Bulletin for 9 June 2024 – 3rd Sunday After Pentecost

THIRD SUNDAY after PENTECOST, June 9th , 2024.

Dear Friends, We read today from chapter five of the epistle to the Romans. We should note the fruit of hope. We are afflicted, says St Paul but that strengthens us through endurance, giving proven character and also a proven hope. Hope then is a virtue by which we wait upon the Lord. We do so with confidence because the love of God, His grace is poured out upon us by the gift of the Holy Spirit. If Christ saved us while yet sinners, then, how much more now are we loved as His followers and as Temples of the Holy Spirit!

We practice hope waiting for things unseen, and our hope is tempered by the degree of faith that we choose to exercise. Today’s Gospel speaks of serving God or money, and then the relationship of dependence on God.

The admonitions we are given in today’s Gospel are found in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. This sermon is presented solemnly showing Christ to be the New Moses. Just as Moses gave the Law, so now Christ in his Beatitudes and the rest of the sermon shows us the Law of the Spirit which, written in our hearts, gives us a great freedom.

Christ’s words temper how we handle riches. We are not to make them our God. Our outlook is to be lightsome: “The light of the body is the eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome.”

The true perspective of looking at riches is to see how they help us or hinder us to come close to God.

We have the beautiful example of many Saints who found treasure in Christ. We easily think of the joy of a Saint Francis, or a Saint Clare. There are however, others who have led a life of poverty in the state of marriage. Saints weigh things through their understanding that God alone satisfies. Our hearts are restless until they find Him.

Whatever our vocation we can all live in poverty of spirit seeking first the kingdom of God knowing that all that is necessary will be given us.

Let us then emulate the freedom and joy of the Saints who with the eyes of God dominate things and are not dominated by created things!

St Augustine writes on today’s Gospel:

“We know that all our works are pure and pleasing in the sight of God if they are performed with a single heart. This means that they are performed out of charity and with an intention that is fixed on heaven. For “love is the fulfilment of the law.” Therefore in this passage we ought to understand the eye as the intention in all our actions. If this intention is pure and upright and directing its gaze where it ought to be directed, then unfailingly all our works are good works, because they are performed in accordance with that intention.”

News of the parish:

Many thanks to Amy who led the Rosary Crusade Akathist whereby we joined in an international event honoring Our Blessed Mother.

I am grateful for the visit to Albuquerque which gave me a chance to meet our Caretaker Bishop Kurt Burnette. I had only seen him in a peripheral passing way at previous events. This was a chance to get to meet and begin to know him. It is not so easy when he resides in New Jersey. I have to say that I was impressed by his humor, charm, wit and intelligence. It was also a great blessing to be present at a diaconal and priestly ordination. There was much time for fellowship and sharing with brother priests. Every time I go I feel more of a family. So it was a good refreshing and inspiring conference.

Part of the time was spent regarding new restructuring of the parishes. This restructuring covers the new parish Advisory Board. For the record, the lay members of this Board (Oliver Bardin and Teresa Vinciguerra) will be put up to speed on new procedures in the day to day running of the parish. We still have a financial advisory board (Dcn Tim, Victor Pacheco and Gene Ford) and the two boards will work at a ‘higher’ level to help process what we discuss at wider open meetings where all are welcome to contribute. The appointment to the Advisory board is annual. This new structure makes a lot of sense in a larger parish. Evenso, we will comply and then be ready for when the parish gets larger!

Vacation: I will be leaving this week for two weeks at the Niagara Falls (Canada side) and a cruise as priest on board from Montreal to Boston. On my way over there I will also have another detox treatment from lead and uranium. This treatment and a good break will help me recharge. In my absence Fr. James will generously cover next Sunday June sixteenth.

Given my absence you will see that the liturgical schedule is light. If however you need to call you are always welcome to contact me. My phone plan allows free calls to and from Canada. Dial my landline or cell number and it will be just like a local call. But PLEASE remember that I am in a different time zone. I will be three hours ahead of you!

Last Friday of the Month: We will continue with this meeting for the youth. We had about 15 in the early twenties and up age group present, and this was an invitation by word of mouth event. Being so positive we will continue with these meetings that will attract people to us. At this very next event we will sing a Moleben for vocations (marriage and consecrated life/priesthood). By showing different forms of our worship and prayer, we introduce others to our identity and Tradtion.

Streaming of Divine Liturgy: Hopefully we will be live this Sunday. Please join us and tell others of our presence.

2 Mini catechism: shortly after Divine Liturgy we will hold our twenty minute mini catechism for the children upstairs in the church.

• Last Week’s collection amounted to $ with xx in attendance. Many thanks!
• Hospitality List: Please sign up and cover for refreshments after Liturgy. If you are unable to make it please find a replacement and let us know. Things can get very hectic especially over the summer months.
• Prayer intentions: Please pray for Darlene Jansen and her speedy return to health, Gene Ford, in good spirits and recovering from surgery.
• Please also pray for the following: Fr. Michael, Fr. Marcus, Fr. Chris, Fr. Randall, Fr. Michal, Fr. Patrik, Fr Christopher, Fr Theodore, Sr. Patricia, Margaret, Gary and Ingrid, Slawomir and Oceana, Darlene, Becky, Alexis, Marion, Curtis, Ronald, Jeanine, Taylor, Lorrie, Frances, Alex, Leroy, Michael, Thomas, Michael, Jennifer, John, Elizabeth, Judy, Ruth, Dimitri, Christie, Viktoria, Margaret, Patricia. Nadezda, Doug S, Murin family, Aisha, Faustyna, John, Maia, Najwa, Nadia, Favin, Nazmin, Barbara, Trish, Shalom World, Jesse, Charles, Monica, Matt, Jackie, Tim, Edward, Don S, Monica S, Rachel Pineda and family, John, Kazu, Jacob, Brent. Karen and Raymond Vincent and family. Mark Lopez. Dan and Sherrin. The Lauffer and Attias families in Jerusalem. Jacob Gonzales. Sarah. Theresa V., David. Lilly. Jamie Glenn Campbell.

Liturgical Schedule:

Sunday, 9 Jun	8:30am confessions     9:00am 3rd Hour 9:30am Divine Liturgy	3rd Sunday after Pentecost	Tone 2 Reader: Richard
Sunday, 16 Jun	9:00am 3rd Hour 9:30am Divine Liturgy	4th Sunday after Pentecost	Tone 3 Reader Victor
Sunday, 23 Jun	8:30 am confessions     9:00am 3rd Hour 9:30am Divine Liturgy	5th Sunday after Pentecost	Tone 4 Reader Richard

Confessions: are available before all Liturgies or arrange a visit. Phone number (916) 452-1888.