23rd.Sunday in Ordinary Time Sept 10, 2023: Ezek. 33:7-9; Rom 13:8-10; Mt 18:15-20. “We are our brother’s/sister’s keeper…You shall love your neighbor as yourself..) As God’s children through Baptism, and brothers and sisters in Christ, we are challenged to be each other’s “keepers,” and take on a painful, triple responsibility, of lovingly and prudently correcting each other when we err, forgive those who offend us, and ask forgiveness from those we have offended. Summary: In the first reading, God tells Ezekiel that he is to be a "watchman for the house of Israel,” obliged to warn Israel of moral dangers. If Ezekiel should refrain from speaking God’s word given to convert the wicked, God will hold Ezekiel responsible for the death of the wicked. In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches that true Christian charity obliges a Christian, not only to assist his neighbors in their temporal and spiritual needs with material help and prayer, but also to aid with correction those brothers and sisters who have damaged the community by public sin. If the erring one refuses a one-on-one, loving correction by the offended party, then the Christian is to try to involve more people: first, "one or two others,” and eventually "the Church." Finally, Jesus mentions the efficacy of community prayer in solving such problems, for Christ is present in the praying Christian community. Life Message: In the 2nd. reading, St. Paul points out/Summarizes that the love we should have for one another should be our only reason for admonishing and correcting the sinner. Love seeks the good of the one who is loved. And so he says: “Brothers and sisters, owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law…Love does no evil to the neighbor. Hence love is the fulfillment of the law.” Therefore, we should admonish one another so that we all may repent and grow in holiness. Conclusion: We are our brother’s/sister’s keeper. Sadly, modern believers tend to think that they have no right to intervene in the private lives of their fellow believers. I have heard people saying: “IT IS NONE OF MY BUSINESS…”.Others evade the issue saying, “As a sinner, I don’t have the moral courage or the right to correct anyone.” But Jesus emphatically affirms that we are our brothers' keepers, and we have the serious obligation to correct others. We need to offer advice and encouragement to our friends, neighbors, and coworkers when it is needed, and loving correction, in private, for a personal offense where that is possible.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Sept. 3, 2023. (Jer. 20:7–9; Rom 12:1–2; Mt 16:21–27) “…there could be no victory and no glory without the cross. Yes, No Cross. No Crown!” What is the way to glory and victory in the kingdom of God? Jesus told his disciples that he must first suffer rejection, be crucified, and then rise again on the third day. In so many words he explained that there could be no victory and no glory without the cross. Yes, “NO CROSS, NO CROWN”! Jesus'; prediction caused his disciples great dismay and disbelief. That is why Peter, (primus inter pares), who wanted to protect Jesus from any threat or harm, rebuked the very thought of Jesus having to face rejection, condemnation, and crucifixion. Life Message: Now, after calling him “Rock”, why did Jesus use the word satan; when he addressed Peter in this instance? The word satan literally means adversary: - one who stands in opposition. Hence, Jesus reminds Peter that his role is not to be an adversary but a disciple - one who gets behind his Master to follow with trust and obedience. Yes, “NO CROSS, NO CROWN”! Jesus knew that the cross was the only way he could ransom us from slavery to sin with the price of his blood which was shed for our freedom. Jesus told his disciples that they, too, must be willing to lay down their lives in order to gain new everlasting life with the Father in his kingdom. This means, we lose what we gain, and we gain what we lose. Better still, when we try to run our life our own way, we end up losing it to futility. Only God can free us from our ignorant and sinful ways. Indeed, “NO CROSS, NO CROWN”! Conclusion: Therefore, when we surrender our lives to God, he gives us new life in his Spirit and the pledge of eternal life. In a nutshell, God wants us to be spiritually fit and ready to do his will at all times. Because, when the human body is very weak or ill, we make every effort to nurse it back to health. How much more effort and attention should we give to the spiritual health of our hearts and minds! A true disciple gladly gives up all that he or she has in exchange for an unending life of joy and happiness with God. God gives without measure. Are you ready to lose all for Jesus Christ to gain all, with Jesus Christ? Indeed, “NO CROSS, NO CROWN"!

