Thoughts From Fr. Mark

The final section of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde” is titled “A father in the shadows.” This is a beautiful image of St. Joseph and in the letter our Holy Father calls forth the best of fatherhood in the image of St. Joseph
“In his relationship to Jesus, Joseph was the earthly shadow of the heavenly Father: he watched over him and protected him, never leaving him to go his own way…In a similar way, Joseph acted as a father for his whole life.” (#7) The watching over and protecting is such a powerful image of fatherhood. It is pointed out later in this section of how this caring for and protecting at some point becomes the liberation of the child as he or she then has the strength, confidence and trust to embrace the challenges of life with the love of the father like a faint shadow always present with them.

It is in this understanding of freedom in the will of our Heavenly Father that St. Joseph, in his role as earthly father, becomes a true father. God desires us all to share in his freedom, where he is present and embraces us and desires the very best for us. It is where we can understand the truth, “Fathers are not born, but made…Whenever a man accepts responsibility for the life of another, in some way he becomes a father to that person.” (#7) Responsibility, duty and sacrifice are words we often see ridiculed and put down as old fashioned and out of touch with the present and yet we still understand how choosing to accept the gift of another in our life, whether it is spouse, child, or simply another calls forth from the heart a place of growth and strength in love. There is a constructing of the reality of love moving beyond the sentimentality of the moment into the long term commitment which grows through each act of sorrow and pain into the grace of a greater unity with family and the larger community.
In discovering the freedom of love, the father and mother, see in their children the grace of allowing them freedom in love. Pope Francis reminds us of how “chastity” goes beyond the sexual aspect and becomes a liberation of the egocentric attitude wherein we discover the finding companionship in the blessing family and all relationships. “Perhaps for this reason, Joseph is traditionally called a “most chaste” father. That title is not simply a sign of affection, but the summation of an attitude that is the opposite of possessiveness.” (#7) When in the example of St. Joseph we see the beloved of our life, and the sons and daughters not as objects of possession but as instruments of freedom. The attitude of giftedness and gratitude begin to take center stage where the other focuses of life and love draw each of us out into the possibility of eternal life and purity of love.
“Joseph found happiness not in mere self-sacrifice but in self-gift. In him, we never see frustration but only trust. His patient silence was the prelude to concrete expressions of trust. Our world today needs fathers.” (#7) This is our Christian vocation; the self gift of one to another founded in the Sacraments and brought to fruition in the coming together as a community to share in the life of Jesus Christ.
There is so much more in this Apostolic Letter and the need to continue to grow in faith, hope and love is presented to us in this Year of St. Joseph which Holy Mother Church has given to us as a gift of love. “We need only ask Saint Joseph for the grace of graces: our conversion.” (#7)

God bless
Fr. Mark

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

The sixth section of our Holy Father’s Apostolic Exhortation Patris Corde carries the title “a working father.” This title is all to familiar to us, as all of our fathers and mothers work both within and outside the home.
“Saint Joseph was a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family. From him, Jesus learned the value, the dignity and the joy of what it means to eat bread that is the fruit of one’s own labour.” (#6) We know from the Gospels it was said,“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.””(Lk 2:52) St. Joseph was an example to Jesus of the dignity and blessing of work. Pope Francis reminds us how the dignity and the joy of work are not just ideas but part of God’s plan for all people. Work helps to fulfill our vocation and call to holiness this was made especially clear in Pope Leo XIII’s Encyclical “Rerum Novarum”.

