Gospel Reflections for June 5 2016
Meeting Jesus is everything
The happiest Gospels stories are those where Jesus heals sick people from illness, liberates them from evil spirits, or releases heavy burdens. He brings great joy to people!
At His first sermon Jesus predicts He would bring “release to captives and liberty to the oppressed.” Every Gospel story afterwards reveals He did just that, like today’s story of the cure of the son of the widow of Nain. This was a double gift of freedom since a widow without a son faced the imprisonment of poverty. In a most touching scene, Jesus returned the newly healed son to his now liberated mother.
No one can meet the Lord and stay the same, as today’s Gospel affirms when a grateful woman is completely changed for the better. A changed life is the sign that the meeting with Jesus actually took place. You can easily tell when people have had that experience of meeting Our Lord; their life is profoundly happy on a deep level and their behavior is clearly marked by courageous compassion for those in need. She still had challenges, but she would not let the comments from Pharisees stop her from serving our Lord.
For the past year during my sabbatical here at St. Rose of Lima parish, I have come to know that we have many people like that here and it is a pleasure to meet them every day.
I have been impressed at the number of good people who attend daily Mass, who come to confession, and the large numbers of people of all ages at Sunday Mass. I have been impressed at the significant outreach to the poor and especially the well organized Wednesday food distribution. I have been impressed at the large and active presence of the Knights of Columbus and the many ways they contribute to parish life. I have seen the active scouting program here as well, the very active Hispanic Ministry, the well trained altar servers, the highly dedicated Parish Office staff, and the large and well organized parish school.
Most of all, I have met Our Lord in the ministry of my fellow parish priests, Fr. Jim Maher, Fr. Bill Nicholas, and of course, our pastor and my classmate, Fr. Joe Shea.
I will say good bye to Jesus here and say hello to Him again as the new pastor at St. Bruno’s Church in Whittier. In the end, it is only Our Lord who can bring happiness and peace.
Cardinals, Archbishops, Popes, and priests come and go. It is Our Lord who is the enduring presence that can provide us all with lasting happiness. For the time I have met Him here at St. Rose, I am profoundly grateful!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Image: Public domain work of art.
God Bless Father Dave. Thanks You For Your Help In Our Parish. Your New Parish Are So Blessed To Have You.
In Christ.
Missy
Thank you!
What a most spiritual,loving life you have had at St. Rose of Lima!!! To be with lovely priests, loving parishioners, who have Jesus as their heart beat is sooooooooooooooo touchingly beautiful!!! It is a precious miracle of love to have Jesus in our life leading us in love, forgiveness, compassion, joy and to someday His warm embrace and that of our God and our beautiful Blessed Mother in a Heaven of love!!!!You have a very special gift of sharing Jesus’ joy and love to everyone you encounter!! You have touched so many people withJesus’ love for He lives in you!!! Have a beautiful, blessed life at St. Brunos for they will feel ourJesus’ love through you!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our God, loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ourJesus, and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our Mary and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeyou!!!! It’s a most beautiful life!!!!
Loveee, Franca and Dick
Thank you!
From Yana Packard
We have been so blessed to have you in our lives and I thank you for all that you have done. I especially thank you for the University Series. We have all benefited greatly from your vision and dedication to the Lenten Series. I can only hope that this will be even further expanded with your being at St. Brunos.. Will you still be heading the Conejo Valley area or will we have someone else putting it together. Fr. Dave I wish you the very best. We will miss you very much but I do feel this is all in God’s Plan..
Love, Yana
I hope and pray that I can bring the University Series to this new area!
You will be sorely missed at St. Rose and several parishes in the Conejo Valley. Yet at the same time, the parishioners of St. Bruno’s church will soon realize the distinct and welcome spiritual guidance and warmth you bring to them. God bless you, Fr. Dave.
Thank you!
Dear Father Dave,
May you be Blessed as you start a new chapter in your (book of ) life.
Will keep you in my prayers.
With much love’
Your Southern follower
Rita
Thank you for your prayers!
Dear Father Dave, I am so glad that you plan to keep up your weekly commentary. It is a joy in my life. Today I was especially impressed to think of leaving Jesus at one place and meeting Him again at a new place in our life.
Thanks!
Wes
Yes, the weekly reflections will certainly continue!
Dear Fr. Dave, May the Lord Bless you on your new journey in life. I read and look forward to your Gospel Reflections every week before Saturday night Mass. It prepares me and I get so much more out of the Gospel every week. Thank You for changing my life, you are very special.
God Bless You and take care from Michigan
Thank you! I am honored you enjoy these reflections.
Thank you Father Dave, and I will definitely continue to follow you on the Internet, and “I’ll see you on the radio”.
With love,
God bless you,
Jeanie
Yes, see you on the radio!
Am I missing an audio version of you, Fr. Dave?
Can you tell me what audio version you mean?
Someone said, “see you on the radio.”
