Dear Parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

As we come quickly to the end of Lent, it seems to me that Jesus in today’s Gospel according to John (12:20-33) is giving reassurance to His disciples that what is about to happen, while horrible in their eyes, will in truth be his moment of glory. Jesus understands that his death will be the source of true and lasting life for all who put their faith in Him. He then challenges them to follow in His example of laying down their lives, not necessarily by dying, but by living a life of service, “whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be.” Yet there is more. This service that we render to others because we are followers of Jesus will give to us the honor of God the Father, “The Father will honor whoever serves me.” Think about that for a moment—God the Father will honor us for imitating His Son by serving one another!

The disciplines of Lent have invited us to serve our sisters and brothers. Through prayer we may have spent a bit more time praying for the needs of others rather than the wants of ourselves. By fasting we may have been able to donate a bit more food to the food pantry, or the St. Vincent de Paul Society. If we fasted from social media, or words of judgement, we may have had our eyes open to the needs of those around us and offered words of encouragement. We may have been a bit more generous in our almsgiving to our parish, or charities, or perhaps even to our homeless brothers and sisters outside our church door.

I have often heard from visitors how beautiful our church is. I always respond that even more beautiful are the parishioners not only because you put up with my nonsense, but because of the generosity of your hearts and hands. Think of the many liturgical ministries you are a part of (it takes a village of good people to put on good liturgy!). Think of the catechists, who with our parents, hand on the teachings and the practice of the faith. Think of the number of men and women who stand with our catechumens and those seeking full communion in the Catholic Church. Then think of the numbers of those men and women who are drawn to this parish to make this life changing decision, trusting you all with their lives.

Today’s Gospel tells us the Jesus knew His hour of glory had come when ‘some Greeks would like to see Jesus.’  Because of all those who come through our church doors, and are welcomed and find a home here, Christ continues to be glorified through YOU, the good people of Sacred Heart!

– Fr. Steve

Dear Parishioners,

This week I share with you a brief reflection by sacramental theologian Fr. Paul Turner on perhaps the origin of Eucharistic Ministers:

“Give them some food yourselves.” (Mk 6:37a) Jesus said. It was an extraordinary command, an impossible command. His Disciples had followed him to a deserted place, but a vast crowd still managed to find him. The crowd was hungry for God. The heart of Jesus was move with pity. But his disciples were moved with despair.

It was getting late. The disciples were probably getting hungry. They only had a snack-five loaves and two fish, not nearly enough to share with a throng. They probably didn’t have enough energy either. So that they came up with a practical suggestion and presented it to Jesus. “Dismiss them,” they said, “so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” (Mk 6:36)

It wasn’t a bad proposal. It expressed their care and concern. I made sense to the disciples under the circumstances. But Jesus-not always known for practicality-had another idea.

“Give them some food yourselves.” (Mk 6:37a)

The disciples were not just short on food. They were short on cash. “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” (Mk 6:37b) they asked. They weren’t envisioning a gourmet picnic in the desert. The size of the crowd was just enormous.

Jesus stuck to his plan. He took the little food they had, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples-not to the people. The disciples had to give them the food themselves.

And, miraculously, there was enough. (Mk 6:34-44)

This story foreshadows another miracle, the Gift of the Eucharist. Just as Jesus took, blessed, broke, and gave bread in a “deserted place,” (Mk 6:31), so he too, blessed, broke, and gave bread at the Last Supper, so the Church entrusts the Body and Blood of Christ to ministers who then give them to the faithful.

In the Church today, a Eucharistic Minister is a parishioner, technically selected by the Pastor and mandated by the Bishop, who serves, distributes, and administers the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ during Eucharist of the Mass or church service. They are referred to more accurately as “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion” (the “ordinary” minister being the priest celebrant).

We call upon Eucharistic Ministers not only to minister the Body and Blood of Christ, but to have and maintain a strong faith, and an inclusiveness of others as the foundation for their ministry.  The ministers accomplish this by strengthening their faith from within and sharing it with the faithful at communion time.

Eucharistic Ministers are also asked to bring Holy Communion to people within the parish community who are sick and/or homebound. The experience in bringing the Body of Christ to others who cannot attend Mass due to illness or other limitations, is truly a gift from God.

Beginning with Holy Thursday this year and continuing for Sunday Mass, the friars will be bringing back the Precious Blood. This reintroduction will of course necessitate not only additional EM’s at these liturgies, but also additional training for those who are currently EM’s, and new persons who feel called to this ministry.

I will be reaching out via FlockNote to our “veteran” EM’s who would like to assist me in reviewing current practices and assist with ongoing training for all EM’s, both seasoned and new. Thank you all very much for your participation in this ministry!

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Zack Elliott, OFM

Dear Parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

I always have said that if I couldn’t live near the beach, I’d like to live in the desert. I’ve been to the Franciscan Retreat Center in Scottsdale, Arizona and there is something about the topography, the cacti, the dryness and heat of the air that somehow feeds my soul. Of course, it helps that the retreat center offers rooms that are air conditioned, a beautiful church, a pool, and three plentiful meals a day. (Did I mention the pool?) In today’s Gospel according to Mark (1:12-15), Jesus is driven by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, without the amenities mentioned above, where He is tempted by Satan. While this all seems a bit overwhelming and the outcome doubtful, the final scene in today’s Gospel is one of victory, “Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming…”.

The season of Lent is given to us as an invitation to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us out of our physical and spiritual comfort zones that may hinder our ability to truly encounter and be changed by our loving God.  Lent, in a sense, can become a desert if we allow for silence and spaciousness. When praying, let us turn away from always speaking, whether vocally or mentally, and let us sit in stillness, giving God the time to have the first and last word. Let us fast from feeding our wants and concentrate more on only buying what we truly need. Let us give to others our presence and when we can, give alms to help those who are truly poor.

In the Collect (the opening prayer), the presider praying for all of us says, “Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects.” What the Church is inviting us to in Lent is more than an intellectual understanding of Christ. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (and the most perfect alms is not money, but the gifting of ourselves) we EXPERIENCE who Christ is for us. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we become Christ for each other. We truly live out our identity given to us through the Holy Spirit at baptism; “Rejoice O Christian! For by your baptism, you are more than a Christian, you are Christ Himself!” (St. Augustine)

The wonderful news, Saints of God, is that through the many parish ministries which you participate in and support, your live your Christ identity in so many ways. Singing in the choir, lecturing, ushering, altar serving, giving to the Society of St. Vincent DePaul, being part of the Hands of Hope, being a catechist, or being kind and respectful to our homeless brothers and sisters are all ways you are experiencing the presence of Christ for yourselves, and being the presence of Christ to others. Let us continue to live as who our faith says we are during this time of Lent, and may our Lenten observances prepare us to more fully celebrate the joy of Easter.

– Fr. Steve Kluge, OFM