As we look at one paragraph in this section, we see how St. Joseph the Worker becomes a model for us in working in and for the Kingdom of God by doing our own work conscientiously. “Work is a means of participating in the work of salvation, an opportunity to hasten the coming of the Kingdom,” (#6) At times work is not fun, interesting or exciting. There are times and even jobs where drudgery and boredom seem the better descriptor of the task at hand and yet even these tasks and jobs are vital in the Kingdom and a place to share the blessing of God. Early on in my life I did three of these “boring jobs”, first was discing a field. Going round and round on a tractor pulling a disc to knock down the stubble, break up the ground…it often seemed endless with the drone of the engine and the heat and dust of the day. There were the nights standing guard in the Marine Corps: alone, no one else around yet needing to stay alert (and awake) in your duty. And then there were the hours working in a mail room, sorting mail, delivering mail, posting mail…the brain could just sleep. Yet each of these jobs were fruitful as part of the needed activity to produce food, protect the fellow Marines and keep a company running.
Pope Francis continues, where he reminds us we are challenged “to develop our talents and abilities, and to put them at the service of society and fraternal communion.” (#6) While the three things listed above drove me crazy at the time they did help me to become the man I am today. The perseverance, the fidelity to duty and the team attitude not readily seen at the time are in hindsight valuable virtues that have grown into my heart. These simple (and boring ) jobs helped to show me how to develop the greater talents God gave to me and to others and allowed me know myself better and to help others be successful in many different ways.

Work is a moment of grace and “It becomes an opportunity for the fulfillment not only of oneself, “(#6) this is the individual grace received “but also of that primary cell of society which is the family.”(#6) and the moment where the grace flows outward into the relationships and blessing of the world. The individual achievement is always built on the foundation of a desire for a greater good. Both in the individual family and in the family of God we seek to serve and help others through the work we do as an instrument of God’s grace.
“A family without work is particularly vulnerable to difficulties, tensions, estrangement and even break-up.” (#6) This time of pandemic has certainly proven this simple phrase. As a parish priest I here these stories too often in ministry and I know each person knows these stories too. It is heart breaking as we see our bothers and sisters suffering through the doubt and the loss of dignity unemployment brings to the family. I can only speak from my limited experience of being unemployed for a few short months and how the malaise and doubt hindered my understanding of my own dignity as a child of God.
“How can we speak of human dignity without working to ensure that everyone is able to earn a decent living?” (#6) We remember that from the beginning God called Adam and Eve, and each subsequent generation, to labor in the field and do the work of caring for one another and the gift of God’s creation. And this is the work of St. Joseph we are called to emulate and participate in today; the caring for each other as he did with our Blessed Mother and her son Jesus. It is using the talents and gifts given by God to work within the creative goodness of our Heavenly Father. It is the blessing of the dignity of life that we are all created to share in with the fullness of God’s divine grace.
“Let us implore Saint Joseph the Worker to help us find ways to express our firm conviction that no young person, no person at all, no family should be without work!” (#6)
God Bless Fr. Mark

“A Creatively Courageous Father” If you were on Jeopardy the question would be: Who was St. Joseph? As we continue with Pope Frances’ Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde” this is the title he gives to the fifth section. One of the things I enjoy about writing these short reflections is it gives me a chance to think a little deeper on the meaning of what it written and then how it applies to my faith life and journey as a member of God’s family.
What does it mean to be “creatively courageous” in our life? Pope Francis writes, “for all the arrogance and violence of worldly powers, God always finds a way to carry out his saving plan. So too, our lives may at times seem to be at the mercy of the powerful, but the Gospel shows us what counts. God always finds a way to save us…who was able to turn a problem into a possibility by trusting always in divine providence.” (#5)

Pope Frances uses the many struggles and dangers that marked the early stories of Jesus’ life and the life of the Holy Family. Joseph did not push back with force or anger rather he discovered and found the different road where the care and protecting of Mary and Jesus became his life’s work and his life’s joy.
I think this is one aspect of Christian courage we can often forget and ignore. Each virtue, including courage, should be underpinned with the joy of serving God. Being a courageous father or mother is a joyful experience in seeing the family grow in faith, hope and charity. “Courage! God asks of us only our good will; His grace does the rest. What I am most afraid of, is let you should be discouraged. The Christian motto is Hope! Hope on! Hope ever!” (St. Theophane Vernard) With St. Joseph we are called to rely on God’s gift of grace trusting when we choose to act with courage he will supply us with the sufficient strength to live out our actions. The good will and joy we should show in not the false sense of “Don’t worry…be happy” but the reality of knowing we are part of something much greater and more beautiful than the momentary flashes of the world.
Each of us is asked to share in the caring and loving one another: to be a guardian of life. “The Son of the Almighty came into our world in a state of great vulnerability. He needed to be defended, protected, cared for and raised by Joseph. God trusted Joseph, as did Mary, who found in him someone who would not only save her life, but would always provide for her and her child. In this sense, Saint Joseph could not be other than the Guardian of the Church.” (#5) And while this is serious business, it is also filled with grace, joy and blessings. I often reflect on this as my role as priest and pastor. We can hear the words of the Church; to guard and care for the salvation of souls as something from long ago and old fashioned but when I was first assigned as pastor of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Morgan Hill and then at St. Lucy Parish the weight of those words are a reality where I am called to care for the souls of all who live in the community. But the reality is, while it is a weighty obligation, the call is also one filled with the relationships and graces of so many wonderful and caring people who fill my soul, and guard my soul and together we act in creative courage in sharing the faith of Jesus Christ.

