The Pastor's Message

Dear Parishioners,

This week we hear Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” also known as “The Beatitudes.”  In this teaching from Matthew’s Gospel, we hear a recipe of how we are to live our lives focused on the gift of eternity in Heaven.  All the blessings that we hear about in this Gospel are blessings that we can anticipate because we may not fully comprehend them until we are with the Lord in the Heavenly Kingdom.  This reality is spoken in the final words of the Blessings; “Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven.”

At first glance or hearing about each of these blessings, it appears that they are curses or challenges in this life; however, the final verse makes it clear that our blessings may not be realized until we are in Heaven.  These blessings are calling us to live our lives in a challenging way and if we do this, we will receive our reward in the life to come.  Our life here is temporary, while our goal is to reach our eternal life.

In focusing our attention on the eternal life, we may experience pain and suffering in this life because our efforts go against the social norms and there truly is pain and evil in this world.  Jesus tells us that we may be persecuted for our efforts and this persecution will lead to Blessings in Heaven.  He gives us the ultimate example of persecution as He stretched out His arms on the Cross for our Salvation.
 
When we are persecuted for speaking and living the Gospel message, we are receiving Blessings for the life to come.  Our reward will not be fully realized or understood until we enter into eternal life.  The challenges of this world are opportunities, or blessings for us to receive our Heavenly reward.

Fr. George P. Blais


 

Dear Parishioners,

After John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus began His public ministry of teaching.  His message began with a connection to the message of John as He said; “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  John was the last prophet of the Old Testament and the first prophet of the New Testament as he prepared the way for the Lord.

When Jesus began teaching, He invited the first disciples to follow Him, to come and see what He was teaching and doing.  He taught in villages and towns and people were amazed at what they heard and observed from Him.  The first disciples were simple men who were called from their work as fishermen to follow Jesus.  This was a sign that Jesus was sent to gather all people, but He began with the simple common person.

In the responsorial psalm this week, we hear the words; “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”  Like the first disciples, we are invited to follow that light, the light that we have just celebrated in the Christmas Season.  We heard about the light shining in the sky with the presence of the Star that directed the Shepherds in the field and the Three Kings to the child Jesus who is the light of the world.

In the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus called individuals to follow Him, the light of the world.  We are invited to do the same and encouraged to invite others to follow Him by His light that shines in and through us.  When we receive the “Eucharist,” the Body and Blood of Christ, we become that light of Christ for the world.  May this light shine brightly in and through us so that others will come and see what we have seen and become disciples of the Lord.

It is important for us to remember that we are inviting people to the Lord Jesus and not to ourselves, we are merely disciples of the Lord.

Fr. George P. Blais