Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection - February 9, 2025

“Oh Lord, I am not worthy!”

At every mass, before we receive Communion, we recognize our unworthiness. This is a common theme throughout scripture. In the first reading, Isaiah says, “Woe is me; I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips…” In the second reading, Paul refers to himself as “one born abnormally.” He believed that he was unworthy for Christ to appear to him and to call him to represent Him. Finally, in the Gospel, Simon tells Jesus, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Certainly, on our own, we could never be worthy to encounter God, to be loved by God, or even to serve God. Yet, we are all called to do just that. The Lord cleanses the lips of Isaiah so that he is able to say, “Here I am…send me!” Jesus accepts and strengthens Simon saying, “Do not be afraid…from now on you will be catching men.”

In each case, the proper starting position is one of humility. A position that acknowledges that we are unworthy and that no amount of earthly success can change our human condition. The answer is not found in ourselves, but, rather, in the Lord. In our humility, we call upon the Lord and He answers our call, but we do not dictate the terms or the conditions of how or when He answers us. Yet, he gives us the strength to say, “Here I am…send me” and the courage to surrender like Simon, James and John, leaving our version of our lives behind and following the life that Jesus gives to us. Jesus promises to make the first disciples, “fishers of men.” They likely had no idea what that meant, yet, in their humility, they were drawn to Jesus and were open to the idea of following Him. They recognized something special about Jesus and were willing to give up EVERYTHING to follow Him.

We also must respond willingly to God’s call and do His bidding whenever and wherever it leads us. Often, this can be inconvenient or difficult or downright contrary to our own plans, expectations, desires and goals. On the other hand, if we “drop our nets,” follow Jesus enthusiastically, and allow Him to teach us His ways, we will be worthy to be on His path toward a goal that is eternal.

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection - February 2, 2025

When my son was young, he loved to fish. He could stand on the dock for hours waiting for a bite. It took extreme patience for a 7-year-old to stay still, hoping to get the big one. I’m glad that he got patience from Rosemary, because he certainly did not get it from me.

Yet, even those of us who are generally impatient can be patient when we are helping our young son or grandson learn a new skill or when we are working on a craft project. Sometimes we forced to be patient because time has to pass for a problem to be solved. Other times, we must be patient because a situation is not within our control.

Simeon has devoted his life to “looking for the consolation of Israel.” He has been patiently waiting because the situation was not within his control. He also had to be diligent, always keeping a close eye on activity at the temple to be present for the moment promised to by the Holy Spirit. Day after day, over many years, he has continuously prayed, hoped, and suffered disappointment. BUT THIS DAY IS DIFFERENT. This day he finally encounters Jesus! God has fulfilled his promise and has rewarded Simeon’s waiting. Simeon not only thanks God for allowing him to finally see salvation, he also tells God that he is ready to “go in peace.”

Simeon’s prayer defines his life: he has lived for this moment. Simeon trusted in the Lord and kept faith while pursuing his mission. Now, his work is done. As best we can tell, Simeon did nothing else in his life EXCEPT to wait to see the Lord. Yet, his life has been worthwhile. When he did that, he was content. Simeon doesn’t react with regret or fear of the end of his life; instead, he praises God and humbly submits his life to the Lord.

Simeon put aside distractions and focused solely on seeing the Lord. If we allow our lives to be filled with distractions, we will not see the Lord even when He is right in front of us. While we may not be able to devote ourselves totally to prayer and waiting, we can always be searching for Jesus, recognizing Him when we see Him, and serving Him when we recognize Him.

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection - January 26, 2025

In this weekend’s passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul continues to remind us that we must be united in Christ despite our differences. Last week, he wrote about the different gifts that we have all received. This week, he uses the analogy of the body to describe the Church. He reminds the Corinthians, that they “are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.” He explains that, just as the body has and needs many diverse parts, the Church also relies on its diverse membership to carry on the work of Jesus.

This weekend, I will be speaking at all the masses about our 2025 Pastoral Services Appeal (“PSA”). It is a time when I ask our diverse congregation to rally in support of this particular cause as one united body. I will be sending all parishioners a letter with more details regarding PSA. I just wanted to highlight a few things at this time.

The PSA is an annual appeal led by Bishop Vann to fund critical aspects of Diocesan work such as Catholic Education, Catholic Charities of Orange County, Vocations and Seminarian Formation, the Permanent Diaconate Formation, and Priest Retirement. Each year, after reviewing the financial condition of each parish, the Bishop asks each parish to raise a specific amount for the PSA as part of its fair share in supporting the Diocese. Our goal for 2025 has yet to be announced but has been $242,000 for a couple years. Every dollar that we raise above that goal will come back to us to be used within our parish at my discretion with the advice of our parish leadership. As a result, the PSA will have both a local and global impact.

Last year, we exceeded our goal by $100,000. This year, I am hoping and praying that we can do even better. As you will see in more detail in my PSA letter, we have plans for every dollar of the surplus that we receive back from the Diocese. Among the projects that we hope to fund through PSA are improved lighting for the front of the church and plaza area, creation of an Adoration Chapel, improvements to our outdoor meditation and statue area, improvements to our child-friendly worship space, additional classroom space at the school, and ongoing improvements to our athletic field. May God bless you as you consider your PSA contribution.