Growing up I didn’t think of my parents as “creatively courageous” but after reading and praying over this section of the letter I can understand how they were often creatively courageous in raising nine children. This act of courage is often facing the small problems and struggles in life and finding ways of bringing joy. They became guardians of our little souls in sharing and passing on the faith. Their creative courage often came in the form of just figuring out the daily moments of life in the laughter and tears of their children.
And while this obligation was a burden the joy and blessings were also filled with the fruitful love of hope. In the small and creatively courageous acts they lived and taught charity of caring and sharing life. As Pope Frances reminds us, “From Saint Joseph, we must learn that same care and responsibility. We must learn to love the child and his mother, to love the sacraments and charity, to love the Church and the poor. Each of these realities is always the child and his mother.”(#5)
God Bless
Fr. Mark

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20201208_patris-corde.html

As we continue to reflect on St. Joseph using Pope Francis Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde” the fourth section is entitled “An Accepting Father” and this is perhaps my favorite section of this letter. It speaks of a lived faith with each passage and stage of life and how in faith St. Joseph gives us an example of constant and faithful love and service. I would encourage you to pick up the letter, the link is below, and read it. It is short, so don’t breeze through the letter, rather take time and meditate on the beauty and life of St. Joseph.

Pope Francis writes, “Often in life, things happen whose meaning we do not understand. Our first reaction is frequently one of disappointment and rebellion. Joseph set aside his own ideas in order to accept the course of events and, mysterious as they seemed, to embrace them, take responsibility for them and make them part of his own history. Unless we are reconciled with our own history, we will be unable to take a single step forward, for we will always remain hostage to our expectations and the disappointments that follow.” (Patris Corde #4) Life doesn’t turn out the way we always hope. This past year of the pandemic has certainly taught us this lesson. The reality of reconciliation is so very important, not just in forgiving ourselves the past mistakes, but also the willingness to forgive others. We may not understand and should not forget the hurt and sin of the past but it should never become the anchor holding us back from sailing forth into greater love.
“The spiritual path that Joseph traces for us is not one that explains, but accepts. Only as a result of this acceptance, this reconciliation, can we begin to glimpse a broader history, a deeper meaning. We can almost hear an echo of the impassioned reply of Job to his wife, who had urged him to rebel against the evil he endured: “Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” (Job 2:10).” (Patris Corde #4) Pope Francis reminds us of how Joseph chose to listen and then act. He didn’t sit down and make a five year plan and then set up contingency plans and then go to focus groups to figure out his first step. All of these may be prudent but they can also allow the trust we should place in God to be eroded by our plans and not God’s plan for us. In my own life I have seen this play out over and over again and frustratingly realize I am a slow learner as I seek to interrupt God’s great design with my desire for little hills of victory. My story is one filled with the desire for explanations and clear roads instead of the love of the cross and the winding road of a life lived in passionate love of God.

