“Love Lives” Week 5
Love Serves
Dear brothers and sisters,
On Good Friday it looked like love had died on the cross, but our Easter faith is that love lives in heaven and lives in us, in the Person of Jesus Christ. In this series we’re learning to love more as Jesus loves; and in Small Groups we are looking at First Letter of John. We’ve looked at our temptation to love the world, and our call to love God first. We looked at the problem of broken relationships. We’ve looked at our identity as sons and daughters of God, how God desires in love that we cooperate with his grace to be transformed; and from God’s love of us, we learn to first accept, and then challenge others. Acceptance leads to influence.
Today we’re talking about some of the rewards of loving others, and how we don’t just love in a vacuum. Read 1 John 4:11-21. We hear: Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us (4:11-12). No one on earth has ever seen the fullness of the Triune God, but the primary way we know God’s love is because we are loved in community! Loving people is not optional!
God’s vision for us is that love is perfected in us when we receive love through other people, and then actively love others. Henry Cloud says that PEOPLE are God’s Plan A to meet our needs and experience his love! John writes: This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world (4:13-14). Our mutual faith, and our common relationship with the Triune God, helps us to love another. Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him (4:15-16). Remaining in God means living and spending time in a community of love. In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world (4:17). We don’t need to fear a coming judgment, because we are being perfected in love.
Then we come to perhaps the most famous line in the First Letter of John; he tells us: There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love (4:18). As we receive love in community as God intended, we cast out all fear. In other words, one of the rewards of giving and receiving love is that fear is driven out of our lives! John then reminds us: We love because he first loved us (4:19). It’s God’s initiative, not ours.
God’s vision is that we are part of the community of the Church, and in the community of family life, where we are schooled and formed in love. It’s both vertical and horizontal: imperfect in this world, but perfect in heaven. Dallas Willard writes: “In loving others under God, we’ll ensure that we are loved by others. For the others in our community of love, we are the other whom they love, because they love and are loved by God.” The mission of the Church comes down to giving and receiving love! That’s why we exist! Practically speaking, we experience this in Small Groups where we can get to know each other well enough, and love and support one another. Another way we give and receive love is in service. This weekend we are doing a Ministry Push. We want everyone to be a minister! If you’re hesitant to serve, perhaps it helps to think of it as an opportunity to exercise love. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Love Lives” Week 4
Love Transforms
Dear brothers and sisters,
In this Easter series we are learning how to love as Jesus loves. Love lives in heaven, and love lives in the hearts of believers. Our call is to love God and love others. Thus far we’ve talked about obstacles to love such as love of the things of this world, and rifts in our relationships.
In this series we are looking at the First Letter of John and what St. John the Apostle says about love. Today we’ll look at a simple foundation that we’ve all heard but need to be reminded of constantly. John says simply in chapter 3: See what love the Father has given us that we are called children of God; and so we are (1 John 3:1a). “See” means to look, behold, pay attention to how God’s love has been bestowed on us. Imagine someone waving his hands, trying to get our attention! In the Gospels Jesus called God “Abba” which is an intimate relational term. Most other world religions do not use such familial terms out of respect for the supreme holiness, authority, and majesty of God. It is marvelous to ponder Jesus’ teaching that God intimately identifies us as his children, and we can call upon him as our “Abba.” However, this is not merely a self-esteem message. John continues: The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1b). The world does not give us this incredible message. The world teaches acceptance without any divine relationship. The world gives us many positive messages but can never give us what is revealed by God as our core identity. It’s been said that the core Gospel message is that we’re more flawed that we know, but we’re more loved than we can ever imagine.
John says in the next verse: Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). We believe in faith that we are God’s children now, but we are not a finished product; God is still working on us. Here is a double-edged sword. On the one hand is acceptance; and acceptance paves the way to influence. God loves us excessively, AND he loves us too much to leave us that way. What we will be is not yet known. God is leading us on a journey so that we become more and more like Jesus. Thus John says: And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3:3). We have to cooperate with God, to purify ourselves from any attachments to this world that do not love. Skipping ahead a few verses: By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious; anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10). The measuring stick is what we talked about last week: our love for others. Are you acting out of your true identity? Are you loving people?
A few weeks ago, we said that to grow in appreciation of God’s love, look at the cross. Ask yourself this week: what reinforces for you your core identity as God’s beloved son or daughter? Is there a song, Scripture passage, special prayer, or friend who helps you to reinforce this truth? When we ground ourselves in our deepest identity, we will be transformed, and it will be easier to love God and others. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Love Lives” Week 3
Love Reconciles
Dear brothers and sisters,
In this Easter series we are looking at the First Letter of John and what St. John the Apostle says about love. Last week we looked at one obstacle to our love: love of the things of this world. Another obstacle is our dislike, and even hate, we might have for other people! This is an incredibly difficult obstacle for many.
For the sake of this week’s Small Group reflection, think about someone in your life you might dislike. We hear in 1 John: Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall (1 John 2:9-10). Note that the First Letter of John was written to a community where a group of people had left the church, not accepting that Jesus was God. This disagreement led to conflict and broken relationships among church members. John says to these people that they cannot claim to be in the light, and still hate their brothers and sisters. You can’t love God and hate your neighbor, or coworker, or ex-friend. Love and hate cannot coexist. In another place in the letter, he takes it a step further, saying: If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 John 4:20-21). We can sing and pray in church with all our hearts and claim we’re in love with God, but we cannot claim to really love God unless we demonstrate it by loving people! John is saying that if we say we love the unseen God, while not loving those whom we do see, we are liars. It’s easy to love certain preferred people among family or friends, but the true test is loving those we don’t like or have even hurt us.
Part of our problem is that we don’t fully understand Christian love. Love in the Bible is not a feeling, but is understood in terms of sacrifice and commitment, even when we don’t have a good or pleasant feeling about a given action or person. Biblical love is also about caring for the other person’s highest good. Sometimes I’ll hear it said that the church talks TOO MUCH about love. There’s an ancient story that St. John the Apostle would repeat to his congregation week after week, over and over, “Let us love one another.” After some time, the people questioned him why he says this each and every week. His response was, “If love is the only thing we do, it is enough.” We hear again in the Scripture: Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another (1 John 4:7-11). Count in this passage that John uses the word love TEN TIMES. It seems like John is repeating himself over and over; doesn’t he have any other advice for us?
It seems ridiculous and perhaps impossible to sacrificially love a person we dislike, to commit to loving that person, and to seek their highest good. I’m not talking about people who are abusive or toxic, and therefore dangerous to be around. However, if he or she is someone we could with God’s grace overcome a division and find reconciliation, then this is the Christian way, because God has first loved us by sending his Son! Remember that God has first loved us by the ultimate sacrifice of the Cross. God fiercely commits to love us always, and he seeks above all our highest good. Jesus himself said that the world will know we are Christians by our love for one another. May we find the strength and courage in prayer to overcome all obstacles and put love of others, even those we dislike, into practice. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Love Lives” Week 2
Love Trusts and Obeys
Dear brothers and sisters,
Happy Divine Mercy Sunday! We continue to celebrate through the 50 days of the Easter Season the truth of the Resurrection and the hope we have in Christ. As I preached last week, Jesus on this earth was perfect love in action. Everything he said and did was about loving God and loving others. What did we do to him? We put him to death. The Good News is that he conquered death. In this series called “Love lives,” we will look at various aspects of love in action.
Please note that in this series, the message in the Small Groups will not line up completely with the message from the pulpit, as we’re going to jump around in the First Letter of John. This letter was likely written by the Apostle John to Christians in the region of modern-day eastern Turkey, around the city of Ephesus. Among other things, John is confronting false teaching circulating in the community that Jesus is not truly God. The Apostle does not mince words in his letter when he calls these false teachers “anti-Christs.” John thus begins his letter (1:1-2) saying that he and the other Apostles were there with Jesus; they saw him, shook hands with him, touched him; and they testify that he is truly God and truly man. In 1:3-4 he says that he is writing so that his audience will have a deeper relationship with the Church, and therefore a relationship with the Trinity, that “our joy will be complete.” Our joy becomes complete in Christ by connecting with and sharing with others in the community.
Today we will look at a passage from this letter that is counter-cultural. John’s words here were just as counter-cultural in his time as they are today. It comes down to the question, “What is true love?” The song “I wanna know what love is” by the band Foreigner comes to mind as the cry of our culture that is desperately seeking love. John advises us: “Do not love the world or the things of the world” (2:15). It’s commendable to love the beauty of creation or people around us, but not to love the systems and structures of our world that are fallen and broken – that is, all that is hostile toward God and alienated from him. In 2:16 he specifies three things: “sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life.” Another translation of this verse is: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Sensual lust includes any inordinate desire for physical gratification. For example, we live in a culture in which pornography earns more money than all professional sports combined; sensual lust also refers to gluttony and many other things. “Lust of the eyes” includes greed and envy. The “eyes” in Scripture are considered the windows of the soul, and persistent greed or jealousy destroys our souls. “A pretentious life” includes any arrogance or lifestyle choice that is willfully independent of God and others. There’s something in us seeking control, ego, power, and selfishness, and John says to avoid these things. Last, because “the world and its enticement are passing away,” it is in our strategic best interest to love God first and foremost; only then will we abide forever (2:17).
St. Augustine said that we are transformed by what we love. If we are to love well, we must learn to love God first. Everything else will take care of itself. How do we do that? First ask yourself what you are tempted by the most: power, possessions, pleasure? Love is meaningless unless it is concrete. Even though it is Easter, we can always turn to the cross as our model and source of grace. In humble trust in God, by turning away from sin and choosing God’s love more and more in a complete and absolute way, we can have confidence in God’s infinite mercy. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Week 1: Love is Alive!
Dear brothers and sisters,
Happy Easter! My friends, welcome! We are sincerely grateful that you have joined us
for this holy and joyful day. Our parish is an evangelizing parish that sincerely welcomes all.
If you are skeptical or simply seeking God in your life, you are always welcome to join us in
person or via our livestreamed Masses online. We believe that Jesus on this earth was perfect
love in action. Everything he said and did was about loving God and loving others. The
powers that opposed him reacted by putting him to death in the cross, and in turn, his
Resurrection from the dead shows that love cannot be destroyed. Jesus lives in the hearts of
his believers, and he gives us the ability to love as he loved. Jesus lives in us, and because he
lives in us, we can love as he did!
In my weekend homilies at all Masses, I preach on a common theme for several weeks in
a row. So, in this new series which will take us through the Season of Easter, we will look at
the topic of what it means for God’s love to live in us. We invite you to be part of our Small
Group ministry and join us. Small Groups consist of 10 to 12 people who meet throughout the
week both in-person and online, and in them we take the specific message from the weekend
homily and with questions, learn to apply the message to our lives. Beyond that, in Small
Groups you find mutual support and friends in faith. Small Groups are taking a break this
week but will reconvene after next week for 6 weeks. Please call the Parish Office if you are
interested in joining a group! This series for Small Groups will be a little different. We will
explore the topic of love in the First Letter of John in the New Testament. I also recommend
two additional books to read during this Easter series: Renovation of the Heart by Dallas
Willard, and Making Sense of God by Tim Keller.
A sincere thank you to all staff and volunteers for your love in action in this very busy
season in serving our parish in numerous ways! This Lent and Holy Week has been the most
beautiful and spiritually fulfilling of my nine years as Pastor of St. John’s. We celebrate with
those who on the Easter Vigil are receiving the Sacraments, entering the fullness of the Body
of Christ, and we look forward to the Easter celebrations of our children and students who in
the following weeks will receive First Holy Communion and Confirmation, as we head into
spring and the end of the school year.
From our parish family to your family, a blessed Easter! Christ is Risen! He is truly
Risen!
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Holy Week 2024
Dear brothers and sisters,
Holy Week has arrived, the sacred time when we enter the great
mystery of salvation, following Jesus from the Cross to the
Resurrection. We hope that Lent has been a time of great renewal in
faith for all parishioners! Today on Palm Sunday we enter Jerusalem,
waving palm branches and singing “Hosanna” as we welcome Jesus
into the city. We meditate on the Passion. This year we hear Passion
of St. Mark, which concludes the shortest of the four Gospels. In Mark
15:39 the centurion cries out, “Truly this man was the Son of God,” as
he looks up at cross. This man, a gentile, is the very first human being
in Mark’s Gospel story who recognizes that Jesus is the Son of God.
What a dramatic, holy moment!
In the following days we will journey together to the Last Supper,
to the hill of Calvary, and then to the solemn night of Easter. As Jesus
served in the most mundane of ways, washing the feet of his disciples,
so must we. We spend some time with our Eucharistic Lord who says,
“Stay here and watch with me.” We go on to venerate the Holy Cross,
on which hung the Savior of the world. Then on Saturday night we
meditate on the entire history of creation, election, and redemption as
we discover anew the Good News of the Empty Tomb.
Many thanks to staff and volunteers for your preparation and
hard work in this solemn time! Next Sunday, please invest and invite
friends and family to celebrate with us the Resurrection. Lent
prepares us to renew our baptism promises on Easter Sunday, and we
are privileged to say “I do” to a renewed commitment of faith.
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Rebuilt Faith” Week 6
Share Faith
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is the last week of our series “Rebuilt Faith.” We hope that you are refreshed, renewed, and revived in faith this Lent. We are looking at the STEPS of discipleship (serving, tithing/giving, engaging in community, practicing prayer and the Sacraments, and sharing faith) with the goal to speak into the lives of the skeptical. Each of these steps are truly what matters to Jesus Christ, as each of these uniquely forms our character to become more like him.
The last step which we will talk about today is sharing our faith, otherwise known as “evangelization.” Depending on our upbringing, it’s a concept not known to a lot of Catholics, especially if everybody in your community, school, or family growing up was also Catholic. I hear stories about how Catholic School children were told to never interact with the “poor” public school kids down the street. Because I attended public schools and a non-Catholic university, I’ve always had many friends who were not Catholic. My experience as a teen and young adult was mostly one of resisting people like Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and others. I felt that sharing faith was rude and not something Catholics do – but without even being fully aware of it, I was growing in faith because I was forced to defend and stand up for my Catholic faith! So even though this is the step I resist the most, if I honestly reflect on my upbring, sharing has been the most direct way that my own faith has grown!
