Last Sunday, Pentecost, concluded the Easter season. The 50 days ended when we celebrated the gift of the Holy Spirit who continues to animate the People of God, the Church. Pentecost was something special, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world, in us, IS still special today!

As we celebrate our parish picnic, “Willy Jam,” we are invited to be aware of our community of faith in its entirety and in its rich diversity. The celebration of a bilingual Mass with nearly 1000 participants is a great beginning to the day. We celebrate who we are at the Eucharist. We are a grateful people! We give thanks for God’s presence, nearness, and love. We show to others the presence of God as they enjoy the day of activities that follow the Mass. Our intention is that everything works together for advancing the UNITY which God wants for us. If we are not seeking unity on the day of our parish picnic, and every day, we have missed one of the central teachings of Jesus – that all may be one!

I think that I am like many of you when I say that I remain deeply grieved by the violent deaths that have occurred in recent weeks in different parts of our country and the world. We grieve with the people of Buffalo, NY; Uvalde, TX; Tulsa, OK; and from Thursday, June 2, with the people from a church in Ames, Iowa, where three people were killed – two murdered and one suicide. The list will likely grow between the time I write this and the time you read it.

Human beings, creatures of God, have a capacity for both peaceful coexistence and violent division. That is clear. However, we are also moral persons who can learn right from wrong. We can use our intelligence and collaborative skills in order to overcome that violent capacity and live in peacefully.

Catholic Christians are particular human beings who represent the people I just described. We are moral and intelligent persons who can learn right from wrong because of our faith in God. We learn based upon the example of Jesus, the Christ, and in collaboration with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, given in Baptism, nourished in the Eucharist, strengthened in Confirmation teaches us ALL things, reminding us what Jesus taught us (John 14:26).

Our Catholic faith teaches us the power of reconciliation and peace. These dynamics, rooted in the person of Jesus, the Son of God, are transforming the world. When Jesus went to his death non-violently, and rose from the dead without vengeance toward his killers and those who betrayed him, he showed the world the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. WE MUST SHOW THAT TRANSFORMATIVE POWER TODAY!

 Peace, Fr. Andy