Dear Friends,

On this busy Fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear the story of the Annunciation. I’ll sum it up briefly — The angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her she’s going to be the Mother of God. She is deeply troubled and wonders how this can even be, as she’s never been with a man. Gabriel reassures her that she has found favor with God, and the Holy Spirit will come upon her and she will conceive and bear a son and name him Jesus. Gabriel then tells Mary of her elderly barren cousin Elizabeth who has also conceived and assures her that nothing is impossible for God.

And Mary’s response?

“Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) This was Mary’s yes to God.

What does our yes to God look like?

Mary made her choice freely, but not without some trepidation. She was troubled and questioned how this could possibly come to be. Gabriel responds, “Do not be afraid be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God.” As disciples of Christ and spiritual children of Mary, we are called to take these words to heart in our own lives. Like Mary, being faithful to God’s call could very likely lead us to places of discomfort, hardship, and even fear.

Perhaps you’ve heard me share this before, but I feel it’s worth repeating, especially in light of today’s Gospel. When I received my calling from God to become a deacon, I was warned during formation about several things that may happen to me throughout formation, ordination, and living my life as a deacon.  I was told some so-called friends might change their involvement in my life, and to recognize that if it happened, they really were not my friends. While that may make sense, it still hurts. I was told Satan would begin to challenge me in my faith, my family life, my job, so on and so forth. At that point in my life, I knew what God wanted me to do, and I wasn’t turning back. By echoing Mary’s words of courage and trust, “Be it done to me according to your word,” I had to place myself right alongside her and not be afraid.

Her words are a reminder that during even the darkest of times, we are not alone. That same Holy Spirit that came upon Mary has been promised to each of us; that we are always overshadowed by the Most High. God is with us as we wait for his return in glory.  We are seen, we are known, we are loved. Emmanuel, God is with us!

Mary’s testimony and her response hopefully inspires us to also see ourselves in favor with God. Mary empathizes with our pain and suffering; she knows what it’s like to suffer. She asks similar questions like we do. Ultimately, the young woman from Nazareth trusted in God’s almighty power. She believed that indeed nothing is impossible for God. She believed God would lift up the lowly and bring the holiest of holies to life within her womb. In Mary’s reliance and trust in God’s word, the Kingdom takes root, just as it wishes to take root in each of us. 

On this last day of Advent, let us spend some time in prayer with Mary, our Mother, asking her to increase our faith and trust in her Son, and to continue saying “yes,” especially as we celebrate His birth, and during this Holy Season of Christmas.

Peace of Christ and Merry Christmas,
Deacon Ray

Dear Parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

Today is called “Gaudete (Let us rejoice!) Sunday” perhaps because of the opening phrase in the second reading from St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (5:16-24) “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.” Beautiful words, but then we tend to misread the next sentence that says, “In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you.” Notice, we don’t need to give thanks for ALL circumstances, but rather whatever the circumstance we are called to give thanks. Gratitude seems to be God’s will for us and, no matter the circumstances, there is still a lot to give thanks for.

While reflecting on this, it took me a while to get the deeper message in all the readings when using this idea of rejoicing as a lens. It seems to me that most important aspect of our call to rejoice is the fact that God knows each of us as we are in our entirety. “God looks upon his lowly servant” as we sing in today’s responsorial, which is Mary’s Magnificat, found in the Gospel according to Luke (1:46-54). God knows we are lowly and yet, does great things for us, has mercy upon us, fills us with good things, and comes to our help. Perhaps God does all these things for us so that we might accept our lowliness and thus respond with rejoicing and gratitude. Everything that God does for us is grace, a gift, an unmerited favor which should lead each of us to an honest humility.

The Baptist in today’s Gospel according to John (1:6-8, 19-28) is faced with the temptation to make himself something that he is not. When asked if he is the Christ, he answers no. When asked if he is Elijah, or the Prophet, he answers no. He is not the Light, but the one who testifies to the Light. He is simply a voice crying out “Prepare!” I admire John, for it seems to me it is easy to fall into the trap of making yourself greater than you actually are.

