Sept. 14, 2014 Reflection

By the Cross the world was redeemed

A Reflection for the Exaltation of the Cross Feast September 14^, 2014

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD

Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/Franciscans of Divine Mercy

www.missionstsergius.org

www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

 

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Triumph of the Cross or as it is known in Latin, Exaltatio Crucis or Exaltation of the Cross. Simply put it commemorates the fact the Cross has become a sign of salvation and Christ’s victory over not only death but sin.

The Cross has gone from being one of the most feared ways to torture someone to death to symbolizing not shame and defeat but victory and salvation.

The entrance antiphon for the mass begins; “We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is our salvation, our life and our resurrection; through him we are saved and made free.”

The gospel of John chapter 3 verses 13-17 tell us the following; “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.”

This gospel is a clear reminder to us of exactly how much Almighty God loves ALL His children.

His love is so great that He was willing to send his beloved son, Jesus Christ, to earth in human form to be subjected to all the difficulties and pressures of being human even to the ultimate indignity of being persecuted, tortured and crucified. It was by Christ’s Crucifixion, death and resurrection that we were redeemed and our sins forgiven and the gates of heaven were opened to ALL who lived their lives in accord to the teachings of Christ.

The Church places very high regard to the sign of the cross recognizing the powerful significance of Christ’s crucifixion and the results it achieved for the human race. As Christians we begin prayer by making the sign of the cross on our bodies, we offer the following prayer when we celebrate the passion of Christ in the Stations of the Cross “We adore you O Christ and we bless you. All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world” which today is the Alleluia verse.

The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of the twelve great feasts in the yearly Church cycle. It commemorates two historical events: first, the finding of the Life-giving Cross in the year 326 by St. Helen the mother of the Emperor Constantine, and second, its recovery from Persia in 628.

As adults, we sometimes feel abandoned and afraid and feel like we are being treated unfairly or blamed for things unfairly. We have a hard time when people criticize us for following our inner feelings even when we have discerned what we are feeling to determine if it is in accord with God’s will.

As adults the same feelings of insecurity that we sometimes felt as children raises its ugly head and we feel that everything we do is not appreciated.

There are also those times when we believe that we have taken on more responsibility or a project that we are not capable of or possibly is not actually God’s will.

We often feel sorry for ourselves; even though the crosses others have to carry are much greater than anything we have to contend with.

Even Jesus, who was fully aware of what was in store for Him pleaded with His father “”My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”(Matthew 26:39)

In all these insecure feelings we must always pray to God in the same way that Jesus did by asking our heavenly Father to grant to us that which is in accord with His will and not what we think we desire.

That is what I am now doing regarding the future of this ministry as I struggle to maintain it.

God’s infinite love for us will NEVER give us more than we are capable of enduring and, often, God has caused those He loves greatly, like His son, to endure greater suffering because God knows that our faith in Him is strong and we will be like Job, keeping our faith in spite of our difficulties.

In today’s world so many individuals and religious organizations reject and discriminate against others because they are not exactly like them. God did not create only one species or one kind of person.

God created great diversity and because of His creation we have much to be thankful for because if all people, animals and countries were the same boredom would certainly have overtaken this world many millennium ago.

Christ was sent to us as an act of God’s love to make known God’s will and the way to salvation.

One of the basic teachings of Christ is compassion for the downtrodden, poor and marginalized.

I believe that to be a true Christian means that those who have been given wealth, fame and power have an obligation to take care of those who are in need. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked (Luke 12:48)

Our second reading for this Sunday from Paul’s letter to the Philippians has this to tell us about Jesus Christ; who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Just as Christ set aside His human instincts to remain alive and not suffer the agony of the passion and death on a cross in order to attain salvation for ALL God’s children so too must we set aside our self-interests and make our decisions based on what will benefit the greatest number of people especially those who are suffering because of age, poverty, war, discrimination and illness.

