Dear Church Family,
Let us give thanks to the Lord for our country but also let us continue to pray for the evil that is so present amongst us. That is the evil of drugs, gangs and murder. It’s out there. It’s around us. Each of us can touch it in some way by prayer or by communication with anybody we know that is in the drug scene. Try to encourage them in some way to get their minds and hearts fixed on getting help, some type of education and a job opportunity. As I say this, I know it is hard to do and sometimes you feel as if there isn’t hope, but the message of the Word of God today starts off with a minor prophet called Zechariah. This is not the Zechariah who was the husband of Elizabeth but the prophet of old, called a minor prophet. There are about four prophets known as Major Prophets because they say a lot and have long readings. The Major Prophets are Ezekiel Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Daniel. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
The message today of Zechariah is very hopeful, and it almost has a person coming like Jesus to really bring strength, comfort and peace. Zechariah says, “Rejoice heartily, and shout for joy” because someone meek, riding on a donkey, like Jesus coming into Jerusalem, shall banish all the power of war from the chariot, the horse and the arrow. He shall bring peace.” We need peace in our world today with North Korea still setting off missiles that may be able to touch the shores of our country, maybe Alaska or California.
So our message is to “live by the spirit” as Saint Paul says. Jesus tells us to have a humble attitude because He wants to come not to the learned and clever but to those who are just simple minded and open to His Word. Then whatever goes on in life, somehow, He touches it with His presence and stands with it. In that stance, we can hear the Words, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Very, very blessed, reassuring words.
During this summer vacation time enjoy this month of July before we have to get serious again about our young people securing good educations and getting back to work. So, enjoy that part of summer vacation and let’s enter the message of the Gospel which is a message of hope because we are going to do something about it. As I said in my sermon last Sunday quoting the song Sister Antonia Ebo would sing, “I’m gonna do what the Spirit says do. I’m gonna do what the Spirit says do. And what the Spirit says do, I’m gonna do, Oh Lord, Lord. I’m gonna do what the Spirit says do. I’m gonna move when the Spirit says move…I’m gonna pray when the Spirit says pray…I’m gonna sing when the Spirit says sing… I’m gonna fight when the Spirit says fight…I’m gonna speak, dance, jump, hush when the Spirit says…” Alleluia!!
Love, Fr. Bob
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