayers of the faithful - Wednesday of the 15th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to be missionary in spirit

Christ Jesus - you call us to holiness

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved Son of the Father 

God answers those who approach him in prayer. Let us now present our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of our brothers and sisters:

1. That our Church leaders and all the faithful possess a missionary spirit.  

2. For missionaries and for all men and women of faith who witness to the Gospel throughout the world, that their example of love and mercy will guide the Church in missionary discipleship. 

3. For our first responders, the men and women in the military, and our medical professionals. For those who keep us safe in society. 

4. For our children and youth, for the vocation to which God calls them.  That God may accompany their thru their summer activities. That the Holy Spirit be with them as they start the new school year. 

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

6. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

As we bring these prayers of petition to you, O Lord, may our faith be strengthened and may we find the courage to proclaim your Word. We ask this through Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

Monday, July 17, 2023

18 July 2023 - Prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 16th week of Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you proclaim God's holy word. 

Christ Jesus - you are the word of God made flesh. 

Lord Jesus - you speak God's truth. 

Priest: As we recognize our need for God’s grace in our lives, let us offer our prayers to our loving Father: 

1. That the Church may preach with compassion the need for repentance, leading us to healing and union with Christ. 

2. For the leaders of nations and our local governmental leaders: that they may be prophets of justice and instruments of peace. 

3. For our children and youth, may they see God in their experiences and activities this summer as they get ready for the beginning of the school year. 

4.  For the sick and the lonely: that they may find consolation and healing through Christ’s presence in their lives. 

5. For all who have died: for their entry into eternal life. 

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.                                                                                                          

Priest:  Loving Father, as you hear and answer our prayers, grant them according to your will.  We ask this through Christ our Lord forever and ever.  Amen. 

28 July 2023 - Friday of the 16th week in Ordinary Time - Exodus 20:1-17

    In our first reading today, God gives Moses the commandments he wishes his people to follow.  Perhaps we could think about how following God’s law is foundational to our Christian faith and to our life of discipleship.  Yet, it is not always easy to follow God’s law and to apply it to the reality of life.  Reading those commandments, they might seem clear-cut, but when applied to our complicated human lives, it is not so straight-forward. 

      Under the old calendar of the martyrs for our Catholic Church, July 27 was assigned to the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. Their story is relevant to the commandment of honoring God and his name and not taking his name in vain.  Supposedly, there were seven young men who lived during the persecutions conducted by the Emperor Decius in the 3rd century.  They hid in a cave during the persecutions to save their lives because they refused to make pagan sacrifices.  The cave was sealed; legend has it that they fell into a miraculous sleep and later woke up 300 years later where they were seen by the residents of the city. This incident was revered by both the Christian and Muslim traditions because it was interpreted as validating the resurrection of the dead that is a part of our belief. Martyrdom was respected and honored in the early Church and was the true sign of sainthood for the sacrifices and testimony those individuals made for the faith.  Whether the story is true or not isn’t relevant. Rather, this story can help us reflect upon the ways we honor God and his holy name and what sacrifices and commitments we are making to follow our faith as disciples of Christ.

        A lot of times, it is good looking at an examination of conscience that helps us critically examine our view of the ten commandments, to reflect upon our actions in all aspects of God’s commandments.  We may think we know what these commandments entail, but perhaps we can always learn more about them.  

17 July 2023 - prayers of the faithful - Monday of the 15th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the word of God. 

Christ Jesus - you are the word of God made flesh. 

Lord Jesus - you speak the truth. 

Priest: Recognizing our ongoing need of God’s grace at work in our lives, let us offer our prayers to our loving Father: 

1. That the Church may preach with compassion the need for repentance, leading all to healing, reconciliation, and union with Christ. 

2. For the leaders of nations and our local governmental leaders: that they may be prophets of justice and instruments of peace in our world. 

3. For our children and youth, may they see God in their experiences and activities this summer as they get ready for the beginning of the school year. 

4.  For the sick, the lonely, and the grieving: that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence.  We pray in a special way for healing for Sister Jane and Father Kevin. 

5. For all who have died: that they may dwell in Christ’s abundant love for all eternity.

6. In thanksgiving for our Carmelite sisters here in the Diocese of Jackson and for our secular Carmelite group, in gratitude for the novena of Our Lady of Mount Carmel that we just celebrated. 