“Joseph is certainly not passively resigned, but courageously and firmly proactive. In our own lives, acceptance and welcome can be an expression of the Holy Spirit’s gift of fortitude. Only the Lord can give us the strength needed to accept life as it is, with all its contradictions, frustrations and disappointments.” (Patris Corde #4) This is an “AMEN” moment of joy. The gifts of courage and fortitude from the Holy Spirit are part and parcel of our lives and Christians and to pray for these gifts and use them with joy and love is so very important. The way of faith is always bound by the desire to serve and the freedom to love. Service of our brothers and sisters isn’t drudgery nor is the gift of loving forgiveness a surrender to hopelessness but rather the call to conversion and transformation. We see this in St. Joseph’s life but also in the lives of so many of our brothers and sisters who choose to act in following the will of God in life and in death.
“Our lives can be miraculously reborn if we find the courage to live them in accordance with the Gospel. It does not matter if everything seems to have gone wrong or some things can no longer be fixed. God can make flowers spring up from stony ground. Even if our heart condemns us, “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 Jn 3:20).” (Patris Corde #4) I have witnessed this transformation and conversion so many times in my short time as a priest and can now recognize this blessings in so many steps and stories of my whole life from my childhood in Idaho, my time in the Marine Corps, my wandering in the desert searching for the path to follow until my missionary work in New Mexico, my teaching career and finally my call to serve God as a priest. I often thought everything had gone wrong and life had filled my basket with rotten fruit but God was always there. This is a lesson we must hand on to others. It is, as the quote below reminds us, a journey without shortcuts. Each and every step we take with Jesus is a moment of growth in faith, hope and love and we are each called to share them with one another in the peace and reconciliation of life.
“Nor should we ever think that believing means finding facile and comforting solutions. The faith Christ taught us is what we see in Saint Joseph. He did not look for shortcuts, but confronted reality with open eyes and accepted personal responsibility for it.” (Patris Corde #4)

God Bless
Fr. Mark

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
To you God entrusted his only Son; 
in you Mary placed her trust; 
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father 
and guide us in the path of life. 
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, 
and defend us from every evil. Amen.

“Now this is faith: you must believe in God the Lord of all who made the heavens and the earth and the seas and all that is in them; and he made Adam in his image; and he gave the law to Moses; he sent his Spirit on the prophets; moreover, he sent his Christ into the world…This is the faith of the church of God.” (Araphat from “Demonstrations on Faith”)

This early description of faith helps us to understand the blessing St. Joseph shared and how this faith helped him to say yes to God’s will and divine providence in this life as husband of Mary and father of Jesus our Lord. Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde” gives us this insight, “In every situation, Joseph declared his own “fiat”, like those of Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.” (#3 Patris Corde) Pope Francis has been reflecting on the dreams of Joseph and the willingness to St. Joseph accepting and acting on God’s call to serve, first in fulfilling his call to be husband and second to the caring for and becoming the Holy Family in the flight to Egypt and the subsequent time in Nazareth.

This focusses us on St. Joseph’s willingness to listen and act. He was called and responded with a generosity of love. Venerable Fulton Sheen remarked, “No husband and wife ever loved one another so much as Joseph and Mary.”
Focusing on the mission of loving and caring for another is a grace filled calling in life. I always imagine the laughter and joy that must have filled the house even during the trials and tribulations that surround them in their life as husband and wife. Did they suffer as husband and wife, mother and father? We can answer yes. But their response would have been peace and the continued reaching out to others. This is the grace filled mission.
We are also invited, by God, to follow the example of Joseph in this mission of love, caring and peace. Our world which is so often filled the strangling fear of sin the reality of this mission of love, caring and peace seems only to be a dream. But God calls us to enact the dream in the example of St. Joseph in moving out of the doubts and fears and enter into the grace filled peace of serving and participating in the life of Jesus Christ.
What does this look like? For me it begins with an act of service. When was the last time we chose to serve another? And did we choose to make it an act of love? It may be a simple as a check in phone call with an elderly friend or family member. It may be the bringing dinner over for someone who just needs a home cooked meal. It may be a thank-you and have a nice day comment to someone you meet in the grocery store or on you walk about the neighborhood. Or it could be within you family to choose to love, simply because we are called to love.

