Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 18, 2024

SJE Admin • August 21, 2024

Dear Friends,

We take time this weekend to thank Fr. Vincent Nguyen, C.S.C., for his ministry among us. Fr. Vincent came to St. John the Evangelist in April 2022 and since then has been ministering to our wonderful people of Viera in various ways. As he moves to his next assignment at Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs, CO, we wish God’s blessings upon him and offer prayers for his safe travels.

Holy Cross priests have been serving Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs for many years, and this year they are celebrating their 40th Anniversary. Sacred Heart Parish has that special flavor found in the communities of the Colorado foothills and mountainsides. The parish consists of three churches: Sacred Heart Church in Colorado Springs, Holy Rosary Chapel in Cascade, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel in Manitou Springs. Fr. Vincent is familiar with this area, as the Holy Cross Novitiate is located in Colorado Springs. He spent his Novitiate year there, and it was there that he professed his First Vows on 1st August 2015.

We wish Fr. Vincent many years of joyful service to the people of God in Colorado. Thank you, Fr. Vincent, for your ministry to us! May God abundantly bless you in your ongoing effort to represent and preach HIM who is Crucified and Risen.

This weekend is a busy one for the parents whose children are beginning their Religious Education classes. We pray that the hearts of both the children and their parents will open wide to receive the graces that flow from the learning experiences our religious education program provides. We are grateful to our parents and grandparents who take great care to ensure that their children/grandchildren receive the best formation in Faith during their formative years. I thank our Religious Education Team consisting of our staff members, Kelli and Schonda, and the numerous, wonderful catechists and volunteers who dedicate their time, treasure, and talents to educate our children in the Faith.

We offer our congratulations to George Bowdren, who received the Family of the Month Award for August 2024 last Sunday (11 August 2024) at the 11 a.m. Mass. George is one of our founding members and a volunteer over the years in many parish ministries. Thank you, George, for all you are to us!

This weekend we celebrate the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time. We continue reflecting on the vitally important Chapter 6 from the Gospel of John which is fundamental to our understanding of the source and summit of our Catholic faith, namely, the Eucharist. In verses 51-58, Jesus continues to insist that he is the Bread come down from heaven. It is in this passage that we first hear the words that so shocked those listening to him: “whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” We hear the the reactions of the people for whom these words were blasphemous to their ears. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus’ response does not mollify their agitated spirits but only aggravates them as he says: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.”

Reflecting on these words might prompt us to ask: what does Jesus mean when he calls his flesh and blood “true”? Fr. Erick J. Wagner offers an answer. He says that Jesus refers to the manna eaten by his listeners’ ancestors in the wilderness to help convey his point.

That food, although divinely provided, did not spare the people from death. To consume something provided by God is not enough to attain eternal life. More is needed. Life eternal calls for consuming God. Jesus is speaking of ultimate things. The wisdom of the banquet of his body and blood, therefore, is not simply about human nourishment. His “true” food does not simply fill our mouths and stomachs for meaningful social interactions Nor is the Lord’s body and blood solely spiritual food, though it does fill us with the Spirit to give thanks to the Lord The banquet of Jesus’ body and blood – the true food and true drink of God – draws us through death into resurrection and the fullness of eternal life. To be filled with his body and blood is to be filled with life eternal, to experience lasting nourishment within, to enjoy the promise of resurrection, and to remain in him.”

What a blessing it is to be a Catholic and be able to consume God himself in the Eucharist!

Once again, I would like to remind each one of the Holy Hour Challenge that we began on 6 August, the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady. How many Holy Hours can you give to Jesus from 6 August – 15 September? Have you responded to this challenge yet? If not, why wait? Please go to our website and sign up at https:// www.stjohnviera.org/adoration. Pope Benedict XVI said it so well: “The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself.”

I sincerely thank those who attended the Re-FOCCUS Marriage Enrichment session for our parish couples this Saturday. The theme was Forgiveness in Marriage, and the session was presented by Fr. Arul Raj Gali, C.S.C. We greatly value and honor the marriages lived by our parishioners. There are many things in this world that work again living out your marriages according to Christian way of life. Please hang on to your marriages, for they are an unfailing source of stability for our community. Above all, stable marriages are most beneficial for our children. I thank all who hold on to their marriages despite all the challenges involved. I ask everyone to join me in praying for difficult marriages. And for every family, we pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen them with his presence, day in and day out.

Have a Blessed Week!

With love,

Fr. John

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First Sunday of Lent, March 9, 2025

March 9, 2025

Dear friends, The holy season of Lent has begun with a glorious Ash Wednesday. It was heartwarming to see our children at the 7 a.m. Mass that day. They wore the cross-shaped ashes on their foreheads to school, proud to show their faith and be silent evangelizers. We are very proud of them! Now that it is Lent, we will offer Stations of the Cross at the Grotto each day of the week except Sunday, including the traditional Stations on Fridays. I urge you to look at the bulletin for all the details about special Masses and other spiritual activities that have been created to support you on your lenten journey. I ask that you take the Lenten Schedule on page 8 and post it where you will remember to look at it. In particular, note the information about the Lenten Mission on March 16-18, the special programing for the Tuesdays of Lent, and the many spiritual activities on Fridays. We can approach Lent as the opportunity to do a spiritual “spring cleaning.” As one good priest reminded me: “Lent is a time to re-read the ‘owner’s manual,’ to tune our ‘engines,’ and to refurbish our ‘vehicles’ – not only for the journey of 40 days but also for the journey of life, the right life–and the right eternity.” God has given us an inexhaustible capacity for the transformation needed for becoming holy. Lent is also that special time of year when we walk with our catechumens and candidates as they prepare to become full members of the Catholic faith during the Easter Vigil. We are called to support them through our prayers and examples of faith. Remember to pray for their sponsors and their families as well. During the Vigil Mass on 8 March, the St. John’s family will join with our catechumens in celebration of the ritual called the Rite of Sending. In this rite, they will be recognized for the progress they have made in their spiritual formation. Then we will send them on to the Rite of Election which will be celebrated by Bishop Noonan the next day, 9 March, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. We are very proud of the perseverance and dedication of our sisters and brothers . In this Jubilee Year 2025 themed, “Pilgrims of Hope,” it is good to reflect on the words of St. Teresa of Avila about hope and what it accomplishes: “Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.” On the First Sunday of Lent, we always revisit the scene of the temptation of Jesus in the desert where he spent 40 days fasting and praying. We also recall our ancestors in faith, the ancient Israelites, who for 40 years trudged their way through the desert to the promised land. Jesus, through his patient acceptance of suffering and his rejection of the allurements of the devil, models the correct response in times of adversity and testing. This is in contrast with the ancient Israelites who murmured and complained bitterly about their ordeal. Jesus never swerved from being obedient to his Father; he completely and utterly depended on Him. Let us, too, place complete confidence in the Father during our times of trial, of which there will be many. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, continues to need our prayers. Let us continue to pray for his healing: “O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful, look favorably on your servant Francis, whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd; grant, we pray, that by word and example he may be of service to those over whom he presides so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may come to everlasting life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” I take this opportunity to announce that Beth Lowry has joined our parish staff as the new Business Manager. She held the position of bookkeeper in our office some years ago. Beth is well known to many at St. John’s. She and her devoted husband Steve have long been involved in many of our ministries. Beth brings a rich variety of work experience and abilities to her new position, and we wish her a positive and pleasant experience as she takes on this leadership role at St. John’s. Welcome, Beth! Have an inspiring and enriching LENT! With love, Fr. John