Doing this we can be assured that we are truly living in accord with God’s will and as Jesus tells us in John 17:26 ; “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:26)

There is a very beautiful Hymn written by George William Kitchen and Michael Robert Newbolt in 1916 often sung during the season of lent but also sung on this feast day, “Lift High The Cross” which contains this beautiful refrain; Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim

till all the world adore his sacred Name. The hymn continues with these verses;

Come, brethren, follow where our Captain trod, our King victorious, Christ the Son of God. Led on their way by this triumphant sign, the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine. Each newborn soldier of the Crucified bears on the brow the seal of him who died. This is the sign which Satan’s legions fear and angels veil their faces to rever. Saved by this Cross whereon their Lord was slain, the sons of Adam their lost home regain. From north and south, from east and west they raise in growing unison their songs of praise. O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree, as thou hast promised, draw the world to thee. Let every race and every language tell of him who saves our souls from death and hell. From farthest regions let their homage bring, and on his Cross adore their Savior King. Set up thy throne, that earth’s despair may cease beneath the shadow of its healing peace. For thy blest Cross which doth for all atone creations praises rise before thy throne.

Every time we see the Cross, the symbol of Christ’s ultimate gift of giving of his earthly life, and the reason His Almighty Father and the creator of the universe sent his only begotten son to earth just so we could have forgiveness of our sins and gain everlasting life we should be reminded of God’s infinite mercy and love for All his children. God’s love for us is as great as the love God had for His son and if we are living as God had his son teach us to live we will be joined with Almighty God and His beloved son when our time here on earth is over. The cross is also a sign to us to never despair but know God is with us even in our darkest hours. AMEN

Link to the video Reflection for Sunday Sept. 14, 2014

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BskVIm5Qwc&list=UU8RuEVHpV5f7lEzckyVHKOg

 

 

Sunday August 31st Reflection

How Do We Serve God and Live According to His Will?
A Reflection for the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.missionstsergius.org

This past week has been an inspiring week and interesting week spiritually. Spiritually the readings for not only this Sunday but the entire past week have all been about how we, as followers of Jesus Christ, should be living our lives.
On Monday the Gospel was from Matthew 23 and it told us the following; “ But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” Could this not apply to those churches that reject people because they are single mothers, divorced, or have a same sex orientation? Christ NEVER turned any one away.
Tuesday’s Gospel was also from Matthew 23, verses 23-26 and continued Christ’s admonition of the scribes and Pharisees, who are the equivalent of the clergy of this day and age, the Gospel proclaims; “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.”
This passage not only was talking about the Religious leaders of Christ’s time but, I believe, to the Religious and Political leaders of today.
Building magnificent palaces as a sign of giving praise, honor and glory to God and His beloved Son Jesus the Christ is a waste of the funds that built them when they could have been used to annihilate poverty, illness and provide affordable adequate medical care and education and housing to millions of people all over the globe who are impoverished.
God did not ask us to honor Him that way.
God wants us to honor Him by caring for one another and loving one another as His Son, Jesus Christ taught us.
We must keep in mind that we humans have a tendency to look at the world through our inferior mind compared to God’s perfection as Christ tells us; “You are thinking, not as God does but as human beings do” Whoever wishes to follow me, must deny themselves”…..”What profit is there for a person to gain the whole world and forfeit their life” (Matthew 16: 26)
This passage might well compare with what Pope Francis had to say about churches recently; “When a priest “doesn’t put his own skin and own heart on the line, he never hears a warm, heartfelt word of thanks from those he has helped”, “This is precisely the reason why some priests grow dissatisfied, lose heart and become in a sense collectors of antiquities or novelties — instead of being shepherds living with ‘the smell of the sheep,”
“This is what I am asking you, be shepherds with the smell of sheep,” so that people can sense the priest is not just concerned with his own congregation, but is also a fisher of men.
“Instead of being just a church that welcomes and receives by keeping the doors open, let us try also to be a church that finds new roads, that is able to step outside itself and go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent. The ones who quit sometimes do it for reasons that, if properly understood and assessed, can lead to a return. But that takes audacity and courage.”
On Wednesday the Gospel was also from Matthew 23, verses 27-32 which reads like this; “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets. Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors.
That passage could well relate to those priests who took advantage of young people in their care and abused them, not only physically but mentally and spiritually. It also could well relate to the Bishops who covered up the misdeeds of those abusive priests.
On Thursday the Gospel was from Matthew 24:42-51 which says the following; “Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day[a] your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
This passage most certainly is a warning to us that we must always be vigilant to stay faithful to the teachings of Christ and not stray away for personal pleasure, financial gain or self-centered goals.
The passage reminds us that we could be called from this earth at any time and will need to answer to God for our failures.
On Saturday the Gospel was from Matthew 25, verses 14-30 which was the parable of the Master who entrusted his 3 servants with various amounts of money or “Talents” giving each a different amount and telling them to care for them. Two of the servants invested the funds and made a gain for their master, but the third buried what he had been given and when the Master returned and the servants made a reckoning of what the master had given the, the master was pleased with the two who made wise decisions but was angry with the third and cast him out.
The message of that Gospel is that we have to use the gifts that God has given us wisely and for the benefit of God. Making sure that when we are called to answer to God on how we lived our lives and used the gifts he gave us, we are not like the third servant who hid the talent but like the 2 good servants who used the talent wisely and made a profit for the Master.
Today’s reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans 12 urges us too “Not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, discern what is good and pleasing and perfect in the eyes of God” and in Matthew 16: Christ tells us clearly “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done.