“All this makes it clear that “Saint Joseph was called by God to serve the person and mission of Jesus directly through the exercise of his fatherhood” and that in this way, ‘he cooperated in the fullness of time in the great mystery of salvation and is truly a minister of salvation.’” )#3 Patris Corde)
To become like St. Joseph, “a minster of salvation” we must choose to serve daily those around us. Whether it is with a family member, a friend, neighbor or the stranger we meet, choosing to share in serving “the person and mission of Jesus” participate in our invitation to be brothers and sisters in Christ.
God bless,
Fr. Mark,

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
To you God entrusted his only Son; 
in you Mary placed her trust; 
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father 
and guide us in the path of life. 
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, 
and defend us from every evil. Amen.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Most of the time my writings are not very topical and don’t follow the current event timeline too closely, especially with the news. But I am making one of my exceptions today as I share with you my thoughts, prayers and hopes for the future in this land we call home. This has been a hard 10 months with the pandemic, the lock downs, the fear and anxiety, the protests, riots and destruction during the summer culminating with what occurred at the Capital Building in Washington D.C. on January 6th.
All of this has brought great sadness to my heart but has not diminished my hope. As Catholics we must be anchored in the peace of God that is founded on the knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ. I don’t understand what is occurring but I also do understand my ultimate goal, in life and in death, as well as my mission that God calls me to share with each and every breath I take. I and we as Christians, must be firmly placed on the rock of Jesus Christ.

I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Joshua stood on the banks of the Jordan River looking out towards a destination he knew God desired for His people. Joshua didn’t know what was going to happen. He didn’t know what obstacles he would face. He was unsure of almost everything that the future held for him and God’s people. He knew one thing: God was with him no matter what. In the sorrow and fears…God was with him. In joy and celebration…God was with him. Joshua could look into the darkness and find light because of his trust in God’s providence and will for Israel. In the darkness of today we are reminded the light of Jesus Christ burns to lead us forward in faith, hope and trust.

So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

During this time humility is difficult. We hear a lot of “what about your side” comments when reading social media and listening to the news. Blaming others while engaging in the same behavior seems the norm rather than the exception. St. Peter reminds us of something very simple, we live in God’s time and for God’s time…”that he may exalt you in due time.” This simple phrase can be frustrating and hard to phantom in the midst of turmoil. Humbling my heart in God’s presence calls me to listen and to be with not only those I may agree with but also those who I may disagree with. Jesus’ command to love your enemies (Mt 5:44) isn’t easy but it is life giving.
We are called to be a people of unity, each with different gifts and challenges who speak the truth of virtue in the face of sin and evil. In due time is God’s victory, is our salvation.
This poor one cried out and the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (Psalm 34:7)
I love the prayer of St. Theresa of Avila where she invites us into total trust in God’s divine plan. The last line: “God alone suffices” is something I pray several times a day especially in my morning prayer and at night before I go to bed. St. Theresa also lived in times of great upheaval, both politically and religiously. (Sound familiar) Yet, her faith shown forth in total trust in how God called her to conversion and how her life still brings people to Jesus Christ.
It may not be tomorrow, or next year, or even in my life time…but God’s plan will come to fulfillment in and through his holy Church. The evil one wishes to divide us through accusations and hatred. God wishes to unite us in the tender mercy of healing love. “Let nothing frighten you.”

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
Jesus reminded his disciples over and over again…do not be afraid. Pope St. John Paul II often repeated these words. He, who grew up under the evil of the Nazi occupation of Poland and then the subjugation of his country under the communist Soviet Union, knew the daily fear that can grip the hearts of people causing them to turn against those in the community and family. But, he also knew a single drop of hope, a small pinhole of faith, the glowing warmth of love destroyed the mountain of fear and oppression and allowed the dignity of the human person to grow and flourish in the most oppressive situations.
We must be diligent in guarding our liberties and freedoms but we also must be filled with peace and hope. We are called to sheath our swords and to put on the spiritual armor that brings us into eternity. We must fight our battles with the weapons of God and not of man.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27)
Jesus’ command and gift are for each of us. I know where my goal lies…in heaven. I know my mission…to proclaim Jesus. Each and everything I do should be towards this goal and this mission. I know I fail too often but I also know my goal is not my own, my mission is not my own and I am called to place them in the hands of the one true living God. We are all invited to do the same.

