From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

There is no moment in which we realize ourselves better than when we place the interest of others above ours. In living for others, we become most similar to Christ our Lord and Savior, in whose Paschal Mysteries we are saved.

The desire to always place our interest first in everything is one that comes frequently into our minds. In most cases, we think that by focusing solely on that which we want we would surely reach our desired destination, even when it involves pushing aside the interest and well-being of all those around us. No attitude or disposition destroys and disintegrates our communities and our world more than this type of mindset and internal surge; and no deceit makes us lose everything dear to us more than this lie.

To help retrace people’s focus to the right track, the Apostle of the Gentiles, Saint Paul, wrote this beautiful summary of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ which we heard in today’s Second Reading which is popularly known as “the kenosis– the self-emptying of Christ.” The kenotic style of life is life rooted in living for others. Living for the uplifting of others and in living the realization that the true measure of our self-realization and fulfillment is our ability to be a beacon for the self-realization and fulfillment of others. What else could be a perfect demonstration of the life of Christ who is the Emmanuel, the God with us. In emptying Himself for us, Jesus Christ accomplished His true identity and mission.

Saint Paul teaches us the secret to a fulfilled and successful life rooted in the life and person of Christ: “in your minds, you must be the same as Christ Jesus.” The kenotic movement obeys the law of spiritual arithmetic. We empty ourselves of everything to be filled with our own proper share of the glory of God. The manifestation of this glory of God within us is what distinguishes us. Certainly, the desire for self-realization and fulfillment is the desire to be distinguished which can only come about through the glory of God manifesting itself in us.

The Glory of God cannot manifest in a person who is already full of himself or herself. The root of sin is always the self, when we think “this will make me feel better,” even when it involves the exploitation of others in whatever way we deem necessary. The self remains the strongest obstacle to the kenotic movement. Success in the war against sin begins at the very point of self-renunciation.

This also is the root of success in the kenotic style of life. Anyone who is not ready to renounce himself cannot master the turmoil of temptation and surely cannot be kenotic. And renouncing oneself is deeply connected to the ability to empty the ego of its pride and desire to always place itself in the first position.

The ability to be kenotic in our actions does not only empower us more to renounce and be victorious over sin and live as we learned in the First Reading; most importantly, it enlightens us to see the will of God as the last resort to our lasting happiness just like the first son in today’s Gospel Reading later realized.

Jesus began a story by asking the priests and elders of the people, “What is your opinion? He tells a story about a man who had two sons. The man said to the first, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not. ‘ The man came to the other son and gave the same order. This son said in reply, ‘Yes, sir, ‘but did not go. Later on, the first who says he will not go, changed his mind and went. At the end Jesus asked: “Which of the two did his father’s will?”

One thing that is common about the sons is that both changed their minds at different stages and so both sons were bad, since neither one of them gave a perfect response to the father. One changed his mind for the better and the other for the worse. However, what made one better than the other is that the first son eventually did the father’s will. What is also interesting in this parable is how the father gave instruction to his sons without twisting their arms or forcing them to do what he said. He gave them the freedom of choice.

Jesus told this parable to describe two major responses to the good news, which He proclaimed. The first bad son represents prostitutes, tax collectors and public sinners, who initially rejected God by their actions, but eventually acknowledged their sinfulness and had a conversion experience. Among them, Mary Magdalene, Dimas, Zacchaeus, Matthew, the Samaritan woman. These sinners changed from terrible conditions in life and adopted a better, richer, and deeper relationship with the savior. The second bad son represents the Pharisees who said yes to God only by their lips and not by their actions.

Change occurs when we begin to look at ourselves differently, when our worldview begins to change; when our thinking patterns change and we begin to alter our opinions; when we begin to see other people in a different light and when the things that matter less begin to matter more or when things that matter more begin to matter less. Conversion is a positive change, which is turning away from evil and wickedness, and turning toward God. In my view, change of mind is measured by a change of heart. Change of mind consists of making a decisive change; a change of thinking pattern and what St. Paul calls “renewal of the mind” (Romans 12:2). Change of heart is about a change of affection, a redirection of love, behavior, and attitude.

This change I am talking about begins with us understanding that we need to establish a close relationship with God. Unless we develop a relationship with Him, it will be very difficult for us to follow His will. When we see the life of the great saints of our Church, namely, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Blessed Joseph, we obtain a clear picture of what we need to do in relation to our friendship with God. Therefore, we must have a commitment with Him to get together every week.

Our Parish has been blessed with the St. Michael the Archangel Blessed Sacrament Chapel, where we come to have that encounter with God to strengthen our relationship with Him, and in that way, gain the wisdom and courage to follow Him according to His will. This week, I ask you to make your commitment with Him for a Weekly Holy Hour. This weekend we are running a signup Holy Hour Campaign. Give your “yes” to the Lord. The more we get to know Him the more He will bless us. He wants us to be One Body, One Spirit, One Family!

Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Michael the Archangel, St. José Gregorio Hernández, Pope Saint Pius X, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Charbel, pray for us.

Yours in Christ!
Fr. Omar