True discipleship begins with humility that allows the Holy Spirit to enter one’s life. It is humility that continues to sustain the Spirit working within us, and it is humility that will in the end allow us to accept the promised mercy of God.

We rejoice in that we are all anointed with the Holy Spirit in Baptism and Confirmation. As we near the end of our Advent, let us take the time for gratitude for all God has done for us. Let us take the time to rejoice that we don’t need to be perfect, but rather that as imperfect we are loved by God and are anointed with the Holy Spirit. So let us “rejoice heartily in the Lord (for) in my God is the joy of my soul” (Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11).

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Steve

Dear Parishioners,

This Sunday’s passage from Isaiah speaks of comfort, preparation, and the arrival of the Lord. It reflects the compassionate nature of God, comforting His people. This second week of Advent continues as a time of anticipation and reflection, focusing on the theme of peace. As we light the second candle, we are reminded of the peace that comes from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

During this week, we can find ourselves contemplating the concept of peace in a world often filled with chaos and uncertainty. The lit candle serves as a beacon of hope, signaling that amidst the challenges, there is a tranquility available to us.

In the midst of our holiday preparations, the Advent season calls us to pause. It urges us to reflect on the true meaning of peace, not merely the absence of conflict, but a profound sense of wholeness and harmony. A peace independent of external circumstances and rooted in a spiritual connection that transcends the temporal. As we consider the idea of peace, we are drawn again to the words of Isaiah:

“ For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him…Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful…”| Isaiah 9:5-6

The Advent season is an invitation to step away from the noise of the world and find solace in prayer and meditation. It prompts us to examine our own heart, seeking reconciliation where needed and embracing a spirit of forgiveness. True peace begins with an inner transformation and Advent provides us with this sacred space.

Peace is not a passive state but an active pursuit. It requires a conscious effort to seek reconciliation, promote justice, and extend compassion. The candles of the Advent wreath serve as a reminder that each of us can be a light of peace, dispelling the darkness that may surround us.

Let our prayer be that we allow this season of hope to transform us into the people God is calling us to be through His Son. Let this season challenge us to embody that peace in our daily lives.

As we light the second candle of the Advent wreath this weekend, may we pray that we become the symbol of peace that surpasses all understanding.

Let the candle light illuminate your heart and guide you through your Advent journey, as we embrace the hope and assurance Isaiah relays to us of a loving and compassionate God.

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Zack

Dear Parishioners,

Since beginning work here at Sacred Heart a little over two years ago, I can easily say I have been a beneficiary of our parishioners’ exemplification of this weekend’s Gospel according to Matthew, at least in a figurative sense. Communications, public relations, and social media personnel are often mischaracterized as gatekeepers protecting a company’s image or shills for an organization’s agenda. While these negative connotations may carry a small amount of truth to specific aspects of our profession, we are more akin to story-tellers than gatekeepers or parrots. Thankfully and intentionally, I have been working to make that the more dominate descriptor for my work here, because what a story we have to tell!

Each and every week we are blessed with new examples of our parishioners, ministries, and volunteers embodying Matthew 25:35-40. I am privileged to have a front row seat to so much of that service to our neighbors. I am even more privileged to be the one to help advance these stories of service to the rest of the parish and our local and regional partners. Not that you wouldn’t believe it, but many of those who work with our outreach ministries here at Sacred Heart are so camera shy when I am around to get photos or video. They don’t want any recognition for what they feel is simply answering His call to action, and I respect that, even when that necessitates more effort with how we represent or advertise a given ministry or outreach.

I feel strongly that we continue to grow our efforts in covering these “Matthew 25” stories here at Sacred Heart. Not for vanity, credit, or favor, but to grow our basis for who we can help and how we can help them. Outside of a personal invitation, effective story-telling is one of the best ways to convince someone to take an action. It could be as simple as a 10-second video on social media showing the interaction a volunteer has with a donor at our Giving from the Heart drives that makes a new parishioner set a reminder to donate at the next drive, for instance.

Creating and distributing content across multiple channels (web, social, email, print) takes time, and we all know that is in short supply. While we are nearly finished with the in-office studio space, we will need experienced volunteers to join us in making the space an effective tool for telling our parish’s story. A parish communications committee will be reestablished in the new year to help lead these efforts, so we can continue to grow our parish’s commitment to Matthew 25.