God Bless
Fr. Mark

Pope Francis gave the Church a Christmas present this year in a very special way. As he marked the 5th anniversary of his Apostolic Exhortation “Amoris Laetitia: The Joy of Love” he declared the next year to be devoted to the family…this on top of his earlier gift of the year devoted to St. Joseph.

In Pope Francis’ own words, “As of now, I invite everyone to take part in the initiatives that will be promoted during the Year and that will be coordinated by the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life. Let us entrust this journey, with families all over the world, to the Holy Family of Nazareth, in particular to St. Joseph, the devoted spouse and father.” (taken from the CNA article dated 12/27)
Pope Francis reminds us of how St. Joseph within the blessing of the Holy Family offers us a vision of a man of faith and the call to journey together united in the obedience of love. The Year “Amoris Laetitia Family”, which will begin on March 19th, the Solemnity of St. Joseph Husband of Mary, is a year dedicated to remind us of the need and foundational blessing the family is to society as God has called us to be in unity with Him as the family of the Church.

I’m a big fan of both families and St. Jospeh. I fell in love with St. Joseph fairly early in my life. We of course celebrate the March 19 Solemnity with great joy but my birthday, May 1, is the smaller feast of St. Joseph the Worker and the more I read about him I also discovered the other names and patronages he has, such as of a “Happy Death” and then there are other titles like “Terror of Demons”.
Pope Francis points out in the below quote the reality of the battle of good and evil and how the evil one seeks to exploit our weaknesses and drive us away from God. “The evil one makes us see and condemn our frailty, whereas the Spirit brings it to light with tender love. Tenderness is the best way to touch the frailty within us. Pointing fingers and judging others are frequently signs of an inability to accept our own weaknesses, our own frailty. Only tender love will save us from the snares of the accuser (cf. Rev 12:10). That is why it is so important to encounter God’s mercy, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where we experience his truth and tenderness. Paradoxically, the evil one can also speak the truth to us, yet he does so only to condemn us. We know that God’s truth does not condemn, but instead welcomes, embraces, sustains and forgives us. That truth always presents itself to us like the merciful father in Jesus’ parable (cf. Lk 15:11-32). It comes out to meet us, restores our dignity, sets us back on our feet and rejoices for us, for, as the father says: “This my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (v. 24).” (#2 Patris Corde)

One of the unique ways we see Joseph is in his silence. We never hear or read a word spoken by him in the Gospels, he simply listens and then leads by following the will of God in his life and the life of the Holy Family. This is not a passivity but rather the courageous desire of doing God’s will. In the face of evil, Joseph stands as the silent sentinel protecting and guarding our Blessed Mother and the child Jesus. His holiness, his virtue and his courage enable him to tune out the cacophony of lies, hatred and slander thrown at him by the evil one and to be able to simply hear the love and joy of God’s tender whisper drawing him closer and closer in love.
I can only imagine the fury of the devil at this quiet and peaceful rebuke with the confidence of God’s abiding presence with him. I believe this is one of the great lessons I continue to learn from St. Joseph…words are important but living the virtue of holiness shows greater strength and trust in God’s will and plan for our lives against the snares and temptations of sin. It is in tenderness, the care for the frailty of the other, where we live the true gift of our Christian vocation in the call to holiness. We embrace the cry of the poor, the wounds of the afflicted and the pain of the brokenhearted no matter the origin or those who are carrying this cross. It is in the silent witness to faith where we discover the vocation of service and care for the other.
During this year of St. Joseph and the overlapping Year “Amoris Laetitia Family” we are all called to witness and join in the virtue St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, Protector of the Catholic Church, Patron of a Happy Death, Patron of Workers, Terror of Demons and the many other titles he holds, shares with us daily and through his prayers and intercessions we may grow in the sacred virtues.
St. Joseph…pray for us.
God Bless
Fr. Mark

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

Text to Patris Corde

http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20201208_patris-corde.html

The twelve days of Christmas are upon us and we celebrate the brith of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My normal Friday letter is a Monday addition because of the work and time needed to set up the outdoor celebration I did not adequately allot my time to be able to write and reflect on the joy of Christmas. The good thing about this on my part is the ability to now look back and share some of the joys and blessings this odd and strange Christmas gave to me as a gift.

