August 22, 2024

Dear Parishioners,

To be people of faith can mean celebrating moments of great joy and enduring moments of great tribulation. This is our salvation history, and the Scriptures narrate the struggles of ancient Israel and of Jesus’ disciples. It can also be a struggle for us today.

Living as a disciple can mean undergoing particular trials that others do not, and it is tempting to give up when it becomes too difficult. It can be hard to accept that things are not always going to go our way, that we are not just going to be handed victories all the time by God. It is hard to understand that Jesus did not come to give us wealth and power, but his body and blood as a sacrifice. He came out of love to give himself as the bread of life, to be broken and shared for us. 

This is the mystery of our faith: Jesus was crucified, died, and rose to save us. We will never fully fathom this mystery until we are united with Jesus in heaven. To be people of faith does not mean understanding every teaching or never struggling to accept; faith is more about trust. When Jesus asked the Twelve if they, too, were going to leave, Peter replies that Jesus is the Holy One, so where else would they go? They trust Jesus enough to continue to follow. In time they see and receive what the bread of life means, and this feeds their faith.

We must remember that faith is a gift. We receive it from God, and we respond by committing to serve him and follow Jesus, even when it is not easy. To be people of faith means we trust God to fill us – especially through the mystery of the Eucharist – with the grace we need. 

God Love Ya!
Fr. Reilly