Peace and All Good,
Rob Boelke

Dear Parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

It seems to me that the readings this weekend are preparing us to celebrate the Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe and the end of the liturgical year. Perhaps these readings were chosen to initiate a time of reflection or introspection concerning the past liturgical year.

We who are the Church are often described as the “Spouse of Christ” and both the first reading from the Book of Proverbs (31) and our Responsorial Psalm (128) use the image of a faithful and fruitful wife to help our reflection. Remembering that God has entrusted His heart to us.

You could stop there and that is enough to reflect on.

We need to examine if we “bring God good and reach out our hands to the poor and extend (our) arms to the needy.”

And you, dear Saints of God of Sacred Heart Parish, do! Hands of Hope, Bikes from the Heart, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Knights of Columbus and many other groups and individuals are the arms of the parish reaching into the community. Not to mention how you treat our homeless brothers and sisters with dignity and charity.

As the opening Collect reminds us this is how we show our devotion to God as we “serve with constancy the Author of all that is good.” And there is more since: God is for giving, we are made in His image and likeness, are made for giving as well, and when we give ourselves to others, we discover full and lasting happiness and joy.

Today’s Gospel from Matthew reminds us that each of us has been given a gift from God that we are called not to cling to nor hide, but to use for the benefit of others, beginning with our families. Charity begins at home, but shouldn’t stop there. Discipleship (imitation of Christ) is not safe. It’s risky to reach out to others with kindness and mercy. But if you think about it, this might be a good description of heaven, the eternal reaching out in mercy and kindness to us by God.

To prepare for heaven we must begin living heaven here on earth. We are called not to speculate when Christ will return in glory, but live as if He is already here in His glory. And if we do, then when our earthly life is over we will hear Him say,

“Well done, my good and faithful servant…Come share your master’s joy.”

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Steve

Dear Parishioners,

“Wisdom is readily perceived by those who love her and found by those who seek her.”  As we rapidly approach the end of another church year, it would be a good time for us all to reflect on this gift of the Holy Spirit; Wisdom. Wisdom participates in God’s capacity to order all things properly, and a wise person accomplishes in his or her life what God does for the whole of creation.

Wisdom invites itself in our daily lives. Wisdom is not a level of education, nor does it require us to read more books or memorize things. Rather, wisdom is a capacity to live well, and to make informed decisions. Such wisdom is only possible with good judgment, stemming from experience and everyday knowledge, through listening, observation, reflection and then putting it into practice. Wisdom, in order to be gained, must be sought out and desired. Each of us seeks in our own heart and mind the people that we might ask for advice in our lives. Those people are usually important figures for us, whose practical judgments we would trust and also whose spiritual advice could be helpful. Our first reading this Sunday reminds us that we need to seek wisdom to “the perfection of prudence,” and once we obtain some wisdom, we would be wise to treasure that wisdom. True wisdom figures and reflects the wisdom of God.

Wisdom can be seen as a preparedness for Jesus’ return. Our Gospel from Matthew today brings us back to wisdom.  The parable that Jesus gives to us illustrates the practical nature of wisdom. All ten of the virgins wanted to meet the bridegroom but five of them did not bring enough oil to keep their lamps burning. A person who knows about oil lamps will know that extra oil must be taken along if the wait is going to be long. Seems a practical foresight , but five of the virgins did not have that wisdom.  When the bridegroom was delayed, those five ran out of oil.

The point of this parable is to ensure we are ready at all times for the Lord. To be ready for the Lord, we must be willing to wait for the Lord. To wait for the Lord, we must be willing to do all the things that will allow us to be ready as we wait. And so the question is, “do we live our lives in such a way that we are always ready for Him?” We must live and conduct our lives in such a way as to mirror the life Jesus has presented to us. Our question may be “how does Christ know us?” He knows us when He looks into our hearts and sees Himself. We trust and follow Him, taking to ourselves His truth so that it becomes our truth. Then the door will open for us.  May you be filled with the Wisdom & Peace of Jesus!

