I Have Come to Set Fire
Pentecost Sunday
“Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”Ps. 104
“I have come to set fire to the earth; and how I wish it were already lit!”Luke 12:49
It is what Jesus longed for, to fulfill the prophecy of Joel, that the Spirit would fill the earth, that everyone would be filled with the Love of God that is the Holy Spirit.
“…because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”Romans 5:5
That is what Jesus came to, to fill the earth with faith, hope and love, because by faith we open ourselves to the hope and love of God and we are able to love. The gift of the Spirit is the greatest thing we can have, for with Him we are beloved children of God, with eternal life, who should no longer fear death, for we must not fear in ourselves the One who is Life and Giver of Life. That’s why Jesus said:
“It is true what I say to you: it is in your interest that I go, because as long as I do not leave, the Protector will not come to you. I’m leaving, and it’s to send it to you.”John 16:7
“I still have many things to say to you, but now you cannot bear them. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.”John 16:12
“But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”John 14:26
This is how Jesus speaks to us of the Holy Spirit, as the one who would continue his work among us, guiding his Church, as he did from the beginning. We see the early apostles prompted by the Spirit, as Acts of the Apostles relates.
Before the coming of the Spirit, they were afraid, locked up, without living what Jesus had taught them. But with the Spirit they will begin to live, to proclaim the Good News with courage, to manifest that Christ was alive, with his words and deeds, as the Church has been doing for centuries. That is why the Spirit is defined as the soul of the Church. The body without a soul is dead. The Spirit is what gives us Life.
It is with the guidance of the Spirit that Christ promises his Church that he began the work of the Church, of evangelization, proclamation and charity. It was also the Spirit who inspired them to write down the divine revelation we have in the New Testament. As well as to discern the errors and heresies that from the beginning wanted to infiltrate the Church. In councils of bishops with the pope they asked for the assistance of the Spirit who continued to guide them. This is how the Sacred Scripture, the Bible, the creed, etc. were also summarized.
Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love.
Readings for the Week
Sunday: Vigil: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ez 37:1-14 or Jl 3:1-5/Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 29, 30 (see 30)/Rom 8:22-27/Jn 7:37-39
Extended Vigil: Gn 11:1-9/Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b/Ez 37:1-14/Jl 3:1-5/Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 29, 30 (see 30)/Rom 8:22-27/Jn 7:37-39
Day: Acts 2:1-11/Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 (see 30)/1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13/Jn 20:19-23
Monday: Gn 3:9-15, 20 or Acts 1:12-14/Ps 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7/Jn 19:25-34
Tuesday: Sir 35:1-12/Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23/Mk 10:28-31
Wednesday: Zep 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16/Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6/Lk 1:39-56
Thursday: Sir 42:15-25/Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9/Mk 10:46-52
Friday: Sir 44:1, 9-13/Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13/Mk 11:11-26
Saturday: Sir 51:12cd-20/Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11/Mk 11:27-33
Next Sunday: Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9/Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 (52b)/2 Cor 13:11-13/Jn 3:16-18
Observances for the Week
Sunday: Pentecost Sunday
Monday: Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church; Memorial Day
Tuesday: World Day of Prayer for Vocations
Wednesday: The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday: St. Justin, Martyr
Friday: Sts. Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs
Saturday: St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
Next Sunday: The Most Holy Trinity
You Are Eternal Spirit
The Ascension of the Lord
“God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.”Ps. 47
Teilhard de Chardin said: we are not carnal beings having spiritual experience but spiritual beings having carnal experience. This is your eternal identity. If the flesh does not submit to the spirit, the spirit will be subjected to the flesh and lead you to do what you do not want. We all have an obligation to overcome evil with good. Victory belongs to truth, to goodness, to light, so we must strive to live in them, before it is too late. Evil of all kinds must be defeated in you, the sooner the better.
We cannot decide for others, only for ourselves. Let us choose to overcome the egoistic disorder, the evil, the darkness in us, for it is the only thing we have under the power of our will and free will. This will also be the best way to help others do their part. It is urgent to be on the side of Christ, it is the side of victory, of light, of truth, and if we are not with Him, we support the enemy, conscious or not.
“He who is not with me is against me.”Mt 12:30
Our life, by decisions, words and deeds, is an invitation to others to do the same, to choose the same values. Let us be an example by following JS, for only in Him do we have eternal Life.
The evil will be paid, if not before, then later, but every evil has its consequence, always negative, both in oneself and in others. And every evil inflicted upon others is itself an evil inflicted upon itself in threefold proportion. It is better to avoid it as much as possible while we are on time, because then it will cost more. Better to purify ourselves on earth than to risk salvation or leave it for purgatory, for the very word of God and many saints have reaffirmed that it is much more desirable and accessible to purify the soul here on earth than in purgatory.
In fact, we are called to holiness, and not to live it is short-sighted, it is to continue in the enemy’s team, favoring the enemy, scoring goals to Jesus daily, offending him and not living what pleases him, we will mourn him bitterly if we have the grace to get to see the light of truth.
“He who does not love is dead.”1 Jn 3:14
Every lack of charity and love is a suicide is to lose life and divine grace in us which is the greatest treasure to which we can aspire; It would be more foolish than to waste a material fortune on games and be destitute; The atrocity is greater if we waste the spiritual fortune that God came to give us and we remain in the worst misery, the spiritual and eternal, being able to be fortunate and rich in eternal values. What I do and what I love. Crazy I must be, for I am not holy.
THE ASCENSION is an announcement of hope, that we can reach eternal Glory, following in the footsteps of Jesus, the path of truth that leads to Life.
