Bulletin Article: May 30

Next weekend is the Feast of Corpus Christi. This is an important liturgical day because it draws attention to the Most Holy Eucharist which is central to our faith.

During this past year we had to close our Perpetual Adoration Chapel due to COVID-19. Even at the time we did not have every hour of the day filled. I would like to reopen the chapel, but we must first fill all of the available hours if this is to happen. What is required of us according to the Church is: “Every effort should be made to ensure that there should be at least two people present. There must absolutely never be periods when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed and there is no one present for adoration.”

Currently we have adoration on Wednesday (9am-7pm) and Saturday (9am-4:30pm). We currently are trying to find adorers on Monday from 9am-6pm, but are not having any luck in filling these hours. We in the past have attempted to have adoration on Friday, but at the time it was impossible to fill the hours of 9am-7pm. Do we desire for the adoration chapel to reopen or would we rather it remain closed?

I personally hope and pray that we want this chapel to reopen. There are many fruits which spring forth for a parish with perpetual adoration which include increased Mass attendance and vocations. Tricia Klug or a representative of our perpetual adoration chapel will be available after all Masses next weekend seeking individuals who might be interested in taking adoration hours. Remember it was our Lord who asked, “Can you not keep watch with me for one hour?”

On Sunday, June 6, there will be a Eucharistic Procession. Do to now having an additional Mass on the schedule I have decided to move the Eucharistic Procession from its usual time of 1pm to 5pm in hope of bringing the parish together and allowing the upmost solemnity for this celebration. Following the 2pm Mass the Eucharist will be exposed which will give an opportunity for silent prayer before the Lord and then procession will begin at 5pm ending with Benediction.

Finally, I would like to invite each of you to a parish cookout on June 12th following the 5pm Mass. This will be a laid back evening with games and hotdogs on the soccer field. More information will be included in next week’s bulletin.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Most Holy Trinity Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Recently one of our fourth graders posed a question to me concerning the Most Holy Trinity. Their question boiled down to who created the Holy Spirit. The answer to this question is complex and the Holy Spirit was always present, as was Christ, and as was the Father. Therefore, from the very beginning the love between the Father and the Son was so great a love that from it came forth another, the Holy Spirit. At this point the child confessed that the Trinity was very confusing and was hard to understand. To this I remarked that they now perfectly understood the Trinity.

You see the Trinity is a mystery. There are many who attempt to explain away this mystery through the use of metaphors. Each and every one of these metaphors fall short of explaining the Trinity and usually fall into some form of heresy. If you want a perfect explanation to what we must believe when it pertains to the Most Holy Trinity I would encourage you to spend some time in reflection with the Athanasian Creed. This is a third Creed of the Church which many have probably never heard of, but it gives a perfect glimpse into what we must profess and believe when it pertains to the Trinity.

Therefore, of the Trinity we can profess that there is one God in three persons. It would be incorrect to say that there is three Gods. These three Persons are distinct from one another and yet one God. There was never a time when the Trinity was not for God has always been. The Trinity is the perfect outpouring of love and thus the love that exists between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is so great a love that it is mutual and flowing over. The Trinity is thus important for us because it is an expression of God and His great love for us as is stated in the Acts of the Apostles, “In him we live and move and have our being.”

May we enter into this communion of Persons for through the Trinity we receive an outpouring of life, faith, hope, and love. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit might be a mystery, but at the same time they are not abstract words which remain far from our grasp. Through these words we are pointed towards truth and thus something greater. Through the Trinity we are shown love in its most perfect way and thus through entering into the Trinity we are encouraged to truly enter into love itself.

It should be no secret to us that love is something which is so often abused, that faith is something which is so often neglected, that hope is something which is lost, and life is something which is not fostered. It is the Trinity which encourages us to enter into something so much deeper. Let us be willing to enter into the life of the Trinity and thus begin to see the bigger picture of what it means to love, to have faith, to have hope, and to have life. May the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit always be our guiding and molding light.

Bulletin Article: May 23

This past Wednesday was the graduation for the 8th grade class of our parish school. Please continue to keep them and all those who graduate this year in your prayers. We have a Mass scheduled on June 13th at 8am for those who have graduated from high school this year.

This Sunday the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation resumed in the Diocese of Knoxville. The bishop has revised his mandate which now makes facial coverings optional when attending Mass or other activities at our campus.

