Dear St. Barbara Families, Registration for 2023 Vacation Bible School: Stellar Stars is now open! We have 50 spots this year. Please complete the registration form linked below and pay the fee via our parish website or a check brought to VBS to claim your spot(s). VBS is open to all those ages 3 years-through 5th grade. VBS is July 17-21st from 9-Noon at the parish. Cost: $30.00 (one child), $50.00 (two children) or $75.00 (three or four children) Registration Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ol9Z1eiAtLwd1PSie1nUUIqNWtihiMvb8itw8yryKQ8/viewform?edit_requested=true Online Pay link (or pay via check): https://osvhub.com/stbarbarachurch/giving/funds/st-barbara-faith-formation Please let me know if you would like to volunteer Can't help in person? Consider supporting us by purchasing directly from our Amazon gift registry Or see if you want to help by providing things on the list below: The below wish list are items that can be returned to you after camp is over. Please drop off items to the church no later then July 12th. Items can be pick up starting July 22nd. GAMES Parachute Water Foam Balls Tennis Balls (1) Spray Bottles (2) CRAFTS Washable paint (gold and silver) SNACKS Any snacks for kids OPENING & CLOSING Laser pointer Handheld mirrors (7) Flashlights (7) Foam craft boards (5) Tote bags (6) Balloons (10) Lemons (2) Twinkies (2) Tall glass vases (4) Food coloring Alka seltzer Tonic water with quinine Salt packets (5) Black light Black light keychains (5) Empty 20oz water bottle Leaf blower .5in dowel BIBLE STORIES Plush Sheep Cardboard boxes (sized to use for boulders/rocks) Flashlights Wicker Laundry Basket God Bless, Allison Ramirez allison@stbarbarachurch.org Pastoral Assistant for Faith Formation St. Barbara Church

13th.Week in Ordinary Time (Year A). (July 2,2023) 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16a; Rom 6:3-4, 8-11; Mt 10:37-42. “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me…” Introduction: The common theme of today’s readings is the witnessing mission given to Christ’s followers to love God and our brothers and sisters through hospitality, generosity, commitment in humble service, and the practice of corporal and spiritual works (acts) of mercy (charity). Moreover, they remind us of the sacrifice demanded of Jesus’ disciples and the suffering they will endure for their Faith when they bear witness to Jesus. Scripture lessons: In our 1 st . reading, we see, the welcome given to the prophet Elisha by an elderly, childless couple who lived in Shunem. The wife recognized the holiness of Elisha. She showed him reverence and hospitality by inviting him to dine with her and her husband and by arranging an upper room of their house so that Elisha might stay with them when he visited the area. In response, Elisha promised her, "This time next year you will be fondling a baby son." The promise was fulfilled by God. Today's Gospel lesson concludes Jesus' great “missionary discourse” in which he instructs the twelve apostles on the cost and the reward of the commitment required of a disciple. The first half of these sayings of Jesus details the behavior expected of his disciples, and the second half speaks of the behavior expected of others towards the disciples. Jesus assures his disciples that whoever shows them hospitality will be blessed. Those who receive Jesus receive the One who sent him. Also, those who help the "little ones," (believers) and the poor, the sick, and the needy will be amply rewarded. Life message: We need to be hospitable and generous: Hospitality means acknowledging the presence of God in others and serving Him in them, especially those in whom we least expect to find Him. We, as individuals and as a community, are to look for opportunities to be hospitable--and, of course, there are plenty of ways of offering hospitality. Maybe hospitality is offered through a kind word to a stranger - or even a smile. A kind smile or a “hello" to someone waiting with us in a grocery line may be the only kindness that person encounters all day. Conclusion: We become fully alive as Christians through the generous giving of ourselves. What is more important than the sending of checks for charitable causes is the giving of ourselves to people, primarily in the way we think about them, for from that spring will flow the ways we speak to them and about them, forgive their failings, encourage them, show them respect, console them, and offer them help. Such generosity reflects warmth radiating from the very love of God.