Readings for the Week
Sunday: Ascension: Acts 1:1-11/Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 (6)/Eph 1:17-23/Mt 28:16-20 | Seventh Sunday of Easter: Acts 1:12-14/Ps 27:1, 4, 7-8 (13)/1 Pt 4:13-16/ Jn 17:1-11a
Monday: Acts 19:1-8/Ps 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab/Jn 16:29-33
Tuesday: Acts 20:17-27/Ps 68:10-11, 20-21/Jn 17:1-11a
Wednesday: Acts 20:28-38/Ps 68:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab/Jn 17:11b-19
Thursday: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11/Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11/Jn 17:20-26
Friday: Acts 25:13b-21/Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab/Jn 21:15-19
Saturday: Morning: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31/Ps 11:4, 5 and 7/Jn 21:20-25
Next Sunday: Vigil: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ez 37:1-14 or Jl 3:1-5/Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 29, 30 (see 30)/Rom 8:22-27/Jn 7:37-39
Extended Vigil: Gn 11:1-9/Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b/Ez 37:1-14/Jl 3:1-5/Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 29, 30 (see 30)/Rom 8:22-27/Jn 7:37-39
Day: Acts 2:1-11/Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 (see 30)/1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13/Jn 20:19-23
Be Careful What You Believe
Sixth Sunday of Easter
“Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.”Ps. 66
This would be the key to life on this earth, to learn to choose correctly what to believe, because we are all born knowing nothing and we are destined to
have to believe what others tell us; the problem is that not everyone tells us true things or truths, because we see partially, never from all angles and knowledge is a gradual process of deepening and discernment between what is and what is not, For this reason, many are wrong and transmit deception to others.
We must know how to select well what we believe, it is essential to deepen towards knowledge, distinguishing the true from the false, from among so much that we come to hear in this world. Given that we do not have and can never have direct access to much firsthand knowledge, we need to believe the testimony that others transmit to us, as we do since childhood in order to learn everything. But then we need to listen more critically, to discern between truths and deceptions.
This is how we believe what they tell us about history, because we could never know if it were not for the testimony that others give us. Even in this we can no longer swallow whole, because we already know of many contradictory testimonies and black legends that were written distorting the truth for ideological interest.
In this world we choose every day what we believe and who we believe, and that determines our physical and mental health, since, even to eat today you must know what theory you believe, which nutritionist you follow, what recommendations you take for certain and which not, of what doctors or the media tell you.
Some decide to believe that there is human life from conception, as science says and others prefer to believe that it is not until it is born, and therefore it can be killed before birth. Some decide to believe that it is okay to do some things and others believe that it is wrong. Everything is a
matter of what each one chooses to believe, and this will depend on the knowledge and the way of life of each one. Some were more responsible in researching to discern truth from lies, and others simply indulge in their whim or intuition, not caring about research on the various subjects, and without love of truth.
As for the health of the soul, each one decides to believe if he has an eternal soul or not, if behind the beauty and greatness of creation there is a Creator or made alone, if the millions of believers are right or wrong, if Christ told us the truth or was an impostor.
Some inquire and study to make their decision sensibly and correctly, others do not and can be easily deceived and err in these important judgments, taking as good what is bad and vice versa, or as truth what is a lie and vice versa. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU BELIEVE! FAITH IS LIKE THE EAR THROUGH WHICH THE VOICE OF GOD MUST BE HEARD, AND DISTINGUISH WELL THAT OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD FROM THE OTHER VOICES.
Readings for the Week
Sunday: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17/Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20 (1)/1 Pt 3:15-18/Jn 14:15-21
Monday: Acts 16:11-15/Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b/Jn 15:26—16:4a
Tuesday: Acts 16:22-34/Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8/Jn 16:5-11
Wednesday: Acts 17:15, 22—18:1/Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14/Jn 16:12-15
Thursday: Acts 18:1-8/Ps 98:1-3ab, 3cd-4/Jn 16:16-20
Ascension: Acts 1:1-11/Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 (6)/Eph 1:17-23/Mt 28:16-20
Friday: Acts 18:9-18/Ps 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7/Jn 16:20-23
Saturday: Acts 18:23-28/Ps 47:2-3, 8-9, 10/Jn 16:23b-28
Next Sunday: Ascension: Acts 1:1-11/Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 (6)/Eph 1:17-23/Mt 28:16-20
Seventh Sunday of Easter: Acts 1:12-14/Ps 27:1, 4, 7-8 (13)/1 Pt 4:13-16/ Jn 17:1-11a
News for May
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First Communion Registrations
At Father Luciano hall
- May 31 from 6:00pm-8:00pm
- June 01 from 6:00pm-8:00pm
- June 28 & 29 from 6:00pm-8:00pm
Call (818) 899-2111 for requirements
Living Bread
Join Archbishop José H. Gomez & young adults from across the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for an evening with Jesus in the most Holy Eucharist.
Saturday, June 10
Cathedral of Our Lady of Los Angeles
Confessions: 5:30pm
Praise & Worship: 6:30pm
Mass & Adoration: 7:00pm
Fellowship: 8:30pm
For more information and to register visit: lacatholics.org/eucharist/
Memorial Day
Office will be closed on Monday, May 29 in observance of Memorial Day.
Did You Know?
Keep Talking About Online Activity
One way to keep children from creating an isolated online virtual world is to keep the conversation going in real time, in person. Ask your children what they do online: who do they talk to? What are they reading and researching? Have they watched any interesting videos? Making the online space part of your regular everyday conversations can help children bridge the gap between virtual engagement and reality. For more internet safety tips, read the VIRTUS® article “Five Keys to Monitoring Kids Online Activity” at lacatholics.org/did-you-know/.
What’s the Point of Life?
Fifth Easter Sunday
“Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.”Ps. 33
We all have the natural obligation, inscribed in our souls, to seek meaning for life, to seek the truth, because this is precisely what distinguishes us from animals, what makes us the image of God, intelligence, the need for meaning for life, to transcend,.. To answer the basic existential questions that no one can avoid and answer them in one way or another, where do we come from and where are we going? Who gave us life and for what? Who is God and what is He for? “Show us the Father and it is enough for us”
The problem is that the world, guided and blinded by the devil, ruler of this world and father of lies, does not want us to know about eternity, or God, or soul, it wants to lead everyone to conceive themselves as animals of another species, and to live as such, focused only on the here and now. in instincts, in surviving, without wanting to know about God, or after life, or wonder anything else. That is why they have everyone entangled and distracted with many inventions, distractions and entertainment so that they do not think.
Many are those who blinded by the world and the devil have been enormously irresponsible and irrational in answering these sublime questions. They ignore them, or resign themselves to absurdly believing that everything was done alone, that we came from nothing, for no reason, and lived for nothing, destined to live for a moment and then die and nothing more. We are responsible for what we choose to believe and think, for what we choose to accept as truth, for that shapes our way of thinking, our ideas and actions, and therefore, our whole life, temporal and eternal.
We cannot be so naive and irrational as to lightly believe any absurd or fashionable theory. We have by nature critical capacity, and we develop it in this world before the experience of suffering deception, to verify the abundance of lies that exist and the negative consequences of accepting them as true. We all naturally want the truth, but the devil, father of lies, who wants our destruction, has blinded many so that they do not want the truth, and prefer to deify themselves and believe themselves so powerful as to change it or decide what the truth is.