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Zack

Dear Friends,

In Matthew’s Gospel more than in any other, the Jewish authorities look for ways to trap Jesus into taking sides on a disputed issue. In the case of our Gospel today, the issue was the census tax. The Herodians thought it should be paid, the Pharisees did not. They took their time preparing the proper wording to try and throw Jesus off by making him choose one over the other. Jesus’ answer to them didn’t matter, because either way He would have been caught in a trap with His own words. They asked Him “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus replied, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed Him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that, He said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

No matter what side Jesus took, it would get Him into trouble with someone. Jesus was not about to fall into the trap. Nor was He about to miss a chance to point out there were far more important things to worry about. He doesn’t answer the question on the legality according to the Jewish law. Rather, He turns their focus to the question of what they should be giving to God. Whether they pay the tax was a matter for Caesar to take up. Their faithfulness to the Ten Commandments and to loving and serving God with all their hearts was the real question. Were they giving God their wholehearted obedience there?  Are we?

We need to take Jesus’ example of our obligation and responsibility to the state but live the larger obligation to God and be Christ in the world through our actions toward one another. The same way the image of Caesar on the coin makes it Caesar’s, God created us. We belong to God and no one else. In all we say and do, we give glory and honor to God.

If we want to be more like Jesus, then we need to put our beliefs and actions into everything we do. All we say and do reflects God’s life in us. God works through our human hands. How do we help those who can’t help themselves? Do we feed and cloth the homeless through our generosity of all we have? How do we stand up for the voiceless in our society? Do we write to our government leaders on issues that affect them? How do we protect the sanctity and dignity of every human life from conception to natural death? Do we pray for those on death row?

There is so much to be done. If we just take the time to pray and ask God where he needs us most, and give ourselves absolutely to God, then remarkably we are free to give to others in ways that are gracious and life-giving. He will direct us to His people’s needs. We just need to listen to His words and not get tricked by agents of the devil who tried to trick Jesus.

How will you love and serve God today with your whole heart?  

Peace of Christ,
Deacon Ray Ferreris

Dear Parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, “I don’t like wedding receptions.”

As a Franciscan, I own neither a suit nor a Roman collar. I never bring a plus one (and when I did it was my 85-year-old friend, Sr. Kate), and once I find that little piece of paper with the number on it and make my way toward the table, I can see the look of disappointment on the faces of my tablemates. Nothing puts an end to a good time quite like sitting with a priest. Even my own family says this! So, today’s Gospel according to Matthew (22:1-14), which depicts heaven as a wedding banquet following a life spent as a disciple of the Lord, is difficult for me.

I find much more Good News in our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah (25:6-10) where the Lord provides “a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy rich food and pure choice wines.” The fact that Isaiah uses those words twice hints at the lavishness, generosity, and sensuousness of what we can expect. Death is destroyed, and tears are wiped dry; now that is something to look forward to! And let’s not forget the mouth-watering food and choice wine! All this is ours since while alive here on earth, we look to the Lord to save us.

We are being saved since God became human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The Incarnation is a wedding in itself: Two, God and the human, become One, in time and forever in eternity. At the Ascension, Jesus did not leave his humanity behind, but took his human nature and his human history with him. This Jesus, God become human, now sits at “the right hand of the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Jesus will judge us on how we have shown our faith, or in other words, given our faith “flesh.” We do this by living as if we are already in heaven by serving one another through acts of charity.

In our second reading, St. Paul (Philippians 4:12-14; 19-20) is reminding us that no matter what the circumstances of our life are, whether in riches or in poverty, in sickness or in health, Christ is with us. The good news is that even death does not end the loving bond Christ has with us.

Every Mass is a wedding banquet, a feast of the unbreakable bond Christ has with us and indeed all of creation. We feast of the richest of foods, the very body of Christ and the choicest of wines, His precious Blood. It is Christ himself who becomes united with us and invites us to become united with one another. This unity we experience here at Mass is a foretaste of what we will experience in the fullness of heaven. At this wedding feast which we call Mass, we are invited, changed, empowered, and sent to invite others.

So, who will be your plus one next weekend?

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Steve