In Christ, 

Fr. Dustin Collins

Pentecost Sunday Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost where we call to mind the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles as well as the world. One common term which is used in reference to the Holy Spirit is the Paraclete. The Paraclete comes from a Greek word which means advocate or helper and therefore is applied in Christianity to the Holy Spirit. It is God the Holy Spirit who becomes our advocate for He pleads God’s cause for the human family, keeps the Church from falling into error, and sanctifies souls through the preaching of God’s word and the sacraments.

We too must remain open to this gift of the Holy Spirit. Hopefully, all of us have received the Sacrament of Confirmation or will soon receive it at the proper time. In the Diocese of Knoxville the norm for the reception of Confirmation is in the 5th grade. There are many who have been led to believe that Confirmation is to make an adult acceptance of the Catholic faith. That statement is not true for through baptism one is Catholic be they an infant or an adult. Instead the sacrament of confirmation infuses us with God’s grace, brings to completion what was begun in us at our baptism, and pours forth upon us the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it; confirmation “gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as a true witness of Christ, to confess the name of Christ more boldly, and never to be ashamed of the cross.”

From the Acts of the Apostles we know the Holy Spirit to be “like a strong driving wind.” We see this played out within the life of the Church were people where sent forth to lead other souls unto God. As the Great Commission puts it: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Our world too is greatly in need of evangelists and thus people who take the Great Commission to heart. It was recently said that this is the first time in the history of the United States that religious people have fallen under the majority. That tells me that there is a lot for us to do even here within the south. Not only must we do this, but we must be willing to lead others into the life of the Church.

All of this is difficult if we attempt to do it alone. It was difficult for the apostles and other great missionaries, but in the end the Church grew for they trusted in Christ and were moved by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate into our life in order that we too may lead others into relationship with the Lord and His Church on earth. May we allow this advocate to come upon us in order that we may always be preserved in the truth of Christ.

St. Mary School Graduation Homily

What a weird school year that each of you have now survived. It was unlike any year in the school’s history. Instead of seeing faces we got used to seeing masks, instead of eating lunch in the make shift cafeteria that is a mini gym you ate your meals inside of your classroom, and instead of Masses held as a student body you were separated by six feet. 

Despite all that has changed this past year there is a lot which has not changed. That would be “veritas” which we know in English as “truth.” Throughout this year this school has continued to strive for academic excellence rooted in our Catholic tradition. God is the unchanging link that has made this year just like any other year. Thus you continued to encounter Him in your studies, in prayer, in the mercy that is the sacrament of confession, and in the Most Holy Eucharist.

Hopefully, you will continue to pursue truth once you leave this hollowed place. God is the unchanging link that you need to allow into your life. We celebrate with you on this the day of your graduation, but at the same time I remind you of the seriousness which lies ahead. Continue to use all that you have learned from this school to assist you in your daily life. Do not allow yourself to become too busy for God or for the faith that we celebrate. Truly this a day for rejoicing and thus let us always give glory to God for the many gifts that He has bestowed upon us.

Bulletin Article: May 16

The following are important notes concerning Masses at Saint Mary Parish starting the weekend of May 22/23.

The obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation will resume May 23rd which is the Solemnity of Pentecost. Please note that those who are ill, those who believe that they have been exposed to COVID-19, those in a high risk category, those who have significant fear and anxiety concerning COVID-19, the homebound, and those who cannot attend due to no fault of their own are dispensed from this obligation. If anyone needs further clarification on this matter please contact me.

Masks will still be required of all when attending Mass and are to be worn over one’s mouth and nose. Our bishop hopes to make masks optional effective the weekend of July 31/August 1.

Social distancing inside of the church will now be held to three feet. Thus every pew inside the church will now be able to be used for seating. We ask that you are attentive to others and hold to three feet distancing between yourself and others.

Collection baskets will again be passed from person to person at the offertory. If this makes you uneasy please use hand sanitizer after handling the basket.

