Father James baptized the children of some recent SJS alumni. Congratulations!

Letters from a Pastor to His People- June 30, 2019

Dear Parishioners,

In the Old Testament, each of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were given parcels of land throughout Israel, following the Exodus and return to the Holy Land.   That is, all of the tribes except the tribe of Levi.  The Levites were set apart as priests for Israel.  This was determined by Moses when he came down from Mount Sinai with the Law.  The Levites would not farm, goat and sheep herd.  They would not have to worry about land disputes.  Their whole task was to care for the Temple in Jerusalem.  How would they be sustained?  From where would their livelihood come?  One word answer: God.

Father James with a recent SJS graduate

Dear Parishioners,

We celebrate Corpus Christi today.  The Eucharist is the real body and blood of Christ our Savior, which means the Eucharist is powerful.  It has a real effect on us.  There are three things the Eucharist does, each corresponding with one of the readings. 

1) The Eucharist gives us strength to perform our duties and obligations in life.  Abram had just defeated several tribes in the Palestine region to establish his position.  Soon after, a priest named Melchizedek brings an offering of bread and wine (cf. Gen 14:18-20).  In turn, Abram gives the priest a tenth of his spoils.  The bread and wine offered by this priest Melchizedek is a foreshadowing of the Eucharist.  It not only celebrated Abram's success, it gave Abram strength to be both King and father of the Israelite people.  When we go to Mass or pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament, we are given strength to be the best spouse, parent, sibling, student, worker, priest that we are called to be.

Father James attempts to explain the Holy Trinity to a group of kindergartners. The Trinity doesn't get any easier to comprehend with age, kids!

Letters from a Pastor to His People- June 16, 2019

Dear Parishioners,

"I will give you what is mine and declare it to you" (John 16:15).  Growing up, my parents used to refer to possessions in the first person plural: our house, our backyard, our car.  It impressed me because my siblings and I did nothing to earn these things.  We were not entitled to them. But that is how generous my parents were.  They took what was rightfully theirs and declared it to us.  I'm sure many of you parents do the same.  What love, what generosity!

We celebrate the Holy Trinity today which affirms for us, among other things, God's generosity and love.  The fact that God is relational from all eternity tells us that God is not alone.  If God was one and not three, he would be alone, which means he would need to create the world for relationship.  This means he would need our love, our worship, our holiness; and if he needed it, he would be angry if he didn't receive it.  But the Trinity tells us God is perfect in himself.  He is totally dependent and not in need of us.  He created us to allow us to share in the beauty and love that God is.  What God has, he declared to us.  That is what the Trinity tells us. 

Letters from a Pastor to His People- June 9, 2019

Dear Parishioners,

In the Nicene Creed at Mass, we say the following:

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

 The giver of life.  What a great sobriquet of the Holy Spirit! 

Letters from a Pastor to His People- June 2, 2019

Dear Parishioners,

There are many hills in the Holy Land, and when a figure from the Scriptures ascends one, we should pay attention.  Abraham goes up Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son Isaac.  The angel stays Abraham's slaughtering hand, Abraham is established as the father of Israel, and Moriah will become the site of the temple mount in Jerusalem.  About 1,000 years later King David will ascend that very same hill to recreate the nation of Israel.  His son, Solomon, will construct the temple on that mount. 

Noah's ark lands on Mount Ararat.  Moses ascends Mount Sinai, is literally wrapped in a cloud of divinity, and comes down with the Ten Commandments.  And Elijah defeats the pagan priests atop Mount Carmel.