“How wonderful it is that nobody needs wait a single moment before starting to improve the world” these words were written by Ann Frank in her Diary of a Young Girl still ring true today.
We don’t have to wait for someone else to change the world, we can begin now each one of us, individually by changing our own perspective and evaluate what we need to do to live God’s greatest commandment; “Love God with your whole mind, body and soul and love your neighbor as you love yourself” or as Christ told us; Love one another as I have loved you.”
Remember what Christ warned us; “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Might it not be better for us to “”not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. AMEN

Link To Video Reflection for Aug. 31

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S8Ytmql4g4&list=UU8RuEVHpV5f7lEzckyVHKOg

 

My 10th Anniversary

Ten years ago on the Feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother I was ordained a Priest and since then I have never known such joy in my heart that God has given me the opportunity to not only bring Eucharist to those often forgotten, but to actually consecrate the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. I thought that when I was ordained a deacon in 1980 God blessed me greatly, but being called to be one of God’s shepherds has been the most fulfilling experience of my life. God certainly has blessed me, he has allowed me to experience the wonder of the entertainment industry by being an actor, director and producer, given me the opportunity to teach some of his most wonderful children for more than 30 years, and now the crowning glory of my life, being a priest of God. I thank God for all his blessings and pray I am serving him and his beloved children well. Please offer a prayer for me that God will allow me a few more years to try to become a much better servant and that our ministry will continue to receive the support of our donors who make the work of this ministry possible and without whom I would not be able to do the ministry to the nursing homes, hospitals, hospices and shut-ins all over Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and  Rhode Island.

 

Mission Fund Drive

In an effort to reduce our outstanding Mission debt we are conducting a fund drive, please consider making a donation.
To make a donation go to:
https://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/fund-raiser-to-eliminate-mission-debt-/180847
or use the DONATION buttons on our web sites: www.missionstsergius.org or
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org…
or send your donation directly to our bank account:
MISSION STs. SERGIUS & BACCHUS
C/O MIDDLESEX SAVINGS BANK,
850 Washington Street,
Holliston, MA 01746

Sunday August 3rd Reflection

Only God Can Deny You Salvation

A Reflection for the 18^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD

Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy

An All Inclusive and Welcoming Old Catholic Parish and Ministry

Of the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas

Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org

Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

Link to all Fr. Bob’s REFLECTIONS TV Shows http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn

Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html

Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansDivineMercy?fref=ts

Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org

Email Address: Divinemercyparish@msn.com

 

Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us. For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:35-39

The above  words are from the second reading for the 18^th Sunday of Ordinary Time and should bring comfort to all who have been made to feel unwanted or rejected by a person, a business or even a religious denomination. 

No matter what, according to Saint Paul, absolutely nothing can keep us separated from the love of Almighty God and from gaining eternal life in heaven if we live our lives with respect for all God’s children and creation and express true contrition for our weaknesses and failures.

We are not put on this earth to live our lives for the praise or adulation of others but to achieve everlasting life by living in a manner that will please God, since He is the only person who really counts.

We all are going to be rejected by some human being, for some reason. God will only reject us if we do something that offends but He is quick to forgive us if we ask His forgiveness.

No human being can deny anyone the love, compassion or forgiveness of God or can they deny access to heaven. 

God and only God has that power.

The Gospel reading this Sunday also affirms that with God all things are possible. 

In the Gospel, Christ turns five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed five thousand people and there were still twelve baskets of food left over.

God is a loving, merciful and compassionate God and he is the ultimate judge of us. It is what God thinks that counts, not what some human thinks.