There are also many superficial unwary who prefer not to think and let themselves be carried away by the easiest, as if doing the dead in the river, without wondering where the current takes it, despite the strong probability that it will take me to a waterfall that causes me death; but it is easier than swimming to get me safe. Many resign themselves to living only in the here and now and to live distracted by everything in this world without wanting to think about the after or answer the fundamental questions mentioned.
Jesus was very clear about the end of his life:
“I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”Jn 10:10
“If you keep my word, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”Jn 8:31
“I am the way, the truth and the Life, no one goes to the Father except through me.”Jn 14:6
Readings for the Week
Monday: Acts 14:5-18; Ps 115:1-4, 15-16; Jn 14:21-26
Tuesday: Acts 14:19-28; Ps 145:10-13ab, 21; Jn 14:27-31a
Wednesday: Acts 15:1-6; Ps 122:1-5; Jn 15:1-8
Thursday: Acts 15:7-21; Ps 96:1-3, 10; Jn 15:9-11
Friday: Acts 15:22-31; Ps 57:8-10, 12; Jn 15:12-17
Saturday: Acts 16:1-10; Ps 100:1b-3, 5; Jn 15:18- 21
Sunday: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Ps 66:1-7, 16, 20; 1 Pt 3:15-18 or 1 Pt 4:13-16; Jn 14:15-21 or Jn 17:1-11a
Knowledge of the Truth
Fourth Easter Sunday
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”Ps. 23
We know everything partially and often only superficially. That is why we can talk about the same thing many times without sounding repetitive or tedious, because we can go deeper into the knowledge of something, reaching other levels of understanding, such as removing veils from our eyes and seeing more clearly.
The prayer of meditation with Jesus is what leads us to enter into deeper levels of knowledge of each truth of faith, as we graduate our sight with the Lord and see clearer each day. It is the work of assimilation of truth that every Christian must go through in order to become a true disciple of Christ.
Being a disciple is not only in knowledge but above all in the experience of the word, but this becomes possible and more feasible from the knowledge of the Word.
“Sanctify them in the truth, your word is the truth.”John 17,17
“My words are Spirit and life,”John 6:63
“Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from God.”Mt 4:4
“I have another food that you don’t know… my food is to do my Father’s will and do his work.”John 4:34
“If you keep my word, you will truly be my disciples, you will know the truth,…”John 8:31
“My sheep hear my voice… The sheep follow him, because they know his voice. But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”John 10:4ff
Thus deepening in the word we nourish the soul, strengthen it and enable it with the Spirit to see like Him, to want what he wants and to reject what he rejects. We are among those who listen to their good shepherd and follow him, not to go after other voices.
This spiritual nutrition comes not only by listening and meditating but above all by fulfilling that word, it is then when the vitamin comes to assimilate with all its richness.
This is how one becomes sons in the Son, in whom God is well pleased.
“Those led by the Spirit are the children of God.”Romans 8:14
“To those who received him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.”John 1:12
This knowledge gives us eternal life (John 17,3) and therefore is like the hidden treasure whose value is greater than anything one could have, as Jesus teaches in the parable comparing the Kingdom of God (Matthew 13,44). That is why Jesus also said:
“What good would it do one to gain the whole world if he loses his soul?”Mark 8:36
Without eternal Life, we are the poorest and most worthy of compassion.
St. Paul recognized this many times:
“Whatever I had for gain, I count for rubbish compared to the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord…”Philippians 3:7ff
Readings for the Week
Monday: Acts 11:1-18; Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4; Jn 10:11-18 or, for the memorial, Gn 1:26 — 2:3 or Col 3:14-15, 17, 23-24; Ps 90:2-4, 12-14, 16; Mt 13:54-58
Tuesday: Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87:1b-7; Jn 10:22 -30
Wednesday: 1 Cor 15:1-8; Ps 19:2-5; Jn 14:6 -14
Thursday: Acts 13:13-25; Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25, 27; Jn 13:16-20
Friday: Acts 13:26-33; Ps 2:6-11ab; Jn 14:1-6
Saturday: Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 14:7- 14
Sunday: Acts 6:1-7; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1 Pt 2:4-9; Jn 14:1-12
Jesus Guide for the Blind
Third Sunday of Easter
“Lord, you will show us the path of life.”Ps. 16
That is why Jesus deserves our full and absolute trust, because He sees many things that we do not see, because our knowledge is limited and distorted.
“Now we see as if by mirror, darkly; But then we will see face to face. Now I know in part; But then I will know how I was known.
“1 Cor 13:12
Just as the seer can help the blind a lot, so as not to stumble or put his foot in the well so Jesus is the most indicated to trace the path of Life, because only He knows it, with much more data than we have. Thus, we see helping those of Emmaus to understand everything that happened from the light of Scripture.
Many of us experience that same helplessness: Knowing that God exists, that He came to mark the path of life, and having to deal with the foolishness and blindness of those who dare to deny His mere existence, without giving themselves to the task or listening to topics, reasons, and simply making the bad decision to believe that everything was done alone and that a creator is not needed for the beauty of this creation to be made. came into existence; They just shut themselves off to thinking about it, and believing in something so fundamental that it has to do with the very meaning of life in this world.
Like the blindness of those who give their vote for the worst possible politicians, who already know that they are going to pass iniquitous, immoral laws that will bring death and social and economic destruction, but you cannot convince them that they should not vote for that candidate or party, because they do not want to hear such a thing, nor listen to the opposition, They just want to continue being deceived by the same means that has been deceiving and indoctrinating them, and as a saying goes, many prefer to continue being deceived than having to recognize that they were deceived.
Thus, many are like blind, thinking that God does not exist or believing that the bad guy is the good guy, but they don’t want to see Him any other way. And those of us who are sure of its existence, who experience it and have seen it again and again, feel the helplessness of not being able to do anything to open the eyes of those blind and the ears of those deaf, because they do not want to see, nor do they want to hear anymore.
It is the worst misfortune that a human being can suffer, the STAGNANCY, which occurs when he decides to close his ear and not want to know more, as if he were God; he believes that he already knows everything, that he already knows the truth and does not want to continue listening, learning, much less is he willing to change his positions. That’s being tightly sealed. It is pitiful and worthy of compassion, worse than paralyzed legs, it is the soul that was atrophied unable to advance further in its development.
