Pastoral Reflection: 11th Sunday Gospel ( Mark 4,26-34) A Picture Tells A Thousand Stories How many times have you told someone, "If you could only see it, you would understand"? Pictures do simplify explanations. Word images do the same thing. They make the difficult easy to communicate. Jesus understood this principle well when he told the people about the Kingdom of God. He publicly preached with parables. Why did Jesus use parables in his public ministry? Jesus used parables for two reasons: to deflect criticism and to teach effectively. By speaking in analogies and stories, Jesus was able to communicate to his audience without providing a clear reason for the Roman authorities to move against him. If Jesus equated the Kingdom of God with revolution, he would have been quickly arrested, tried and executed. But, by teachings in symbols and stories, he was able deflect charges of treason. (How many Romans could really understand the Kingdom of God as a mustard seed, anyway?) More important, stories and analogies are superior didactic tools. What do you remember best: a process, a principle or a story? Narrative forms create opportune conditions to communicate a moral. Think of an effective television commercial. Most likely, the commercial tells a story and ties the moral of the story directly to the product and/or product feature. Jesus and his followers used this form to pass along the faith. Over time, of course, the interpretations of many parable changed to meet the needs of the audience. But, that did not diminish the power of the narrative. So, the next time you year a sermon, critique the speech. If you remember the thoughts presented, most likely they were tied to a story that caught your attention.

Pastoral Reflection: 10th Sunday OT-B( Gospel Reading -Mark 3:20-35) The Odd Person A typical social behavior is always a source of controversy. People who act in ways unexpected are not readily accepted. The misfit, the mentally disturbed, the odd character always meet with passive (they are ignored) or active (they are opposed) resistance. Society likes conformity. Those who act outside social norms and expectations will be rejected. Jesus from Nazareth faced opposition when he stepped outside of realm of social expectation. His peers saw him as a carpenter in a family of carpenters. Yet, the village handyman became a preacher and healer with a mobile ministry. As the reputation of Jesus spread, so did the scandal he caused. How did the lowly jack-of-all-trade gain the power to teach in God's name and exorcize the possessed Was the answer itself demonic or heaven sent? How does the will of God challenge your social expectations? How does the "odd person" present the face of God to you? Jesus was unusual, even to the point of causing scandal and shame to his family. But Jesus, his message, and his mission pointed to something greater than social norms and people's expectations. They revealed the Kingdom. Our problem, of course, lies in our expectations. What do we expect others to do? What do we expect God to do? How do we react when God or others don't meet our expectations? More important, how do we react when God or others CHALLENGE our expectations? Reflect on the times others challenged your expectations. Did you consider these people odd or misfits? How did you react? If you could change your reactions, what would you do differently? How would God want you to react to them?

Around town you may see evangelical rocks the Grade 3 and 4 CE students made to carry out The Great Commission “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew:16-20.

St.George’s is having a Parish Picnic/ BBQ When? -Sunday, June 24, following the Cemetery Mass. Where? - Kinsmen Park - beside the tennis courts What? - Hot dogs 🌭, hamburgers 🍔, pop🥤, water 💧 , and ice cream treats 🍦 How much? - $2.00 / per person....young or old What do you need? - Lawn chairs, blankets & games: like boce ball, frisbees, croquet - use your imagination!

Pastoral Reflection: Pentecost Sunday/ 2nd Reading : 1 Cor 12:3b-7,12-13 The Spiritual Gifts Unity and diversity. Think of the multicultural world we now live in. Not only are we racially and ethnically mixed, we also have many expressions of tradition and language. In the past, such differences would have been kept separated in the ghetto for two generations until there was cultural assimilation. But, with the many media avenues for news, our differences are much more apparent, even threatening. The image of the Church far out-dates our culture, but the tensions we face were real to those in Corinth. There were class and ethnic differences in the community. But, in addition, there were many different behaviors that manifest "spiritual gifts." But, unlike some modern commentators who seek to encourage differences over unity or to suppress differences for the sake of unity, Paul encouraged these "spiritual" behaviors as a sign of God's presence. Prophecy, utterances of wisdom, speaking in tongues, teaching, all were different gifts of the Spirit for the good of the community. Paul pointed to everyone in the community as a person with a spiritual gift. He implied the use of such gifts should be exercised, not suppressed. But, at the same time, he pointed to the reason the gifts were given: the good of others. Gifts were not to be a sign of self-glorification. No, they were for the glory of God! Like the Corinthians, we all have gifts to offer for the common good and the praise of God. How we use them, however, determines their effectiveness. And our intention. Do our gifts unite or divide? Do they show we are one in the Body of Christ? Or, do they reveal divisions that crack the face of the Church? The Spirit gave us his gifts. Let us use them wisely.

