St. Julia Parish
  • Home
    • Sacraments >
      • Baptism
      • First Communion/Eucharist
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Holy Orders
      • Sacrament of the Sick
    • Parish Ministries >
      • RCIA
      • Eucharistic Ministry
      • Lectors
      • Choir
      • Altar Servers
      • Hospitality Ministry
    • Parish Groups >
      • Catholic Women's League
      • St. Vincent de Paul Society
      • Knights of Columbus
    • History of St. Julia Parish
    • Other Links
    • Parish Social Activities
  • Newsletter
  • YouTube
  • Bulletin
    • 2023 Bulletins
    • 2022 Bulletins
    • 2021 Bulletins
    • 2020 Bulletins
    • 2019 Bulletins
  • Donate
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Covid-19

​Sixth Sunday of Easter

5/12/2023

 
Picture
Dear parishioners and friends of St. Julia Parish,

While I was in the seminary, we would be asked to complete theological reflections.  Here is part of my reflection on love from 2013.  How very appropriate this Mother's Day weekend.

According to 1 John 4:8, the very nature of God is Love, and love is present in Scripture as one of the central themes in describing the relationship between God and humanity. Indeed, love is the basis of creation. Because of his superabundant love, God willingly gave his own Son to bring salvation to the fallen world (John 3:16; Romans 5:5-9; 1 John 4:9). The task for all of us, then, is above all to love God with our entire heart (Deut 6:5; Matt 22:37). We are also called to love our neighbours (Lev 19:18, 1 John 4:11-21).

Jesus loved his friends so deeply that he was willing to lay down his life for them (John 13:1; 1 John 3:16) in order for them and us to be adopted daughters and sons of the Father. In return, the disciples were required to show their love by imitating the unifying love of the Son and the Father (John 17:21-23). Such a love had to be more than mere words; it had to manifested by deeds: “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18), including keeping the commandments of Jesus (John 14:15, 21, 23; 1 John 5:3). Christians should also love one another (John 13:34; 15:17) with the same love that Christ showed to them (John 15:12).

Jesus’ actions reveal that he truly loves us. Jesus took care of those around him. He fed them. He looked after their physical needs and issues. He attended to their spiritual needs. And he ultimately died on the cross for us. These were all deeds and actions. He showed his love by serving God and his people. We too are called to live our lives by serving others, all out of love.

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his encyclical God Is Love: “The consciousness that, in Christ, God has given himself for us, even unto death, must inspire us to live no longer for ourselves but for him, and, with him, for others. Whoever loves Christ loves the Church, and desires the Church to be increasingly the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ.” As ministers in the church, and in fact as baptized Christians, we are called to be instruments of love here on earth, through our deeds and actions, which are often unspoken.

On this Mother's Day weekend, may we give thanks for all the ways we have been loved by our Mother's, for this love is a reflection of the love that Christ has for each of us.  

May God continue to bless each of you and those that you love.
 
Fr. Greg

Comments are closed.

    Author

    From Our Pastor
    Fr. Gregory Schmidt

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019

    Categories

    All
    Abstinence
    Acsension Of The Lord
    Advent
    All Souls
    Ash Wednesday
    Baptism
    Christmas
    Christ The King
    Concomitance
    Confirmation
    CorpusChristi
    Covid 19
    Covid-19
    CWL
    Did You Know
    Divine Mercy
    Easter
    Epiphany
    Fasting
    First Communion
    God
    Good Shepherd
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Week
    Hope
    Jesus
    Joy
    Lent
    Liturgical Season
    Mary
    Mercy
    Mother Of God
    Mothers Day
    New Year's Day
    Palms
    Palm Sunday
    Pentecost
    Prayer
    Saints
    Theological Reflections
    Trinity

Picture
251 Glenridge Ave.
St. Catharines, ON ​L2T 3K2
​
Home
Sacraments
Events
Blog
​Contact
History
Donate
​Covid-19
©2021 St. Julia Parish
Tel: (905) 684-5603
​Fax: (905) 684-9479

stjuliaparishstc@gmail.com
  • Home
    • Sacraments >
      • Baptism
      • First Communion/Eucharist
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Holy Orders
      • Sacrament of the Sick
    • Parish Ministries >
      • RCIA
      • Eucharistic Ministry
      • Lectors
      • Choir
      • Altar Servers
      • Hospitality Ministry
    • Parish Groups >
      • Catholic Women's League
      • St. Vincent de Paul Society
      • Knights of Columbus
    • History of St. Julia Parish
    • Other Links
    • Parish Social Activities
  • Newsletter
  • YouTube
  • Bulletin
    • 2023 Bulletins
    • 2022 Bulletins
    • 2021 Bulletins
    • 2020 Bulletins
    • 2019 Bulletins
  • Donate
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Covid-19