Aug.27, 2023. 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time (Is 22:19-23; Rom 11:33-36; Matt. 16:13-20). At an opportune time, Jesus tests his disciples with a crucial question: “Who do men say that I am and who do you say that I am?” He was widely recognized in Israel as a mighty man of God, even being compared with the greatest of the prophets, John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah. Peter, always quick to respond, exclaimed that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God. No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter, but only God. Life Message: Jesus plays on Peter's name which is the same word for "rock" in both Aramaic and Greek. To call someone a "rock" is one of the greatest of compliments. The ancient rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to build the world upon". Through Abraham God established a nation for himself. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (1 Peter 2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. Jesus then confers on Peter authority to govern the church that Jesus would build, a church that no powers would overcome because it is founded on the rock which is Christ himself. Consequently, we might call this Sunday “Power Sunday,” because the main theme is the handing over of the “Keys” which open and shut, representing authority in the Church and in the Kingdom. However, Jesus was quick to explain to the disciples that he was not a political Messiah. He was, rather, a Messiah who must suffer, die, and be raised to life again. Conclusion: In today’s Gospel, therefore, Jesus challenges us to know him personally and to serve him and love him as Lord, and he wants from each one of us our total, whole-hearted response. Moreover, the Lord Jesus offers us the gift of unshakeable faith, enduring hope, and unquenchable love - and the joyful boldness to proclaim him as the one true Savior who brings us the kingdom of God both now and forever. Who do you say he is to yourself, and to your neighbor?

August 20th (20th.Sunday in Ordinary Time) Is 56:1, 6-7; Rom 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15:21-28. STORY: Many years ago in Illinois, a young man with six months formal schooling to his credit ran for an office in the legislature. As might have been expected, he was beaten. Next, he entered business but failed in that too, and spent the next seventeen years paying the debts of his worthless partner. He fell in love with a charming lady, they became engaged – and she got sick and died, causing her lover a mini-nervous breakdown. He ran for Congress and was defeated. He then tried to obtain an appointment to the U.S. Land Office but didn’t succeed. He became a candidate for the Vice-Presidency and lost. Two years later he was defeated in a race for the Senate. Then he ran for President and finally was elected. That man was Abraham Lincoln. “Never give up… Persist! Your Miracle is on the way!” Today's Gospel episode also presents a Canaanite woman who persisted in her prayer and obtained from the Kingdom of God even more that she had hoped/prayed for. She had come to Jesus asking for one miracle, and she got two: her daughter was exorcised of her demonic possession and received a new life, and the mother herself, through her experience with Christ, found a new life as well. The greatness of this woman's Faith consists in: a) her willingness to cross the barrier of racism; b) her refusal to be put off or ignored because of her position in life, and c) her humility in admitting that she did not deserve the Master’s attention and time. Life message: We need to persist in prayer with trustful confidence. Although the essential parts of prayer are adoration and thanksgiving, the prayer of petition, like that of contrition, plays a big part in most people’s daily life. We cannot provide, by our unaided selves, for our spiritual and temporal needs. Christ himself has told us to ask him for these needs: "Ask and you shall receive." Asking with fervor and perseverance proves that we have the "great Faith” we need to be able to receive all that Christ wants to grant us in response to our requests. We must realize and remember that we do not always get exactly what we ask for, but rather what God knows we need, what He wants for us, and what is actually best for us. What we need most is to receive the peace and security that come from being in harmony with God's will for us. Conclusion: As Christians, we also know that our particular requests may not always be for our good, or for the final good of the person for whom we are praying. In that case, the good God will not grant what would be to our, or their, eternal harm. But if the prayer is sincere and persevering, we will always get an answer – one which is better than what we asked for. Hence, let us trust that every time we pray for something, the answer is already on its way, even before we have asked God for it. We just need to trust God’s timetable and infinite wisdom that He will answer us according to His will and purpose. Therefore, "Ask and you shall receive", says the Lord. In short, “Never give up…Persist! Your Miracle is on the way!”