We cannot lose hope, as God does not lose it with any of us, nor did He lose it with His disciples, with patience He taught them again and again, with words and deeds, with examples and miracles, He always accompanied them. We must act as He did, with our relatives and acquaintances, with patience, prayer, reasons… and hope that one day they will open themselves to God and the light will come to them, so that they can follow their progress and spiritual maturity. JS not only guides us but gives us back our sight. HE IS OUR LIGHT.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Acts 6:8-15; Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; Jn 6:22-29
Tuesday: 1 Pt 5:5b-14; Ps 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17; Mk 16:15- 20
Wednesday: Acts 8:1b-8; Ps 66:1-3a, 4-7a; Jn 6:35-40
Thursday: Acts 8:26-40; Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20; Jn 6:44-51
Friday: Acts 9:1-20; Ps 117:1bc, 2; Jn 6:52-59
Saturday: Acts 9:31-42; Ps 116:12-17; Jn 6:60-69
Sunday: Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Ps 23:1-6; 1 Pt 2:20b-25; Jn 10:1-10
Divine Mercy and Conversion
Divine Mercy Sunday
“Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.”Ps. 118
Not seven, but seventy times seven, Jesus told Peter that he should forgive, that is, always. And then he gave him the parable of the one who was forgiven of a huge sum that he could never have paid, and going out he found a friend who owed him little and begged him for forgiveness with the same words that he had just used to receive the king’s forgiveness, but he would not forgive him and put him in jail. When this was communicated to the king, he said, it cannot be so, to darkness and condemnation.
And there is manifested a great truth and a great message for our lives. Only with conversion do we open ourselves to mercy. Without a new heart you have not received God’s love or forgiveness. TRUST IN GOD. This is what Jesus reveals to St. Faustina, to put at the foot of her merciful image: I trust in you.
Confession is not just an outward act, like none of the sacraments. All have as their most important aspect the spiritual or interior. The dispositions of the heart to receive it with fruit. The priest must ascertain, as far as possible, that there is repentance and conversion, because without this absolution cannot and should not be given, since it would deceive them; it would make them think that they are already forgiven when they are not, because without conversion of heart they leave the confessional as they entered.
The root of all sin is lack of faith, which we can also conceive of as a lack of trust in God. We need to trust Him, otherwise we would not benefit from Him. We allow ourselves to be enriched by Him to the extent that we believe and trust in Him. If I believe him, I will listen to him and listen to him, and that is how I benefit from his wisdom and his loving guidance as a good shepherd.
And what good would God’s forgiveness be if one still continues in his sin, does not yet detest it, does not yet trust Jesus or allow himself to be guided by Him? What good is it for your child to forgive him because he is going to get high, if he is going to take drugs anyway and wants to do it? That forgiveness is useless, on the contrary, it is negligence and complicity, you become guilty of his sin, if instead of correcting him and helping him improve you leave him in his sin and overlap him or pimp him with your “forgiveness”. That does not deserve the name of forgiveness or mercy but rather of indolence and complicity. God truly loves us, forgives us, and tells us, from now on, sin no more. For our sake.
But today’s world demands that indolence and complicity when it cries out for its pseudo-rights, asks for tolerance with all kinds of sins, even with iniquitous laws destructive of individuals and community, such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, etc. But love is not that false or malevolent tolerance, love leads to help not to pimp or give on your side. If the mother loves her son, she will make him take the medicine to cure his son, even if he does not want to, even if it costs him to win the hatred and rejection of the son. He who loves you will do you good, even if it costs him. Thus the church watches over and advocates for the good of all, defending the rights of the most defenseless, and although it earns enemies and rejections and persecution, it will continue to do so.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Acts 4:23-31; Ps 2:1-9; Jn 3:1-8
Tuesday: Acts 4:32-37; Ps 93:1-2, 5; Jn 3:7b-15
Wednesday: Acts 5:17-26; Ps 34:2-9; Jn 3:16-21
Thursday: Acts 5:27-33; Ps 34:2, 9, 17-20; Jn 3:31-36
Friday: Acts 5:34-42; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Jn 6:1-15
Saturday: Acts 6:1-7; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; Jn 6:16-21
Sunday: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; 1 Pt 1:17- 21; Lk 24:13-35
Christ Resurrects Us
Easter Sunday
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”Ps. 118
In Christ we have been shown God’s love to the end, not only in his death but even more amazingly, in his resurrection.
The cross is the human expression of a love that would give even its life for you, whom he loves so much. But in his resurrection, he divinely manifests the extent of how much he loves you that he wants to take you forever with Him, save you, and give you eternal life.
That is the mystery of passion and resurrection, which are inseparably united, as the source of our salvation, which we know as the Paschal Mystery. Christ makes us part of this mystery in baptism: buried with Christ in death, we are resurrected to a new life, as children of God; we call it divine because it is of God, Christian because it is of Christ, spiritual because it comes from the Spirit, it is abundant and eternal life that Christ puts at our fingertips.
But man, in his blindness, can belittle these undeserved and immense gifts that God in his infinite love wants to give us. The world, the devil, and ego can blind our understanding and our faith and lead us to reject these gifts of God, to continue living in the flesh and not in the spirit, that is, only surviving, but without the divine Life in the soul.
Today we are called to the new life in Christ, to live our baptism, to be truly children of God, to open ourselves to Him by faith.
“Since you have risen with Christ, look for the things above, where Christ is seated to the right of God. Focus your attention on the things above, not on those of the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”Colossians 3:1
Let us not miss the opportunity to live the values that Christ always lived and taught, those who live like the saints, and we will live eternally in heaven. We are called to preach the feast of the Kingdom that is already here in this world, to know the true happiness that comes from God, fruit of the Holy Spirit, always inseparably linked to the charity and peace that only He can give.
HAPPY EASTER.
MAY THESE 50 DAYS OF EASTER BE OF GREAT BLESSING IN OUR LEARNING TO LIVE THE VALUES OF HEAVEN ON THIS EARTH.