Our children and young adults today are growing up in a different culture than older adults. Everything has changed rapidly in the last 20 to 30 years; in schools and in work settings today, a church-going person is the exception rather than the rule. I estimate that about 50% of kids in our community right now are being raised with no religion; and most Catholic school families don’t really practice their faith. It’s true that if we don’t change our perspective the Church will continue to shrink; but beyond the doom and gloom, it’s more about renewing our approach that we are ALL responsible for evangelization; it’s not just a job for priests, nuns, and foreign missionaries!
We hear in the Scripture: Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks to for a reason for your hope (1 Peter 3:15). In the Rebuilt Faith book, a few practical steps are given to prepare us to do so: awareness of how faith has changed your life; reflecting on the good, the true, and the beautiful; and how faith just gives us a better life! Some people are attracted to the aesthetics of faith – having faith and holding faith opens our eyes to behold beauty, and some people are naturally drawn to beauty. Others are drawn to the pursuit of truth – the truth of the Resurrection, the logic of faith, and the wonder that there’s no explanation for the growth of the early Church other than the fact that it must be true! I also see the fruits of faith in my life; and I want that for others. What draws you to share faith in a positive way?
We talk about a simple strategy: invest and invite. If you get to know a person, you’ll know the right time for an invitation: a crisis in your friend’s life; or a transition in life. Investing can also be about praying for another person. I can say as well that it really works – we see week after week people coming to church here because somebody else simply invited them. In Small Groups I encourage you to wrap up your experience of this Lenten series. Be sure to share with one another what is your next step in faith because of this series. May we all continue to let God rebuild our faith! Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Rebuilt Faith” Week 5
Practice Prayer and Sacraments
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is the fifth week of our series “Rebuilt Faith.” We hope that you are refreshed, renewed, and revived in faith this Lent. We are looking at the STEPS of discipleship (serving, tithing/giving, engaging in community, practicing prayer and the Sacraments, and sharing faith) with the aim to speak into the lives of the skeptical. Each of these steps are truly what matters to Jesus Christ, as each of these uniquely forms our character to become more like him.
This week we are looking at practicing prayer and the Sacraments. When it comes to prayer, we’ve all heard about it from growing up in church. However, perhaps all you learned and remembered were the basics: prayers before meals, prayers before bed, and going to Mass. Maybe your ideas about prayer were stuck in what you learned in 8th Grade. If you went to Catholic School maybe you learned something more advanced, like ACTS – which stands for Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Even if you learned something like this, if you were like me, you probably spent most of your time at least in your youth on the last step – supplicating or asking God for stuff – and most of those prayers weren’t answered (such as “God, may the Giants win,” or “Make this girl like me”).
The key to a prayer life is a time, place, and plan. If you don’t have these things, prayer probably won’t happen. My time and place are my prayer chair in the parish rectory in the morning. If I don’t pray in the morning, then I feel that absence during the day. Right now, I’m trying to add a little extra prayer in the evening to bookend my day, but mornings are generally the time when I more deeply connect with God. It may be different for you, but the important thing is to have a dedicated time and place and stick to it.
What does prayer do? Prayer, especially worship of God at Mass, reminds us that God is God, and we are not! In the chapters on prayer in the book Rebuilt Faith, prayer activities outside of Mass are mentioned: the Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration, meditation with Scripture, Confession, and music and praising God. Eucharistic Adoration has always been a key part of my prayer life, drawing me closer to friendship with Jesus and to the mystery of the Mass. I encourage people to sign up for a Eucharistic Holy Hour in our chapel if you are able, or just stop in to be in Christ’s Presence during Adoration times. Confession is also a key part of my prayer life – a daily examination of conscience, and the Sacrament of Confession at least every few months. Even if you’re not a musician, prayer for you may include singing and listening to Christian music.
Gratitude and listening are always key ingredients to a strong prayer life. Prayer is entering into God’s presence, recognizing that he is the source of all good, and not just talking to him but attuning our ears to hear his voice. Despite our difficulties and frustrations – say that God didn’t seem to answer a certain prayer in the past according to our desired timeline or outcome – the truth is that prayer ALWAYS works, because it always brings us closer to God. A key part is discipline and perseverance, especially when prayer seems to do nothing for us. 90% of success in life, including prayer, is just showing up. In faith, we can grow to trust the power of prayer, whether we get what we want or not. In Scripture over and over speaks about incredible things that happen when people persevere in prayer. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Rebuilt Faith” Week 4
Engage in Christian Community
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is the fourth week of our series “Rebuilt Faith.” We hope that you are refreshed, renewed, and revived in faith this Lent. We are looking at the STEPS of discipleship (serving, tithing/giving, engaging in community, practicing prayer and the Sacraments, and sharing faith) with the aim to speak into the lives of the skeptical. Each of these steps are truly what matters to Jesus Christ, as each of these uniquely forms our character to become more like him.
This week we’re talking about Engaging in Christian Community. I’ve said repeatedly that while faith is personal, it is not private: we need a Christian community. Yet this is not the most obvious thing sometimes for us as Catholics. Some if not most of us, including myself, have been accustomed from our childhood to approaching faith as a private matter. When I was a young adult, I often liked to go by myself to churches for Mass and sit in the back; and I was completely turned off at times by youth activities or campus ministry on my college campus that came across as touchy-feely and “kumbaya.” For me, church was more about doctrine and discipline than about engaging with others. I equated my faith with going to the gym: when I go to work out, I don’t want to interact with people; I put in the workout and leave. Plus, I’m introverted; and being around people for an extended time tires me. In other words, I’m not naturally attracted to engaging in community.
Honestly, I’ve had to experience a conversion on this topic! Fr. Michael White, who is an introvert just like me, talks about his conversion: it was the welcome he received at Saddleback Church in Orange, CA, the church of now retired Pastor Rick Warren. He couldn’t believe the welcoming and loving church atmosphere, so much so that he actually circled in and out of the church building several times to experience the greeters at the door (I would add that in another place, Fr. Michael also talks about Pastor Rick’s “fire and brimstone” sermon to pastors at that same conference: that if you’re not welcoming the Lost Sheep, you as a pastor will have to answer to God). Small Groups have been part of the growth of many Evangelical churches for a long time, and I’ve come to see that in our very lonely society, they’re absolutely necessary as a core part of any church.
We’ve seen with our own eyes here at St. John’s the power of Small Groups in so many ways. In the chapters of the book Rebuilt Faith for this week, Fr. Michael and Tom talk about six benefits: having friends in faith; encouragement in faith; conversation that leads to conversion; others to help carry burdens; “borrowing faith” in times of doubt; and relationships that support other relationships. One of these may be more important for you now, depending on your stage or season of life. If you’re going through a difficult time, friends in faith can literally be lifesaving.
Romans 1:11-12 says: For I long to see you, that I may share with you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened, that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another’s faith, yours and mine. It’s not just about “saints” and holy people; we can learn from ANYONE’s faith. No matter how mature you are in faith, you can learn from others; and no matter how new you are to faith, you can still offer something valuable to others! In the last chapter in this section, Fr. Michael and Tom talk about the Communion of Saints who intercede for us and cheer us on. Our favorite saints are all different. Saints have the same struggles we have, but they simply served God in their generation. In an age in which faith seems to be falling away, we remember the Saints and angels who are always there for us. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Rebuilt Faith” Week 3
Tithe and Give
Dear brothers and sisters,
Through the course of this Lenten series we are looking at how we can follow Jesus better and the STEPS of discipleship (serving, tithing/giving, engaging in community, practicing prayer/Sacraments, and sharing faith). We especially hope to speak to those who are skeptical of faith for any reason; and that everyone experience a refreshed, rebuilt, and renewed faith this Lent. Thus far we’ve talked about the starting point: getting to know Jesus Christ a little more deeply. Last week, we talked about the step of service.
What did you learn about money and faith growing up? I admire some of our Senior Citizens who have historically given generously to the church and instilled it into their children. It’s shocking that in seminary, in CCD, or in Catholic school, most people seem to have learned almost nothing about this topic! Plus, among a lot of church workers and church people, there’s a common misconception that our service is our offering to the Lord. This is not true: giving your time and service is one thing; and giving your treasure is another thing. God calls us to give both!
The simple fact is that Jesus says too much about money for this to not be an important step for Christ followers to ponder and apply to their lives. It’s a hard teaching especially if you’re struggling, on a fixed income, and are suffering from past circumstances and decisions that were perhaps out of your control. The Good News for you, no matter how young or old, rich or poor, is that you can make a positive step that God will honor. Any sacrifice can only enrich our faith; give and your heart will follow. I love to hear stories of how people’s faith “switched on,” and God become more real to them, when they begin to make a commitment to giving. We’ve started a tradition of Stewardship Sunday every November, and it’s become truly a celebration of what God is doing in our parish; I’ve never heard a single complaint about this tradition.
I endorse the four “P’s” of giving: Planned, Priority, Percentage, and Progressive. The important part is the percentage part – to begin looking at the percentage you can give of your income, and plan to grow. The 10% biblical tithe is a goal to strive for, but start at whatever percentage you can. The act of giving a percentage is also a discipline that helps you think about your personal budgeting in general.
In giving, we grow in generosity. We can’t judge other people’s generosity; but we can put our faith in God who is infinitely generous. We can never outgive God, who is called YHWH Yireh, which means, “The God who provides.” Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Rebuilt Faith”
Week 2 Service
We hope that this Lenten series refreshes, renews, and rebuilds your faith. If you don’t already have it, please purchase a copy of the new book Rebuilt Faith: A Handguide for Skeptical Catholics (Ave Maria Press, 2023), which is a perfect 40-day devotional for the Season of Lent. Today we are talking about service. Jesus says clearly about himself: For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Service is not something optional for Christians. Think about it: do you like housework or cleaning? Most of us never liked to do chores and have had to develop a heart for service. Some people, however, love to serve but for the wrong reasons; maybe they are more motivated by being people pleasers; or they serve with resentment or a negative attitude which affects the people around them.
Where did you learn the value of service? Some people learn service at home or in middle school, high school, or college. I remember the University of Scranton had a motto that was inculcated through service: “Men and women FOR others.” Creating a heart for others is why we teach our children and students to serve. Serving others is at the heart of why men and women desire to become priests, religious sisters, or work in the church – it’s a calling, not just a job. All of us hopefully mature through service. We use the expression “Servant Leader;” but in truth, all the best leaders are servants, learning to effectively use their gifts and talents in mutual service. Good mentors who inspire people to serve are incredibly important: teachers, coaches, youth ministers, and family, to name a few.
People open up to one another through service; service can be a bridge to relationships being formed. Every week at all of our weekend Masses we have kids of all ages serving in various ways as Altar Servers, in Tech Ministry, Faith Formation, and in Children’s Ministries; and our younger kids really look up to the older students who serve. Some of our students have discovered their passion and life’s purpose through service at the church! One young woman after serving at Vacation Bible School later changed her college major to become a teacher. Also, we all have different interior motivations for service. Some people like accomplishing tasks; others have a heart for those who are going through the same experiences they previously had, like grandfathers who mentor young fathers because they can relate to where they’re at.
One important lesson for all those who serve, whether in church or elsewhere, is the need to learn boundaries. It’s not appropriate for us to do everything and be everything for everyone. For example, if we keep asking the same volunteers over and over, it deprives other people of the opportunity to serve, and those few who do serve then become overburdened. It’s so easy to burn out in ministry. Effective service is about teamwork among the Body of Christ. We’ve learned to guard our hearts against service becoming an obligation and burden which is one of the quickest paths to burnout. Service is a privilege, and for Christ followers, our reward is a purpose-filled life now, and the hope of eternity. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Rebuilt Faith” Week 1
Get to Know Jesus
Dear brothers and sisters,
Over the next six weeks we hope to refresh, renew, and rebuild our faith. We are especially reaching out in the course of this series those who are on the fence about faith, distrustful of churches or church people, and perhaps looking for something more out of life. Maybe you’re the spouse of a devout Catholic. Maybe you walked away from the Church years ago and are intrigued to return to Mass and the practice of your faith. We begin this weekend with the obvious, but something a lot of Catholics weren’t well brought up thinking about – it’s about Jesus. When I grew up, I don’t remember hearing much about following Jesus (the word “disciple” means literally “follower” or “student”). Religion was for me about obligation and obedience, mostly to my parents! It was about following the rules and being a “good boy,” a good person. I honestly didn’t have any picture in my mind of Jesus or his character. If anything, my understanding was kind of “flat” – Jesus was God and died for my sins, but he wasn’t a real person that cared about me or had any impact on my daily life.
My mother, who converted to the Catholic faith as an adult, always reminds my family that we Catholics, from Mass or Catholic School, know the Scripture better than we think. Think about your favorite Bible story about Jesus, and what you like about that story – what attracts you to Jesus? You might admire Jesus’ wit and playfulness in turning over the tables in the Temple, or commanding somebody to find the temple coin in the mouth of a fish. You might like Jesus’ “style” – cooking food on the beach as he has a personal moment with Peter, or as he sneaks, kind of sly, alongside the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. You might admire his patience or his fierce loyalty to his closest friends. As my faith has matured, I’ve learned to admire his wisdom. I like being about smart people, and as my faith and understanding has matured, I realize that Jesus was a master storyteller and taught like nobody every taught, even though we have no evidence he studied with the top rabbis. I also admire his mercy and kindness to the woman caught in adultery, and his directness in calling Zacchaeus the tax collector down the tree to have dinner with him.
In this series we will be following a new book by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran, Rebuilt Faith: A Handbook for Skeptical Catholics (Ave Maria Press, 2023). The book can be purchased online wherever books are sold. If you’ve joined a Small Group, you will get a free copy; but all parishioners are invited to follow along the 40 short chapters as a Lenten daily devotional. One of the things that the authors talk about in the opening chapters are the rewards that Jesus often promises. They illustrate this by reflecting on Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man (Matthew 19:16-30). The young man walks away sad because Jesus invited him to give away his possessions, and he then promises a hundred-fold reward for his disciples who have done so (19:29). Perhaps for a skeptic today, the idea of obligation and obedience turns you off, but you’ve never thought about the rewards. Everybody wants a reward, even skeptics! Even if you are on the fence, why not take your next step as a disciple, with the hope of the reward of new life both now and in eternity.
Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Christ is a Man for Others
Dear brothers and sisters,
Todays’ Gospel reading from Mark 1:29-39 describes a typical day in Jesus’ life. Simon Peter and the other disciples come to him the morning after a day like none they had ever known before. Christ’s popularity was at a zenith. His preaching was a huge success. He dramatically expelled a demon right in the middle of the synagogue; and he had spent the entire evening of the Sabbath working miraculous cures and amazing exorcisms. The next morning, his disciples must have been wild with excitement. They may have even thought that Jesus would claim the Messianic kingship right away, and gather an army to cast off the despicable Roman occupiers; and so, when they awoke to find him gone from the house, and a growing crowd of townspeople clamoring to see him, they were confused. They frantically organized a search party to scour the area.
However, when they find him, alone in prayer on the mountaintop, and they tell him that everyone is looking for him, Christ’s answer is surprising. He tells them it’s time to move on, that his mission isn’t to maximize his popularity, but to preach the gospel to all of Israel – this is what his Father sent him to do, and no opportunity for mere personal glory will distract him from it. This was the first installment of a lesson that Jesus would teach over and over, by words and actions: he is not a political figure looking to climb the ladder of success; he is a servant and a messenger, a man for others. In a world that tends to idolize “success” and “achievement,” where great souls are withered by the rat race of petty promotions and vaporous rewards, the selfless, transcendent purpose of a person entirely focused on fulfilling someone else’s plan (i.e., God’s), is like a bright star shining in the darkness.
Thank you to Fr. Jaime Perez, Msgr. John Bergamo, and Msgr. Bob Carroll for covering Masses while I am away. A reminder that next Sunday February 11, which is the annual World Day of the Sick, we will hold a Healing Mass at 3 pm, followed by Anointing of the Sick and a Holy Hour in the Church. The Mass counts as a Sunday Mass. We will be kicking off our Lenten series at all Masses next weekend. We especially invite those attending our Mental Health groups and their facilitators, as our Mental Health ministry has now moved to the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 2 pm. Also, please be aware of the Lenten schedule which has been finalized and is attached to the bulletin this week.
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Joy Factor” Week 4
Astonished that Joy is Possible
This is the last week of our series for the New Year. All of us would say we are seeking happiness, and in the end the only thing that satisfies us is God. When we live in God’s love and grace, we call this joy. Joy is not dependent on our circumstances, nor is it temporary and passing. Joy cannot be manufactured or purchased; it is entirely a gift from God. Our true quest is to position ourselves to receive joy, and to remove any obstacles in our thinking or behavior that get in the way. I challenged the congregation to make a definitive declaration to seek joy in Christ alone, in a relationship with Jesus Christ who is the source; to stop sitting on the fence and declare yourself a Christ follower.
Today as we wrap up, I want to say a little bit more about joy. Remember that joy is not a mood or a feeling. Think about it: when our circumstances are good and when things go our way, we tend to feel happy, and we don’t normally associate joy with trials and difficulties. The deepest realization that we can have about joy, is that it can thrive even when circumstances are not what we’ve hoped. We hear in the Letter of James: Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:2-3). I’m not usually thinking during the midst of struggles and difficulties about joy, and I know very few people who are thinking about joy in these moments. If you’re about to lose your job, or you are fighting an illness, or you’re experiencing crippling loneliness, joy is probably the last thing on your mind. Honestly, I’ve often desired and even prayed for circumstances to change even when it’s not likely to happen. When life doesn’t turn out how you dreamed about; we can seek out to try to change certain circumstances just to feel happiness again. Then when they don’t change, we can feel discouragement or even despair.
“You don’t know my situation.” One expression that I love is: “My scratch hurts more than your broken arm.” In other words, we can never 100% walk in another person’s shoes; we can never fully understand the struggles of anyone else. Yet there is one thing we can do. Read this encouragement from the Letter to the Hebrews: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1-3). We need the encouragement from others, a “cloud of witnesses,” to persevere and help us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
We can’t walk in one another’s shoes, but we do NEED other people who are on the same discipleship path as us! Here’s a suggestion: when reflecting on struggles that take away joy, respond with truth; replace the lies with truth. In a moment of difficulty, try to state 5 truths about yourself and about the situation. Oftentimes to do so, we need the help of others because we don’t see things so clearly. That’s where friendships in faith come in, and our Small Groups are just that: a safe space of mutual support where the truth can be spoken and shared. Get your Small Group to state truths about your life, even if you can’t see it.
My friends, don’t let circumstances or negative energy or negative people steal your joy. We can be amazed and astonished that even in the most difficult circumstances, joy is possible. God never gives up on us! Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“The Joy Factor” Week 3
Repent and Believe
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is the third week of our series that’s been a great way to kick off the New Year. Thus far we’ve said that we experience three levels of wellbeing. We can experience wellbeing in our senses which we call pleasure. We can experience happiness in our thoughts and feelings. God wants more for us. We experience in the deepest part of our being, in our souls, joy. Joy is not dependent on our circumstance, but is a gift from God, a fruit of the Spirit. The world offers us countless passing pleasures but can never offer us a single moment of joy. Thus far we have talked about positioning ourselves to receive joy, by being on the lookout for it. Last week we talked about intimacy with Christ as the source of true joy. God alone can give us joy.
In Small Groups we’ve talked about numerous things that can squelch our joy. Today at Mass we hear the core message of Christ at the beginning of his preaching and ministry: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). We don’t associate repentance with joy, but when we understand what repentance is, it makes sense how obstacles in our lifestyle get in the way of receiving joy. Repentance is defined as a change of mind that leads to a change of heart, and a change of behavior. Repentance is not just a mental exercise, but it’s about putting the weight of our lives under the authority of the Gospel.
A great illustration of repentance is the story of the call of Zacchaeus. In Small Groups, read Luke 19:1-10. Notice that Jesus was merely passing through the town of Jericho. Tax collectors were typically Jews who gained great wealth on the backs of their fellow countrymen, by collaborating with the Roman authorities and by exploitation. Unlike today, where people can more easily remain anonymous and behind the scenes, everybody in the town would have known and despised the dreaded tax collector. Plus, because he worked with pagans, he was considered ritually unclean and not allowed to enter the Temple for Jewish worship.
Zacchaeus has heard about Jesus’ reputation, and Jesus coming to his town awakens his desire for something more out of life. He even makes a fool of himself, climbing a tree to see Jesus passing by. Somehow, Jesus has heard about him and knows his name. He looks up at him and tells him that today he MUST stay at his house (19:5). Zacchaeus’ response, immediately, is to receive him with joy (19:6). Then after spending some time with Zacchaeus, he repents and believes; as a concrete gesture, he gives away his wealth. He actively renounces his previous life, and makes restitution for what he did wrong. He changes his lifestyle and begins a new life as a follower of Jesus.
At the end of the scene, Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house … for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost” (19:9-10). Jesus has come on a mission to rescue EVERYONE in our families and communities who are going after other things they think will fill them with joy. It is Christ alone who can fill our hearts with joy.
Think about it: by this time of year, kids are already getting bored with the toys they got for Christmas. A toy or fancy vacation or any other thing will not fill our heart with joy. The only true joy is found in a relationship with Christ, who calls us to repent of false ideas and behaviors, and then to love God and love others. We all tend to wander from this, but we always have the chance to change our mind and believe anew. The only true joy is in Christ! Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Joy Factor” Week 2
Joy is Rooted in Christ
In this series we’re talking about the impact joy should have, and could have, in our lives. Last week, we learned that joy is a gift, not dependent on our circumstances. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit within us. We looked at fear as an obstacle to joy; and in the next few weeks we will look at other obstacles; but today we will look at the root of true joy.
As Jesus tells us, true joy is about remaining in him. When we are filled with joy, it impacts our thinking, our attitudes, our choices; in short, it’s a transformation, a change in lifestyle. If we receive this joy as a gift of God, what do we do with it? God calls us to love him, to love others, and to go and make disciples. There is a link between the commandments that God calls us to do, and our receiving and being full of joy. Jesus speaks about this at the Last Supper to his disciples: As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete (John 15:9-11). Note the link between Jesus’ command, and our ability to receive and to be filled with more joy.
When we accept and receive joy, our actions begin to change; it’s noticeable. What Jesus means by, “your joy may be complete,” is that of an image of a pitcher overflowing and filled to the brim. I’ve said that joy is meant to be shared. We are meant to be missionaries of joy! In turn, when we give joy away, we have to refill the pitcher.
Here are three tangible strategies to keep our joy “filled up:”
Being a missionary of joy is directly connected to remaining close to Jesus. Who in your life can you be a missionary of joy to? Questions for Small Groups:
1. Who is the most joyful person you know? Why?
2. Who is the least joyful person you know? Why?
3. What would it look like for you to be “filled to the brim” with joy?
4. How can we seek what is good and avoid what is evil?
5. Joy is a gift that is born out of prayer. How do you feel when you pray?
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Joy Factor” Week 1
Awakening the Desire for Joy
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Happy New Year! Different from pleasure in our bodies, happiness in our minds, or glee in our feelings, joy is a deep satisfaction at the center of our hearts and souls, aside from our circumstances at any given moment. Joy is ultimately not something we can earn or have, but something we receive as a gift from God. In this series, we will awaken our desire for joy and bring people on a quest for joy. Our hope is that after this series, people will move from seeking satisfaction with losing weight or other New Year’s resolutions, to find joy through trusting in Christ.
As we begin a New Year, how are you doing right now? You may be feeling bummed or depressed that the holidays are over; or you may be feeling a sense of refreshment and excitement for new possibilities; or maybe you’re somewhere in between. I believe that our hearts are made for some things that give us true contentment and satisfaction. We were created by God to receive the joy he offers us! Pope Francis has said, “With Jesus, joy is part of the home.” In Scripture, joy is mentioned all over the place; and in many passages it’s not just about having a little bit of joy; it's about being overwhelmingly filled with joy from head to toe. Romans 15:13 says: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. God wants us to be “filled with all joy and peace!”
This might sound like, “Just choose joy and you’ll be all set,” but we know it’s more complicated than that. Many things can be “kill-joys,” and one major thing that squelches joy is fear and worry: we crave security and then act out of fear; we put walls around our future plans; our concerns about health, children, work, and money are motivated by fear. We think, “This new situation or possibility is not good for me,” so we stay stuck in complacency. We fear letting go of the past or stepping out into the future. Complacency is not something God wants for us, because he wants to pour joy into us. Psalm 28:7 says: The LORD is my strength and my shield, in whom my heart trusts. I am helped, so my heart rejoices; with my song I praise him.
Don’t we want so much joy from head to toe that we actually leap for joy? Our fears can keep us from truly experiencing joy. Our Small Groups are a great place to talk about what holds us back from experiencing true joy. When we do let go of fear and every “kill-joy” in our life, everything will change: our thoughts, our behaviors, our relationships. When we’re able to receive the joy of the Lord, we will be transformed. God wants us to free us from fears and break down those walls so that we will be filled with the joy of Christ. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Feast of the Holy Family.
Mary and Joseph Obey the Lord.
Dear brothers and sisters,
I wish you and all of your families a blessed, healthy and holy New Year! This weekend, which lies within the season of Christmas, we meditate on the Holy Family. We have hopes and dreams that this New Year brings peace and blessings: for ourselves and our loved ones; and for our country and our world. I’m thinking in particular about the ongoing wars which threaten us, and the upcoming 2024 election season which may prove to be the most divisive in our lifetimes.
This feast day we reflect on the behaviors and dispositions of Jesus’ life with Mary and Joseph. Think about it: many people have no problems giving orders to others. However, obeying orders is another story. Ever since that conversation in the Garden of Eden when the Devil made Eve think that disobedience was more fun than obedience, the human race has been a race of rebels. Our culture has helped create a mentality in which the only person to whom we show obedience is ourselves. We make the laws, and therefore we will obey them.
However, for Mary and Joseph, the situation was different. They were obliged to follow the Jewish law regarding their firstborn son – a law not man-made, but God-made. Because children are a gift from God, ultimately they belong to God; the Jewish law prescribed a ritual by which parents acknowledged this truth: they would offer God a gift in symbolic exchange for their child. This is what today’s Gospel means when it says that Mary and Joseph presented or “consecrated” Jesus to the Lord.
This insight into the nature of human life – that it comes from God and belongs to God – is the reason behind the Christian virtue of obedience. In politics, democracy makes sense, because all citizens are on the same level. In our relationship with God, however, we are not equals. We are just little children relative to God, like grains of sand at the foot of a mountain in comparison with God the all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving. For this reason, our relationship with him should be characterized by obedience, by letting him guide us with his commandments and inspirations along a path that he sees better than we do.
Today’s Second Reading praises Abraham and Sarah, because their faith, unlike Adam and Eve’s, was strong enough to feed the virtue of obedience. For a Christian, obedience to God is a virtue that leads to spiritual maturity, not something that oppresses our freedom or happiness.
We pray this year for Christians to practice an obedient faith that will bring peace and unity to our divided nation and world. We obey the Lord by working for justice, peace, and respect for human dignity, even when we face threats and fearmongering. There are times in when we’re called to stand up for our faith; but most often we do greater good by simply living our faith in obedient joy, than by argument and violence.
In what way are you called and challenged to be obedient to God in this New Year? Please join us for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God – Masses will be on Sunday December 31 at 4:00 PM and Monday January 1 at 10:00 AM. Next week, join us as we begin our January preaching series entitled, “Joy Factor.” We’ll learn all about receiving and maintaining the gift of joy in this New Year and beyond.
With many blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Dear brothers and sisters,
From our parish family to yours, I wish you a blessed Christmas and New Year! Let me attempt to offer a few words of thanks to several people. To Deacon Max for his diaconal service, for preparing parents for the celebration of baptism, for teaching OCIA and offering his wisdom and cheer to all – thank you Deacon! To Analia our Pastoral Associate, who with lots of coffee builds bridges, forms teams, and raises up leaders – thank you! To Ana and Bettianne, our wonderful Administrative Assistants in our parish who offer welcome to all, and keep our operation moving smooth as butter, thank you! To Marybel our Director of Faith Formation, who joyfully partners with parents and facilitators to pass on our Catholic Faith to the Next Generation, thank you! To Dwayne our maintance man and jack of all trades who keeps our building in shape, inside and outside, thank you! To Heather for your commitment as bulletin editor and communicator in keeping the pastor in line with deadlines, thank you! To Judy our awesome Youth Group Leader who inspires our students to love Christ, thank you! To Nicole for her passion and love for children, thank you! To Noel our amazing Director of Music for using her gifts to lead our music ministers in song and worship, thank you! To Kathy our great communicator who inspires and leads our Small Group ministry, thank you! To Lorraine, John, and Karen, who are ever ready to deal with the Pastor’s phone calls, solve crazy problems, and serve our Leadership Team, thank you!
