Happy Sunday!

I am about a month in here at SFdA and finally writing my first bulletin letter. Typically, I like to give everyone updates on what is happening around the parish in these letters. Sometimes I will offer a short reflection on the Sunday readings here, or talk about a saint or feast day that we will be celebrating in the week. This week, I want to offer words of gratitude to each of you for welcoming me back so warmly. When I found out the bishop wanted me to return to Flagstaff I was very grateful. However, there is always an element of the unknown, even in the things we know. I had no cause for concern!

Life, like the church, is often burdened with evil, smallness, and impurities. The Lord’s parables give us a hope-filled perspective on all three.

Evil: in Jesus’ parable about the good farmer whose enemy plants weeds at night, Jesus tells us that God is not the cause of evil but permits evil to exist with good out of his patient love. He will finally deal with it, but his love lets things stay messy for a time.

Over the years I have wasted a lot: a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of talent. Sometimes I didn't realize I was wasting these things but, after reflection, I realized I could have done more and accomplished much greater things. Of course, I think that is part of our imperfect humanity. It truly is easier for us to waste our gifts than grow them into something more. The parable of the sower speaks about the word of God that gets planted in our hearts. If the soil of our heart is rich, than the word will grow and change us. If that soil is rocky or full of weeds, the word will lie there without any impact, bearing no fruit.

Do you ever feel restless? certainly do. Daily tasks and challenges, but also the more basic demand of simply existing – sooner or later, this can all feel crushing and tire us out. Which is why Jesus' words are such stunningly good news: "Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

As a boy my favorite board game was “Chutes and Ladders.” The players roll dice to move from the start to the finish, from the bottom of the board to the top. If you land on a chute, you slide back and down. It was a bummer. Land on a ladder, and you jump well up the board and near the goal. It was a thrill to find a ladder and draw closer to the goal. That’s life, isn’t it? At every moment, we’re either moving closer or farther from the goal of our lives.

In the backyard of the house where I live with other priests, there is a lemon tree which produces a huge amount of fruit. One evening in the spring I needed some lemons for a chicken dish. I glanced from the kitchen and saw the tree bursting with large, bright, gorgeous lemons, hanging thick on seemingly every branch. Turning to Fr. Bob (I’ll change his name to protect the innocent) who sat on the couch, I said, “Father, could you pick a few lemons for me?” He said sure and into the backyard he went. He returned a few minutes later empty-handed. “John, there’s no lemons. Sorry.” I said, “What are you talking about?”

Years ago, a woman at daily Mass approached me in the communion procession. She had her arms crossed, indicating she wanted blessing instead of the Sacred Host. She had tears in her eyes. gave her little blessing. She returned the next day. And the next. The same thing repeated. After few weeks, asked her why she didn't receive Holy Communion. She said she wasn't Catholic yet and was preparing to become so. asked her why she wanted to be Catholic. She said, "Because long to be in a real communion with Christ and with everyone love." That, submit, is a darn good reason. few months later, she became Catholic and received the Body and Blood of Christ with unspeakably great joy and still does to this day.

Soren Kierkegaard reminds us that life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced. The same can be said about God. God, who is the Mystery of mysteries, may be beyond our intellectual comprehension but not beyond our experience. Were our human minds really capable of knowing the true essence and depth of God, we would then be “equal” to God and as superior as He is.

When I was in middle school, there were times I didn’t want my fellow students to see my parents drop me off or pick me up in the school parking lot. I was embarrassed of my parents. Why? I have no idea. Maybe it was our station wagon. Or I didn’t want to look like a little kid. But in retrospect that was a silly thing to do. I was a kid. And I had two parents who loved me and had built a wonderful family. I was afraid of the other kids’ judgment. How silly! I should have been afraid of forgetting or downplaying my family, which is where my identity had its deep roots.

One of the most powerful symbols used to describe the Holy Spirit is fire. It is the reason why we wear red on Pentecost. By depicting the Holy Spirit as fire, the Scriptures teach us about the effects that he has on the lives of believers. Like fire, the Holy Spirit transforms us, purifies us, and sets us aflame with love of God.

For my 40th birthday, I wished only for a fancy pedicure — a real indulgent one complete with a massage where I could relax and escape the stress of life. On my way to the appointment, I stopped for a coffee and, while in line, this nudge to be open to sharing my faith if the opportunity arose stirred in my heart.

How familiar are we with God’s Presence in our lives … I mean, really?!?! We say that we are because that’s the right answer to the question.

Recently, I came across a story of an old man dying of cancer.

“The old man’s daughter had asked the local priest to come and pray with her father. When the priest arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The priest assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.

I consider myself to be something of a connoisseur of kitschy Catholic magnets.Having had the good fortune, in my lifetime, to spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchens of the elderly faithful, I’ve seen it all. The silhouette of a Rosary with the caption “Call your mother — she’s waiting to hear from you.” A nativity tableau that reads “Every family needs a stable foundation.” The classic “WWJD” — a real ecumenical gem, it’s a favorite across all denominations.