Aug. 13, 2023. 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11–13a; Rom 9:1–5; Mt 14:22–33. Does the Lord Jesus seem distant when trials or adversity come your way? It was at Jesus' initiative that the disciples sailed across the lake, only to find themselves in a life-threatening storm. Although they were experienced fishermen, they feared for their lives. While Jesus was not with them in the boat, he, nonetheless watched for them in prayer. When he perceived their trouble, he came to them on the sea and startled them with his sudden appearance. Lesson: Fight fear with faith: This dramatic incident on the sea of Galilee revealed Peter's character more fully than others. Here we see Peter's impulsiveness - his tendency to act without thinking of what he was doing. He often failed and came to grief as a result of his impulsiveness. In contrast, Jesus always bade his disciples to see how difficult it was to follow him before they set out on the way he taught them. A great deal of failure in the Christian life is due to acting on impulse and emotional fervor without counting the cost. Peter, fortunately in the moment of his failure clutched at Jesus and held him firmly. Every time Peter fell, he rose again. His failures only made him love the Lord more deeply and trust him more intently. Conclusion: The obvious “obstacle” Jesus overcame through His prayer was symbolized by His walking on the stormy sea. No one walks on water. It’s physically impossible. But that’s the point. When we make our life of personal prayer a priority, God will lead us to accomplish that which appears to us to be impossible. It might not be walking on water literally, but His walking on water after spending the night in prayer is symbolic of every apparent impossibility we face in life. The lesson is that if God wills it, nothing is impossible. We will know that if we make personal prayer our priority. The Lord always keeps watch over us, and especially in our moments of temptation and difficulty. And he assures us today, that we have no need to fear if we trust in Him and in his great love for us, especially, when calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm us.

July 23, 2023. 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Wis 12:13, 16-19; Rom 8:26-27; Mt 13:24-30). Introduction: Today’s readings tell us about a very patient and compassionate God Who is hopeful that the socalled “weeds” among us will be converted. They warn us that we should not be in a hurry to eliminate such elements from the Church or society, or the family based on unwarranted and hasty judgment. Scripture lessons summarized: The 1 st . reading from the Book of Wisdom shows us a merciful and patient God, rather than the disciplining and punishing God presented in the book of Genesis. The 2 nd . reading, taken from Paul’s letter to the Romans, reminds us that the Spirit of God constantly empowers us in our prayers and in our weakness. So, we should be patient with ourselves and with others. Finally, in the Gospel parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus presents a wise and patient God who allows the good and the evil to coexist in the world until the harvest, and blesses the evil ones for the little good they may have done, so that they may come to conversion before their time ends: “Let the wheat and the weeds [darnel] grow together till the harvest time.” In other words, God is “delaying” the end of the world for repentant sinners, giving them more time, and offering them the graces of strength and good will so that they may get reconciled with Him. God calmly recognizes that there is evil in the world, but He sees that evil is no excuse for the good people not to do good with the power of God at their disposal. Through the parable of the wheat and the weeds in today’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to be patient with those who seem to us to fail to meet the high ethical standard expected of a Christian. Life message: This parable was told so that we might not go around judging others as “weeds” or wheat. Judgment is the function of God the Father and His angels. Instead, the parable asks us to take a close look at our own life with the understanding that, with God’s grace, one can judge one’s own heart, then repent and bear good fruit. It is a time to look at our own sins and at the way we conduct our own life, then to make a decision about our own repentance so that, with God’s grace, we can turn around and bear fruit for Jesus. In God's field, we have two responsibilities: to grow in grace, God’s favor, and to share His Word and love with others. So, we should be patient with ourselves and with others. Conclusion: We need, therefore, to practice patience and show mercy. By this I mean, let us patiently and lovingly treat the “weeds” in our society as our brothers and sisters and do all in our power to put them back on the right road to Heaven, especially by our good example, encouragement and our fervent prayer for their conversion. Let us remember that most of us have been “weeds” in God’s field more than once, and God has showed us mercy. God is so merciful that He allows evil to exist in order that what is good may grow. He allows evil to exist also because He can turn it into good. Through the power of the Spirit, God can change even the ugliest thorn into a blossom of Faith. Hence, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, says the Lord. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20). And so, “…Let them grow together until harvest time…”