To our Pastoral Council and Finance Council leaders, to our 150 volunteer ministers, to all leaders and members of St. John’s Seniors, Columbiettes, Knights of Columbus, Focolare, Prayer leaders for the Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration, Communications Team, Grief Ministry, Mental Health ministry, and anyone I may have missed, my heartfelt thank you.
From our parish family to yours, I wish you a blessed Christmas and New Year! As we conclude our series on Angels this weekend, here’s a household prayer from the Liturgy of the House used at Night Prayer:
Come down we beseech you, O Lord, upon this house, and drive from it all the snares of the enemy. Let your holy angels dwell in it and keep us un peace. And may your blessing be with us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Merry Christmas!
Fr. Reichlen
I can’t possibly say thank you enough to someone very special, in this special season, who so beautifully led and served non-stop in the parish in the past few weeks, but really all year long, in ways that most people are not aware – Lorraine Tacardon. Lorraine once again organized the Light the Night event that was an amazing blessing for our parish family! Thank you to Lorraine and to your team of “angels.” May your guardian angels guide you and bless you!
– Love, Fr.
“Angels” Week 3
Angels Deliver Joy
Dear brothers and sisters,
Angels are everywhere; at least it seems that way at Christmas! In Christmas displays angels can even overshadow Jesus himself. As we’ve discussed thus far, these majestic spiritual beings, creatures of God, can seem frightening; but angels in fact point to the reality of God’s intervention in our lives. Angels serve the heavenly throne in a perfect way; and in getting to know them, we can learn to imitate them in their service.
Today is “Gaudete” Sunday which means “Rejoice.” We rejoice because Christmas is near. We’re busy with making travel plans, decorations, parties, and family visits, shopping, writing Christmas cards, and wrapping presents. We rejoice because hopefully we are able to carve out a little quiet time for prayer, to prepare our hearts for Christ in an otherwise busy season.
In Small Groups this week, read the story of the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38). Again, have someone read aloud the passage slowly. Ask the group what words or phrases are sticking out to them. Be sure to close in prayer. Go around in a circle and have everyone pray out loud. Ask everyone to name one petition they have for this Christmas season.
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Angels” Week 2
the Power and Comfort of Angels
This Advent and Christmas series is proving to be incredibly popular! Many of you have already shared with me amazing stories about the intercession of angels in your lives. Yet I know that some people are skeptical, and I understand. I come from a family of doctors, scientists, and engineers; and this topic might seem spooky or too esoteric for you. Angels, according to Scripture, have a prominent role to play throughout Salvation History, especially in the story of Jesus’ birth; and our faith teaches us that angels are all around us. God is invading the world constantly. Renewing our faith in angels is really about renewing our faith in God’s presence in our lives here and now. Last week we were reminded to be watchful and alert for what God is doing during this Christmas season, and to invite friends, family members, and coworkers who have no church family, to join us for Christmas Mass at St. John’s.
Do you think you have ever had an experience of an angel helping you? This week in Small Groups, read Matthew 1:18-25, the story of Christmas from the perspective of St. Joseph. St. Joseph is betrothed to Mary, which meant in the culture of the time a period of several months between the engagement and forming a home together. Any infidelity after the betrothal was considered adultery. When Mary is found to be with child, Joseph is afraid of taking the Blessed Mother into his home because of the scandal. In fact, his fear has led him to already make a decision to divorce her quietly (1:19), to avoid the penalty of the Law for adultery, which is death by stoning. It’s then that the angel appears to him in a dream.
In Small Groups this week, have someone read aloud this passage slowly. Have someone read the passage again slowly a second time. Ask the group what words or phrases are sticking out to them. At the end, close in prayer, and ask everyone to name one petition they have for this Christmas season. Questions:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Angels” Week 1
God’s Intervention Through Angels;
Gabriel Appears to Zechariah
Today we begin the season of Advent, a time of preparation, hope, and expectation as we get ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Even though the culture is in full Christmas mode, the Season of Advent reminds us of the value of quiet preparation. We actually celebrate the Christmas season beginning on Christmas Eve, and then continuing through the New Year. Advent is a season in which the church is decorated sparsely, and the liturgy is a little more solemn and low key, so to prepare our souls for the celebration of the coming of Emmanuel, a word which means, “God is with us.”
All appropriately then, our Advent series will be all about angels. We are not alone in this world. God uses angels regularly to intervene and pave the way for God to work and announce what he is doing, and these beings that may be perceived as mythological, impish, or mysterious are actually very alive and active in the world today. Angels serve a key role in the Biblical story and our lives as comforters, protectors, messengers, and worshippers. During this series, we will explore the gift of angels and why it matters to believe; for angels are around us all the time, nearer than we think, and much more useful than we can even imagine.
There are only 3 weeks in this Small Group series, and the 4th week is Christmas, when our groups will take a break. The content of Small Group discussions will come from reading and discussing Scripture readings. So, we remind small group members to bring their Bibles to your group (always, but especially during this series).
To kick off the series, read Luke 1:5-25. Have someone read aloud the passage slowly. Have someone read the passage again slowly a second time. Ask the group what words or phrases are sticking out to them.
Questions:
(Small Group leaders: ask everyone in the room about any prayer intentions they have this Advent and Christmas season).
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Feast of Christ the King. Thank You!
The Last Judgment as an Image of Hope
Dear friends,
This week Small Groups are taking a break. I wish you and your families a belated Happy Thanksgiving.
We have much to be grateful for! We are grateful for our faith, our families, and the many blessings we have. I am grateful for you! Next weekend we begin the Season of Advent, our time of preparation for Christmas. Please note in the bulletin the parish calendar of events, including extra times for the Sacrament of Confession. The Advent preaching series will be all about Angels, who play an important role in the Christmas story!
This weekend in our liturgical calendar is the end of the liturgical year, and the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. We hear from Matthew’s Gospel Jesus’ great Parable of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31- 46), the separation of the sheep and the goats. The Last Judgment has at least two very practical consequences for our day-to-day lives. First, it means that our decisions, even the small ones, really matter. In the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where the cardinals meet to choose the next pope, there is a monumental painting of the Last Judgment by Michelangelo. One of the reasons that painting was put there, back in the late 1500s, was to remind the cardinalsthat they will have to answer to God for the choice they make of the next pope. We too are going to have to answer to God for how we use the gifts he has given us: for self-indulgence, or for self-giving. Our choices and efforts in life matter to God; they have a lasting impact, for good or evil; they really do mean something.
Pope Benedict said: “From the earliest times, the prospect of the Judgement has influenced Christians in their daily living as a criterion by which to order their present life, as a summons to their conscience, and at the same time as hope in God's justice. Faith in Christ has never looked merely backwards or merely upwards, but always also forwards to the hour of justice that the Lord repeatedly proclaimed. This looking ahead has given Christianity its importance for the present moment.” (Spe Salvi, #41)
The second consequence has to do with suffering. The world is full of apparently meaningless suffering:
Innocent children being slaughtered or kidnapped and sold into slavery, endless war, famine and natural disasters, Oppression and cruelty. Each one of us experiences at least some of this suffering in our own lives, often in hidden ways; but this suffering is not the end of the story; injustice does not win.
The promise of the Last Judgement is Christ's promise that all things will in the end be set right, justice will be done; all that has been wrongly destroyed will be fully restored. God really is the Good Shepherd, as today's First Reading and Psalm tell us, and he really will lead his followers out of the valley of darkness.
Again, Pope Benedict said: “Only God can create justice. And faith gives us the certainty that he does so. The image of the Last Judgment is not primarily an image of terror, but an image of hope; for us it may even be the decisive image of hope. Is it not also a frightening image? I would say: it is an image that evokes responsibility, an image, therefore, of that fear of which Saint Hilary spoke when he said that all our fear has its place in love. God is justice and creates justice. This is our consolation and our hope. And in his justice there is also grace." (Spe Salvi, #44) When we pray the Creed, we formally profess our belief that Christ, the eternal King, will come again to judge the living and the dead. When we do so, let's do so with confidence, promising to live each day walking close beside our Good Shepherd, Christ the King.
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Stewardship Sunday!
“Staying Power” Week 6
Commitment to Giving
Dear brothers and sisters,
When it comes to growing spiritually, we grow by the commitments we make and keep. There are five commitments we think are really the most important for you to grow as a follower of Jesus Christ. We’ve talked about serving, engaging in Small Groups, practicing prayer and the Sacraments, and sharing faith. Tithing and giving is the one step that priests hate to talk about, and people hate to be challenged about; but that discomfort touches on a “spiritual nerve.” What are obstacles to us growing as generous givers? First, we have a closed mind – we want to separate and compartmentalize our thinking about money and faith. Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew 6:21). This is a subject we want to constantly be open to, as a concrete and conscientious way of trusting God.
We also can have hardened hearts regarding generosity. Most people from childhood are naturally greedy, and we are constantly tested in growing in generosity because of our own financial struggles – the house needs repairs, your car breaks down, or somebody loses their job. Hear these words from Malachi: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, and see if I do not open the floodgates of heaven for you, and pour down upon you blessing without measure! I will rebuke the locust for you so that it will not destroy your crops, and the vine in the field will not be barren, says the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:10-11). Notice here that God is actually inviting us to test him! He’s begging us to put him to the test to build up his kingdom.
Sometimes we don’t want to be generous with our money because of an overcrowded life. That can mean the temptation to spend money just on ourselves; or being caught up in the advertisement and marketing that’s all around us; if we are overwhelmed with debt or struggling to pay the bills; and the result is that we only have enough to “tip” God. Actually, the best way to get out of financial problems is to honor God! Proverbs says: Honor the LORD with your wealth, with first fruits of all your produce. Then will your barns be filled with plenty, with new wine your vats will overflow (Proverbs 3:9-10). When we develop the habit and discipline of giving, giving from the top or “first fruits” of our personal budget, then we are honoring God and his promise to help us in all our burdens and struggles, including with debt or providing for our family.
The fruit of giving is an eternal investment. Again, Jesus says, “Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy” (Luke 12:33). Our treasure in heaven is a Christ-like character that can never be taken away. People who are willing to give become more like Christ. The author Jim Elliot says, “He is no fool, who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” When we use our money to grow to Love God and Love People, we’re gaining something we can’t lose!
The challenge for us is to have a giving plan that is planned, a percentage, and progressive (meaning that you intend to grow that percentage over time). This step can be the hardest for many of us but can bear amazing fruit in our lives. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Staying Power” Week 5
Commitment to Serve
Dear brothers and sisters,
It’s our job as a church to challenge you to grow as a follower of Jesus Christ. We’ve called this series “Staying Power” because it’s not enough to make a commitment; we must KEEP those commitments! The acronym STEPS (serving, tithing/giving, engaging in Small Groups, practicing prayer and the Sacraments, and sharing faith) are the spiritual commitments that Jesus teaches us; and if we refuse to take one or more of these steps, we’re stunting our growth. At the end of the day, it’s about your commitment!
Today we are talking about service. Only by serving do we develop a servant heart and mind. None of us like being treated like servants. Jesus said himself that he did not come to be served, but to serve. Why do we have a closed mind to serve? We honestly might think that a certain kind of service is beneath us; or we’re entitled to have other people serve us because of our age or status. Notice Paul’s words to the Philippians: Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave … (2:5-7). Jesus did not close his mind to becoming a slave. John Ortberg says about this verse: “By coming as a servant, Jesus was not disguising who God is, but revealing who God is.” God is a servant! Service is not beneath God; when we serve, we become more like God.
We’ve been saying that we can have a closed heart when we’re tested. We might be tested in a commitment to serve because of the requirements, or the demands of our time; or when we’re not sure we’re having an impact. For example, it can be incredibly hard to see the impact you’re happening in children’s ministries when kids are ungrateful. Remember Jesus said that every act of service is meaningful and will be rewarded! A third reason for not serving is an overcrowded life. We have numerous obligations to family, work, or school. Paul says to the Ephesians: But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:7). Each of us has been given a unique gift, and we all need to exercise our gifts! Paul lists some of them: he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers (4:11). Your unique giftedness is meant to be for service to others!
At our parish we are developing “layers” of servant leaders who extend our mission beyond the pastor and staff, to volunteer leaders who continue the amazing work of our parish. Why? To equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ (4:12). The “holy ones” are everyone in the pews who are committed to Christ. Servant leaders use their gifts to build up the body. Until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ (4:13). In order for you to grow and mature to where God wants you to be, you need to exercise your gifts and talents in some way. Service is how we grow in maturity. In exercising service, the person who grows the most is the person who serves!
Some of you may have to get over the idea that service is beneath you or something not worth your time. Some of you may have to simplify your schedule to make time for service. Others have amazing gifts and talents that must be exercised and utilized. We want to find opportunities for everyone to serve in parish ministries, with our Partners in Mission, or elsewhere. May we all commit to service! Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Staying Power”
Week 4
Engaging in Small Groups
We grow by the spiritual commitments we make AND keep. Our main job as parish staff is to challenge you to keep commitments to vital steps you need to take to grow spiritually! We’re not making these up! They are: Serving, Tithing or Giving, Engaging in a Small Group, Practicing Prayer and the Sacraments, and Sharing Faith. I’d challenge anyone who was raised Catholic and considers themselves practicing Catholics to see that these are major areas Jesus Christ himself focuses on in HIS teaching. No matter whether you’re 9 years old or 90 years old, you can these steps in your life to grow spiritually. If you want to say to me, “Father why haven’t I heard these before?” I’d respond that we Catholics do a poor job talking about discipleship! Spiritual growth is not just about going to church. It’s about growing in specific, simple ways that will make you more like Christ. As I’ve said, it’s not easy, but it’s simple enough.
This week’s topic is another one that’s not familiar to most Catholics but is incredibly obvious – engage in a Small Group. Someone in my Small Group says repeatedly, “Why wasn’t this something we did in Catholic School?” The thing is that it’s maybe not about you; it’s about the other people in the group that YOU can influence! We say “engaging” in Small Groups because this is the key to keeping the commitment. Now that we have an established Small Group ministry that has brought many blessings to our parish, we can speak from our experiences thus far.
