My Dear Friends in Christ,
What a grace–filled weekend! One of my favorite moments in ministry is to offer Holy Communion to my people; especially to those receiving Holy Communion for the first time. This Saturday our Church was filled with great joy as our children opened their hands and hearts to receive Jesus. Thank you, my dear parents, for your faith and love of God that you impart on your children. Thank you, instructors as you have been a source of love and support, teaching our children about Jesus. Thank you to Chris and Larry Pizon, who have provided such beautiful leadership of our Parish School of Catholic Formation and the sacramental life of our Parish! Finally, thank you to our children, receiving Holy Communion. Your joy becomes our joy, your faith becomes our faith. Your love, our love as well. Please come to the altar often, celebrating God’s incredible love for us in Jesus!
God Bless You,
Fr. Tim
What’s your idea of heaven? We all have one, but I’ll bet that all of our images would include “a place where God dwells.” Something I read in a book recently changed my whole thought process on this forever, especially each time I go to Mass. And on this First Communion Weekend, it seems appropriate to share. Paraphrased it reads that each time we receive Eucharist, we are making ourselves a heaven for Jesus, the place he’s wanted to dwell from all time.
From all time….
From the time his immense goodness and begotten, consubstantial, trinitarian love breathed THAT spirit into Adam and Eve…
From, the time he first formed a people through Abraham…
From the time he delivered that people from slavery and gave them his law….
From the time he first revealed his kingly heart through David…
From the time he spoke comfort, repentance and promise through the voices of the prophets...
From the time his heart was made flesh, and his promise fulfilled; and the tidings made glad to the afflicted; and the kindship exemplified through washing feet; and the Words from his very mouth said, “Do this, remember Me.”….
God’s plan from ALL TIME was to be one with his children, to make his ‘Heaven’ in us. And like a child learns by building upon knowledge relative to their level of understanding, God did the same for us as he formed relationships then, and the deepest, most virtuous friendships today. Friendship with the beautiful, innocent second graders who made themselves a “heaven for Jesus” for the first time… and friendship with us too.
It’s hard to be “all in” sometimes in the thought that my sinful heart could be any heaven worthy of the most holy One. It’s easier to think of heaven as somewhere I’m trying to go. And maybe you feel that way too. However, as the readings from today profoundly depict (as does God’s track record from “all time”), we are more than the sum of our own thoughts. We are the sum of the One who has chosen us, who loves us, and who calls us friend… everything. Remember that each time you make yourself a heaven for Jesus. ~Sara
The book is I Believe in Love, by By: Jean C.J. d'Elbee (it WRECKED my heart in the best way, I highly recommend it).