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.                                                                                                          

Priest:  Loving Father, as you hear and answer our prayers, grant that we may know and accept your loving will in our lives.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Sunday, July 16, 2023

17 July 2023 - Monday of the 15th week in Ordinary Time - Exodus 1:8-14 and 22 - Matthew 10:34—11:1

     Our readings today are disturbing on many levels, aren’t they?  The first reading talks about the Jews falling from favored status in Egypt to becoming oppressed and entering enslavement. The Gospel tells us that Jesus did not come to bring peace. We probably want Jesus to bring peace to us here on earth.  We probably want our faith to bring us peace on a personal level as well.  Yet, perhaps Jesus is telling us that discipleship is not going to be a peaceful easy road for us. Being a disciple is hard work that is going to entail struggle and challenges.  

     Our reality in our country, our world, and our Church is a reality of division.  I drive down Capital Street or Bailey Avenue or Medgar Evers Blvd on my way into down Jackson and I don’t see peace. Being disciples in the midst of this reality can definitely be countercultural.  Even trying to get the priests and the parishes of the Jackson area to work together is a struggle a lot of the time.  It’s hard for us to work together on a common goal. 

    I can tell you, I yearn for peace and harmony and solitary, but I know that is not our reality.  I have found that if we persevere in our ministry and persevere in our lives of faith, if we realize that our creativity and perseverance will help us with our obstacles and our challenges, then we not have unrealistic expectations.  Sometimes we may feel weary or feel that we are alone, but we are not alone on our journey.  

27 July 2023 - Thursday of the 16th week in Ordinary Time - Exodus 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b

      The people of Israel had been wandering in the desert for three months after having been liberated from their slavery in Egypt. God saw that they needed a sign of his presence in their lives, so he told them to sanctify themselves, to wash their clothes, and to prepare for his arrival.   Then, he came to them in dramatic fashion: in the clash of thunder and lightening and in the blasts of trumpets.  Great Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke as the Lord appeared to the people in a great fire.  When we think about today’s reading from Exodus, maybe the images here are not to be taken entirely literally. Perhaps these images are intended to convey the awe and wonder with which we are to approach God, the way that he is immanent in the world, but also the way he transcends the created world, the way we can know God in some ways, but also the way in which there will always be more we can learn about God.

      God was present to the people at Mount Sinai in a special way in their Exodus from Egypt.  If you have climbed up a mountain before, you can understand the power and the majesty a mountain has and the reason it would have such special symbolism with regards to the presence of the divine in our lives. God can speak to us in sublime and quiet ways in our lives, but he can be present to us in dramatic ways as well. God, let us feel your presence with us today, both in those easily recognizable ways, but also in sublime ways. 

26 July 2023 - Wednesday of the 16th week in Ordinary Time - St Joachim and St Anne - Matthew 13:1-9

      Many people here in Mississippi have wonderful gardens. Great care and pride are taken in tending our gardens and growing our fruits, vegetables, and flowers.  If we grow our plants on rocky soil or without the proper amount of water and nutrients, then they won’t develop properly and won’t produce their flowers or their vegetables or fruits. 

      God needs to proper ground to sow his Word.  His Word needs to be nourished and cared for once it is planted in someone’s life. Today we celebrate the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary: St Anne and St Joachim. Their names are not in the Bible. We are not told any details of Mary’s childhood or youth with her family in the Bible, but Tradition has passed down information about Mary’s parents. One Tradition holds that after years of being childless, Anne and Joachim received a visit from an angel who told them that they receive a child from God. Anne promised to dedicate this child to God in a special way.  No matter what the details are, we can imagine the care and love in which Anne and Joachim nurtured their daughter. We can imagine the care in which they raised her in the ways of the faith.They provided fertile soil for Mary to become the Mother of our Lord, the Theotokos. We can imagine how the teachings and example of Joachim and Anne led Mary to respond to God’s request with faith and trust - "Let it be done to me as you will."  We can imagine how Mary used what she learned from her parents to bring up her own son in the faith. 

        We give thanks to the faith that has been passed down to us.  We give thanks for the fertile soil that has nurtured our own faith.  May all of us provide fertile soil for God’s Word in our lives. 

25 July 2023 - Prayers of the Faithful - Feast of St James

Lord Jesus - you called James to be your apostle - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you called your apostles to break out of their limitation and their fears - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you called St James and your apostles to preach your Good News - Lord have mercy. 