In the current series, we’ve been looking at three basic obstacles to spiritual growth – a closed mind, a hardened heart, and an overcrowded life. How do we have a closed mind within our Small Groups? Perhaps someone doesn’t agree with the opinions of other people in the group; and as a result, they leave. We’ve seen this happen. The flip side is that in Small Groups we get together with a group of people with whom we wouldn’t necessarily associate outside of church. You might be in a group with people who are a different age or have different life experiences than you, and that may be uncomfortable; but learning from other people’s life experiences is essential to growth. Having a hardened heart leads to giving up when we’re tested. In most Small Groups there are people whom Rick Warren calls “EGR” (“Extra Grace Required”); and he says if you don’t know who that person is in your group, it’s you! If you are annoyed by a certain person, consider it God’s providence to teach you graciousness and patience. Small Groups are meant to foster openness and vulnerability. Hebrews 10:23-24 says: Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. I heard the story of one Small Group that did the exercise of writing their own eulogies and sharing them with one another! We ought to “rouse one another” from the superficial level, to being able to share our struggles, hopes, and dreams. Last, an overcrowded life has often led people to the bad habit of missing and ultimately quitting their Small Groups. Hebrews 10:25 says: We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near. Don’t give up meeting with one another but encourage one another! We’ve already seen our Small Groups beginning to meet outside of the group time by going to dinner, hiking, playing golf, or home visits; and this is a wonderful thing!
Jesus always points to the fruits of spiritual growth. The fruit of committing to a Small Group is incredibly obvious! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says: Two are better than one: They get a good wage for their toil. If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help. See these relationships you’re forming as a kind of “retirement” investment; at some point, you’re going to need these relationships! Already, I’ve received numerous stories of Small Group members helping one another through “storms.” I know that many of you can’t meet at our designated times, and we will be looking for new facilitators and thinking outside the box to grow this essential ministry in our church, as we will do another Small Group push before the Season of Lent this year. Bottom line: when we fully engage in our Small Groups, we’ll become the person Christ created us to be! Questions for this week:
With blessings, Fr. Reichlen
“Staying Power” Week 3:
Sharing Your Faith
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is a series about making and keeping spiritual commitments. We’ve talked about three basic obstacles to growing spiritually: a closed mind that is not open to spiritual growth; a hardened heart that refuses to go deeper in our relationship with God; and an overcrowded life that pushes aside spiritual commitments. Last week we looked at the step of our commitment to prayer. In my homily, I gave 4 words – a simple process – for helping us in prayer: Acknowledge, Relate, Receive, Respond. I jokingly call this the “pirate” method of prayer: ARRR.
Today we’re talking about the commitment of sharing our faith. A key part of spiritual growth is having a heart for other people around us to bring them into a relationship with Christ and his Church. This is probably the step that’s least done by Catholics. We’ll have a closed mind to the very idea, because we think that everybody is saved; or my friends are good people and don’t need to go to church; or that we Catholics “make disciples” just by having babies! We become hard-hearted to the idea of sharing our faith because we don’t want to be weird or awkward like those Jehovah’s Witnesses who come to our door; or honestly because we just don’t care all that much about other people. Perhaps we’re just too busy and we don’t think about this step.
The message today is that sharing our faith grows our faith! The word “Gospel” is evangelion in Greek, which simply means “Good News.” St. John Paull II says: “For missionary activity renews the Church, revitalizes faith and Christian identity, and offers fresh enthusiasm and new incentive. Faith is strengthened when it is given to others! It is in commitment to the Church’s universal mission that the new evangelization of Christian people will find inspiration and support” (encyclical Redemtoris Missio, 2). The way I see it is to simply have in mind what your faith PERSONALLY means to you! For example, if you have children or grandchildren who don’t go to church, instead of trying to guilt them or coerce them, instead talk to them about your own growth. Just being able to articulate our personal faith, and when appropriate to witness in words and deeds, strengthens our own faith!
To make the concept of evangelization a little more comfortable and accessible, read the passage about Phillip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch who is reading from the Prophet Isaiah (Acts 8:26-40). Reading this I was struck that this is one of the few Biblical passages that takes place in Gaza, the site of ongoing bloodshed between Israel and Hamas. The ongoing division and violence in this world are a prime motivator to share our faith. In this scene, the deacon Phillip is led by the Holy Spirit to encounter this foreign eunuch who is reading the Scripture but doesn’t understand. The Ethiopian eunuch represents the lost sheep, who after a long journey, finally realizes that he or she needs God. The Holy Spirit leads Philip to announce the Good News of the Risen Jesus, and to baptize this person.
Sharing our faith is about being open to where the Holy Spirit is leading us. Often this is simply by actively living our faith. This weekend we are celebrating leaders and mentors here at St. John’s who give example by their service. However, sharing our faith also occurs in places that only you can go, and where you have influence: your homes, schools, workplaces, and community organizations. The strategy that we employ at St. John’s is “invest” and “invite.” I admit that this step is a hard one for me, because most people I interact with daily are “church people,” but the unchurched and de-churched are all around us. Imagine the joy of praying for an unchurched person to commit to their discipleship path, inviting them when appropriate to come to church, and seeing it happen. The good news is that this is happening at St. John’s!
Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Staying Power”
Week 2
Prayer
Dear brothers and sisters,
We grow in spiritual commitments that we make AND keep. Last week in Small Groups we looked at obstacles to making spiritual commitments: a closed mind that doesn’t even consider spiritual growth as a category; a hardened heart that resists going deeper; and an overcrowded life that can so easily threaten our spiritual commitments.
Today we’re going to look at the importance of prayer. Everybody agrees that prayer is a basic building block to spiritual growth; and we constantly need to go back to basics. When it comes to prayer, it’s a conversation with God, which means we talk AND listen. The heroes of the Bible and the Saints all spoke to God. The famous Trappist monk Thomas Merton said: “We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners all our life.” Prayer is simple but not easy. The popular writer Peter Kreeft says: “Nothing can cure our sick world except saints, and saints are only made by prayer.” If you struggle with prayer and commitment to prayer, you’re not alone!
The first basic point about prayer is that we have to do it! A closed mind is an obstacle to prayer. We can easily be convinced that we don’t need to do it. Then prayer enters our life only when significant life events occur, or holidays, or when it pops in our minds to do it, or when we’re absolutely desperate. Then prayer is reduced to a kind of last-ditch effort or “Hail Mary.” Even among priests and church leaders we can forget the power and necessity of prayer and campaigns of prayer, for example if we want to recruit volunteers or in our planning and leadership development. Another obstacle is our restless heart. We say our prayers, but our heart is not fully present. Sadly, this is a problem for me all the time; I find myself often rushing to say my prayers, instead of being fully present. Last, an overcrowded life does havoc on our prayer life. The key is to have a “prayer plan” with a specific time and a specific place: put it on your calendar and make it a priority; have a prepared place like a “prayer chair” in your house with a candle, crucifix, and Bible. If your prayer time is in your car, have your Rosary or podcast or music prepared beforehand. If you like to pray while walking or hiking, have an idea about the how and the what.
There are many great tools available today to help you pray, and one new Catholic app that has a collection of many short meditations and prayers is the Hallow App – check it out. Have a routine that works for you!
Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Staying Power”
Week 1
Keeping Commitment to Spiritual Growth
Dear brothers and sisters,
We grow by our commitments that we make AND we keep. It’s not enough to make a commitment; we have to keep that commitment! Commitment is important for every aspect of our lives, including our faith life. What are some of the obstacles do you have toward keeping a commitment of spiritual growth?
To kick off this series and to look at this question, we’ll read in Small Groups the Parable of the Sower from Luke’s Gospel. Jesus begins: A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold (Luke 8:5-8).
Let us examine Jesus’ explanation of the parable in terms of three basic roadblocks to making faith commitments. So, Jesus says first to his disciples: The seed is the word of God. Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved (8:11-12). The first roadblock can be expressed in terms of being narrow-minded or having a closed mind. This person doesn’t even consider spiritual growth a category for them. This could be somebody who doesn’t go to church, or somebody who attends church but doesn’t want to grow. Spiritual growth is something that doesn’t apply to them because their minds are closed to the very idea.
Jesus continues: Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial (8:13). The second seed can be understood as a hardened heart. We can become hard-hearted, especially in times of temptation or testing. For example, I have witnessed people who have served in the church in the past, or started growing spiritually through prayer or through service, and then face obstacles. When we are tested, our commitment is tested, and we can be tempted to quit. Unfortunately, I have known many people who started on a path of discipleship but quit for this reason, and they become hardened of heart.
As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit (8:14). The third problem can be the most dangerous for us who are active in ministry or service – an overcrowded life. The culture around us is constantly attacking our spiritual commitment. We grow in our prayer life, and we might join a Small Group, but our work, or our needs for rest or family time, or laziness, or lack of self-confidence gets in the way. We can EXPECT this to happen to us as we advance in our spiritual life! Weeds always grow in the garden and can take over and crush our spiritual growth if we are not vigilant.
But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance (8:15). This is where we all want to be – having a generous and good heart which bears fruit. This is why commitment to spiritual growth is important! We’re able to fulfill God’s will for our lives and grow in love for the people around us. We all want to grow with a Christ-like character, and this takes commitment AND keeping that commitment. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Cornerstone” Week 5
Jesus is the Cornerstone
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is the fifth and final week of our fall kick-off series that’s about the bedrocks or basic foundational principles of our parish. Ideally, we are living out these principles in our church, so that we continue to receive God’s blessings and success in the future! It’s always a good thing to get back to the basics. Thus far we’ve looked at (1) love, (2) grace, (3) the Church as a movement, and (4) and concern for the lost.
Today we look at Jesus himself, and like last week, it gets personal. “Who is Jesus?” is a question we all must answer. Jesus is the cornerstone of our Church and our faith, as well as our personal relationship with God. Some of us grew up Christian. Some of our parishioners have converted to Christianity as adults for various reasons. However, being born a Christian, or once being a Christian in the past, doesn’t make us a Christian today, right now! Just like being born at McDonalds doesn’t make you a hamburger, being born Christian doesn’t make you a Christian! Our faith calls for a response every day, to place him at the center of our lives.
One event above all that centers around Jesus’ identity is the Resurrection. Often at funerals I point out that our faith – at its core – is about the belief that on that first Easter Sunday, the tomb was empty! Either he is who he says he is, or he is not. If he is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), then he is truly God! This week, read John 21:1-14, which is a kind of postlude to John’s Gospel. Seven of the disciples, including Peter, have returned to the Sea of Galilee, and during the night they get on a boat and go fishing. There they encounter the Risen Lord standing on the shore. Peter runs out into the water to meet Jesus. Their fishing net is miraculously overflowing with fish. Then, Jesus sits down with them and has breakfast with them on the beach.
Two basic observations from this scene: first, even more than a cornerstone, Jesus wants to be at the CENTER of our lives. A cornerstone is laid and then forgotten, but Jesus desires to be much more than that. He wants us, like Peter, to leave behind our “nets,” to “jump out of the boat,” and run to him. Second, notice the intimacy of Jesus sitting and having breakfast with the disciples. We can imagine the closeness and peacefulness of this scene on the shore. God is not a distant cosmic entity far away in the vast universe. Jesus wants to enjoy the same kind of closeness and intimacy with him on a regular basis.
As we finish this series, reflect on the things that you are perhaps called to leave behind, like Peter, so that Jesus remains at the center of your life. What, if anything, is impeding Jesus from being the cornerstone of your relationship with God at this time?
Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Cornerstone” Week 4
Concern for the Lost
Dear brothers and sisters,
In this series we’ve been looking at some of our foundational principles as a church, as a kind of “back to basics.” We’ve talked about love, grace, and the church as ekklesia (“those called forth”) – a movement. Today we’re looking at the question of why the Church exists. When we lose our “why” we lose our “way,” and perhaps one reason churches are suffering is that they’ve lost their “why.” The Church exists to make disciples, to reach the “lost,” and to bring them into a relationship with Christ.
This week it gets real and gets personal because it’s not just up to the parish, the priest or pastor or staff. It’s a job for all of us! When Jesus talks about this, it’s about bearing fruit. Jesus says at the Last Supper to his disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples (John 15:1-8). As Christians we’re called to bear fruit. A tree is known by its fruit. The fruit that we bear are other Christians! That’s how we are to be known.
In the past few years, we’ve adapted the strategy of going wider and going deeper. The church word for growing wider is evangelization, and the word for growing deeper is discipleship. However, these words can seem complicated and vague to many people. Evangelization is about sharing our faith with as many people as we can. We say that sharing one’s faith is a step in discipleship; and we’ve adapted a two-word explanation of how to do that – invest and invite. “Evangelization” sounds very intimidating and “churchy” but “invest and invite” is relatable and simple. Think about how we share good movies we’ve seen, or restaurants we enjoy – we go and tell our friends about these things. We can do the same thing with church: investing in a person who you know in your life is not connected with church or God and inviting them to go and check it out. Who knows the difference that can make in someone’s life!
Discipleship is more one-on-one. Some people are amazing mentors and teach or pray with people all the time. Who in your life is someone you can go deeper with? In Small Groups I challenge you to make an application in your lives to this message. Think that the first disciples – they had to have been incredibly intimidated and scared as they started out after the Resurrection and Pentecost – there were so few of them and they had no handbook! Yet they went on to change the world. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Cornerstone” Week 3: Ekklesia
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is the third week of a series that is about the basic principles that are lived out ideally in our church culture. In the first week, we spoke about love. In any organization, first comes love in action and in commitment, and only then comes greatness and success. Last week, we spoke about creating a culture of grace. The church is most appealing when grace is most apparent. We begin to shape a culture of grace when each of us is reminded daily of our desperate need for grace.
Today, we’ll look at the Greek word εκκλεσια, ekklesia (literally “those who are called forth”), a word which we translate as “church.” As used by Jesus, this word doesn’t refer to a building, but rather as a gathering of people who go out to impact the community for the good. The Church is meant to be a movement, not a monument – a movement which impacts the world! We see this played out in the Book of Acts. In Acts 17:6, we hear that in Athens, St. Paul and a few Christian converts are dragged in front of the magistrates and accused of this: These people who have been creating a disturbance all over the world have now come here. That’s our calling! The Church is meant to always play offense, not defense. The great theologian Hans Urs von Balthazar, in a little book Raising the Bastions which had a tremendous impact on me as a seminarian, speaks about tearing down the walls and barriers of the Church institution and within us that prevent us from making an impact in the world.
