Easter thoughts
“Do you love me? “After His Resurrection Jesus appeared many times to His apostles and others. But this encounter with Peter is very significant. Peter who denied Jesus 3 times, was asked 3 times “Do you love me?”. Our relationship with God is about love! He first loved us, and we have been called to answer with love. Do I love Jesus? Do you love Jesus? Do we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? On Easter Vigil Jesus called three women in our parish into deeper and very intimate relationship within the Catholic Church. The relationship of love. We welcome, congratulate, and pray for Heather Toth, Savana Mullen, and Makenzie King.
First Communion
Three children: Alexis, Brailey, and Lucas, at 11am Mass this weekend, will receive Jesus for the first time in His sacramental presence. It’s a beautiful day for them, their families, and our parish community. I pray for them and askallofyoutosayaprayerforthemthattheirrelationshipwithJesuswill be strong! May Eucharistic Jesus be always in the center of their lives!
Music ministry
We already know that Pat Knorp retired from her position as the music director in our parish last weekend. While we are working on someone/team who would take care of our choir, Anjanette Turbiak with her son John Paul will be responsible for the music during the week and over the weekend. The contemporary choir will play one Mass on every second and fourth Sunday. We have a few organists who will help us with the funerals. Hopefully after I am back from Poland, we will have more information about what the new choir would look like and who will be responsible for it. Please pray for that intention and on that the decisions we are going to make will glorify God, and work for the benefit of our people at St. Genevieve – St. Maurice.
Trip to Poland
On Monday May 5th, I am going to Poland to visit my family and to celebrate the1st Communion of my nephew Karol and a few more sacramental celebrations with my loved ones. There will be priestly coverage over the weekends and during the week. But there will be no confession before daily Mass. The regular confession on Saturday at 3:30pm will still be available for those in need. I am humbly asking for your prayers for my family and safe trip. See you again at the beginning of June.
-Fr. Tom
GROW AS A DISCIPLE
Underlying Peter’s simple statement in today’s Gospel, “I am going fishing,” is an ocean of sadness. This leader of the Apostles was once so eager and self-assured that he declared to Jesus, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” (Mt 26:35) But we know the story: At the decisive moment, Peter yielded under pressure and three times denied that he even knew Jesus. Now, after witnessing his Master’s arrest and execution, Peter, whom Jesus called to leave his nets to be a fisher of men (see Mt 4:19), returns to his old profession. And even there he sustains another failure: he can’t catch any fish! Swimming to shore, the ever-impulsive Apostle discovers that Jesus had already procured fish for breakfast without his help. Imagine Peter’s consternation: my vocation as an Apostle, my career as a fisherman, my professed willingness to die for the Lord – everything I thought I could hang my hat on – were pretense and illusion.
GO EVANGELIZE
In our relationship with God, we are at times beset by the reality of our own weaknesses and apparent failures. But for Peter as for us, despondency does not have to have the final word. In one of the most intimate exchanges in the Gospels, Jesus heals Peter’s self-inflicted wound. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” the Lord asks three times. What Jesus desires from the Apostle is not eloquent declarations of courage; he wants Peter’s love; he wants his heart: conscious of its frailty and humble enough to be led where it does not want to go. Neither Peter’s day job nor his grandiose spiritual aspirations are useful to the Lord if Peter has not first surrendered himself to God. This is because only a heart which belongs to God and draws its strength from him can bear fruit for the kingdom of heaven. Such is likewise true for us, often so anxious about tomorrow or preoccupied with our attempts to “earn” God’s love. Our primary responsibility, without which none of our other labors will be fruitful, is to give our hearts completely to him.
PRAY
Repetition is the mother of learning. Three times, Jesus asked Peter to renew his love – perhaps, in part, to convince Peter! This week, offer your heart to God as soon as you get up in the morning. You could even use Peter’s words: “Lord, you know that I love you.” By making this a habit, you invite God’s grace and strength to make each day’s actions fruitful.
By the Faithful Disciple