If one receives Holy Communion in the hand they must make use of hand sanitizer before receiving. Make sure to pull your mask down prior to receiving communion. Communion should be placed directly in one’s mouth after receiving and should not be brought back to the pew to receive later. After receiving communion please put your mask back up. Those who wish to receive communion on the tongue may do so once everyone who receives in the hand finishes.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Sunday After Ascension Homily

Saint Peter addresses us in these words: “be prudent, and watch in prayers.” To this Saint Alphonsus states: “There is nothing which preachers, confessors, and spiritual books should insist upon with more warmth and energy than prayer.” Saint John Damascene defines prayer as “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.”

Our Gospel instructs us concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles at Pentecost. We know that prior to this outpouring they remained watchful and were found in prayer in the Upper Room. So too we must foster this most important of relationships. Our faith should not be lowered to the bare minimum, but should extend towards becoming a relationship with God. We can only dare to foster a relationship with God if we dare to pray.

To the importance of prayer Sacred Scripture states from Saint Paul to the Thessalonians: “Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Saint Paul is telling us of the importance of prayer and how it should be weaved into everything that we do. There are so many who rush through life and fail to make room for prayer. We are never too busy to pray; the issue is not time, but a lack of making it a priority. Let us never fall into making such an excuse.

The liturgical life of the Church is so rich we should find no issue in finding ways to pray. We have liturgical prayer and private prayer. Our liturgy guides us in joining together in worship of God for the good of the Church. The Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours are all forms of liturgical prayer. Private prayer such as the rosary, Eucharistic adoration, the study of scripture, the reading of spiritual books, and more are all ways in which we can enkindle our relationship with God.

Prayer is also of upmost importance in the family. When is the last time that your family has prayed together? As St. John Paul II had stated: “We need to return to the practice of family prayer and prayer for families, continuing to use the Rosary.” The family should be the domestic church which means the church at home. It is at home that prayer should be fostered and vocations should be promoted.

It should be no shock to us to know that the devil is prowling about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It is for this reason that the family currently finds itself under attack and sin seems to be such an appealing part of society. To keep watch means that one remains on the lookout for danger or trouble. Therefore, prayer is so important for it assists us in loving God, knowing His commands, and serving His Divine Will in all that we do.

May we remain prudent and always be found at watch when it pertains to prayer. There will be nothing that will be more rewarding for us then building up this relationship with God. May we make this relationship manifest in our life especially within our families. Our homes should be known as being a “House of Prayer” therefore let us “be prudent, and watch in prayers.”

Ascension Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven. This celebration causes us to look upward and dare to go where our Lord has gone before. Now we must decide if we will elevate our sight in such fashion, thus joining with the apostles, or if we will instead keep our sight cast downward upon the here and now.

Our Lord’s Ascension into Heaven brings to conclusion His earthly life. This earthly life came about when He was conceived within the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Annunciation. Many events then proceeded in His earthly life from His birth in Bethlehem, to His preaching concerning the Kingdom of God, to His sorrowful Passion, and to His glorious Resurrection. We now anticipate when He will come again at the end of time.

Along the way shepherds came to adore Him, magi brought Him gifts, and the apostles came to know and love Him. The apostles encountered many ups and downs concerning their time with the Lord. They came to mourn at His death, rejoice at the Good News of His Resurrection, and now they were saddened by His Ascension. They like us, were not left alone, for they came to receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

The Fathers of the Church used to refer to the Ascension as being the “hope of the body.” Truly this celebration is a great hope because through it we are reminded to keep moving forward because life always triumphs over death.

With all of the ups and downs of life it can be difficult to have faith and trust placed in the Lord, but we must still have hope and the Lord’s Ascension signals that hope to us. For through the Lord’s Ascension may we come to realize that we have not been left alone. Rather, our Lord continues to be present with us in this day and age. He continues to be manifest among us in the Most Holy Eucharist for “He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him.” We are not alone for the Lord has told us so, so let us continue to dwell with Him and elevate our sight upward towards Him.

In this world there are so many who have lost sight of where they are headed in this life. They see no value to the practice of religion and the the pursuit of truth. Others have grown complacent and need to be shaken out of their complacency. We must reminded of the Lord in the midst of all that we do in the here and now.

The Ascension serves as our reminder that the Lord is indeed flesh and blood like you and me. It serves as a reminder that we need to continue to encounter and set our sight upon Him within this life. The answer to where we are headed is to where He has gone before, the Kingdom of Heaven. Do we dare to join Him here or would we rather remain caught up in the here and now? 