Another way to think about this is something we learned in physics class: Force = Mass x Acceleration. Mass is the number of people; you cannot be a movement without people. The greater the number of people involved in a movement, the greater impact we can have; however, the sheer number of people is not enough. Every week 90,000 people fill MetLife Stadium to watch the Giants or the Jets, but this is not a movement. We also need speed or acceleration. Acts 4:32 says about the early Church: The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. To make an impact we need to be united in heart and mind. If we are going to impact the world, we have to be on the same page! This is what we try to accomplish every Sunday in preaching, in worship, and in Small Groups. Also, the early Church had an open hand, sharing resources in common. When we have an open heart and mind, we’re willing to use our resources to make an impact.
Hebrews 12:1 says: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us. There are sinful things that hinder us, and there are also good things that are simply distracting us or weighing us down from running further, faster to Jesus. This is both a personal challenge, and a collective one. What sins and burdens are preventing you from running the race? When each of us gains momentum and speed as individuals, the church will make a greater impact for Christ. Questions for Small Groups:
Jesus established the church as a movement, but parishes don’t always act like one. Why does the church become more of a monument than a movement?
As part of St. John’s, do you think of yourself as being part of a movement? Why or why not?
Read aloud Acts 4:32. Why is it important for a movement to be united? How can we promote unity as a church? Why is it important to hold our resources with an open hand if we are to go where God is blessing? Read aloud Hebrews 12:1. What do you need to lay aside? What keeps you from following Christ more fully?
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Cornerstone” Week 2: Grace
Dear brothers and sisters,
Our fall kick-off series is all about celebrating our parish. We are looking at basic building blocks or principles that are reflected – ideally – in the life of our parish, that we may grow and flourish in the future. Last week we talked about love in action. If the church is great, it is because it is first loved, because people love one another in action and in specific ways.
Today we will look at the doctrine of grace, and we’ll look at briefly at St. Paul’s great masterwork of theology and preaching, his Letter to the Romans. Sometimes we can become self-righteous as followers of Christ. We can say, “I have the truth,” or “The Catholic Church is true,” and this so easily spiritually damages us through pride. It can sneak into our thinking so easily. In a powerful summary statement of Paul’s dense argument about the Gospel he preaches, he says: No human being will be justified in his sight by observing the law; for through the law comes consciousness of sin (3:20). Paul says to the Jewish people that the Law is a great gift, but all it does is give us knowledge of sin. It cannot save us. The Law is not bad; it’s just limited. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (3:21-22). Now there is something new. God has made us righteous not by the Law, but by the Person of Jesus Christ. God at last has sent us what we need – a Savior.
Most importantly for today, Paul then says: For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God (3:22-23). It doesn’t matter who you are – Jew, Gentile, Catholic, non-Christian – we are all in the same boat. None of us have measured up to God’s perfection and glory. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood … (3:24-25). We have been put back into a right relationship with God through grace. Grace is a gift; we can’t earn it; all we can do is receive it … to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed, through the forbearance of God — to prove his righteousness in the present time, that he might be righteous and justify the one who has faith in Jesus (3:25-26). God is perfect righteousness and justice, and he is also perfect mercy. The way we receive grace and forgiveness is through faith!
I was raised Catholic, and I received the gift of faith through my upbringing. I was blessed to have two parents who ensured that my brothers and I were raised Catholic and went to church every Sunday. It was a gift. Your story may similar, or perhaps you came to faith as an adult. Either way, faith is a gift! St. Paul then says: What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out. On what principle, that of works? No, rather on the principle of faith (3:27). It’s stupid for us to boast about how great we are, when we are all on equal footing. We ALL desperately need grace.
Pastor Andy Stanley has said that the church is most appealing when grace is most apparent. As a church, we must be a community where grace is apparent. How do we do that? First, we simply keep this fact in our awareness – that without grace, we are all doomed. As we keep that in front of us in our minds and hearts, grace will be apparent. How do you think we keep the message of grace and forgiveness evident in our community?
Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
FATHER’S DESK
Blessings and Kick-Offs!
Dear brothers and sisters,
Happy Labor Day weekend! Most of our students started school this past week, and we pray for students, parents, teachers, school personnel and administrators for a blessed new school year! Many blessings!
This time of year at St. John’s is also a season of many “kick-offs!” All are invited to St. John’s Community Fair sponsored by our mental health ministry, on Saturday September 8 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. Faith Formation classes begin on Sunday September 10. Also, our Youth Ministry kickoff will be at 4 pm on Sunday September 17.
Deacon Max invites all who have questions about the Catholic Faith, who are seeking God, and who perhaps may be led by the Lord to become Catholic Christian, to OCIA, formerly called RCIA. OCIA, “Order of Christian Initiation of Adults,” is a process of inquiry, accompaniment, prayer, and learning that culminates with the celebration of the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil in the spring. OCIA will begin on Friday evening September 15 at 7 pm in classroom 1. Email Deacon Max or call the Parish Office for more information.
For all parishioners, just a reminder that Small Groups reconvene for the fall season beginning the week of Sunday September 10. In addition to our Small Groups, our various parish organizations – the Knights of Columbus, the Columbiettes, Focolare, and St. John’s Seniors – invite you to join us! See the parish bulletin for details.
We would like to communicate more clearly our various parish devotions. We have many “Prayer Warriors” in our parish and all are invited to take part! Eucharistic Adoration takes place in our chapel Monday through Friday from 9 am to 12 pm, and Tuesdays from 4 to 8 pm. Please see the bulletin to commit to open hours. The Miraculous Medal Novena is prayed Mondays at 9:30 am, after daily Mass. The Rosary is prayed every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:30 am, after daily Mass, and also Third Tuesday of the month at 7 pm. Starting this week (***NUEVO***) the Rosary in Spanish will be prayed every Thursday evening at 5:30 pm.
Every two years I have the responsibility of leading a class for new aspirants to the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Scranton, “Introduction to Sacred Scripture.” My teaching schedule means that I will be away for FOUR Saturdays in the Fall 2023: September 9, October 7, November 4, and December 2. On those days there will be NO CONFESSIONS at St. John’s from 9 am to 11 am. I encourage parishioners to go to St. Matthew’s Church, 78 Ridgeway Street, East Stroudsburg. Confessions are held at St. Matthew’s on Fridays at 5:30 pm in Spanish; and Saturdays at 8:30 am and 3:00 pm in English.
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Here I Am” Week 3
Mass of Ages
Dear brothers and sisters,
In this series we are looking at our experience of Sunday worship. As I’ve said, 90% of life is just showing up. Why do we go to Mass? In the Eucharistic liturgy, we participate in the work of our redemption! Nothing substitutes for what happens in the Sunday Mass, because here God our Heavenly Father is working on us! Last week we began to examine in part the “what” of our experience. One challenge, following Jesus’ example, is to see worship as not just about me and Jesus, but as an exercise of the entire Body of Christ. Thus, like Jesus, we welcome others. Another way to put it is that we can’t claim to be pious if we are not also growing in our love for the lost sheep. The Body of Christ gathered in worship is truly described as, “Here comes everybody!”
The Eucharist, at the same time, is about so much more than just bringing people together here and now. Our readings today give us a glimpse of God’s great big plan which involves the power of the keys. Whenever you get a new job, you usually get keys to your office or to the building. Whenever you get a new car, you get new keys. It’s a call to responsibility, depending on your job description, to open up the building or office in the morning and lock up in the evening. Whether you own or rent a car, you are careful to guard your keys. Having keys implies having responsibility.
In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 16:13-20) Jesus speaks to Peter as the one who holds the keys and therefore has authority. It’s a direct allusion to a prophecy from Isaiah which we heard in the First Reading, about the “Master of the Palace.” The Master of the Palace had the important role in assisting the King of Judah in the affairs of the kingdom, the city, and the palace. Isaiah prophecies here that one such person, Shebna, will be deposed from his job, and another, Eliakim, will take his place. We hear: I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim's shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open (Isaiah 22:22). The new Master of the Palace has great authority and a great responsibility.
In the Mass, we are in union with Peter and his successors. The Liturgy is part of the Sacred Tradition given by Christ to Peter and to the Apostles, and thus it is a great deposit to be held sacred. When I celebrate the Liturgy, I frequently think about being connected to Peter and his successors, to the angels and saints, and to people like my grandmother, holy men and women in my ancestry. I’ve been entrusted in a certain sense as Pastor with the keys, which implies authority and responsibility to celebrate the Sacred Rites reverently in unity with all who have come before me. I’ve had numerous experiences of celebrating Mass all over the world – in Rome, in the Holy Land, in foreign countries. It’s amazing to think that the Eucharistic Liturgy brings together cultures here and now. It’s even more amazing to ponder how as the Liturgy is celebrated, we are ALSO united in eternity with the angels and saints! In fact, we leave time and enter eternity during the Liturgy, worshiping in union with the Mystical Body of Christ through all times and ages!
Our challenge is to respect this Sacred Tradition, to learn about it and study it, and to pass it on to the Next Generation. Many different cultures have different traditions connected with devotion to Mary, or the holidays like Christmas or Holy Week. None of them substitute for the Mass, which is the Source and Summit of our faith! May we respect and honor this great gift! In that sense, we ALL have the responsibility of the guarding the keys!
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Here I Am” Week 2
Here Comes Everybody
Dear brothers and sisters,
We’re looking at the why and the what of Sunday worship, specifically the Mass. The most important step we take every day for work, school, family, and personal growth is simply to be present, and the same is true for Sunday worship. The Mass, the Eucharistic Liturgy, is a “public work” – God’s work in redeeming the world! We are called to be present physically, mentally, and spiritually to be built up in faith, and to actively participate in God’s work, like Peter. Nothing substitutes for our experience of the Sunday Eucharistic Liturgy.
I was going to call this week’s topic “Worship is a Team Sport.” Instead I’ll quote the Irish writer James Joyce who used the expression in one of his novels, “Here comes everybody;” which has often come to refer to the Catholic Church. St. John’s parish is blessed to be multi-cultural. Dozens of countries and cultures from around the world are represented here among our congregation. When I say, “Here comes everybody” however, I also mean liberals and conservatives, young and old, athletic and musically gifted, awkward and self-confident, introverted and extroverted, married and divorced, same-sex attracted, neurodivergent, mentally and physically handicapped or ill, and all or none of those things. This means you too! The most welcoming sign there is, is the sign of the Cross.
In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 15:21-28) Jesus and his disciples are in the region of Tyre and Sidon, just north of Israel, the modern-day country of Lebanon. It’s a territory that was pagan or Gentile at the time. In this scene, Jesus frees and liberates the daughter of a (pagan) Canaanite woman from a demon. Notice the interplay between Jesus and the mother. Shockingly, Jesus calls here a “dog” (15:26) because she is not from among the children of Israel. I aways imagine Jesus winking at this woman as he is saying this, encouraging her to actively persevere in faith; and she snaps back at him and replies: “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman's daughter was healed from that hour (15:27-28).
From my perspective as a priest for 15 years and as a celebrant at the Sacred Liturgy, I frequently observe in congregations the tension between piety and welcome. There are those who favor pious expressions of faith and proper etiquette in church as they were taught. Then there are those who don’t know what’s going on, who don’t know the responses of the Mass or when to sit and kneel, who perhaps are not dressed properly for church. Piety is important and necessary, and etiquette is a good thing to have. However, if I were to choose to prioritize either piety or welcoming, I am ALWAYS going to prioritize welcoming! Why? Because time and again in the Word of God, Jesus does so in his teaching and in his actions.
Our “prime directive” as a Church is: Go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19), the Great Commisssion Jesus gives the Apostles after the Resurrection. The Church continues that mission today! “Here comes everybody” is a good description of what we are about, including in the work of the weekend liturgy. May we always continue his mission given to us!
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Here I Am” Week 1
Why We Worship
Dear brothers and sisters,
For the next 3 weeks we are going to talk about worship. For most Catholics when we think of worship, we think of Mass, and the priority of coming to Mass on Sunday. The problem is that many find Mass boring and formal, and many don’t understand what Mass is about. Catholics traditionally have been taught the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, and it’s a passive experience – it’s about what you “get” more than what you give. Some tend to desire traditional experience that emphasizes sacredness, piety, and etiquette, wearing your Sunday “best,” and not talking in church. Some people are turned off from their experience of Mass and they find greater welcome in the expressive and laid-back worship styles of evangelical or Pentecostal churches. Still others wonder what the point is, and for various reasons give up on Sunday worship, preferring to pray at home, if at all. Why bother to be with other people, if I can pray at home or in the beauty of nature?
In this series I’m not going to dive into the depths of the theology of the liturgy. That is the study of a lifetime. Instead, I’m going to highlight some basic points about our experience of Sunday worship. For many centuries in the West, the Mass was said in Latin, and many didn’t understand what was happening, but there was a sense of something ancient. Then in the 1960’s following the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), the Mass went into vernacular languages.
What is worship? What is the Catholic liturgy? According to Church teaching, the liturgy (in Greek the word “liturgy” means literally “work of the people”) is our PARTICIPATION in GOD’S WORK of redemption here on earth. Worship is not just me and Jesus – it’s the public worship of the Body of Christ! Our faith has been passed down from Jesus Christ through the ages, and this includes the liturgical rites. It is awesome to think that we are connected with the Body of Christ all through the world, in every culture and through time, through our worship.
In today’s Second Reading from Romans, St. Paul is anguishing that something new has come in Christ, and he begins for three chapters speaking about his love for the religion he grew up with, Judaism. In fact, he still considered himself Jewish, and his heart is broken that the entire Jewish People have not yet come to faith in Christ. He says: For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen (Romans 9:3-5). Notice that he mentions Jewish worship, which was connected with the Temple and consisted of weekly and yearly festivals and public celebrations. My point here is that Paul considered himself part of something much bigger than himself. As the Christian liturgy and worship developed after the time of the Apostles, the same idea came about. Worship is about being part of something bigger!
So, why do we come to Mass on Sundays? It’s not just fulfilling our obligation, or just passively receiving the Body of Christ, or “me and Jesus” – it’s our active participation, together as one, in God’s work in the world! It always amazes me to think that the same Mass is celebrated throughout the world in every time and place. Sunday worship then launches us out the church doors to do God’s work in our daily lives. We get to be part of something bigger! During this series, may we come to cherish more deeply our experience of worship.
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Welcome and Thank You
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration, the important event in Jesus’ earthly life that gave the apostles a “glimpse” of his Divinity. The memory of this event after the Resurrection helped to revive and galvanize them to go forth and announce the Good News. May we be refreshed and revived this summer to do the same. We welcome a missionary priest this weekend, Fr. Paul Sandi from the Amen Foundation, who has been assigned to make a Mission Appeal through our Diocesan Mission Office. Thank you for your generosity. There will be an envelope in the pews to support the work of his foundation, and there is also an option to give online through our website.
