Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
This Sunday at Mass we celebrate Laetare Sunday. The Latin word Laetare means ‘rejoice’ and its origin is rooted in the Introit (opening chant) for the Fourth Sunday of Lent – Laetare Jerusalem: “Rejoice, O Jerusalem and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.” Laetare Sunday marks the midpoint of Lent and the rose-coloured vestments that I will be wearing at Mass give us a glimpse at the light of the end of the 40-day tunnel of penance. Yes, Lent is a penitential season. It is a time that we allow the spot light to shine in on our hearts, looking at the nooks and crannies to see what needs to be pushed out, that is sin, in order to fully allow Christ to enter our hearts at Easter, with the new Easter light, the true light of Christ. This is what this Sunday is all about. Lent is not all about being somber. This Sunday we are called to rejoice in the reality of Easter – the promise of Easter – the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. At this midpoint I ask myself the question, “How has my season of Lent been going?” I ask you the same question. If you can say it has been a good season and that you have experienced God’s graces and blessings, that you feel closer to Christ, that you have experienced spiritual renewal, then thanks be to God! If you say it has been a little rough, that your Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving have fallen short of what you set out to embrace at the beginning of the journey, fear not. We are at the midpoint. Consider this a reboot, a new start. Rejoice in the fact that our God is a God of second chances and fresh starts. That is what the Sacrament of Reconciliation is all about. Make the most of these next three weeks by striving to realign your heart with the heart of Christ, returning to Christ through prayer, and take the time for your spiritual renewal. Remember that Christ fell three times carrying the cross. Now we too get back up, as people of hope. That is what we must remember at this moment. Last year on this Sunday I wrote "We may think how can I even utter the words rejoice at this moment in time with all that is taking place in Ukraine?" Now, over a year later, this war continues. Once again I write that it is our faith that we turn to for strength. We unite ourselves in prayer with our sisters and brothers of Ukraine. We place our trust in God, for it was Christ who conquered sin and death by rising from the dead. For that and so many more reasons, we remain people of hope. May God bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to seeing you at mass this weekend on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. God bless, Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, This Sunday’s Gospel from Matthew 2:13-25 recounts the “cleansing of the Jerusalem temple” by Jesus, as it is usually called. When I am visiting our St. Peter Catholic Elementary school classrooms (now virtually), sometimes I will get the question “Did Jesus ever get angry?” This is usually when I pray that the bell will ring. And so, we begin to unpack the answer together. Jesus was just like us, for he was fully human, (and as our faith teaches us, and fully divine). Taking it one step further, he was like us in all things but sin. This brings us to our Gospel, one of the best examples of Jesus getting angry. The temple-market in the court of the Gentiles, as well as the money exchange tables, were meant for the benefit of the many pilgrims who would come to Jerusalem for Passover. Jesus, wishing to see the temple as something other than a market-place, sought to drive out the sellers and exchangers. “Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace,” Jesus said. So, is it a sin to get angry? Jesus used his passions with zeal, with great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. He saw what was taking place in God’s house, His Father’s house, and spoke up. This zeal could in fact have cost Jesus his life. So, was this a sin, to speak with zeal, and what we may say get angry? No. We once again return to the commandments of “Love of God” and “Love of Neighbour.” Jesus saw what was taking place in the temple and spoke up because of His love for God. This was the use of passions for something good. When we see offences taking place against our God and our neighbour, we too are called to use our passions, our emotions, given to us by God, to speak up. An example of this is abortion and medically assisted suicide. Every life, from conception to natural death, is a precious gift from God. Treating our Church, the House of God, with respect, is another example. Our belief in the Eucharist being the real presence of Christ is yet another. Any offence is most troubling, and would cause us anger. So how do we speak up? This is done with the help of the Holy Spirit, and with a message delivered in love. Taking the very best of our passions, our emotions, and setting out to change the hearts of those that believe likewise, can bring about change. And as you know, we do not pray just for change, but transformation, so that there is no going back to former ways. And all of this is done delivered in a message of love. As I am writing this, other examples come to mind, and perhaps as you are reading this some examples are popping into your head. Let us pray for transformation. May we call upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we received at Confirmation, for the courage to speak up, by our words, deeds, and