Let us not be filled with sorrow, but with hope as we realize that through the Ascension a great gift has been poured out upon the world. Heaven is indeed where we are headed, so let us begin to live as if this were a truth. The Lord continues to bless us with grace in order that we may follow where He has gone before. Let us dare follow Him and elevate our sight upward towards Him in all that we do.

Bulletin Article: May 9

I thank all those who assisted in any way with the Family Fun Fest. I look forward to having more parish activities in the days and months ahead. Don’t forget that on September 12th we will have our Parish Homecoming Celebration which will include a bilingual outdoor Mass and picnic.

Please note that confessions start at the time posted until there is nobody left in line. Our confession opportunities are Wednesday at 6pm, Saturday at 9am and 4:30pm, Sunday at 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am, and 1:30pm. This is especially important for the Sunday obligation confessions because of the Mass which follows shortly after.

Next weekend, May 15 & 16, will be our School Enrollment Weekend. This weekend there will be an information table for our parish school where you can take home information concerning our school and schedule a tour of our school. I hope that all families of our parish would consider sending their children to our parish school. There is a true value to an education grounded in Catholic thought. Students currently have the opportunity to attend confession monthly and will attend Mass two days per week starting next year. Our parish school also excels at academic excellence which is reflected through test scores.

May 13th was the opening of Fatima and thus we will begin our monthly Rosary and Adoration in preparation for our Parish Homecoming Celebration on September 12th. This rosary will be held at 6pm on 13th of every month through October. It is being offered especially for those effected by COVID-19 and for the good of our parish as we get back together.

May 13th is also the proper date of the Ascension of Christ into Heaven. In our diocese this is transferred to the following Sunday, but in the Extraordinary Form the date retains it’s proper day. Therefore, there will be Mass for the Ascension May 13th at 7pm in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins 

5th Sunday After Easter Homily

The faith is not something which is dead and docile, but instead is found alive and well. In two weeks time we will be reminded of this in the most vivid of ways through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which according to the Book of Acts came forth as a strong driving wind. Therefore, we can see that the Holy Spirit leads the Church forth to lead others into the abundant Harvest of the Lord.

So often we are not open to receive such a gift for we fear where this gift will lead us. As our Epistle stated: “Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving you own selves.” The apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit and from it they did not remain self contained within the Upper Room, but through it they were sent out into the world to lead others towards Christ.

We hopefully hear the Word of the Lord day in and day out. Hopefully we not only hear this word, but allow it to seep into our heart and our soul allowing it to become who we are as one who is created in the image and likeness of God. When Christians fail to be doers of the word they do the faith a great injustice. When we live a life which is contrary to the faith it harms not only ourself, but others. It makes evangelization impossible on our behalf because we live for self and not for Christ Jesus.

It is time for us to be shaken out of our complacency and to realize the need to turn away from sin and to live for Christ Jesus. Some have grown comfortable and they thus see no need to turn away from sin because they have spent so much time rationalizing it in this life. They have allowed themselves to become desensitized to sin in order to live for the here and now. Therefore they allow themself to become a slave instead of being set free for Christ Jesus.

We must reject this notion and turn towards Christ. It is not enough for us to come to Mass when it is convenient. It is not enough for us to come to Mass, but not dare to conform our life to Christ. We can study Sacred Scripture and say that Jesus loves me all that we want, but that does nothing if we have closed our heart to living out the Gospel, not as we wish, but as Christ wishes through the teaching authority of the Church.

Therefore, we must each ask ourself what we must let go of if we are to live for Christ Jesus. Very soon the Holy Spirit will descend upon the apostles and so too the Holy Spirit continues to descend upon us to orient us towards all truth. We cannot deceive ourself any further, but realize that now if the time to live for Christ Jesus. May we use this time which has been allotted to us to live Him.

6th Sunday of Easter Year B Homily

On this 6th Sunday of Easter all of the commandments are summed up for us in these words: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” This concept of love is then brought into further context by stating: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” We can thus conclude that love should become sacrificial.

If we desire to see sacrificial love most perfectly displayed to us we have no further to look then the Most Holy Trinity. It is here the God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit give entirely to one another without reservation. To the cross we can also look to see our Blessed Lord who lays down His life for us upon the cross. 