I would like to thank all parishioners for their hard work over the summer: the Columbiettes for taking the reins in the Cookbook project among many other activities, for the Knights of Columbus and their support of our partners, for example the $3900 raised for the Pregnancy Resource Center, and the monthly meal served to the homeless alongside the Valor organization. Thank you to Mady’s Angels, and all those who serve Mady’s Kitchen every month – we had “pre-COVID” attendance last weekend! Thank you as well to the Youth Group, especially to the adult volunteers, for the wonderful campout last weekend here on the church grounds.
I publicly thank Fr. Brian Clarke, the Pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Cresco, for donating to us the new Tabernacle in the church sanctuary, as well as several other items all around the church (new bells, thurible, wooden stand, sanctuary lamp). These items were originally in several other churches in the area that closed, and they were in storage waiting for a new home. Fr. Clarke refused to accept any donation for these items, so I said that we would offer a “spiritual bouquet” of 100 Holy Hours in our Adoration Chapel this summer. Please remember the parishioners of Most Holy Trinity in your prayers, especially when you pray in our chapel!
A special thank you to Mila Alday for taking the initiative to acquire these items and to bring them to St. John’s, and to Mariusz Zyskowski for doing finishing, repair, and installation work. Thank you so much!
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Holy Moments” Week 4
The Power of One Idea
Dear brothers and sisters,
We conclude our summer reading of Matthew Kelly’s latest book this week. The premise of the book is very simple – if we awaken to the possibility of experiencing Holy Moments, where we choose to cooperate with God in the people, places, encounters, and activities of our daily lives, we can take part in a movement that can change the world. It’s all about the power of choosing to see God’s work and co-creating Holy Moments!
In the final chapter, Matthew challenges us to dream of the possibility of how powerful this simple idea can be. It’s not something that’s far removed from our daily lives, but incredibly practical. He speaks about the power of becoming more focused in the midst of a world that’s full of distractions. He admits that we all get discouraged, but we never should stay discouraged. His parting advice is to be bold, to have courage and perseverance to create a better world, one Holy Moment at a time!
At Mass we hear the end of Matthew chapter 13, where Jesus teaches a few more parable, including the Treasure Buried in a Field and the Pearl of Great Price: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it (Matthew 13:44-46). Think about the bold actions of the persons in these parables – it seems absolutely ridiculous to sell all one’s possessions to purchase an empty plot of real estate, or a piece of jewelry. The message is to be extravagantly, aggressively bold, in cooperating with God’s Kingdom! It’s a challenge to boldness in action.
The idea of Holy Moments can focus our lives away from distractions, and improve our lives in every way. I know that I fight distractions every day. I know I face an inner critic who tells me I’m going to fail. For myself, I’d rather dream big and inspire others to dream big! I get out of bed every morning because I know I can do my little part to cooperate with God’s plan. So, the choice is yours. In what ways can you act in boldness? In what ways in your little plot of God’s Kingdom can you – and only you – do your part? We are not alone! Together, we can change the world!
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Holy Moments” Week 3
The Divine Plan
Dear brothers and sisters,
In this summer series we are reading together Matthew Kelly’s latest book. Chapter 1 speaks about awakening to the possibility of Holy Moments. The sure way to do so is to hear Jesus’ call in our daily life, “Come to me.” Chapter 2 explains the concept of Holy Moments in more detail. We can receive and respond every day to God’s efforts planting seeds in our lives; and one way think about this is by look for opportunities every day to see Christ in others, and to be Christ for others.
In chapter 3 Matthew Kelly speaks at length at about the problems in the world, and the delusion of “progress.” He dreams of the power of Holy Moments to bring hope to our world and to change the world! Perhaps you see his hopeful thinking as wishful thinking. Perhaps you see spreading the idea of Holy Moments as silly, or even a waste of time. All the time, people are constantly telling me about the problems of world and their preferred solution, whether it’s political, moral, or spiritual. We can all agree that there are many around us who have a dark view of the world today and a dim hope for the future. It’s especially easy to propagate and take part in negative and hopeless thinking because of modern communication and social media.
I can only respond as the Pastor of the Church of St. John, in the year 2023. I can only live my calling here and now, which is to teach and preach the Gospel in this portion of God’s Kingdom. The Gospel is ALWAYS Good News! In today’s Gospel passage, we hear one of Jesus’ parables that is uniquely found in Matthew: the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat (Mathew 13:24-30). The message of the parable is simple: God is the judge, so don’t worry about the weeds! Don’t anticipate God’s judgment by excluding sinners from the Kingdom – that’s not your job! You do your job, which is to grow and bear fruit in anticipation of the harvest.
It takes a lot of energy to be constantly judging people for being sinners and thinking about evil in the world. Why not instead be part of something hopeful! This week’s challenge is teach three people about how to create Holy Moments. Wherever the Gospel is preached and the Eucharist is celebrated, there is hope! Be part of that movement, instead of being consumed by negative and self-destructive thinking. I believe God wants us always to dream of a hopeful future and to make a difference in our words and actions, no matter what!
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Holy Moments” Week 2
Holy Moments Explained
Dear brothers and sisters,
Last week we introduced the topic of Holy Moments. We have the power to choose every day to experience Holy Moments in our lives. Jesus commands us to “Come to me,” which we can do in any moment, even and especially when we’re stuck and overwhelmed in unholy moments, or just in the busyness of life. How will you choose?
Today we will look more in depth at this topic, which Matthew Kelly defines in chapter 2 of his book. He says: A Holy Moment is a single moment in which you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to Him. You set aside personal preference and self-interest, and for one moment you do what you prayerfully believe God is calling you to do. In the chapter, he breaks down what this means.
In the chapter, he suggests reading the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). He calls this familiar parable “An Icon of Goodness.” In your prayer time this week, read the parable and notice to whom Jesus is addressing the parable; Jesus is speaking to a “scholar of the Law” who is trying to test Jesus and asks, “And who is my neighbor?” (10:29). When I was a seminarian, I used to chaperone on diocesan mission trips for high school students, and each night before lights out, we would gather together and reflect on a simple question, “Where did you see the face of Christ today?” This evening reflection each day set the tone for the entire trip, and was a key part of the overall experience that was life-changing for so many of the students. It could be in any given moment – among others in the group, serving the poor, or with a random person they only briefly met that day – where the students saw the face of Christ.
Our calling as Christians is to be mindful of the many moments each day where we can see Christ, and be Christ! Our “neighbor” is anyone and everyone whom God places in our life! This week, your challenge is to create a Holy Moment in your life. You don’t need to go out of your way! The people in your household, your work, on vacation, camp, or practice this summer are people you can encounter, and simply being like Christ, or seeing Christ in them, is the key ingredient to experiencing a Holy Moment. It’s simply being open and available to God and doing what is right in that moment! You put aside selfishness, laziness, pride, or anything that gets in the way of doing the right thing and act in alignment with God’s will, even if it’s a simple gesture like opening the door, or a kind word to a stranger or a friend. There you have created a Holy Moment!
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Holy Moments” Week 1
The Holy Moments Movement.
Chapter 1: Awakening to Holy Moments
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is taken from Matthew Kelly’s website for his new book: www.holymomentsbook.com. Please check it out! This excerpt is taken from “The Holy Moments Movement:”
There is a universal longing to change the direction the world is heading in. Men and women across our country are looking at the mess of the world and wondering, “How did it get like this? Is it even possible to turn it all around? Can anything I do actually make a difference?”
For a long time, there’s been little hope. These men and women have felt scattered and helpless. Until now. Now, they are being empowered and united by one astonishingly simple idea. That idea is Holy Moments. It began with one man walking down the street who had a life-changing thought: “Some moments are holy. Some moments are unholy. And you get to decide.” That idea changed everything. It brought him a joy that couldn’t be contained. So he shared that idea with another person, then another, then another.
That process has been duplicated across hundreds of thousands of lives. Kim in California received the book from a friend and creating Holy Moments breathed new life into her marriage. Now, she brings copies of the book wherever she goes to share with others. Gina watched a video on Holy Moments and the idea redefined her role as a teacher. Now, she’s implemented a Holy Moments curriculum in her entire school. Jim in Florida got the book in the mail and rediscovered his boldness. Now, he’s shared the joy of Holy Moments with his whole zip code. One simple idea is inspiring people like these all across the country. Together, they are realizing that they are the opposite of helpless. They have found a reason to hope. And they know that if they share the idea with enough people, we can shift the direction of the world, one Holy moment at a time.
That’s the power of Holy Moments. What will it do for you?
“Home Alone” Week 1: Alienation from God
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we begin a new three-week series that is all about loneliness. Despite being one of the most connected generations in world history, loneliness, even before COVID, was at “pandemic” levels in our society. This is not how things were meant to be. God created us to be in harmony with others, with ourselves, and with him. However, when human beings chose to sin, it led to a threefold alienation that has destroyed that harmony. It is this alienation that leads to a sense of loneliness. We are disconnected from God, from others and even from ourselves.
Loneliness is not just the experience of the absence of people! We can experience loneliness whether we are by ourselves or in a crowded room. There are differences between aloneness and loneliness. Generally speaking, loneliness is a lack of meaningful connection with others. Loneliness can also be related to our sense of guilt or shame. Because we feel we did something wrong, we feel guilty, and so we hide and withdrawal. Loneliness is also related to the feeling that nobody understands us and cares about us, including God.
We all crave “alone time,” and we all need some time alone, depending on our personality. Even extroverts need healthy alone time, and conversely, sometimes even introverts, who are more naturally reenergized by being alone, try to escape and can spend too much time by themselves. If we spend excess time by ourselves in unhealthy ways, that can feed and enhance the feeling of loneliness. This could mean excess TV, gaming, or social media; it could mean abuse of food, alcohol, drugs, or money.
In Small Groups in this series, we will look at Genesis chapter 3, which outlines the three-fold alienation. After the man and woman give in to the lies of the serpent and eat from the tree that was forbidden them, they are first alienated from themselves, ashamed of their nakedness. Then they alienate themselves from God: When they heard the sound of the LORD God walking about in the garden at the breezy time of the day, the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8). Their sin led them to hide! When God questions them, they blame each other; and now they are alienated from one another as well. When we are lonely, we can sometimes actively hide from God! Another example of this is Peter, who according to John chapter 21, went back to fishing after the crucifixion. The Risen Jesus appears to him and the other disciples who are at the Sea of Galilee at the time, and he revives Peter’s connection with him by asking him three times, “Do you love me?” (21:15ff).
The feeling of loneliness is not part of God’s plan. As we follow Jesus, he and the grace of the Holy Spirit can restore our connection with God, self, and others. All of us need to get alone with God, so to have an encounter with him! This is the first step to overcoming our loneliness: being reminded of the truth that we are NOT alone, and that a God who loves us personally and unconditionally simply wants us to respond in love! If we place our trust in God in real ways, that will help us to combat loneliness. Find ways to get alone with God and converse with him on a regular basis. Have a regular place and time for prayer. Get away every once in a while for an extended period of time for prayer. Go to your favorite hiking trail, lake, or beach. Go on a retreat once a year. Get alone with God! Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Baggage” Week 2
Receiving Forgiveness
Dear brothers and sisters,
Forgiveness is a core tenant of our faith. Yet, we can go through the motion of saying these words without really meaning them. We only really believe things if we actually put them into practice! Last week we introduced the topic of forgiveness, saying that Jesus’ definition of the topic is cancelling a debt. For forgiveness to truly become a habit, we have to own it and regularly practice it!
Today in Small Groups we return to Matthew chapter 18. Recall that Jesus’ first responds to Peter’s question about how many times to forgive a person, saying that we are to forgive others an infinite amount (18:21-22). Jesus then launches into the parable of the Unforgiving Servant, and recall also that the servant, who is us, owes the Master, who is God, an astronomical amount – we could say a trillion dollars. The Master decides to sell the servant and all his property into slavery, and in response, notice that the servant says something absolutely absurd: the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full (18:26). The servant could not possibly have paid that debt. Yet, the Master forgives him!
Like the servant, we owe God a debt that can never be paid back. All of our life is supposed to be dedicated to God, and we repeatedly have failed to give God his due! Sometimes we struggle with our indebtedness to God, and the reality of his forgiveness. So often we don’t truly want God to forgive us; instead, we want God to excuse us for our failures! There is a BIG difference! The reality is that there are things we have done that are inexcusable, but thanks be to God, they are not unforgiveable. These many things create a debt-debtor relationship that we cannot possibly pay back. By his suffering on the Cross, our Savior has paid a debt.
Forgiven people forgive. As we will see next week, the point of this parable is to demonstrate that we CANNOT possibly extend forgiveness unless and until we receive forgiveness! Realizing this can become a regular habit in our lives. How do we do this? First, you can do a daily examination of conscience and admit that you do things every day that are inexcusable. Make it a habit to examine yourself daily, realizing that we cannot excuse the many ways we add to our indebtedness. Go to Confession on a regular basis and receive the objective mercy of God! Second, we can grow in our ability to receive forgiveness by meditating regularly on the cross. Just look at the cross – Jesus didn’t just go through that for no reason! Perhaps watch the film, “The Passion of the Christ” from time to time, reminding yourself of the length that Jesus went for your sake, to repay the debt. Many of our actions are inexcusable, but thanks be to God, not unforgivable! Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Let There Be Light” Daily Devotional,
Week 4
Sunday
This is the fourth week of our series called, “Let There Be Light.” In this darkest part of the year, we become more and more aware of our need for light. We need light for our physical and emotional health. We need the light of Christ in our minds and in our hearts. We need the light of Christ — and we are called, challenged, and encouraged to bring that light to others.
As Christ followers, we are to let Christ’s light into our lives. Yet, at times, our minds and hearts can be darkened by fear and doubt. Fear and doubt can tempt us to walk away from our responsibility to bring the light of Christ to others. We may fear rejection or what others might think. We fear failure. We doubt that God can use us to bring his light into the world. Like us, Joseph had to overcome fear and doubt to bring Christ’s light into the world. This week, we will learn from his story so that God can use us to bring the light of Jesus to others. Ask God to use you in these last few days before Christmas to bring the light of Christ to others. Pray that his grace would drive away all fear and doubt.