LET’S LOOK FOR THE VALUES ABOVE. GOD BLESSES US.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; Mt 28:8-15
Tuesday: Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; Jn 20:11-18
Wednesday: Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4, 6-9; Lk 24:13-35
Thursday: Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:2, 5-9; Lk 24:35-48
Friday: Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2, 4, 22-27; Jn 21:1-14
Saturday: Acts 4:13-21; Ps 118:1, 14-21; Mk 16:9-15
Sunday: Acts 2:42-47; Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Pt 1:3-9; Jn 20:19-31
News for April
Lot Sale & Pop Up Shop Market
Mary Immaculate School is inviting our Church community and vendors to our event.
Date: April 28th
Time: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: Mary Immaculate School Parking Lot. 10390 Remick Ave. Pacoima, CA 91331
Come and enjoy our 1st LOT SALE & POP UP SHOP MARKET. We will have lots of Food, Shops, Music and much more!!
Vendors: For information or to sign up please contact:
pto@maryimmaculateschool.org
Phone: (818) 834-8551 (M – F 8am – 3pm)
We are asking all vendors for a donation in order to participate and guarantee a spot.
Mary Immaculate Spring Raffle 2023
Drawing Sunday April 30th after the 10:00AM mass.
- Grand Prize: $7,000
- 2nd Prize: $2,000
- 3rd Prize: $500
- 4th Prize: $250
- Seller of winning grand prize ticket will receive $250
Donation: 10$
Winners need not be present to win. Prize must be claimed within 30 days following the drawing.
10390 Remick Ave. Pacoima, CA 91331 | (818) 834-8551
Did You Know?
Understanding the VIRTUS® Protecting God’s Children program
As a way to commemorate April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, please take time to learn about, update or sign up for the VIRTUS® Protecting God’s Children Program. VIRTUS® teaches that through early identification, awareness, and education, adults can be “proactive” in protecting minors and vulnerable adults from sexual abuse. Since the program began nearly 20 years ago, more than 405,000 adults have been trained in abuse prevention. Additionally, more than 165,000 Catholic school and religious education students are trained annually with an age-appropriate curriculum on boundary awareness and how to communicate if violations of those safe boundaries occur. For more information, visit https://lacatholics.org/education-and-training/.
The Best Race
Palm Sunday
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”Ps. 22
The formation that we should all be seeking every day is conformity to Christ. It is within our reach and it is the best race, the highest, the one that will make us achieve the most in this life and for eternity.
As St. Paul says, if for a corruptible crown athletes strive…
“Everyone who competes in games abstains from everything. They do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we, an incorruptible one. Therefore, I run in this way, not as if l have no goal; in this way I fight, not as if I beat the air, but I beat my body and make it my slave, lest, having preached to others, I myself be disqualified.”1 Cor 9,25ff
The good thing about this race is that it gives us access to true wisdom, freeing us from much short-sightedness of human vision, it graduates our sight to see correctly with the eyes of God, it frees us from much foolishness and clumsiness, because it leads us to Christian maturity, to divine dignity, to the freedom of children of God.
This race will fill us with the fruits of the Spirit, which is the most desirable and precious thing we can find in this world, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, meekness, mastery of our ego. He also gives us access to his gifts: wisdom, strength, discernment, science, advice, …
What more could we wish for? No other career assures us of such priceless fruits and gifts. And the best thing is that you do not need to go to study in a specific place, or pay tuition, or submit to a class schedule, or stay up late studying etc. For it is the school of life itself, and its teacher is Jesus, who continues to teach us constantly through his Church, always at our disposal, wherever we are, whenever we open our hearts to him.
Training with Him is better than with the most prestigious teacher in Jerusalem or the whole world. It is the most prestigious university that will give us true wisdom. There is only one necessary condition or requirement: to want. Wanting is power, because it will lead us to seek and put the necessary means, because if one does not seek, he does not find.
We need to hunger and thirst for God, for his love, joy and peace, to seek him every day, and to yearn as the highest ideal for this formation, the conformation with him, to form ourselves in his image who is the perfect image of God that we are called to be (Col 1:15).
If we are not given body and soul to this ultimate ideal, our defects and clumsiness will increase, the ego will absorb us in its foolishness and absurd whims, and we will end up being the most worthy of compassion.
“For those whom He foreknew He also called to be made after the image of His Son, that He might be the
firstborn among many brethren.”Romans 8:29
Readings for the Week
Monday: Is 42:1-7; Ps 27:1-3, 13-14; Jn 12:1-11
Tuesday: Is 49:1-6; Ps 71:1-6, 15, 17; Jn 13:21-33, 36-38
Wednesday: Is 50:4-9a; Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34; Mt 26:14- 25
Thursday: Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3ab, 6a, 8b-9; Ps 89:21-22, 25, 27; Rv 1:5-8; Lk 4:16-21 Lord’s Supper: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15
Friday: Is 52:13 — 53:12; Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1 — 19:42
Saturday:
a) Gn 1:1 — 2:2 [1:1, 26-31a]; Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35; or Ps 33:4-7, 12-13, 20-22;
b) Gn 22:1-18 [1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18]; Ps 16: 5, 8-11;
c) Ex 14:15 — 15:1; Ex 15:1-6, 17-18;
d) Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-13;
e) Is 55:1-11; Is 12:2-6;
f) Bar 3:9-15, 32 — 4:4; Ps 19:8-11;
g) Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28; Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3-4 or
Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 or Ps 51:12-15, 18-19;
h) Rom 6:3-11; i) Mt 28:1-10
Sunday: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9 or Mt 28:1-10 or (at an afternoon or evening Mass) Lk 24:13-35
How to Make a Good Confession
Fifth Sunday of Lent
“With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.”Ps. 130
This weekly reflection was issued only in Spanish. To read it, please change the website language to Spanish.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 [41c-62]; Ps 23:1-6; Jn 8:1-11
Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102:2-3, 16-21; Jn 8:21-30
Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Dn 3:52-56; Jn 8:31-42
Thursday: Gn 17:3-9; Ps 105:4-9: Jn 8:51-59
Friday: Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-7; Jn 10:31-42
Saturday: Ez 37:21-28; Jer 31:10, 11-13; Jn 11:45- 56
Sunday: Mt 21:1-11 (procession); Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 26:14 — 27:66 [27:11-54]
What Does God Bring to Your Life?
Fourth Sunday of Lent
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”Ps. 23
This weekly reflection was issued only in Spanish. To read it, please change the website language to Spanish.