As is mentioned in the Exhortation for a marriage: “And because these words involve such solemn obligations, it is most fitting that you rest the security of your wedded life upon the great principle of self-sacrifice. And so you begin your married life by the voluntary and complete surrender of your individual lives in the interest of that deeper and wider life which you are to have in common. Henceforth you will belong entirely to each other; you will be one in mind, one in heart, and one in affections. And whatever sacrifices you may hereafter be required to make to preserve this mutual life, always make them generously. Sacrifice is usually difficult and irksome. Only love can make it easy, and perfect love can make it a joy. We are willing to give in proportion as we love. And when love is perfect, the sacrifice is complete. God so loved the world that he gave His only-begotten Son, and the Son so loved us that He gave Himself for our salvation. “Greater love than this no man has, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Today we also celebrate Mother’s Day which should remind us of this sacrificial love. To be a mother is to say yes to the gift of life, it is to carry a child within the womb for 9 moths, it is to undergo the pain of childbirth, it is to undergo sleepless nights and taking care of the needs of one’s child. A mother loves her child more then she loves herself. The Blessed Mother shows this same outpouring of love towards her Son. She was present with Him when He endured His death upon the cross as was prophesied by Simeon, “A sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

The family as a whole must also learn to participate in this sacrificial love. To participate in sacrificial love is the only way for the family to become a holy Family which is modeled after the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The family must teach us to move outside of ourself and to care for another. It is in the family that parents learn to do without to provide for what is best for their children. It is within the family that all should see the need to place our attention upon Christ.

Sacrificial love is what leads to true happiness for it moves us outside of ourself in order that we may see the need of another. No matter where we find ourself may we see the need for Christ’s love and the need to share it with others. Whenever the commandments are broken we fail to love Christ, we to love our neighbor, and we fail to love ourself. It is only sacrificial love that will make straight the path for the Kingdom of Heaven.

St. Mary’s Men Evening of Recollection XVI: Easter

I hope that each of you continue to have a blessed Easter season.

Saint Josemaria Escriva instructs: “Easter is a time of joy - a joy not confined to this period of the liturgical year, but to be found really and fully in the Christian’s heart. For Christ is alive.”

Following the Lord’s death upon the cross we know that Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning as if to encounter a dead body, but she instead encountered the stone rolled away. The stone being rolled away singled the great fact that Christ is alive.

We each need to be reminded of this great hope, that Christ is alive. We need to be reminded of this hope for without it, it becomes easy for us to lose faith. No we cannot allow ourself to lose our faith for no matter what hardship and trial that comes our way Christ is alive. Christ is not only alive during this season of Easter, but this reality transcends this season into everyday of our life.

We must remember that each Sunday is a participation in the Lord’s Resurrection. The reason why we gather on Sunday is because this was the day that our Lord rose from the tomb. Due to COVD-19 many have lost sight of the importance of this day and many no longer attend Mass in person. Online streaming is a good a praiseworthy practice when one is unable to attend Mass for a just cause, but it is not a substitute for Mass. In our diocese Bishop Stika will thankfully be restoring the obligation to assist at Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation on Petecost which is May 23rd. May we not lose sight of the importance of Sunday and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

As we proclaim that Christ is alive, so too we must profess this same reality throughout the world. In the words of Saint Josemaria Escriva: “Christ is alive in Christians. Our faith teaches us that man, in the state of grace, is divinized- filled with God.” In the words of Saint Paul: “It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me.”

From Saint Paul’s statement we can gather that the faith is something which is alive and well. The faith is not something which is dead and stagnant. Instead the faith must be something which is brought out into the world and lived. No matter the hardship or difficulty that we might be called to embrace it is the joy of Christ Resurrected which must always move us forward despite any difficult moment for Christ is alive and well.

Therefore, each of us are to be sent forth to live out the joy of Easter in the midst of the world. We can never forget that Christ is truly alive and no longer locked away inside of the tomb. We must allow Christ to dwell within us and we like the apostles must be willing to bring Him out to the world. Let us live out these Easter mysteries not only in this season, but each and every day of our life.

Bulletin Article: May 2

Firstly, I would like to officially welcome Andrew Cooper to our parish and school staff. He is the new Director of Development for our Parish and School. He will begin around the middle of June which will allow him to wrap up his current teaching obligations.