Monday
This how the birth of Jesus came about. When his Mother Mary was betrothed to Jesus but before they lived together, she was with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1: 18-19). In the culture of that time, couples would get engaged about a year before their actual marriage. Although legally married, a couple didn’t live together or participate in the marital act; and yet, during this time, Mary becomes pregnant. Matthew is quick to point out that the child has been conceived by a miracle, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Matthew tells us that Joseph was a righteous man. He was a good and faithful servant of the Lord. He did God’s will. While Scripture does not tell us why Joseph planned to divorce Mary quietly, many scholars believe Joseph knew what was happening. He understood that a miracle had taken place but was filled with fear at the great task in front of him.
God gives us the great task of bringing his light to the world. Fear at fulfilling this task can overwhelm us. We might want to walk away from it. Confess any fears you have to God, and pray that he will lead you toward following his will.
Tuesday
Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that the child has been conceived in her.” She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:20-21). Joseph intends to walk away from Mary and to walk away from the role God wants him to play. His mind and heart are filled with darkness and fear; and then, God appears to him. He tells Joseph not to be afraid. For it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that Mary has conceived the child. God is sending his son into the world to save people from their sins. All of this is God’s work. Joseph’s role is simply to name God’s son.
God does all the heavy lifting in this world. God does the hard work. He invites our participation in what he is going to accomplish. We get to be part of his winning team so we do not have to fear rejection from others or fear that he will not give us what we need. We do the possible and God does the impossible. Listen to God when he tells you not to be afraid. Pray for the grace to not let fear get in the way of bringing others to Christ and fulfilling the role God has for you.
1st Sunday of Advent.
“Let There Be Light” Week 1
Everybody Needs Light
(For the season of Advent, I will include daily devotionals in this column. To follow these devotions every day, join “Church of St. John East Stroudsburg” on Facebook):
Sunday: Christmas is the season of light. As we come into the darkest time of the year, we recognize more and more our need for light. In fact, light is life. We need light in every aspect of our being. We need it for our physical health. Without light, we would have no food. Without light, we cannot manage our world and meet our needs. We need light for our emotional health. Without light, we become depressed and sullen. Light brings a sense of confidence and security, while its absence can make us fearful and insecure. We need light for our minds and hearts. Without the light of Christ in our minds and hearts, our minds are darkened with ignorance and our hearts are filled with fear. Over the next few weeks, we will look at our need for light and how to bear the light of Christ to others.
Ask Jesus to allow the light of his love into your mind and heart today.
Monday: In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters – then God said: Let there be light, and there was light. God saw the light was good (Genesis 1:1-4a). Genesis tells us that in the beginning, the earth was without form or shape. In other words, it did not exist; there was nothing. There was nothing and then God went to work to create something, to create the world. The first thing God created was light. Light is life. Without light, we have no life. We have no food. We have no heat. We have no ability to move and meet our needs. Everything flows from the light that God created.
Thank God today for the light. Pray for the grace to live in God’s light.
Friday: He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:2-5). John introduces his Gospel by talking about Jesus as the light of the world. He is the true light of the world that is life. His light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. The darkness of evil could not overcome Jesus. His death did not mean the end, but instead the beginning of a new kind of life. Light always defeats the darkness. As soon as a light is lit, the darkness flees. Even when darkness seems to be winning, it only takes a little bit of light to defeat it.
Where do you feel like you are walking in darkness? Invite the light of Christ into your mind and heart
“Wake Up” Week 3
Change of Priorities
Dear brothers and sisters,
This message series is all about waking up the Church to the greatest challenge facing our generation, and that’spassing on the faith to the Next Generation. Statistics tell us that that the future is bleak for the Catholic Church and other religious institutions, both in the United States and elsewhere. The majority of churches and other religious institutions are slowly or even rapidly dying. You may be saddened or angered by this, or you just might not care; but the challenge is to see a
realistic and hopeful vision of the future, a vision that includes all of us playing a part! We can be part of God’s vision of a vast army (Ezekiel 37:10) rising up to be the hands and feet of Christ today.
So far, we’ve talked about a change in perspective, and a change in approach. Related to these two is a change in priorities, which flows from a new perspective, and leads to a new approach. Ideally, if you’re struggling in an area of your life, whether it’s work, school, relationships, or a personal struggle like drinking too much, you look at your priorities. What is most important? The changes you make are based on what you prioritize, both in the moment and for your long-term success. If work
is the priority right now, you work longer hours to get that promotion, so as to set up your family for long-term success. At another time in your life, your priority might be spending more time with your kids or grandkids, so you work fewer hours. If you find yourself drinking too much, you prioritize getting help in the short term, even though this might mean not working as much, or being away from your kids for a while.
Our priorities are rooted in our purpose – why do we do what we do? When we lose our “why,” we lose our way. We all are called by God, for example, in marriage and family life, in priesthood or religious life, and in particular work that is rooted in our God-given gifts and talents, opportunities and skills. We are created for a purpose. I am called by God to be a priest in this time and place, using my unique talents and skills, and it’s no different for anyone else. Our faith can only help us to find our
purpose! Jesus is our example; as he said last week, his “why” is crystal clear: The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10). The work of the Body of Christ as a whole is rooted in Jesus’ purpose, as he commands us: Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).
Sadly, many people have forgotten why the Church exists! Part of it is how people were raised. If you were raised in a culture or a neighborhood where everyone was Catholic, everyone belonged to the local parish, all your friends went to the local Catholic school, then “belonging” was assumed. The Church existed to teach you the truth of Christian doctrine and to get you to heaven; in other words, the emphasis was placed on “believing.” Here's the point: we cannot assume that people know or feel
that they belong, as we did in the past. Today, we must PRIORITIZE first belonging, and second believing. Because we believe that the Church exists to make disciples, thus our priority is welcoming the unchurched! Our highest priority is rooted in our “why” which leads to a new approach.
Whatever else that you may think the Church is about: a sanctuary for individual piety and to escape the world, or a social club, or a charity organization, or a place to get your kids a quality education, all of these are a lesser priority than the biggest priority! In today’s Gospel passage (Luke 20:27-38), Jesus is in Jerusalem, in the last days of his earthly life, and he is confronted by a group of Jewish leaders called the Sadducees who deny the Resurrection. Jesus answers their religious questions by stating who God is: he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive (Luke 20:38). Soon after this debate, Jesus brought this about for us by dying and rising again. He knew his priority, and he always acted with this priority in mind. One of the biggest challenges facing the Church is convincing the Next Generation that we are truly sincere when we say “All are welcome.” Jesus’ priority is that we invite others onto the pathway of lifelong discipleship, that we know we belong, that we then come to believe and understand, and that we act accordingly. As he teaches today, resurrection life goes beyond sexual identity and relationships – it’s who we are right now as members of the Body of Christ, not just in the afterlife, but now!
We are Resurrection People! We all belong, and while not all behavior is permitted or life-giving, Christ’s message, his priority, and what we “lead” with, is that the Next Generation know that they belong! Questions for Small Groups:
1. In what way have you changed your priorities in life? What motivated you to do so? It could be the short term or the long
term, in school, relationships, or work.
2. Why does the Church exist? Do you agree with the statement: the Church exists to make disciples. What does this mean to
you, and do you agree or not?
3. Have you ever thought about your personal “why?” Do you feel that you are called and chosen by God to be a saint? What
holds you back from being “purpose-driven?”
4. If you were raised Catholic, was it just assumed that you belonged? What was the biggest priority of the Church in your
upbringing? Do you agree that the Church has to “lead” with the priority of welcoming others to belonging first, and
believing second? Why or why not?
5. If you were welcoming a young person who identifies as LGBT+ to church, and they say, “I don’t believe you when you say
that all are welcome,” how would you respond? Read today’s Gospel story (Luke 20:20-38). Do you believe that our “Resurrection identity” transcends all other relationships?
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“Wake Up” Week 1
Change of Perspective
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we begin a new 5-week message series that will be a little different. This series will be about casting a vision for the future. From time to time we must be challenged in our worldview – how do we look at the world? How do we look at our place in the world? Do we see the world, and see our lives, as God sees? I see a certain way as a pastor in my “watch post” so to speak, and I see things differently than other priests because I have unique gifts and strengths, as well as weaknesses that shape my own unique and limited perspective. You do too – it depends on your experiences and opportunities, your successes and failures, and how God made you. Here’s the thing: most of us often get stuck, often times, in the activities and busyness of life that limits our ability to see a bigger perspective, seeing the trees instead of the whole forest. If you’re a first-time parent, or you’re struggling to get by, or you’re dealing with a health issue, your perspective may be limited to those things.
This series is all about stepping back and thinking bigger, dreaming bigger, as God sees things. It’s about WAKING UP – both to the realities facing the Church in the world today, how it affects us whether we’re aware or not, whether we think so or not – AND what we can do about it. We face a crisis in the Church and the world, a crisis of churches closing, people walking way from religion, all tied together with the many crises and divisions of our country and our world today. Think about this: as of October 2022, there are threats of economic recession, war, and an uncertain future. We’re in the middle of election season and every politician is sending us huge amounts of advertising in the mail, on TV, and all over the internet, saying that they’ve got the solutions! Yet our crises go way beyond the ballot box! As for myself, I can’t claim to solve the problems of the world, but I can preach and teach, as is my duty as a pastor, God’s vision!
The first thing God says is that this is nothing new! It’s happened before! The ancient people of Israel had disobeyed God time and time again. Eventually they ended up in exile in Babylon, in 587 BC. They were away from their homeland, and their country and nation ceased to exist. Can you imagine this scenario, and the immense pain and suffering? Most of their leaders were carried away in chains, leaving everything in Israel in ruins, even the Temple, their center of worship. Can you imagine the despair? Yet it was here that God spoke to Ezekiel, a priest who was in exile in Babylon, and gave him a vision of hope for the people. This week in Small Groups, read Ezekiel 37:1-14. Ezekiel is given a commandment by the Lord God to speak a prophecy in a valley filled with dry bones, and here’s the result: I prophesied as I had been commanded. A sound started up, as I was prophesying, rattling like thunder. The bones came together, bone joining to bone. As I watched, sinews appeared on them, flesh grew over them, skin covered them on top, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me: Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man! Say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O breath, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life (Ezekiel 37:7-9). It’s a vision that’s a bit spooky; what is it about? It’s about the dead coming to life. When all seemed lost for the people, as so many were dead, and the remnant who survived had their lives turned upside down, the Lord God cast a vision of hope.
The second thing God is saying to you and I today is to be on the lookout to see how we can be part of God’s vision! We all need hope in our lives, and we all can share hope. The main Scripture verse for this entire series is this: I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered them; they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army (Ezekiel 37:10). Just imagine a VAST ARMY of disciples of Christ transforming the world. Imagine this scenario in our local community, our schools, our businesses and health care facilities, our homes, of a vast group of people bringing the Good News to one and all! You have a role to play in sharing this hopeful vision to everyone around you. In playing your part, this new perspective can have an enormously positive impact on your life and on the lives of those we love. Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
“8th Grade Faith” Week 1
Adult Faith is about Relationships
Dear brothers and sisters,
Many of us grew up going to Catholic School and attending CCD, where faith was taught as a subject, rather than as a relationship with Christ. In this “kickoff” message series of the fall, we will look at how our religious education experience was, and sometimes continues to be, viewed at as a checklist, and often “stopped” after Confirmation. We will look deeper into what God wants for our life and discipleship as mature, growing Christians, and discuss practical methods to help us grow in faith. After all, can you imagine doing your job, if you stopped learning at 8th grade? It’s the same for your faith.
Growing up, I went to public school, and I attended CCD at my home parish. I was blessed with two parents who took us to church every week and who actively served in our parish in various roles. In fact, my mother eventually became the director of CCD! However, if I’m honest, even with their good example, church was mostly irrelevant to me until much later. I have little memory whatsoever of CCD class in elementary school and middle school.
Yet these years were very important for my growth in faith. When it comes to faith, almost all of us were formed with our image of God in childhood, and sometime around 8th grade, “because I said so” no longer is a good answer for most people. The problem is that faith can stall or become stuck in 8th grade, without ever maturing as it should! For many reasons, many people have never wrestled enough with faith to allow it to mature into a faith that is personal and truly one’s own. St. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, recognizes this process of maturity. He says: When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child (1 Cor 10:11). Kids are kids! Children can act immaturely, selfishly, and have a simplistic view of the world. Our image of God was formed in these years, and maybe your image of God is stuck in childhood. We can view God as a kind of 8th grade teacher, who will call your parents if you don’t do your homework; or you view God as a divine Santa Claus who is keeping a list of “naughty” and “nice.” Maybe you view God as an accountant who is keeping a ledger of positive and negative. These images of God are all simplistic and childish. Paul continues: When I became a man, I put aside childish things (10:11). That’s what this series is all about: moving beyond childish images of God, which for most of us is all about viewing religion as being all about rules. Rules-based religion is what we were taught in 8th grade – God wants you to be good, so don’t be bad.
We have to move beyond that rules-based religion to encounter God as a person. Paul concludes: At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known (13:12). Paul is looking into the future, but he’s talking about relationship-based thinking. We will know God face to face, as our Heavenly Father. He wants to know you and have an intimate relationship with you! In this series I challenge you to look deeply at your image of God. Do you have a childish “rules-based” view of God, or more maturely as having a relationship with Him? Questions for Small Groups:
With blessings,
Fr. Reichlen
Fall Happenings!
Happy Labor Day weekend! The new school year is upon us. Many prayers and blessings for students, parents, teachers, and school staff! Our major priority or “rallying cry” this year is Next Gen! We are relaunching old activities and programs, trying out new ideas, and studying how we might better pass on the treasure of our Catholic Faith. As the Church faces the daunting challenges of our culture today, there is nothing more important than welcoming and forming kids and youth on the path as lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.
You may not be aware that our staff and volunteer leadership have been hard at work during the summer, planning and preparing our fall kickoff and beyond. So, here’s a short list of what to expect at St. John’s in September and October:
Other activities in the Fall 2022 include our Virtual Grief Support Group on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm via Zoom; joining one of our parish organizations like the St. John’s Seniors and the Knights of Columbus each of whom is celebrating their 25th Anniversary in the parish this fall, the Columbiettes which are hosting a Yard Sale on September 17, and the Focolare Group which will be restarting soon and are planning a family day of prayer called ”Mariopolis” on October 16. These groups all have lots of other activities planned this year so stay tuned!
With blessings!
Fr. Reichlen