29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 
Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,

Our R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) journey has begun.  This is always a blessed time to see the faith that I love through the eyes of those that the Holy Spirit has brought to our parish.  At the end of the day, I simply want these children of God to fall in love with God and his son Jesus Christ.  That is what I want for all of those entrusted my care.  It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit working through me that this is possible. 

The central focus of our Roman Catholic faith is the crucifixion and death of Jesus, and it is the Cross of Jesus that is our most precious symbol of our beloved Saviour.  Each Mass celebrated in the Catholic Church recalls the suffering and death of Jesus on the Cross as the sacrifice for the sins of man.  Jesus died on the cross for each and everyone of us.  And Jesus would have done so just for you.  Think about that.  Just for you.

As defined in the Catechism, the Cross is the instrument of execution on which Christ died; a symbol of the unique sacrifice of Christ as sole mediator between God and man.  Jesus invited his disciples to take up their cross and follow him, in order to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its beneficiaries.  Catholics begin their prayers and actions with the Sign of the Cross “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.”  A devotional cross with the figure of Jesus suspended on it is called a “crucifix.”

For us as disciples of Christ, it all comes back to the cross, the sign of our Christian faith.  When we keep our eyes, hearts and minds focused on the cross and the figure of Jesus on it, the crucifix becomes our compass on our earthly journey.  May we raise our eyes to Christ, our magnificent and merciful Saviour.

May God bless each of you and those that you love,

Fr. Greg