God does not abandon us…Christmas still occurred amidst the dire warning and the stern gazes…Christmas still occurred. In speaking with many people who came to Christmas Mass and then the Masses of the following weekend a trend appeared very quickly. Christmas was with family. Christmas didn’t involve traveling or much visiting of other members of the family. There was lot of “zooming” and video chatting. And in the end there was Christmas with the reading of the Christmas story, the sharing of memories, the exchange of a gift and the family not bustling about but enjoying the day.
The waves from the sunroofs…this happened at almost every Mass…one of our younger parishioners would appear, head and shoulders sticking out of the roof of the car waving, wishing others a Merry Christmas, the peace of Jesus Christ and a smile of joy and blessing to everyone who could see them. From my vantage point at the altar it was the reminder of who we are as a community. Young and old, families and singles, brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ gathered together in joy and blessing.

Help from friends…we are not in this alone…no matter how much social distancing, isolation and keeping apart we are asked to do…we are not in this alone. From Wednesday afternoon until Christmas day on Friday, brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow parishioners and priests stepped forward to set-up the worship spaces and prepare the environment for the coming holy days of celebration. I slept fitfully on the night of the 23rd wondering and worrying about how we would get all the things that needed to be done finished by the time people began showing up for our 2:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. Walking into the church that morning I was shocked and overjoyed to see a Christmas elf had been in the church that night and had completed most of the work in the building. Next was the joy and innovative creativity from those who set up the outside worship space. Taking what we had (normally only used for inside) and finding ways to make it work so that we could honor our God with a beautiful and holy prayer space. And finally a brother priest, knowing my stress stepping in to celebrate with our community. Thanks Fr. Randy!

St. Joseph…”The greatness of Saint Joseph is that he was the spouse of Mary and the father of Jesus. In this way, he placed himself, in the words of Saint John Chrysostom, “at the service of the entire plan of salvation”.” (#1 Patris Corde) I used this short sentence from our Holy Father Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter as the foundation for my homilies on Christmas day. It was the refocusing of my heart not on simply getting through the day, but to be more like St. Joseph in being of service to God’s plan of salvation. Looking at the day not as an endurance test but as a blessing of life to be given and shared with others our out of love.
Thank you for all your prayers and blessings over the past year. Just a reminder…God does not abandon us…because we are a community of love…full of friendship were we journey together…at the service of God’s salvation.
God Bless
Fr. Mark

As some of you may know, I like sports. I follow my baseball team, the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers with great joy, but I also enjoy the other beautiful game; soccer. Whether it is our own San Jose Earthquakes or the teams I follow in Europe or Mexico, watching a good soccer match is food for the soul.

The last few years in the English Premier League, I am a short suffering Everton fan, two teams, Liverpool and Manchester City, have dominated with winning point totals (over 100 in some years) that have reached historic levels. This year seems to be different, not just because of the pandemic or the empty stadia but there seems to be a more level playing field. We hear the pundits and the coaches and managers of the teams complain about the number of games, the tiredness of the teams that are playing multiple competitions and the growing number of injuries as the reason for the much tighter race for the league, the number of teams that are near the top and the surprising results of teams beating and holding at bay the mighty Man City and Liverpool teams of the past few years.