12th. Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A). June 25, 2023. Jer. 20:10-13; Rom.5:12-1; Matt.10:26-33. Fear Not - You Are of More Value Than Many Sparrows. Fear and being afraid are featured prominently in today’s Scripture readings. God and Jesus are well acquainted with the human capacity for fear because they understand how humans can sometimes get so overwhelmed by fear that we can become paralyzed or silenced or willing to go along with something we know is so very wrong. Perhaps that is what is behind Jesus’ question: “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs on your head are counted. So do not be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows.” Fear is a powerful force. Yet, Jesus and God do not want us to live our lives in fear. Life Message: Today’s Gospel passage is taken from the end of Jesus’ instruction to his disciples as he sends them forth to carry on his mission of preaching and healing. He asks them to live simple lives and to expect opposition, rejection, and persecution. Despite all this, Jesus encourages his disciples to stand firm. Three times they are urged, "Do not fear!" "Do not be afraid!" In other words, instead of shrinking from their task, they are to proclaim the Gospel boldly and not fear their persecutors, because they will be protected, just as Jeremiah was assured of God's protection. Jesus then presents before them the image of the sparrow to reinforce the disciples’ trust and hope in God. Hence, the readings hint at the opposition we future Christians will encounter as we carry on the work of Jesus in the world, and they encourage us to persevere in doing the work of Jesus. They assure us that we will be successful, despite the opposition we encounter. Conclusion: Therefore, we need not be afraid because our life is in the hands of a loving God. Sometimes we are afraid that we will make a wrong decision. At other times, we are afraid of what others will think when we speak up for Jesus. We are afraid of what the future will bring to our children. We are also afraid of growing old. Sometimes we are afraid of what declining health will bring us. At the root of these fears, is the fear of loss! Every fear we have is grounded in the knowledge that we have something or someone to lose. I can lose my job, family, house, money, reputation, health, and even life itself. But we forget one thing: whatever trouble or crisis affects us, we know that God understands it better than we ourselves do. Our Heavenly Father knows exactly what is happening, that our life is in the hands of a loving God! The next time fear grips us we need to remember that being faithful to Christ wherever we meet him in this life is much more important than our fear of loss or rejection by others. Also, let us take a moment to recall some of the great promises of God, that we are each a dear child of His, and He cares for each of us. Therefore, "Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." The last verse of Psalm 27 sums it up nicely: "Trust in the Lord. Have Faith; do not despair. Trust in the Lord."

Our Donut Sundays have become increasingly popular and we are happy and thankful to see so many people socializing after Mass. We are soliciting for families willing to host and serve donuts on these weekends. We also need a coordinator to lead this ministry. This is a wonderful opportunity for those who would like to volunteer to help meet parish needs but with a minimal time commitment. Donuts are currently served in the parish hall two Sundays each month following the 8:00 and 10:00 masses. We also need people who can provide refreshments and staff the table on Saturday evening to continue offering refreshments after the 5:00 pm Mass. Reimbursements for donuts and other refreshments is available. We need enough volunteers to build a monthly schedule. More volunteers will allow us to spread out the frequency in which volunteers will host. Please contact Polly March at 425-432-7685 if you are interested in assisting with this valuable ministry.

June 14th at 6:00 p.m. Tacoma Rainier's vs Albuquerque Isotopes Game Come watch the Tacoma Rainer's play. Ticket options range from $20 to $55. Dinner is included with your reserved seat. Please reach out to Young Kim for more details. oldkim@aol.com R.S.V.P required by May 12th

June 10th from 9:00 - 11:30 March with St. Barbara'sin the Maple Valley Days Parade! All ages are welcome! We will have float for our smaller parishioners to ride in, and be handing out candy to the community. If you would like to decorate the float, or march in the parade, please contact Zack Midles at zmidles@gmail.com

Join us for a wonderful afternoon of community and connection at our Women's Afternoon Tea Time on June 11th from 1-3 pm. All women of the parish are welcome to attend and enjoy refreshments, conversation, and fellowship with other women in our community. Don't miss this special opportunity to build relationships and make new friends. Be sure to pick up an invitation on your way out of church and then head to our Tea Time Page to RSVP and let us know you're coming. We look forward to seeing you there! https://www.stbarbarachurch.org/teatime