15th.Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A). July 16, 2023. What is the best and easiest way to help people understand God's kingdom? Like the rabbis of his time, Jesus very frequently used parables - short stories and images taken from everyday life - to convey hidden truths about the kingdom of God. In other words, Jesus’ parables are like buried treasure waiting to be discovered (Matt. 13:44). Life Message: How do you listen to God's word? Jesus' parable of the Sower is aimed at the hearers of his word. There are different ways of accepting God's word and they produce different kinds of fruit accordingly. There is the prejudiced hearer who has a shut mind. Such a person is unteachable and blind to what he or she doesn't want to hear. Then there is the shallow hearer. He or she fails to think things out or think them through; they lack depth. They may initially respond with an emotional reaction; but when it wears off their mind wanders to something else. Another type of hearer is the person who has many interests or cares, but who lacks the ability to hear or comprehend what is truly important. Such a person is too busy to pray or too preoccupied to study and meditate on God's word. Then there is the one whose mind is open. Such a person is always willing to listen and to learn, in order to understand. He or she is never too proud or too busy to learn. God gives grace to those who hunger for his word that they may understand his will and have the strength to live according to it. One thing is sure, as God’s creatures, we have the potential, the freedom to be good, rich, and productive soil! Conclusion: The parables of Jesus will enlighten us if we approach them with an open mind and heart, ready to let them challenge us. However, if we approach them with the conviction that we already know the answer, then we, too, may look but not see, listen but not understand. One lesson from this parable is clear: the harvest is sure to come. While some seed will fall by the wayside and some fall on shallow ground and never come to maturity, and some be choked to death by the thorns; nonetheless a harvest will come. The seed that falls on good soil, on the heart that is receptive, will reap abundant fruit. God is always ready to speak to each of us and to give us understanding of his word. Do you allow anything to keep you from submitting to God's word with joy and trusting obedience?

14th.Sunday in Ordinary Time. (Year A) (July 9, 2023). Zec 9:9-10; Rom 8:9, 11-13; Mt 11:25-30. “Come to me you who labor and are burdened…My yoke is easy and my burden light”. Introduction: During the U. S. Independence Day celebrations on July fourth, most Americans probably heard all, or part of the Emma Lazarus poem inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…. Send these, the homeless tempest-tossed to me.” Today’s readings, especially the Gospel, give the same message in a more powerful way: "Take my yoke . . . and you will find rest" (Matt. 11:29). Scriptures: In the first reading, the prophet Zechariah consoles the Jews living in Palestine under Greek rule, promising them a “meek” Messianic King of peace riding on a donkey, who will give them rest and liberty. The Resp. Psalm (Ps 145) praises and thanks a kind and compassionate God Who “raises up those who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14), under heavy burdens. In the Gospel, Jesus offers rest to those “who labor and are burdened” (Matt. 11:29), if they will accept His “easy yoke and light burden” (Matt. 11:30). By declaring that his “yoke is easy,” Jesus means that whatever God sends us is made to fit our needs and our abilities exactly. The second part of Jesus’ claim is: "My burden is light.” Jesus does not mean that the burden is easy to carry but that it is laid on us in love, that it is meant to be carried in love, and that love makes even the heaviest burden light. Life message: We need to unload our burdens before the Lord. One of the effects of Worship for many of us is that it gives us a time for rest and refreshment, when we let the overheated radiators of our hectic lives cool down before the Lord. This is especially true when we unload the burdens of our sins and worries on the altar and offer them to God during the Holy Mass. Hence, he says: "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest" (11:28). This is because, unlike the burdens we bear, his yoke is easy and his burden light. The yoke of Jesus is the love of God. By telling us: "Take my yoke . . . and you will find rest" (11:29), Christ is asking us to do things the Christian way. When we center in God, when we follow God’s commandments, we have no heavy burdens. Our burden becomes light and easy when we remember that our burden is to love God, both directly, and by loving others, seeing God living in them. Conclusion: There is nothing quite like coming to the Lord and setting aside our burdens for a while - nothing quite like having our batteries recharged, our radiators cooled down, and our spirits lifted. Jesus promises us rest from the burdens that we carry -- rest from the burdens of sins, legalism, and judgment, from the weight of anxiety and worry, from the yoke of unrewarding labor, and from the endless labor for that which cannot satisfy. The absolution and forgiveness, which, as repentant sinners, we receive in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, take away our spiritual burden and enable us to share the joy of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, “Take my yoke and learn from me. . . and you will find rest" (Matt. 11:29),

Join us for our Parish Picnic on August 6th, following 9:30am morning mass and enjoy family fun, food and fellowship. Begin the celebration with mass on the lawn at 9:30am. Pray the Rosary in the main church following the 9:30 am mass. Celebrate with lunch and games starting at 11 am hosted by the Knight of Columbus. Please bring a personal lawn chair for use during mass. If you are able, please bring a dessert or side dish to share.

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."