What they and many of us seem to forget that this is not and oddity but rather it is the normal. Every once in a while you have a great and dominant team, like the 2020 World Champion Dodgers, (I get to say that for a whole year) but in most years there is a hard fought battle with the perceived best team in the league and those who are chasing them. It is often a reality in our minds that we forget the long history as our memories hold on to the glories or the sufferings but forget the import middle, the long road that ultimately gets you to where you want to be.
Which is a very long way to getting us to God, faith and the long and winding road of conversion and hope. If where we want to be is Heaven, then there is only one road and that is the road of life. We can’t avoid it and there are no short cuts. This year has certainly shone a light on the need to be steady and secure in what we believe and how we act towards one another and even how we treat our self in these times of stress. There are some years when it seems easy but clearly this isn’t one of those years.
We might listen to the wisdom of Dorothy Day, “Most cradle Catholics have gone through, or need to go through, a second conversion which binds them with a more mature love and obedience to the Church.” I think she would also add: a third, a fourth, a fifth etc… As we know and understand God more and more we find ourselves in the winding road of conversion and hopefulness. We seek a deeper and truer meaning to life found only in the acceptance of a greater will and a more beautiful grace than our poor human endeavors can ever create.

What does this look like? I was talking with a parish family a few weeks ago about what has changed. They described what sounded like a six month fast and decluttering of their life. The sense was that in all the frustrations, the angers, the loneliness they had been shaken off their comfortable stool and allowed to roam about in a room they could discover anew. They didn’t deny they tragedy of loosing work, having a close friend die of the virus and the economic pain their family is going through but they also saw a greater reliance on the providence of God’s powerful grace leading them through the healing and growth in faith they began to understand is necessary. It is what a very wise priest once told me long ago when I was struggling, “Relax, slow down and let God catch up.” We can’t run ahead in life, we must walk with Jesus.
God Bless
Fr. Mark

“Heaven is filled with converted sinners of all kinds, and there is room for one more.”—St. Joseph Cafasso

It looks like rain! In dry and drought stricken California those words often bring joy, hope and thanksgiving. For us who are outside, worshiping under tents, with the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe this weekend those words, “It looks like rain” bring about other emotions mixed-in with the joy, the hope and the thanksgiving.

It has been one of the great blessings of this time of pandemic to see so many members of the parish community stepping and joining together, at a social distance😁, to help us continue to be able to celebrate the Eucharist in dignity and reverence even with the many restrictions placed upon us. I am in the midsts of reading a book of reflections by Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida, during my Holy Hour. One of the first lessons she has taught me is the need to continue to seek hope and joy in the darkness of the problems of the world. Like many Mexican Catholics who lived during the horrendous persecutions of the late 19th and early 20th century Blessed Concepción endured and grew more confident in her faith as she shared it with her husband, children and many others in her circle of life.
“I have offered myself for the hundredth time to my beloved Father, I have deeply abased myself in the ashes, while admitting his infinite gentleness for me. I never want to have my own will any more and every day, at each moment, I will lose myself in his adorable will. I love it.”(p 20 from “Under the Gaze of the Father”)

The gift of continually offering ourselves to God to do His will is one of the great challenges of our call to discipleship. This Third Sunday of Advent is an invitation to joy in the midst of suffering and an invitation to joy in the preparing for seeing the gift of hope filled love in the coming Nativity that is close and yet not here. The endurance in our faith is the central blessing we are called to share.

Endurance is founded on a hope of something greater and better, something that is known and deeply cherished, where it is near at hand. This is the love we have for our family, friends and world, it is the hope the Church is called to proclaim. And while the suffering we are enduring during this pandemic is real, we also must put in a perspective of what we hope for as sons and daughters of the living God. St. Paul reminds us, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 20:20) In other words…it is that famous phrase…“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” (C.S. Lewis) or the reminder Pope Benedict XVI shared, “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness”

It is even true in reality I have not had to endure great suffering and yet I know the call to greatness lives within each person I meet. We hear so many stories of people struggling to overcome obstacles both large and small and enduring to greatness. I remember working with a student in New Mexico where each turn it seemed like another door closed, another boulder would block his path or the winds would be always against his hopes and dreams but with each turn his determination would be great and stronger and you saw this in his prayers and his trust in God knowing tomorrow would be another day and he would wake up and move forward again.
It is not a comfortable world for many of us right now…but we know we were made for so much more. Let us pray for all who suffer that the hope and faith of Jesus Christ may fill them in love.
God Bless
Fr. Mark .