FATHER'S DAY (in U. S. A.) Message: June 18, 2023: Happy Father's Day to all who are fathers or grandfathers or stepfathers! Five weeks ago, we observed Mother's Day and offered Mass for our moms. Today, on this Father's Day, we are doing the same – offering our dads, living or dead, on the altar of God during this Holy Mass and invoking our Heavenly Father’s blessings on them. The Father's role in society: According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the vital importance of the father’s role comes from the fact that, with his wife, he cooperates with God the Creator in bringing a new human life into the world. Children who are raised with fathers present in the family have much lower rates of delinquency, drug and alcohol use, teen pregnancy, and so on, than those with absent fathers. The father's presence is also a significant positive factor in the children’s getting a college education, finding a satisfying job, and making a lasting marriage. A girl's choice of partner and satisfaction in marriage is often directly related to the relationship she has had with her father. A day to remember our Heavenly Father and our Rev. Fr. Pastors: Father's Day is a day to remember, acknowledge and appreciate the "World's Greatest Dad," OUR HEAVENLY FATHER (Rom. 8:15, Gal. 4:6) Who is our spiritual Daddy, actively involved in all areas of our lives. It is He on Whom we lean in times of pain and hurt; it is He on Whom we call in times of need; it is He Who provides for us in all ways -- practical, emotional, and spiritual. Many of us pray the “Our Father” day after day, without paying attention to, or experiencing, the love and providence of our Heavenly Father. Let us pray the Our Father during this Holy Mass, realizing the meaning of each clause and experiencing the love of our Heavenly Father for us. May all earthly fathers draw strength from their Heavenly Father! On this Father’s Day, please don’t forget to pray for us, your spiritual Fathers, – men who are called to be Fathers of an immensely large parish family through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. (Corpus Christi). (Year A) (June 11, 2023). Dt 8:2-3,14b-16a; I Cor 10:16-17 Jn 6:51-58. “The Eucharist as our food and drink”. Introduction: The feast and its objectives: The last two precious gifts given to us by Jesus are the Holy Eucharist as our spiritual food on Holy Thursday and Jesus’ mother Mary as our spiritual Mother on Good Friday. Thus, “Corpus Christi” is the celebration of the abiding “Real Presence” of a loving God as Emmanuel – God-with-us – in order to give collective thanks to our Lord for his living with us in the Eucharist, so that we may appreciate it better and receive maximum benefit from the Sacrament. And so as Catholic Christians, we believe, and explain the “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist by this theological/ philosophical term, “transubstantiation”, which means that the substance of the consecrated bread and wine is changed to the substance of the risen Jesus’ glorified Body and Blood by the action of the Holy Spirit, while its accidents (like color, shape, taste etc.), remain the same. Hence, although we celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday, (through Pope Urban IV who first extended the feast to the universal Church), the Mother Church wants to emphasize its importance by a special feast, formerly called “Corpus Christi.” Life Message: The Corpus Christi readings remind us of Jesus’ offering of his Body and Blood which serves in the Church as a lasting memorial of His saving death for us. We renew Jesus’ Covenant by participating in the banquet of his Body and Blood, a banquet that, through his death, gives us life. Can there be a religion in which God is closer to man than our Catholic Christianity? Jesus does not believe that he is humiliating himself in coming to us and giving himself to us in his Flesh and Blood to be our spiritual Food. John Chrysostom says: “What do communicants become? The Body of Christ. Just as the bread comes from many grains, which remain themselves and are not distinguished from one another because they are united, so we are united with Christ.” Christ is the Head and we are the Body, the members. Together we are one! This is symbolized by our sharing in the same Bread and the same Cup. Hence, Holy Communion should strengthen our sense of unity and love. Conclusion: We have tarnished God’s image within us through acts of impurity, injustice, disobedience and the like. Hence, there is always need for repentance, and a need for the Sacramental confession of grave sins, before we receive Holy Communion. We should remember the warning given by St. Paul: "Whoever, therefore, eats the Bread or drinks the Cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the Body and Blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the Body, eat and drink judgment against themselves." [1 Cor. 11:27-9]. Therefore, let us receive Holy Communion with fervent love and respect -- not merely as a matter of routine. Because, such a union, plainly, means that our outward piety towards the consecrated Bread and Wine, cannot coexist with rudeness, unkindness, slander, cruelty, gossiping or any other breach of charity toward our brothers and sisters.