action. All delivered in a message of love, using the very best of our passions and emotions. Please know of my continued prayers for a grace-filled season of Lent and may God bless each of you and those that you love. God bless, Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, This Sunday we once again hear the love letters of St. Paul as he writes to the Romans. As always, he opens with “brothers and sisters,” his beloved. Then he makes the bold statement “If God is for us, who can be against us?” As I always say, all Scripture is the living word of God, and Paul writes as if he is speaking to us in 2024. So, what does this mean for us today? This is the beauty of Paul’s writings and this is what I believe we need to hear today. No matter what we face, whether that be financial difficulties, health challenges, family concerns, or whatever may be weighing on our heart, God takes each situation and somehow, beyond our understanding and comprehension, uses it for our benefit, in the here and now, and ultimately for our eternal benefit. This is indeed something to wrap our minds around. God is with us always, in all our times of need, on this our earthly journey. God pours out His love and mercy upon us. Many times, in the present moment, this is not clear to us. It is only when we look to the past, to see how God brought something good out of a past challenge, that we can say to ourselves that we are not alone, and we trust that God will see us through this moment in time as well. This requires faith and trust in God. We are God’s chosen ones. God is with us. It is no wonder Paul proclaims, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" The answer quite simply is NO ONE! As we continue our Lenten journey together as a community of believers here at St. Julia, may we hold and keep one another in prayer. God is with us – and we, as His daughters and sons are loved. We must never forget that. May we unite any cross that we are carrying at this time with that of His son, Jesus Christ. Please know of my continued prayers and may God bless each of you and those that you love. God bless, Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
In our Gospel this Sunday from Mark 1:12-15, the Spirit drove Jesus into the desert. This past year, we too have found ourselves in a desert, in what feels like at times forty times forty days. Yet in other respects, it is hard to believe that it has been almost a year. Mark writes, “He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.” Angels. The ministry of angels can be found throughout the life of Christ. It was an angel who announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Baby Jesus. Angels were present at Jesus’ birth. They warned Joseph. An angel was with Jesus when he was praying at the Garden of Gethsemane. Angels were ready to help when Jesus was betrayed. An angel rolled back the stone from the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. An angel announced the resurrection of Christ. Christ ascended into heaven with angels present. The list goes on of how angels played an important role in the ministry of Christ. Just as angels surround the throne of God the Father and serve Him, they also were around Jesus - attending to God the Son. The angels observed Jesus dying a humiliating death between two robbers. They observed the great love that Jesus showed toward humanity. As a parish family, the angels have been with us and our community here at St. Julia, watching over us. May we embrace this season of Lent with an open heart, and allow the Holy Spirit, and the angels too, to minister to us as we seek a renewal of mind, body, and spirit. Please know of my prayers for all of your intentions, and may God continue to bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg On this the eve of Ash Wednesday, we once again, as a parish family, prepare to begin our Lenten journey. Lent is truly about renewal. Renewing our relationship with God, and his son Jesus Christ. It is an opportunity to renew our commitment to daily prayer and the opening up of our hearts to God. A renewal in breaking open the Word of God and to see where God is speaking to us through Sacred Scripture. What animates us is the spirit, the soul within us. When we are fed with the Body and Blood of Christ and the Word of God, our spirit is fed. While many of us hunger for that spiritual food at the celebration of Mass, I consider the season of Lent to be a great gift to us, the body of Christ. These 40 days allow us to take a look deep within at our relationship with God and our neighbour. It is an opportunity for us to offer penance for the sins we have committed. And best of all, it presents us with the opportunity to not just change our lives, but to transform them as we rededicate our lives to God. This is my prayer for each of us. May this season of Lent be an opportunity to reignite our relationship with God, confident that Christ continues to navigate us through these times together. I pray that it be a time of refreshment for our souls as we draw closer to God. May it truly be a time of spiritual renewal. May we emerge from this time, and this season of Lent, renewed in mind, body, and spirit. I wish all of you a truly blessed and grace-filled season of Lent. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, In this Sunday’s Gospel from Mark 1:40-45, we read about this leper coming forward to Jesus and miracle of the healing of this man. The miracles of Jesus can be grouped into seven categories.