Don’t ever let any person be the cause of your giving up on God because God NEVER GIVES UP ON YOU.

If you put yourself totally in God’s hands, take time every day to communicate with Him, letting him know your joys, sorrows, and your needs, giving thanks to him for the smallest thing that brought some light into what might have been a very dark day, thanking him for the miracle of the butterfly that danced before you in the garden, in essence, taking time every day to include God among those you talk with.

Let God know that you desire to have a lasting relationship with Him. 

Yes, I call God “Father” and therefore male since that is how Christ referred to God.

It is God who is the source of all things and who determines who is and who is not worthy to enter into the company of the Heavenly elect.

We humans are inferior and imperfect, which means we are prone to make mistakes as history has taught us throughout the years. 

People who have eventually been declared saints where persecuted by the church, like St. Joan of Arc, only to have the church later admit they were wrong. 

Paul in today’s reading makes it very clear that nothing, absolutely nothing can ever become between us and God’s infinite mercy and love except sin and God is ready and willing to forgive us if we but ask. Paul had this to say:“no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  

To me the message is crystal clear, let nothing dissuade you and turn you away from the infinite love of Almighty God and His beloved son, our redeemer and savior Jesus Christ.  Christ’s mission here on earth was  to proclaim the way, the truth and shed the light of God’s teachings and desires for us.

Christ was the beacon that illuminated the way to be with God and the heavenly elect when our time here on earth is completed.

Follow that light and keep it in your heart every day. 

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you are not wanted or accepted by God.  Even the worst of sinners can obtain forgiveness and be accepted into the heavenly kingdom. 

Seek God and listen to what is in your heart. 

Love God and live your life being faithful to God by loving one another as Christ loved and welcomed all He came in contact with.

Love of God and of each other is the greatest commandment according to Christ.

Let us live each day with love and trust of God securely in our heart and love for each other by living our lives with consideration for the needs of all God’s children and not just our own needs. Let us share the gifts we have been given by God with those who are in need and support the servants of God who are attempting to affirm God’s infinite love by welcoming all God’s children.  By loving God and trusting in Him and seeking equality and justice for all God’s children, we live as Christ instructed us.   God will never abandon us; do not ever allow anyone to cause you to abandon God.              AMEN

REFLECTIONS TV Show for July 27th

Sunday July 27, 2014 Reflection

Seek and you will find

A Reflection for Sunday July 27^th 2014

By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD

Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy

An All Inclusive and Welcoming Old Catholic Parish and Ministry

Of the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas

Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org

Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Web Site: www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

Link to all Fr. Bob’s REFLECTIONS TV Shows http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn

Link to St. Joseph Cupertino Parish: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html

Link to Franciscans of Divine Mercy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansDivineMercy?fref=ts

Link to the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas http://www.iccamericas.org

Email Address: Divinemercyparish@msn.com

 

 

Today’s readings from Holy Scripture are all about Love, God’s love to be exact and how we should return that love to God.

The first reading for this Sunday is from 1 Kings 3:5 “The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” and it called to my mind another similar passages from Holy Scripture.

One is found in Deuteronomy7 4:29 “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Another is found in 1 Chronicles 28:9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” and still another in Matthew 7 :7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Each of these passages are a solid reminder of God’s promise and love for ALL His children who embrace Him and seek Him for solace and forgiveness as well as healing and strength.

Today’s Gospel from Matthew 13:44-52 relates the parable that Christ used to describe the Kingdom of Heaven. “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.”   Once we have found the truth of Christ’s message and recognize that Almighty God, the Father and creator of all things is a loving, compassionate and forgiving God who has created all things good, we need to hold on to that message and value it as the most precious thing we have.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans 8:28, which is the second reading for this Sunday, Paul reaffirms this knowledge by saying “Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.  For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.”   Combined, these words should hearten us and lift us up when we feel depressed, forlorn or abandoned.

Recently Pope Francis told us the following about God’s love and our love for God; “It is more difficult to let God love us than to love Him! The best way to love Him in return is to open our hearts and let Him love us. Let Him draw close to us and feel Him close to us. This is really very difficult: letting ourselves be loved by Him. And that is perhaps what we need to ask today …‘Lord, I want to love You, but teach me the difficult science, the difficult habit of letting myself be loved by You, to feel You close and feel Your tenderness ! May the Lord give us this grace.” This is a wonderful prayer for us to pray daily, especially if we feel that God does not love us. God’s love for us is unlimited and infinite.