Prayers of the faithful: Encouraged by our fellowship with St James and with all the saints, let us make our prayers to the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ as we celebrate the feast of St James today.

1. Heavenly Father, as your Son called men and women to leave the past behind them and to follow him as disciples, we pray that you bless those whom Jesus calls as his disciples today. 

2. As your Son told his disciples not to be afraid, we pray that you bless with courage and tenacity the ministers, missionaries and, church leaders who bring your Gospel message to the world today. 

3. As your Son sent out disciples to heal the sick, we pray that us of us may reach out to the sick and shut-ins and those in need of healing and reconciliation.  

4. We pray for all present, former, and future pilgrims to the Camino of Santiago in Spain.  May their love of pilgrimage and their devotion to St James be a witness to the world.  

5. We pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, especially for those souls in the process of purification in purgatory.  

6. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today.    

Almighty God, as we celebrate St James the Greater today,  grant that your Church may faithfully hold and make known the faith that has come to us through him and thru the other apostles.  We make these prayers thru Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. 

25 JULY 2023 - feast day of St James the Greater - Matthew 20:20-28

      Back in 2002, I spent the summer studying in the countries of Chile and Argentina on a study trip through the US Department of Education.  There were 15 teachers from throughout the country on this trip - an amazing experience that I still reflect upon today.  I met a husband and wife on that trip: Pam Davis and Rick Thompson. They were two Spanish teachers who were about my age who lived in the state of Maine.  They had spent extensive time in Spain while they were college students, especially in the northeastern region of Galicia, where the city of Santiago de Compostela is located.   Several times during our trip, they encouraged me to look into doing the Camino. They knew that I was thinking of becoming a Catholic priest, and thought the Camino would be something I would enjoy.  When I got back to the US, I could not get the Camino out of my head.  I felt the call to go on the Camino, deciding to go that next summer.  At that time, I was teaching Spanish in Greenville in the Delta.  Little did I know, that not many years later, I would fulfill my dream of becoming a priest and that for 4 1/2 years I would be the pastor of a parish in Tupelo named after St James the Greater, one of Christ’s original apostles.  

     Anyone who knows me as a priest knows of the love that I have for the community of saints. The energy and the friendship I feel from our our saints is one of the things I love about our Catholic faith. St James is one of those saints who so speaks to me and so speaks to so many people in our modern world, as evidenced by the popularity of his pilgrimage in Spain.  When I went on the Camino in 2003 there were about 85,000 pilgrims who arrived at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela and who earned a pilgrim’s certificate.  This year, that number may reach 500,000 pilgrims.   There are countless books, articles, blogs, and movies and videos and podcasts all over the internet that are inspired by St James and his pilgrimage. I have now been on the pilgrimage of St James in Spain on five different occasion.  I hope to go again soon.  

      One of the men who runs a traditional pilgrims’ hostel on the Camino is credited with this quote: “A tourist demands things, but a pilgrim gives thanks.” I give thanks for the Apostle, St James the Greater, who went beyond the request to be at the position of honor next to Jesus, to be a missionary of the Gospel message and to die a martyr’s death.  St James, may your prayers and intersessions reach out to us today.  

The prayer of the sower - 15th Sunday of Ordinary time

As we go through a movement of Eucharistic renewal in our country, as we talk about evangelization and faith formation for adults in our parishes, as we look at ways to reach out to others in works of mercy, and as we go through the synodal process and a reimagining of the ministries in our parishes as proposed by Bishop Kopacz, the parable of the sower that we hear in Matthew's Gospel today has particular relevance for us, because I see all of this tying together. 

The prayer of the sower

Almighty God, when we meet you in prayer, may we be in hope and expectation. May we be hungry for an encounter with you. May we be eager to learn from your holy word.  We pray that you open our eyes and our ears to the presence of your Holy Spirit. May the seeds of your holy word that you have scattered among us fall on good soil. May they take root in our hearts and in our lives. May those seeds produce an abundant harvest of good words and good deeds. Lord, help us to always be good fertile soil. Help us to hear your will and to nurture your will in our lives.  Help our words and our actions reflect the message of your Good News. Help us sow the seeds of your words in our lives and in the lives of others.  We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our teacher and our Lord. Amen. 