Readings for the Week
Monday: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29;Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22; Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Lk 2:41-51a
Tuesday: Ez 47:1-9, 12; Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 5:1 -16
Wednesday: Is 49:8-15; Ps 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17- 18; Jn 5:17-30
Thursday: Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106:19-23; Jn 5:31-47
Friday: Wis 2:1a, 12-22; Ps 34:17-21, 23; Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Saturday: Is 7:10-14, 8:10; Ps 40:7-11; Heb 10:4- 10; Lk 1:26-38
Sunday: Ez 37:12-14; Ps 130:1-8; Rom 8:8-11; Jn 11:1-45 [3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45]
Forms of Breakup
Third Sunday of Lent
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”Ps. 25
If love is the first fruit of the Spirit, and therefore cannot be lacking in the disciple, then it is impossible to be united to Him and not to practice it unceasingly; heartbreak becomes a sign of the lack of Life in the soul, which unfortunately is more frequent than we think. As God’s word makes very clear, love is not in intentions or good desires but in works. (James and 1 John)
In the superficiality that many Christians live today, they live more as allies of the ego, the world and the enemy (the 3 enemies of the soul) settling for mere minimum fulfillments, to deceive themselves thinking that with that they are already good with God. Many believe that they are okay only because they are not as bad as they see others be, they do not kill and do not steal, and with this they settle.
Obviously he who kills or steals, or dares to hurt someone in any other way, clearly does not have the ABC of the disciple, daring to bear bitter fruit, to manifest heartbreak or do some harm. These are what Jesus means when he says he will say to them:
“I assure you that I do not know you. Depart from you who do evil.”
There is another level of lack of love that many supposedly practicing believers have, without being “bad” people, considering themselves good, respectful, Christian, of good will (LIKE THE OLDER BROTHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON) but who are far from being what Christ wants them to be as his disciples: it is to live in a mediocrity that does not please God, For it is an immaturity that does not allow us to bear the fruit we are called to give:
- Having God and the Church in less consideration than any amateur has his hobby. Therefore, gives less heart, interest, time and money; with frequency as little as possible, as a fulfillment by obligation.
- You don’t have the time or motivation to help. He can see a paper in the Church, and he doesn’t pick it up. He can see priests, brothers in the faith or the Church in need and not lift a finger.
- He buries his talents, because he does not put them at the service of others. He could help in many ways, but he prefers to live for himself and for his family, he does not have enough love to provide his services and support to the Church.
- He lives centered on himself, wants to like them, but does not bother to please others. He wants others to bear good fruit that he himself does not give.
- He fulfills from his ego, out of selfish interest he goes to mass and confesses, in a bad way, because he does not do it for love of God and others, but to save the “skin”, trying to avoid his possible condemnation, but he wants to continue in his sin. He believes that by telling the priest from time to time he already fulfills and deserves forgiveness.
- You have no more time to serve, to deepen your faith, to share your faith.
- This person may be in elementary school childishness, he thinks he is fine, but he is not yet the disciple that Christ wants him to be, because he does not seriously seek holiness or live the Life that Christ came to give us.
Readings for the Week
Monday: 2 Kgs 5:1-15ab; Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4; Lk 4:24-30
Tuesday: Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6, 7bc, 8-9; Mt 18:21-35
Wednesday: Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19- 20; Mt 5:17-19
Thursday: Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; Lk 11:14-23 Friday: Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-11ab, 14, 17; Mk 12:28-34
Saturday: Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab; Lk 18:9-14
Sunday: 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ps 23:1-6; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41[1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38]
News for March
Turkey/Syria Earthquake Donations
In solidarity with our suffering brothers and sisters, Archbishop Gomez has asked to consider donating to the cause. Donations may be mailed to Society for the propagation of the faith at 3424 Wilshire blvd. 3rd Floor Los Angeles, CA 90010.
If anyone wishes to make an online donation, they may do so at https://missionsla.org/product/donation or by scanning the QR code and specify Turkey/Syria natural disaster in the memo box.
Mary Immaculate Spring Raffle 2023
Drawing Sunday April 30th after the 10:00AM mass.
- Grand Prize: $7,000
- 2nd Prize: $2,000
- 3rd Prize: $500
- 4th Prize: $250
- Seller of winning grand prize ticket will receive $250
Donation: 10$
Winners need not be present to win. Prize must be claimed within 30 days following the drawing.
10390 Remick Ave. Pacoima, CA 91331 | (818) 834-8551
Shine His Light 2023
Together in Mission: Mary Immaculate Parish-Pacoima (P3690)
GOAL $90,167.00
30 years of faith, service, and love
For 30 years, your tremendous support of Together in Mission has directly helped thousands of students, families, and parisgioners in underserved communities. Together, as ONE Catholic family, we have helped parishes and schools become thriving communities of faith – vibrant, alive, and rooted in the love of Christ. The extraordinary history and impact of our annual appeal inspire us to march forward toward a common horizon where the light of Christ is present.
In his 30th anniversary year, we prayerfully ask that you make a special gift and shine His light in an extraordinary way for all communities to see.
More than an average annual appeal
Together in Mission exclusively supports the most impoverished parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. This annual appeal is an opportunity for people to join in action – as one united family. Join us in celebrating the generational support that has been sustaining faith communities for 30 years.
Mary Immaculate Parish Report
CALLED TO RENEW
- Parish Goal: $920,000.00
- Total Pledges: $565,257.05
- Total Paid: $104,446.05
Did You Know?
Abuse Prevention Includes Sports
All coaches who serve in archdiocesan Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles are required to undergo a multi-hour VIRTUS® “Protecting God’s Children for Adults Training.” They are also required to participate in the Play Like a Champion Today program, a national program that works with sports organizations at the youth and high school level to educate ethically responsible coaches. For more information about coaching requirements in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, visit https://playlikeachampion.org and https://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/chapter-9/section-9-4/topic-9-4-3.
Seeking Holiness
Second Sunday of Lent
“Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.”Ps. 33
Without running with determination towards holiness, we could say that those who go to Mass are deceiving themselves, for it would have no meaning or reason for being if we are not in a daily effort to live as faithful disciples of Christ, seeking to please Him and not ourselves or the world. The Mass only has reason to be and profit if it is framed in a life of faith and is part of the effort to grow in Christian living or holiness.
Many who never come to Mass come on Ash Wednesday, wanting nothing more than ashes. If it were up to them, they would prefer that there was not even the brief liturgy of the word, they are content to receive the mark on the forehead. I do not know what answer they would give us if we asked them why they want to receive the ashes; perhaps they would vary from one to another, but in general, it is a very small vestige of religiosity that has remained in the midst of the paganism in which they live immersed daily.
