This weekend's Gospel invites us to examine how we are laying a salid foundation to be Jesus's disciple. To be a disciple of Jesus means to put Jesus above all else. There literally is nothing in front of Jesus. Jesus teaches how we sometimes can put family in front of Jesus and how the way we can rightly lave our family is by putting Jesus first. Sometimes we can feel rejected if someone says they put God above us. However, the only way we can truly accept someone is if God is in that first place. We need God's help in arder to rightly lave each other in an ordered way.
The example of the tower is meant to teach us that Jesus needs to be the foundation upan which we build all of our endeavors. The example of the king and his army is meant to teach us that we need to rely on Jesus in arder to experience victory in what-ever trials we face in life. Possesions can sorne-times become our God so we once again need to renounce possesions to put God in that first place. The definition of a disciple is one who has accepted Jesus Christ as the lord of their life and has chosen to al low God to send them forth to teach others about God. Are we yet at a place in our lives where are truly Jesus's disciples?
Last weekend we celebrated the blessing and dedication of our new Parish Activity Center (PAC). I am grateful to Dee Scheetz, the Knights of Columbus, our musicians and all those who helped with the dedication. I am grateful that Fr. Matt lwuji and Msgr Brooks were able to join and offer this blessing of the PAC. lt is due to Fr. Matt's leadership that the PAC is in existence. I also wish to express my gratitude to the Building Committee for all of their hard work in the building process. The Building Committee members are Roben Taglienti, Deacon David Ochoa, Dee Scheetz, Steve Walden, Steve Coonan, and Austin Segura. I especially wish to express my appreciation to Chair, Roben Taglienti, because this project would not have come to fulfillment without his leadership. Thank you all for your generous financial assistance in bringing the PAC to reality. We can now use the PAC although we are still working on installing an audio visual system in the main room of the PAC. We also are working to install white boards, TVs and DVD players in the meeting rooms of the PAC. Small wares (pots, pans, etc) are being ordered for the kitchen.
Jesus, help us to be your disciples,
Fr. Charlie
Meditación del Papa Francisco
Jesús dice a sus discípulos: "El que quiera seguirme, que se niegue a sí mismo, cargue con su cruz cada día y venga conmigo". Este es el estilo cristiano porque Jesús ha recorrido antes este camino. Nosotros no podemos pensar la vida cristiana fuera de este camino. Siempre está este camino que Él ha hecho antes: el camino de la humildad, el camino también de la humillación, de negarse a uno mismo y después resurgir de nuevo. Este es el camino. El estilo cristiano, sin cruz no es cristiano, y si la cruz es una cruz sin Jesús, no es cristiana. El estilo cristiano toma la cruz con Jesús y va adelante. No sin cruz, no sin Jesús.
Jesús ha dado el ejemplo y aún siendo igual a Dios, se humilló a sí mismo, y se ha hecho siervo por nosotros. Este estilo nos salvará, nos dará alegría y nos hará fecundos, porque este camino de renegarse a sí mismo es para dar vida, es contra el camino del egoísmo, de estar apegado a todos los bienes solo para mí. .. Este camino está abierto a los otros, porque ese camino que ha hecho Jesús, de anulamiento, ese camino ha sido para dar vida. (Cf. S.S. Francisco, 6 de mar-zo de 2014, homilía en Santa Marta).
Gracias a todos para su apoyo en el dedicacion y construcion del edificio nuevo, Padre Charlie