Pastor’s Letter & September 5 Bulletin

Pastor’s Letter & September 5 Bulletin

3 Sep 2021 | Posted by: chadmin

The September 5 bulletin is now available online. Thank you to our sponsors for your continued support. We are so grateful for you.

Dear friend,

The Gospels record many stories of Jesus healing physical ailments. Our created nature, in this ever-changing world, is clearly subject to the effects of aging. Whether it is a simple illness or a life-threatening medical situation, we all learn the fragility of our bodies. St. Paul encouraged people to focus on the interior soul as one noticed the decline of the physical body. For the Christian, St. Paul points out, as the outside of our bodies wears down, the inside is being spiritually renewed.

We are extremely blessed to live in a country and a time in history when medical knowledge and capability is so readily available to heal illness. This was certainly not the case two thousand years ago when Jesus walked the Earth. One of the reasons Jesus attracted large crowds were the miraculous healings he performed. The people were simply not used to seeing lepers healed, the blind able to see, the mute able to speak, the deaf able to hear, and the lame able to walk. These miracles brought a lot of attention to Jesus. A simple read through the Gospels clearly shows that the miracles were only a temporary relief for the suffering, it wasn’t the full story. The essential message of Jesus, the word of truth revealed by Him was one of forgiveness and eternal life. Yes, the Lord wants us to be healthy but clearly the message of Jesus is not one of fulfillment in this world but in the next. Whether it is His spoken Word of Truth or His presence in the Sacraments of the Church, God’s revelation is about living eternally in heaven. We should always do our best in this world and pray for healing when needed, but always doing so with an eye on the prize of heaven. All growth in this world should be a reflection of our heavenly preparation.

The Sacraments of the Church are the ordinary means by which we believe God helps us through this life. The day-to-day sustenance of God’s gift of grace comes through the sacraments. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the ordinary way for adults to join the Church and receive the sacraments. As we approach September, we are planning for a new class. We will have an informational night and introduction to the RCIA process on Tuesday, September 14 at 6:30pm. If you or anyone you know is interested in receiving the sacraments, please contact us to register or with any questions. You can email the parish office at parish@stphils.com. The RCIA class is for those who are not Baptized who would like to receive Baptism, for Baptized Christians who want to become Catholic, and for Baptized Catholics who have not received Confirmation. Please feel free to reach out to us if you are interested.

God bless,

Father David