Gospel Reflections for May 6 2018
Happy Mother’s Day!
Today’s Gospel has an encouraging lesson for Mother’s Day.
Jesus bids farewell to His disciples about fifty days after His resurrection and just before His Ascension into heaven.
I wonder how they felt …perhaps thinking, “How can we possibly go on without Jesus? How can we continue without the one who was the very center of our lives?
Well, we actually know how they responded in the Gospel. Far from being sad, they were filled with courage, energy, and zeal to spread the good news everywhere! Most of them left Jerusalem and travelled sometimes thousands of miles to distant lands, to places they had never dreamed they would ever see and to people who had never heard of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is good at providing that energy and eagerness for adventure!
This weekend we also celebrate Mother’s Day, and recognize the joy mothers feel at the birth of every child into their family and the strong emotions they might feel years later when their children leave their family for that first day of school, that first day of college, and especially that wedding day when they leave to form a new home.
If all goes well, we hope at each stage children are ready for the next step, and have been made ready by the selfless love and care of their parents.
In my 40 years as a priest I have made this transition many times. I knew I would have to start again and again in new places. Yet each time, I felt the Holy Spirit lift me forward as the disciples were lifted two thousand years ago. Happily, the event of “moving on” eventually brought me here to St. Bruno. I am certainly grateful to be here, and glad I will stay for years to come!
We can be sure that the same grace that propelled the disciples forward will help both mothers and children as they transition from one stage of life to another in their future.
The disciples discovered that the Holy Spirit provided just what they needed to eagerly look ahead to challenging new places.
Today we recognize and celebrate the important role that mothers play in our life, and that we need never feel anxiety about our future if we accept Our Lord’s promise of grace, zeal, and courage that He always delivers.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee your precious words Father Dave!!!Jesus chose a beautiful priest in you for you exude the Holy Spirit’s love and joy in all your endeavors!!You are loved wherever you are sent and you leave your love wherever you go!! Each parish and each person is sooooooooooooooooooooo touched by your love of Jesus for the Holy Spirit lives in you!!!! Forty years of giving Jesus’ love to others!! How verry precious!! You make the world sooooooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful!!! Happy Mother’s Day to our Blessed Mother who gave us our Jesus and to your mother and all mothers who have given us a beautiful life of Faith and love!!!! We all are sooooooooooooooooooooo blessed !!!!!Beautiful Faith, beautiful life, beautiful mothers,, beautiful YOU!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Thank you!
Hi Fr Dave, it has been a while since we have spoken. I enjoy all of your monthly Letters but this one had a special meaning for me, as I am sure it did for others. I have always been a bit of a rascal but, in my moms eyes, I was always a good rascal! Luckily , I grew up knowing the difference!:)
Hope to see you soon. Always a friend,
Lance
Thanks for your thoughtful message. I remember your great work with Fr. Joe.
Father Dave, your beautiful words and insights give me comfort as I contemplate my precious, beloved boys leaving home someday. Thank you. St. Bruno’s is Blessed to have you! You are missed here in Ventura County!
God bless!
Jennifer
You are very welcome! I am sure your boys will do well because of you!
My computer isn’t showing your e-mails for all of 2018. It is for all my others so I went on line and Googled you.
I really related to what you were saying on your reflection. As you know, I was at St. Paschal’s for many years and moving to Simi Valley wasn’t what I expected or happy about. However, I soon found out there is a reason for everything in Gods plan and I couldn’t be happier. Sometimes we find that our ways are not always God’s ways (in my case most of the time). If I could just learn to go along with God’s plans life would be much easier.
Well said!
Dear Father Dave,
I didn’t realize that after Jesus was crucified he spent so much time with his apostles! I suppose he left them when he was certain they knew their mission in life.
Vocations, when chosen correctly, do reflect positively on the journey….
Thank you so much for your weekly messages. They’re very important.
God bless you.
Kathleen
He also assurred them that He “would be with them always!” I cannot think of a better message!
Dear Fr. Dave,
I am very grateful for your forty years as a priest. You are a beautiful reflection of Jesus and a good teacher as well. Your writing every week really mean a lot to us disciples.
God Bless
Thank you!
Hi Father Dave,
As always a beautiful message that comes filled with hope for anything we may encounter in our lives. Thank you, so much for the lovely Mother’s Day wishes and insight into a mother’s heart. I also, enjoy your weekly homilies and have downloaded the app, so I can pray the rosary with you. We are blessed to have you in our lives Fr. Dave and thank you for your sterling priesthood of 40 years! God Bless you always!
Thank you for your most gracious words! I very much appreciate them.