Author: admin

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Gospel: John 6:60-69

Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending
to where he was before? 
It is the spirit that gives life,
while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him. 
And he said,
“For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”

As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer accompanied him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” 
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? 
You have the words of eternal life. 
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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When you walk into our parish office, you may notice a framed icon of Saint Francis of Assisi hanging on the wall. That icon represents the story of our parish – past, present, and future.

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Some 800 years ago, Saint Francis was praying in the church of San Damiano, a tiny chapel located in the hills of Assisi, when suddenly the Lord spoke to him, saying, “Francis, rebuild my church.”

The church was in tatters, so Francis physically rebuilt it.

But, in time, the Lord spoke to him again saying the same thing: “Francis, rebuild my church.” 

God wasn’t asking Francis just to rebuild the chapel of San Damiano physically; the Lord wanted Francis to restore the faith of that community.

This is a lesson that Christians are reminded of throughout the ages: the Church is not just a physical building; it’s also a community of faith that needs repair from time to time.

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Some 700 years later, Pope Saint Pius X followed in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi. Seeing that the Church – the community of faith – was in need of renewal, he instituted several reforms.

One being the age of First Communion. 

Pius X believed in the power of the Eucharist – and that every Catholic should receive that grace as early as possible – so he dropped the age of First Communions from twelve to seven.

He also highlighted the beauty of Gregorian chant and required the teaching of the Catechism in every parish.

Like Francis, Pius X did his best to, “rebuild the Church,” in his time and place.

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That’s our mission, too.

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Over the last year, we’ve started rebuilding our church physically, much like Francis first did in Assisi.

After raising $70,000 for our Heritage Fund, we’ve:

Planted twenty-one trees on campus; fixed our outdoor sprinkler system; upgraded our livestreaming capabilities; created a family chapel with a live-feed into church; mounted two 65-inch flat-screens in the narthex; refurnished our office; and created a parish app.

I cannot tell you what a difference your generosity and support have made in my priesthood and leadership. I am deeply grateful.

Through your continued generosity and support, our momentum will continue.

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In addition to the physical renovations, we’ve also started digging deeper, creating our first parish pastoral council in twenty years. 

Last week we spent an hour discussing our vision statement.

We considered questions like: Would it matter if our parish didn’t exist? What makes us different? If every parish in the area is offering a good liturgy and ministry opportunities, why should anyone come here? What does it mean to be a parishioner of St. Pius X?

Like Saints Francis of Assisi and Pius X, we must discern our vision together.

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Meanwhile, we’ve also started a welcome and hospitality ministry, sending letters and cookies to new parishioners who’ve registered and to returning parishioners who’ve re-registered.

We’re rebuilding our youth and adult choirs; forming our middle and high school youth groups; and on September 12th, we’ll officially begin our “Nametag Sundays,” giving us an opportunity to create a culture of welcome.

All of these initiatives will help us to rebuild St. Pius X both physically and spiritually.

But everyone should be involved.

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When laying on his deathbed some 800 years ago, Francis of Assisi said to his brothers: “I have done what is mine to do. Now you must do what is yours to do.”

Each of us must consider: What is mine to do? How can I help rebuild our community of faith?

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Our time is now. 

Together, we can become a case study of parish renewal in the 21^st century.

Saint Pius X and Saint Francis of Assisi, who did what was theirs to do, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) St. Pius X, Dave Janosz, Dynamic Elements (2) America Magazine (3) St. Pius X, Dave Janosz, Dynamic Elements

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Gospel: Matthew 22: 1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables
saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Did you ever show up to school without doing your homework?

To me it was the worst feeling ever.

When my teacher started collecting it, I’d pretend to look for it. Turning my backpack upside down, I’d give it a good shake as if it’d magically fall out.

They were never fooled. 

My teachers knew as well as I did that I was simply unprepared. I’d spent my time away from school doing less important things.

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In the Gospel, Jesus uses a parable to describe the end of the world, and thus the final judgment.

There are two groups: those who are permitted to attend the banquet and those who are not. Each person is judged by a sole criterion: whether or not they’ve done their homework.

Those who have are found wearing a white wedding garment. Those without it are thrown out.

The question becomes, what kind of work has God given us to do?

While the particular tasks may vary, what matters most is whether or not we’ve lived our lives with good intention. Have we loved our God and loved our neighbor as ourselves?

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Those who have can rejoice. There’s a seat saved for us in the kingdom of God.

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Image credits: (1) Learning and the Brain (2) But That’s Just Me (3) FirstCry Parenting

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Gospel: Matthew 20: 1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off. 
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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A few years ago, I was called by a family to anoint their loved one. “He’s at the brink of death,” they said, “come quickly.”

When I arrived, I saw an American flag waving outside the home, with cars parked all over the street. I entered the house and saw a relatively young man lying peacefully on his bed in the living room with a black Vietnam Veteran hat on.

“Dad saw some awful things in the war,” one of his children said to me. Experiences that, on the one hand, engrained in him a strong sense of patriotism; but, on the other hand, left him with no faith in God.

It wasn’t until he reached his deathbed, that this man decided to make amends with God. I remember grabbing my oils, granting him absolution, and praying the prayer of commendation.

Shortly after I left, he went peacefully to meet his Maker. 

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that the reward for this man’s short journey of faith is no different than yours or mine.

Like the laborers chosen to work in the vineyard, whether we work all day, or just arrive at sunset, everyone is given the same wage: eternal life. 

That’s the goodness of God. 

May we thank the Lord for calling us into his vineyard, and pray for those standing idly in the marketplace, that God will give them all the gift of faith and the reward it brings:

Eternal life.

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Image credits: (1) In Christ Alone, Pinterest (2) Workers in the Red Vineyard, Vincent Van Gogh (3) Fearless Living