Will it be something superstitious? Will they believe that this pleases God? Or rather they just want to please themselves and fulfill that desire that even they themselves don’t know why they have it? Will they believe in God? Perhaps many would answer yes, but do they give him any place in their life? Do Will that vague faith be enough as a mere subjective opinion without any support, like the superficial belief of whether or not there are extraterrestrials? Many do not go beyond there, a belief that does not affect them in their lives. They live quietly without God or religion, settling for feeling good, or at least, not as bad as others, because they do not kill or steal, and even believing themselves religious enough because they do the sign of the cross when they go to bed or when they get up or to go on Ash Wednesdays.
Could it be that many of those who go to Mass on Sundays are on that same level? We could say that many live like pagans, even if they feel very religious for going to Mass on Sunday, without freeing them at all from their selfish disorder, sin or worldly judgment in their daily decisions.
If the Christian is not running the Christian race and dominating himself, he cannot be said to be a Christian, even if he comes on Ash Wednesdays or every Sunday. Christianity is a new life in Christ, not religious practices. The essential thing is life, practices are means to have that life, but without that life, those means would not make sense.
“And everyone who competes in games abstains from everything. They do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we, an incorruptible one. Therefore, I run in this way, not as if I have no goal; in this way I fight, not as if beat the air, but I beat my body and make it my slave, lest, having preached to others, I myself be disqualified.”1 Corinthians 9:25ff
Readings for the Week
Monday: Dn 9:4b-10; Ps 79:8, 9, 11, 13; Lk 6:36-38
Tuesday: Is 1:10, 16-20; Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23; Mt 23:1-12
Wednesday: Jer 18:18-20; Ps 31:5-6, 14-16; Mt 20:17-28
Thursday: Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Lk 16:19-31
Friday: Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a; 17b-28a; Ps 105:16-21; Mt 21:33-43, 45-46
Saturday: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20; Ps 103:1-4, 9-12; Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
Sunday: Ex 17:3-7; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8; Jn 4:5-42 [5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42]
Lent, Season of Grace
First Sunday of Lent
“Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.”Ps. 51
Lent is a time of spiritual growth and blessing, because it is a time of conversion, of intensifying the means of spiritual growth, such as prayer, spiritual reading, sacramental practices… And these are means of deliverance from the worst disease of human life, sin. The world no longer wants to know about anything supernatural, neither of God, nor of the soul nor of eternal life, so it does not know sin and therefore is contaminated with it and suffers it enormously, as we see in the news daily.
God calls us to conversion moved by his great love of friend and lover, of bride-groom and husband. Sin is a deliberate act by which we oppose God’s plan, His commandments, and therefore a break with Him, who wants us betrothed in covenant love. Sin breaks this covenant and leaves us helpless, out in the open, in the most radical solitude, in the darkness of a life without love.
To convert is to return to the God who loves and forgives us, to fall back into the arms of the prodigal Father in mercy. To convert is to open oneself to God’s forgiveness and to a different life of communion with Him. Therefore, we must feel sinful and recognize that our heart is made of stone and not of flesh when we refuse to love God and neighbor, obeying his word.
Lent is the time of return to God. To provide us with the necessary help, the Church places before our eyes Jesus, the New Man, who educates us in the fight against sin by doing penance himself for forty days and forty nights – this is the first Lent – for the sins of humanity. In the desert Jesus teaches us to fight against the Evil One, prince of sin and the liar par excellence. Fixing one’s gaze on Jesus is fundamental to overcoming sin.
The basic temptations of the human heart: the desire for riches (or power), vain-glory, pride (which seeks to make us gods). The weapons to overcome are clear: poverty, understood as freedom from all wealth; not aspiring to human glories; Jesus defeats Satan with the word of God, which is the daily bread; He overcomes by prostrating himself before his Father, the only one worthy of glory, and submitting in obedience to his will.
To follow Jesus is to enter the inner desert of our heart where the struggle against sin takes place. In this struggle we are not alone, Christ accompanies us, triumphant over evil, and the whole Church sustains us with his liturgy, his continuous prayer, and his calls to charity with our brothers and sisters, because only charity guarantees that prayer and fasting are sincere. We recognize ourselves as sinners, but we also know that the power of Christ and the Spirit accompanies us and does not disappoint us.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8-10, 15; Mt 25:31-46
Tuesday: Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7, 16-19; Mt 6:7-15 Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Lk 11:29-32
Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Lk 11:29-32
Thursday: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25; Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8; Mt 7:7-12
Friday: Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8; Mt 5:20-26
Saturday: Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Mt 5:43-48
Sunday: Gn 12:1-4a; Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; 2 Tm 1:8b-10; Mt 17:1-9
Do You Know How To Love?
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The Lord is kind and merciful.”Ps. 103
Many believe that they love someone and in reality they may only be loving themselves, because they do not know how to love. Love is not selfish, quite the contrary, it seeks the good of the beloved.
The Bible tells us that love is the most important thing, the essential of the divine life, it is the first fruit that the Holy Spirit bears, for this reason it will also say that without love I am nothing, nor does the achievements that I reach in this life benefit me in this earth, without that divine love I am really dead.
“He who does not love does not know God.”1 Jn 4,8
And how is this love that gives me life, without which I am nothing, since I have no life and cannot give it?
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”1 Corinthians 13,4
Charity does not seek your interest, it is decent, it is not rude or imposed, it is respectful. Love is giving more than receiving, as the famous prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi expresses very well: O Master!, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
All this can serve as a self-review: do I know how to love like this? Do I seek to receive or give? Do I seek to be loved or to love? Do I seek the good and growth of the one I love, the well-being and happiness of him before God or do I selfishly seek to impose my whim?
Christian love is not a feeling, it is will and action in favor of the neighbor. It is what resembles us to God, which is love. A love that does not depend on others, on whether they are good or bad, nice or unfriendly. We love if we have our roots in God, we will bear God’s fruits, to everyone, to good and bad.
“Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors, so that they may be children of our Father who is in Heaven. Because he makes his sun shine on the bad and the good, and he sends the rain on the just and the sinners. If you love only those who love you, what merit is that? Also sinners do it.”Matthew 5,44
If we knew the good that makes us love, we would not miss the opportunity to practice it, all kinds of good works, of charity, material or spiritual, because that is where we have the opportunity to lay up treasures in heaven, make the Kingdom of God present, please God and correspond to so much love that he gives us. It is the best we can do with life, gifts and talents that he gives us: in fact, it is precisely this end for which we have this life and what gives it its maximum meaning. It is the way to be true disciples of Christ, his friends, his intimates, and to make ourselves his home.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Sir 1:1-10; Ps 93:1-2, 5; Mk 9:14-29
Tuesday: Sir 2:1-11; Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Mk 9:30-37
Wednesday: Jl 2:12-18; Ps 51:3-6ab, 12-14, 17; 2 Cor 5:20 — 6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Thursday: Dt 30:15-20; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Lk 9:22-25
Friday: Is 58:1-9a; Ps 51:3-6ab, 18-19; Mt 9:14- 15
Saturday: Is 58:9b-14; Ps 86:1-6; Lk 5:27-32
Sunday: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Ps 51:3-6, 12-13, 17; Rom 5:12-19 [12, 17-19]; Mt 4:1-11
Christ Draws Us The Path Of Life
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!”Ps. 119
In this world, values are achieved with effort, as Jesus also said: the Kingdom of God suffers violence, and with effort it is conquered. Like all values. Lying in bed you don’t get your doctor’s degree or earn money; everything that is worth, costs. If the current of the world leads us to perdition, we must go against the current, as Jesus also did, giving us an example to follow.
You learn by spending time, listening or reading, meditating, studying and thinking. We need to be challenged and motivated to move, to make an effort, since the natural tendency of the ego is the minimum effort, the easy and comfortable, the pleasant and what flatters our ego.
Many false prophets flatter our ears with what we want to hear and will not tell us the hard truths that Jesus often spoke to us about, judgment, heaven and hell, salvation or damnation, taking up the cross or persecution.
We should all be in the fight to live the ideal to which Jesus calls us, as his disciples that we are; Let’s not lower the ideal that we preach to what we live, let’s preach JS because it is his voice that we must listen to and follow.
Jesus does not call us to worship him but to follow him. Many admire and adore him, but do not follow or imitate him, nor do they strive for such a thing. They think it’s just a matter of admiring and adore, but they live in sin without any remorse.
Many are catechized, but not converted. Many know things about God, but lack a living faith live the gospel with enthusiasm and be witnesses of Christ transmitting his faith to others. This renewal of faith usually occurs in RETREATS, when we open a little more space to God in our time and in our minds, so that He can enter with more force: the encounter with Christ awakens living faith that fills our hearts and makes his witnesses. And that is the foundation of a new life.
Without that living encounter with Christ, the commandments, like what we see in this Sunday’s Gospel, are a heavy burden and impossible to carry humanly. But embracing him, we let him be our strength and he fills us with love and the desire to live as new men, children of God and citizens of heaven, his ambassadors on earth.
THE GOOD THING IS THAT CHRIST HIMSELF IS OUR STRENGTH, UNITED TO HIM BY FAITH, WE CAN BEAR FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND DO HIS WORKS of him. He not only shows us the way, but gives us the strength to take it, if we let him in.
Lord, he fills our souls with the action of your Holy Spirit, so that we may be true missionary disciples in whom you are pleased.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Gn 4:1-15, 25; Ps 50:1, 8, 16bc-17, 20-21; Mk 8:11-13
Tuesday: Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10; Ps 29:1a, 2, 3ac-4, 3b, 9c-10; Mk 8:14-21
Wednesday: Gn 8:6-13, 20-22; Ps 116:12-15, 18-19; Mk 8:22-26
Thursday: Gn 9:1-13; Ps 102:16-21, 29, 22-23; Mk 8:27-33
Friday: Gn 11:1-9; Ps 33:10-15; Mk 8:34 — 9:1
Saturday: Heb 11:1-7; Ps 145:2-5, 10-11; Mk 9:2-13
Sunday: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18; Ps 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48
News for February
Regional Eucharistic Congress
San Fernando Pastoral Region
Saturday, February 11, 2023
Our Lady of Grace
5011 White Oak Avenue Encino, California 91316
9:00 AM-1:00 PM
English and Spanish
Music-Prayer-Reflection-Mass
Free Admission
Office Closed
OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2023 IN OBSERVANCE OF PRESIDENT’S DAY.
MASSES WILL BE KEPT ON THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULE.
February 22, 2023
Ash Wednesday
INSIDE CHURCH
ENGLISH MASS 8:45AM
BILINGUAL LITURGY: 10AM, 5PM
Presidents’ Day
Office will be closed on Monday, February 20, 2023
Justice & Respect for School Workers at LAUSD
School workers at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) risked their lives to feed our children and communities during the pandemic shutdown. Every day, they are essential to making sure students learn in clean, safe, and supportive schools.
Yet, cafeteria workers, custodians, teacher assistants, special education assistants and other vital LAUD workers earn poverty wages. Many report that they have been homeless or close to losing their housing while working for LAUSD, the largest school district in California. These dire working conditions are creating serious staffing shortages that impact students.
- Bathrooms are locked in some schools because there are not enough custodians to clean them.
- Special needs students do not have enough staff to assist them in the classroom.
- Safety on the playground is jeopardized because there are not enough aides to supervise campuses.
Together in their union, SEIU Local 99, these workers are speaking out against injustices at LAUSD and standing up for quality schools and better lives. School workers need our support. Learn more at www.seiu99.org/equitableschools.
Turkey/Syria Earthquake Donations
In solidarity with our suffering brothers and sisters, Archbishop Gomez has asked to consider donating to the cause. Donations may be mailed to Society for the propagation of the faith at 3424 Wilshire blvd. 3rd Floor Los Angeles, CA 90010.
If anyone wishes to make an online donation, they may do so at https://missionsla.org/product/donation or by scanning the QR code and specify Turkey/Syria natural disaster in the memo box.
Did You Know?
Know how to report abuse in California
It is important to take immediate action if someone discloses abuse to you, or if you suspect abuse or neglect is happening. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles offers a detailed list of resources with information about what to do if you suspect a child, vulnerable or elderly adult is being abused. All employees and volunteers within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles are expected to report suspected abuse to the appropriate civil authorities and to Victims Assistance Ministry.
For more information, visit lacatholics.org/reporting-child-abuse.
For more information about support for victim-survivors and abuse prevention and protection efforts of the Archdiocese, visit lacatholics.org/protect.