Our past Parish Open Forum was held on April 19th with 35 Zoom users present at the high point. During this meeting plans were discussed concerning our parish homecoming on September 12th, the new long term planning committee, and there was discussion on the need to continue to live stream Mass and reach out to those who were unable to be present. Our next Parish Open Forum has been scheduled for August 30th from 7pm-8pm.

Each household should of received/will be receiving a letter concerning September 12th. On this day we will have a Parish Homecoming which will include an outdoor bilingual Mass at 11am with a parish picnic to follow. Various activities will lead up to September 12th. The most pressing of these activities is the rosary which will be prayed on the 13th of each month starting in May and ending in October. These will be bilingual rosaries and will begin at 6pm. These rosaries follow the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima and will be offered for the good of our parish community as well as all those who have been effected by COVID-19 in any way.

Finally, I welcome Sami Abufarha who will be at our parish next weekend representing Holy Land Carvings. He would of joined us in October, but his visit had to be canceled due to COVID-19. 

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

4th Sunday After Easter Homily

We are ever drawing closer to the Lord’s Ascension into Heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Our Gospel sums this up for us: “It is expedient to you that I go: for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send Him to you.”

From this statement we can conclude that there is necessity found in His going to the Father. When Christ was present with His apostles He was the only help that they needed, but when He returned to His Father who is in Heaven the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them for they would now face many trials and tribulations. If it were not for the gift of the Holy Spirit it would of been impossible for the apostles to be sent forth with such evangelistic vigor.

Christ was God from the very beginning. There was never a time when He was not. He also took on our human flesh and came to dwell among us. It took time for Christ to be understood by His apostles as being God made Flesh. Therefore, no human can give the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is only God who can give such a gift. Once Christ returned to His Father in Heaven His divinity came to be known and therefore it was time to send forth the one who would guide them in all truth.

In our day and age there continues to be many trials and tribulations which come our way. Sadly, even something as important as truth seems to be so often shoved to the side. Nevertheless, it was Christ who stated: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” We must allow ourself to never be led astray, but always continue to grasp this truth which has been extended to us within the deposit of faith. This truth which is protected by “the Spirit of truth.”

It was Saint Vincent of Lerins who wrote, “our concern is to preserve what has been believed everywhere and always and by all, for this is what is, in the true and authentic sense, Catholic.” It is easy for us to think that we know what is best, but we must always come to form our conscience after what has been handed down from the apostles and what is taught to us from the deposit of faith. We must be willing to be moved by the Holy Spirit who leads us in all truth even if that truth is difficult to conform to.

In our Gospel there is an urgency which is approaching for the Lord will soon no longer be with His apostles. Through this they are taught the important lesson that we are not meant for this world, but for the world which is to come. We must each strive for the Kingdom of Heaven instead of living for the here and now. It is truth which leads us towards Heaven, let us dare to follow after all which is truth in order to get there. This lesson was extended to the apostles for through our Lord’s going to Heaven they where separated from Him and thus their heart would long for Heaven. May we too long for the Kingdom of Heaven above all things.

1st Communion Homily

Today we celebrate a great joy which should point our heart towards that which is most important in this life. So often we think we know what is important. Maybe that would be watching something on television, playing video games, and engaging in sports to name a few. No matter that which we do with our life we can never forget that it is important for us to love God and to order our life towards Him.

Therefore, Christ is that which is important for us. Thankfully, He loves us so dearly that He left us the gift which is the Most Holy Eucharist. Today, you, my dearest children will come to receive Him for the first time in the gift which is the Eucharist. For the rest of us, may we continue to encounter Him with such vigor. May none of us ever allow anything to be more important than God.

Sadly, there are those who do not make Mass a priority or receive Christ with great haste and then they rush out the door. No, we cannot give into this attitude because in doing so we are saying that there is something which is more important for us than Christ. Remember that before and after Mass you have the opportunity to be in the presence of Jesus. Use this opportunity to be in silence not to talk, but to pray. To prepare to receive Jesus and to give thanks to Jesus for loving us so much.

In a matter of moments, you, my dearest children we receive our Lord for the first time. Never take this gift for granted, but each and every time that you receive our Lord in Holy Communion do so with great devotion, always remember to give Him thanks, and always remember of His love which is abundant and without end.