21 July 2023 - Lawrence of Brindisi - Friday of the 15th week of Ordinary Time - Matthew 12:1-8

     As I read through today’s Gospel, I thought about how the scribes and Pharisees are always trying to trap Jesus and attack him. The Pharisees relied mostly on their minds and their intellects. They were not willing to open their hearts to all of the teachings and wisdom that Jesus had to offer. Unfortunately, we also can practice our faith in that same spirit. We can try to trick Jesus or accuse him, we can try to follow a rigid form of religion in which our hearts are completely closed to what Jesus is offering to us. Yet, we know that this is not what our faith asks of us.  

     Lawrence of Brindisi is the saint we celebrate today.  Born in Italy in 1559, he entered the Capuchin Franciscan order in Venice at the age of 16, becoming a priest at the age of 23.  He had a gift for learning languages, so he was able to study the Bible in its original texts and languages. At the invitation of Pope Clement VIII, he devoted a lot of his ministry to preaching to the Jews in Italy. His knowledge of Hebrew was so extraordinary that many of the Jews thought that Lawrence was Jewish himself. He was elected major superior of the Capuchin Franciscan province of Tuscany at the age of 31 and later became minister general of the entire order. His brilliant mind was tempered by his compassion and mercy.  With his gift for languages, he was sent as a peace emissary by the pope to places like Portugal and Naples.  He died in 1619 while on a peace making mission to Lisbon, Portugal.  He was made a Doctor of the Church in 1959 by Pope John XXIII, who noted Lawrence’s apostolic zeal and teaching of Church doctrine to the faithful.  His collected writings span 15 volumes.  I look at how Lawrence of Brindisi lived out his faith and the gifts God gave him compared to the scribes and Pharisees - quite a difference.  As I look at the vision I want us to follow as a parish priest, of outreach, study, and devotion to the faith, Lawrence of Brindisi is certainly a great example of faith to follow

22 July 2023 - Prayers of the faithful - Feast of St Mary Magdalene

Lord Jesus - you call us to a life of discipleship.

Christ Jesus - you proclaim God’s kingdom. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us the love of your Father.


Priest: As we honor and celebrate St Mary Magdalene today on her feast day, let us approach God in trust and confidence in our prayers:

1. We pray that like St Mary Magdalene, we may have a bold vibrant faith born out of love, that we may live out our faith in perseverance and joy.

2. For our spiritual leaders and our governmental leaders, that they may have the wisdom and courage to lead their people in the midst of the challenges and struggles of life. 

3.  We pray in thanksgiving and gratitude for our many blessings we have in our lives, that we may recognize those blessings and use our blessings and gifts to reach out and help others.

4. For those who may be struggling in their faith, for those who are battling additions or struggling with different types of illnesses of mind, body, or spirit, for healing and wholeness. 

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

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life.

7. For those prayers we hold in our hearts.

Priest:  With humble hearts, we make these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 


22 July 2023 - feast of St Mary Magdalene - John 20:1-2, 11-18

      The Church recognizes the role of Mary Magdalene as one of the first witnesses to Christ resurrection and as a true and authentic evangelizer. In recognition of her important role in the history of the Catholic faith, Pope Francis raised the July 22 memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast on the church's liturgical calendar back in 2016. 

          The Catholic faithful remember Mary Magdalene as having remained loyal to Jesus throughout his suffering and death on the cross, in addition to being the first witness to his resurrection. The Gospel reading from John focuses upon her visit to Christ’s tomb. She arrives at the tomb, finding it empty; she breaks down weeping. She does not recognize Jesus when he appears to her as she is blinded by her grief and her own failings. She is overwhelmed by the death of Jesus and by her our struggles.  


      We hear Jesus instruct Mary Magdalene to deliver a message to his disciples about his death and resurrection, that he is going to his father and our father, to his God and our God. The wording of these instructions teaches us that we have the ability to have a personal relationship with God. In these instructions, Christ teaches us that through his suffering and death, he has transcended his earthly death and has opened the gates of heaven to us.  


      We can learn from Mary Magdalene because her journey is so relatable. We ourselves can be blinded by our own fears and hardships. Mary Magdalene’s faith and courage give an example of faith to follow. She learns to have faith and to trust in the presence of Christ’s love and mercy. She is the apostle to the apostles, bringing them news of Christ’s resurrection. Her witness was very important to the Early Church. We honor Mary Magdalene today, uniting our prayers with her prayers.