Again this year, each of the three parishes below, will be hosting special Sunday Mass outdoors, at their respective cemeteries, to honour, and pray for our departed loved ones. Note times and places below.......

Pastoral Reflection: Ascension Sunday(First Reading- Acts 1,1-11) Anticipation Anticipation is a national disease. We hate to wait; we want everything now! Yet, we spend more time and energy preparing to celebrate a major event than actually enjoying the event itself. The Christmas season clearly shows off our obsession with anticipation. The first reading this Ascension Sunday has an atmosphere of anticipation. The author of Luke's gospel and Acts (who we will refer by his traditional named "Luke") begins the history of the early Church with a note to Theophilus [1]. The first book, the gospel of Luke, put a light on Jesus and his mission. Now, the Church becomes the focus. Like a good writer, Luke drops hints to answer his friend's question: "What will happen next?" Who is this "Theophilus?" We do not who he was, or if this person even existed. The word Theophilus means "friend of God." It is a proper name; it can be a nick name or title. Because it could mean different things in different contexts, Luke could have been writing to a person or a group of people. Luke could have even been addressing the reader. You or I could be the "friend of God" to whom Luke writes. To build up the anticipation, Luke summarizes the life of Jesus [3] and then adds the promise of the Spirit [4-5]. The disciples, however, are not satisfied with this answer. They still want to know when Jesus will return as Messiah [6]. Do they wait for the right event? Luke says, "No." The day and time, even the timing, are reserved for God the Father [7]. "Do not wait for things to be done for you," Luke seems to say. "Wait instead for God's Spirit, so God will give you the power to do it for yourself [8]." As Jesus speaks, he disappears from view [9]. But, the disciples still don't get it. They stand there and wait for Jesus' return [10]. Yes, he will return, but don't waste your life in passive anticipation. There is work to be done! And God will send his Spirit to work through us, so we can continue the mission Jesus began.

Pastoral Reflection : 6th Sunday of Easter The Love of God What is the cost of love? When we frame love in this question, the subject transcends the feeling. No longer does love remain in the realm of the heart. It becomes a decision of the will. The question implies that we do not truly love unless we are willing to act upon our feelings and live with the consequences. Love may not be love without an inner emotion, but it cannot survive without action. And it cannot grow without testing. To claim love is easy, to live love is difficult. Yet, in Jesus, we find the example of love perfectly lived out. We also find the power to live love to the fullest. Jesus chose his followers to carry out God's plan of salvation. He chooses us today to do the same. By allowing us to participate, he gives us a personal stake in the coming Kingdom. "God ...enables men to be intelligent and free causes in order to complete the work of creation, to perfect its harmony for their own good and that of their neighbors...they then fully become "God's fellow workers" and co-workers for his kingdom." (CCC 307) Love is the best way to become his "co-worker," since it reveals the reason he made the cosmos to others and affirms our friendship with the Creator. When have you felt the love of God? When have you past that love onto others? How did your efforts effect those you loved? Love changes everything it touches. It denies our "bragging rights." Yet, it enhances our reputation. It denies the power of our leader positions. But it raises us up as true leaders. It might take away the advantage of our personal initiative. It, however, connects us in ways unimaginable. Divine love transcends mere emotion. It becomes the lifeline to God. And it forms the basis of real community. It is inexplicable in theory, yet easily seen in action. Wherever God loves, he acts. Wherever he acts, he is. HE IS with us. Simply because he loves us.

Pastoral Reflection on the 5th Sunday of Easter The Connection Team player or loner? Inevitably in life, we will play both roles. We will work with others in family, on the job, and in the community. We will put our self-interest aside, so we can work for the common good. There are those rare times we make decisions that place us at odds with others: family, co-workers, the community. We make those choices and we bear the consequences alone. Sometimes those decisions are selfish. Sometimes they are made based upon conscience. As Christians we might walk the road of conscience disdained by the secular world, but does not mean we are disconnected. Our connection to life is not the world, but someone far greater. Staying connected to Christ has a high price. Sometimes it costs us the respect of the world. Sometimes it costs us relationships with others. Sometimes it costs us a sense comfort and community. But the price of life without Christ is much higher. Imagine what life would be like without faith, without good Christians spouses and friends, without a prayer life and worship to sustains us, without the goodness and Christian charity of others to help along the way. Imagine a life without Christ! Even if we have to walk by ourselves, even if we have to be loners in the name of Jesus, we will never be truly alone. Remember whose team we're really on, whose name we can invoke in need. Ask and he will be there.

Congratulations to the newly confirmed members of our Parish! May God's Spirit of love fill your hearts to strengthen you along life's way!