It is interesting to note that more than 30 miracles of Jesus are recorded in the Bible, yet we know that there are far more, and counting. The miracles of Jesus continue to this day. So, what is required on our part? This is where the leper teaches us. This man whose name is unknown to us recognized that in Jesus all things are possible. He believed this in the very depths of his heart and soul. Are you in need of healing at this very moment? Perhaps it is physical healing. Maybe the pandemic has left you with the need for mental healing. Or maybe you are spiritually weak and are crying out for healing. Healing of body, mind, and spirit. Whether it is yourself or someone that you know or love, there is someone in need who is hurting in some way that needs some relief, compassion, comfort, strength, and yes, healing. Jesus is here to assist, and we, as God’s instruments here on earth, allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to provide comfort to those around us. With God, all things are possible. If you wish, you can make me clean. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, Lord Jesus, send us your healing touch. “In the morning, while it was still very dark, he (Jesus) got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35). In this Sunday’s Gospel, we once again see the importance of daily prayer in Jesus’ life. Just like Simon’s mother-in-law, we too cry out, Lord Jesus, send us your healing touch. As a Church, as a family here at St. Julia, we pray for all those suffering. Not just those that are sick, but everyone. We are all suffering. We pray for spiritual and physical healing, for comfort for all those isolated in their homes, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. For those mourning the loss of a loved one. For all those separated from their families. For those facing job loss, financial difficulties. For parents and single parents trying to juggle work and family lives. The list goes on, and it is different for each one of us And so, we too, need to find the strength to pray, mirroring Jesus, in that quiet place. The prayer can be this simple… Lord Jesus, send us your healing touch Please know of my continued prayers for all of your needs and intentions, both personally, and during the greatest prayer that we offer, the celebration of the Mass. May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, I Know Who You Are In our Gospel this Sunday from Mark 1:21-28, we hear the man with the unclean (possessed) spirit proclaim, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” Who is Jesus for you? Is he someone from “back then” that we read about in the Bible or hear about at Mass? Is he “out there” somewhere? Pope Francis, in quoting words of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, reminds us: “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” Like the stillness of the water in the above picture, we have been given the opportunity to truly reflect on this question. Being baptized in the faith, the most precious gift next to the gift of life, is one thing. Being taught about Jesus in grade school is another. Yet it is not until we have that encounter, that aha moment, that our relationship with Jesus becomes something real. And Jesus becomes more than someone from “back then.” Jesus becomes a friend, someone we can talk to, through prayer. Someone we can encounter through the sacraments. Someone who is alive in our world and in our hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is this knowledge that has seen us through difficult times in the past, and will see us through difficult times that may come. For it is indeed Jesus Christ who is navigator, today and always. It is Christ who provides us with strength, comfort, and hope. It is in Christ where we place our trust. In the silence of your hearts this week, think about that aha moment in your own life. Think about those encounters that you have had with Jesus on your earthly journey. Pray in your own hearts, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” Rest assured of my prayers for each of you and those that you love. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia, My dear friends, A hymn that I am quite fond of is “The Summons.” It is about the call to discipleship and was written by John Bell and Graham Maule of the Iona Community from Scotland. First published in 1987, it is set to the tune Kelvingrove, a traditional Scottish melody. The lyrics contain thirteen questions asked by Jesus in the first person: Will you come and follow me If I but call your name? Will you go where you don't know And never be the same? Will you let my love be shown, Will you let my name be known, Will you let my life be grown In you and you in me? Will you leave yourself behind If I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind And never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare Should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer prayer In you and you in me? Will you let the blinded see If I but call your name? Will you set the prisoners free And never be the same? Will you kiss the leper clean, And do such as this unseen, And admit to what I mean In you and you in me? Will you love the 'you' you hide If I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside And never be the same? Will you use the faith you've found To reshape the world around, Through my sight and touch and sound In you and you in me? Lord, your summons echoes true When you but call my name. Let me turn and follow you And never be the same. In your company I'll go Where your love and footsteps show. Thus I'll move and live and grow In you and you in me. In this weekend’s Gospel taken from Mark 1:14-20, Jesus asks this very question to Simon, Andrew, James, and John, the first apostles. Yet, Jesus asks this very question to each and every one of us – his disciples, and even more profoundly, to future disciples. We are all called to follow Jesus Christ, who extends this personal invitation in our hearts. You might say there is a magnetic pull to follow Jesus. This was the case with the first apostles, who left everything behind to follow the son of a carpenter. Does Jesus call and invite us in 2024? Absolutely yes! All of us. Some may fight and resist it. Yet when we respond to that call Jesus has the power to transform our lives and to transform our hearts. That leads to happiness, a happiness that cannot be found in anything else here on earth. That happiness is found in a personal relationship with the Saviour, Jesus Christ. The sooner one responds to that call and invitation, the sooner one can experience a foretaste of heaven here on earth. That quite simply is what I want for each and every one of us! Rest assured of my prayers for each of you and those that you love. Keep safe and warm. Fr. Greg Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
With the season of Christmas (it seems like a distant memory now) behind us, we return to Ordinary Time in the life of our church. Yet as Cardinal Dolan states so beautifully, every day is extraordinary, a gift from God. And that it indeed is. Once again woven into our readings this weekend is the theme of God speaking to us. How does God speak to us? Through Sacred Scripture and through one another, for Christ dwells in each one of us, in the temple of our hearts. This becomes more richly evident to us when we pause and reflect, and count our blessings. This sounds so very simple, yet it brings us back to the basics and reminds us what it truly important. Faith. Our relationship with Jesus Christ. Family, and the connection to those with us here on earth and those who have journeyed to eternal life. The power and importance of prayer. Countless reminders that God is with us, and that we are followers of Christ and people of hope. Everyday God desires to pour out grace and mercy upon each of us. In the ordinary. Be sure to take the time to count your blessings today, and every day. May God bless you and those that you love. Thank you for being a blessing in my life. United in prayer, your friend in Christ, Fr. Greg |
AuthorFrom Our Pastor Archives
March 2024
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