Kathy
YES, I will be on Immaculate Heart Radio (5pm to 6pm on 930AM in the Los Angeles area) beginning in mid July. See you on the radio!
Father Dave. I wish you happiness in your new Parish and look forward to your weekly reflections. God bless you, you are special
Linda Burge
Thank you!
Many blessings to you with this new move. You have made such a profound impact on your parish, and beyond. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and soul.
With love,
Courtney
Thank you so much for your message!
I was so impressed about his compassion for the lady. He still has that compassion for us.
When I moved to simi Valley I was not happy about it. I lived in TO since 1972. As you know, not all of us do not like change. Then my car brok down and I couldn’t take communion to the elderly. Sure kept me from TO. However , I soon learned tat Simi Valley is not the same. Ever town has its own flavor. I am struggling as to how to put this as I love TO and don’t want it to seem that I am putting it down.
I found out that when there is a major change like that God has a plan and in that plan i is a new step for growth in trusting in Him. There is a lot of love to give out here and in each place I have been a part of there is love and acceptance. I was even picked to be on the commission by the City Council for Dial-a-ride. A position I would not have been on had my car been running.
Each place we go there is a new learning experience about us and our relationship to our Lord. I see why they move Priests around to different parishes before they become Pastors and even after.
When you took a year off after leaving St. Paschals it was necessary for you to get a hold of it. Coming to St. Rose was for you to just receive their love. I have been excited for you as I believe that with this University Series there is a lot more in it than any of us realize. Many Catholics (like I did) leaft their faith because of lack of understanding. In coming back Fr. Jeff had me get books which clarified it all and I was wondering why these books were not there before. I know when coming back to the Church there was a lot more to learn. I believe that this series can help big time for people to understand the Catholic faith better. This is real big and the Lord has given you a great assignment and I know that the Holy Spit in you is using your gifts to make it something greater that anyone of us can expect.
Since you came here I feel I know you bet ter than at St . Paschals even though we didn’t have much contact. I will really miss you and Praise God that you are going on to greater things in the Lord.
I very much appreciate your message. I will do everything I can to bring the University Series to this new area. Your words are very encouraging!
We have met the Lord in your weekly Reflections. Thank you for bringing Him to us, Fr. Dave.
Like you say God is everywhere. All we have to do is look for Him.
Both Tom and I wish you peace and happiness at St. Bruno’s.
“May the road rise up to meet you,
The wind be always at your back
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of His hand”.
.
I love the Irish Blessing. Thank you!
Our best wishes to you. from Year 5 Holy Land pilgrims – Les and Carol Cannon. Camarillo. We have thoroughly enjoyed your University lectures and series . God Bless You!!
Also enjoy reading your weekly homilies!!!
I have a special place in my heart for all our Holy Land Pilgrims. Thank you for your message!
Thank you Fr. Dave for your always uplifting reflection on the Gospel. May God continue to bless you in your new assignment.
Jim
I appreciate your message. I am glad you enjoy these reflections. They will continue!
Father Dave, Rick and I stumbled into your office at St. Paschal’s six years ago when we were searching for a priest who would marry us on a Sunday – a difficult feat. Complicating matters, this was going to be a Catholic-Jewish wedding involving a compromise from an otherwise traditional ceremony. You were the only priest who would make such a concession.. You graciously undertook to officiate. We shared in philosophical exchange and you related how much you loved wine, as well when we talked about our reception at a local vineyard in Camarillo. You greatly impressed on Rick, who expressed an interest to get to know you better and learn more about the Church. From that time, I have made more of a conscious effort to re-connect with my Catholic values, committing to go to church every week, instead of maybe once a month. I began going to confession again, restoring the lost graces of our Lord I had so lacked previously and hungered for. My commitment to re-connecting with my faith transformed me into a better person – a much happier person who delights in living in the present, no longer ruminating on the past. My faith has also taught me to be a great wife and strengthened my interpersonal relationships. Rick and I could not not have fathomed what these six years under your administration would bring to our lives. Our lives have truly been graced and enriched as the parishioners at St. Bruno’s will be. We wish you continued success in your University Series and look forward to continued philosophical and intellectual exchange over your gospel reflections.
I am truly and deeply touched by your heartfelt message! You made my day. I will certainly continue my very best efforts at St. Bruno’s and go as Our Lord directs. These Gospel Reflections will certainly continue!
Thank you, Fr. Haney for all of your spiritual guidance over the years and especially for your personal kindness to our family in the loss of our daughter. How blessed St . Bruno’s is…how blessed we at St Paschal were. Our family wishes you all the best as you continue to ” bloom whererver you are planted”
The Stubbs family
Thank you so much for your comments! They mean a lot to me.
Good luck, you will be getting a bit closer to the desert! Guess you are getting ready for the trip, enjoy and be safe. Wish I was with you! Val
You are always welcome back to the Holy Land!
Looking forward to your return visit!