Pope Francis has emphasized the love of Christ when he said; “The Lord loves us tenderly, The Lord knows that beautiful science of caresses, the tenderness of God. He does not love us with words. He comes close – closeness – and gives us His love with tenderness. Closeness and tenderness!

“The Lord loves us in these two ways, He draws near and gives all His love even in the smallest things: with tenderness. And this is a powerful love, because closeness and tenderness reveal the strength of God’s love.” 

We need to remember that we are never completely alone as long as we hold on to the love of God and believe the message that Christ gave us. 

It is not the rules of man, or a church organization that should establish how God perceives us but what is embedded deep in our hearts.  

If we live our lives to serve God with our whole heart and with a willing mind, as the reading from Chronicles reminds us, GOD WILL NEVER REJECT US!  

If we welcome and accept the truths found in today’s readings we will understand it is God Himself who looks into our hearts and decides who will attain heaven.

It is not any humans place to usurp God’s decision.   We are taught in today’s readings; “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” “know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts If you seek Him, He will let you find Him” “For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

On May 22^nd in his homily to those gathered for Thursday Mass at Casa Santa Marta. Pope Francis had the following to say about God’s love and our love for God; “The Christian vocation is this: to remain in the love of God, that is, to breathe, to live of that oxygen, to live of that air, Jesus’ love is a love that comes from the Father. The loving relationship between Him and the Father is also a relationship of love between Him and us. He asks us to remain in this love, which comes from the Father,” The Pope was focusing on Jesus’ exhortation from the Gospel of John, “remain in my love.” The sign of remaining in this love is “keeping the commandments.” “When we remain in love,” the pontiff said, “the Commandments follow on their own, out of love.” Love “leads us to naturally fulfill the Commandments. The root of love blossoms in the Commandments.”

In essence, if we live by what Christ called the two greatest Commandments: “Love the Lord, your God, with your whole mind, body and soul and love your eighbor as you love yourself” or when he said; “Love one another as I have loved you” God will NEVER reject anyone who comes to him and has faithfully followed those teachings.

We must always remember the motto of our Ministry; “God loves ALL His children exactly as He created them”

Therefore, go forth and seek God with your heart, mind and entire being and follow Him with love toward individual you encounter on your journey of life and you will have the gates of heaven opened to you and hear God say; “Well done my good and faithful servant”.  AMEN

 

At a Stalemate

Dear Family, friends and fellow clergy, Our fund raising drive to replace our dangerous to drive mission vehicle has stalled of late at just slightly above 50% of our goal to raise enough funds to allow us to lease a vehicle with affordable payments we know we will be able to make over the 3 year term of the lease.

We feel that leasing will be the best method for us since it covers any and all mechanical work that might have to be done without any expense to us, but if we buy a used vehicle we would have to pay for any mechanical repairs that might happen, and most times, over a 3 year period, there are mechanical problems that happen to used vehicles. The best used vehicle we could buy with the funds available has over 100,000 miles already on it.

We did the math, and if we can raise the $5500 needed to lease a vehicle for payments of $98 a month, all we would need to worry about is the monthly payment and Gas, oil and insurance payments for the 3 years.

If you feel that this ministry is doing the work of God in its service to hospices, nursing homes, shut-ins and those often marginalized because of age, illness, or sexual orientation, I beg of you, in God’s name, to make a donation to our fund drive and ask your family and friends to do so as well. this is how you can make a donation, use this fund raising link or send your donation to our bank.
https://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/deposit-for-mission-vehicle/180847

 

OR by sending a check or money order directly to our Ministry bank and notating on it that is for the “Vehicle Fund Drive”.
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
C/O Middlesex Savings Bank
830 Washington Street
Holliston, MA 01746

Pax et Bonum
Peace & All God’s Goodness be with you
Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
Divine Mercy Old Catholic Parish
Independent Catholic Church of the Americas
Link to Fr. Bob’s Weekly TV show
http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn
Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FriarBobJohn
Mission Web Site www.missionstsergius.org
Franciscan Web Site www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
ICCA Seminary Link http://www.iccamericas.org/seminary/
Diocese Office: http://stjosephcupertino.com/index.html