VBS dates for 2023 are to be 9:00-Noon, July 17-21 Registration will open soon. We had a great time last year and are looking forward to this year to be even better! Consider volunteering to help. This is a great way to get to know the parish family and make connections. Both adult and teens can volunteer. We have options for being a camp leader, helping decorate, music ministry, or leading VBS stations. Reach out to Allison Ramirez for additional questions or to volunteer allison@stbarbarachurch.org All Volunteers are required to complete the Virtus background check https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/

In observance of Memorial Day

THE FEAST OF THE HOLY TRINITY: Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9; II Cor 13:11-13; Jn 3:16-18. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2Cor.13:13). Introduction: Today’s feast invites us to live in the awareness of the presence of the Triune God within us: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Holy Trinity, a doctrine enunciated by the ecumenical councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, is one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity and the greatest mystery of our Faith, namely, that there are Three Divine Persons, in one God, sharing the same Divine Nature, co-equal and co-eternal. Our mind cannot grasp this doctrine which teaches that 1+1+1 = 1 and not 3. But we believe in this Mystery because Jesus, who is God, taught it clearly, the Evangelists recorded it, the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it, and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian Faith. The Biblical basis & Importance of Holy Trinity in Christian life: 1) At the Annunciation, God the Father sends His angel to Mary, God the Holy Spirit comes upon her, the Power of the Most High overshadows her, and God the Son becomes Incarnate in her womb (Lk.1:26-28). 2) At the baptism of Jesus, when the Son receives baptism from John the Baptist, the Father’s Voice is heard, and the Holy Spirit appears as a Dove and descends upon Jesus (Matt.3:13-17). 3) At the Ascension, Jesus gives the missionary command to his disciples to baptize those who believe, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt.28:19-20). 4) In John’s Gospel, chapters 15--18, we have a detailed account of Jesus’ teaching of the role of each Person of the Holy Trinity: a) God the Father creates and provides for His creatures. b) God the Son redeems us and reconciles us with God. c) God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, strengthens us, teaches us, and guides us to God. Life Message: Then in our lives as Catholic Christians: 1) All prayers in the Church, especially the Holy Eucharist, begin in the Name of the Holy Trinity and end glorifying the Trinity. 2) All Sacraments are administered (we are baptized, confirmed, anointed, our sins are forgiven, our marriage is blessed, and our Bishops, priests and deacons are ordained) in the holy name of the Triune God. Summary: We are called to become more like the Triune God through all our relationships. We are made in God’s image and likeness. Just as God is God only in a Trinitarian relationship, so we can be fully human only as one member of a relationship of three partners. The self needs to be in a horizontal relationship with all other people and in a vertical relationship with God. In that way our life becomes Trinitarian like that of God. Conclusion: Modern society follows the so-called “I-and-I” principle of unbridled individualism and the resulting consumerism. But the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity challenges us to adopt an "I-and-Godand-neighbor" principle: “I am a Christian insofar as I live in a relationship of love with God and other people.” Like God the Father, we are called upon to be productive and creative persons by contributing to the building up of the fabric of life and love in our family, our Church, our community, and our nation. Like God the Son, we are called to a life of sacrificial love and service so that we may help Him to reconcile others to Him, to be peacemakers among our families, in our workplaces, our communities and our schools, to put back together that which has been broken, and to restore what has been shattered. Like God the Holy Spirit, we are called, with His help, to uncover and teach Truth and to dispel ignorance not in anger but in love. Therefore, may the Son lead us to the Father through the Spirit, to live with the Triune God forever and ever. Amen.