Posted on: May 2, 2020

The Lord is my Shepherd - 4th Sunday of Easter

There are so many things to share with you this weekend. Instead of trying to cover it all, I will give a brief outline and then provide you with links to the many resources and prayers that I have come across.

We begin the month of May with the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker and the Consecration of our Archdiocese to Mary, Mother of the Church. If you weren’t able to participate in mass on Friday, May 1, I would encourage you to listen to Father Parker’s insightful homily and Archbishop Don’s prayer of consecration. 

This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday. In Father John Bartunek’s book, “The Better Part”, he speaks about the Good Shepherd in this way: 

“When a lamb is particularly rambunctious or adventurous, repeatedly putting itself in danger, a shepherd will sometimes purposely break one of its legs. He then puts the lamb around his neck until its leg is healed. By that time, the little lamb has become attached to the shepherd, and it never again strays far from its master’s protection and guidance. Jesus wants us to know who he is: the Good Shepherd who protects and cares for the people of God just as a shepherd does his sheep. As Christians, we don’t only have a good Shepherd, but the perfect Shepherd; now all we need is to be sensible sheep and listen to the voice of the One we know. A sheep has no greater friend than a good Shepherd, and we have no greater friend than Christ.”

We also recognize this Sunday as the 57th World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We acknowledge the vocations of all Christians given at baptism. Holy Father Pope Francis speaks in his World Day of Prayer for Vocations message about the risks involved in every vocation, the gratitude we owe to the Lord for His call, and the courage and praise with which we are called to live it.

At the end of the letter Pope Francis says the following: 

“Dear friends, on this day in particular, but also in the ordinary pastoral life of our communities, I ask the Church to continue to promote vocations. May she touch the hearts of the faithful and enable each of them to discover with gratitude God’s call in their lives, to find courage to say “yes” to God, to overcome all weariness through faith in Christ, and to make of their lives a song of praise for God, for their brothers and sisters, and for the whole world. May the Virgin Mary accompany us and intercede for us.”

May is the month dedicated to Mary. The rosary is the greatest prayer of our times given to us to behold the face of Christ with Mary. It is said that each bead (or prayer) is like giving Mary a rose. Let us honour Mary, our Mother with a bouquet of roses by reciting the Rosary every day. We pray that all vocations be strengthened and in a particular way we are invited to pray and ask our Good Shepherd to send more priests, sisters, brothers and missionaries who will offer their lives for His service in the Church. 

Prayer for Vocations

God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son’s Kingdom as priests, deacons, religious, and consecrated persons. Send your Holy Spirit to help us respond generously and courageously to your call. May our community of faith support vocations of sacrificial love in our youth. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 

Amen. 

 

Pope Francis also provided us with this message and invitation to pray the rosary (daily) asking for Mary’s intercession during this time.

I pray the month of May will be that springtime of hope. May each one of us draw closer to Mary, our Mother and her son, Jesus, as we unite our hearts in prayer. 

 

In Christ,

Shannon

Posted on: April 25, 2020

Jesus Listens

Not being able to go to mass for the past few weeks, I have been trying to fill the void with lots of extra online spiritual talks and retreats. Yet, I realized that amidst taking in all these wonderful opportunities for spiritual growth, I found myself questioning how well am I praying? Am I really seeking out Jesus and having an intimate relationship and meaningful conversation with him or am I simply learning about him?

The Road to Emmaus is a very familiar story where Jesus came near and walks with two disciples whose “eyes were kept from recognizing him”. When Jesus asks what they are discussing, the disciples are surprised Jesus doesn’t know about “the things that have taken place” in Jerusalem. In Jesus’ humility, “he asked them, “What things?” How often do I not see and recognize Christ working in my life? He is always there and even though he knows everything, he wants me to say what is going on in my heart. He wants me to share my thoughts, concerns, failures and achievements. 

St. Ignatius recommends a daily Examen so when we look back on our day, we realize and appreciate all that has taken place and can share that with Jesus. By looking back and sifting and sorting through the events and feelings of our day, we enhance our understanding and deepen our appreciation in seeing the many ways Jesus gave us the gift of love. We can appreciate how much God loves us and how powerful his grace is in our lives.

Where is God? He is walking beside us, if we dare to really pour out our hearts and really pray, the scriptures say, “Jesus listens”. He listens to the desires of our hearts and then connects our stories to the great stories of faith. When we see we are part of this Paschal mystery, we emerge from darkness to light. The truth always fills us and gives us peace. The line at the end of the first reading and the Psalm both speak the same message “You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.”

This is a great opportunity to allow Jesus to open your eyes to truly see him as your best friend. Invite Jesus to walk with you and accompany you. “If your friendship with Jesus does not fill you with contagious enthusiasm, then you are being a half-hearted friend.”

 

In Christ,

Shannon Novak
Pastoral Assistant

Posted on: April 18, 2020

Why Sunday?

Jesus, I Trust in You

The readings this Sunday speak of Jesus appearing to his disciples and their response of faith, gratitude, joy, trust and mercy. After the Resurrection, we know that Mary Magdalene didn’t recognize Jesus until he spoke her name. The disciples on the road to Emmaus journeyed alongside Jesus and didn’t recognize him until he took bread, blessed it and broke it. And then of course, Thomas, who wouldn’t believe until he actually saw and touched Jesus’ wounds. We pray for an increase in faith, especially in the days ahead when we have doubts and uncertainties.

At the Last Supper, we know that Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Holy Orders as well as the Sacrament of the Eucharist. In John’s Gospel today, Jesus came to the apostles on the evening of the Resurrection and showed them his hands and his side. Christ gave us the gift of mercy by instituting the Sacrament of Reconciliation when he spoke these words to the apostles, the priests of the new covenant, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retained are retained.’” (John 20:21-23)

Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Saint Pope John Paul II instituted it on May 5, 2000, five days after the canonization of Polish nun, Saint Faustina Kowalska, the most notable advocate of the devotion. On Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church calls us to celebrate God’s Divine Mercy given to us through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, our need for trusting Faith, and our need for the forgiveness of our sins. - Vatican News

This was what Jesus suffered and died for – for the forgiveness of our sins. We must rejoice in our salvation even during difficult times and put our complete trust in him. When our churches re-open, let us embrace the many graces that come from the Sacrament of Reconciliation and allow Christ to touch our wounds to create pure hearts for him to come to dwell in. We can deepen our faith and our love for the risen Christ by saying, “My Lord and my God” and fully believe he is present in the Sacred Host when we can finally receive him in the Eucharist.

Our Psalm today reminds us to “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever.”  Let us turn our hearts to God’s merciful love and learn more about the devotion to Divine Mercy. Each time we lack faith or have difficulty recognizing Christ, simply say the words Jesus gave to St. Faustina, “Jesus, I trust in You.”

 

Here are some links to resources for Divine Mercy Sunday.

God bless,

Shannon Novak

Pastoral Assistant

Older Posts Newer Posts