Daily Reflections

If you would like to receive these daily reflections (written by various parishioners) in your email box each day, contact [email protected]Reflections for Oct. 21-27, 2024

Dec. 2-8, 2024

December 2, 2024-We Wait in Joyful Hope
Each Sunday at Mass, right after the Our Father is recited, we hear the words "Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ".   This seems like a perfect prayer to remember during this holy and busy season of Advent.  Couldn't we all appreciate more peace, God's mercy, to be free from sin and safe from all the stress of the season as we approach the celebration of Jesus' birth?

Lord, help us hear the familiar prayers at Mass in new ways, so that with your help, our lives may be transformed.  May it be so.
 Darcy Wharton
 
 December 3, 2024-A True Community
 Many of us who write reflections have written about the incredible community we have here at SS. Peter & Paul.  It can be seen in so many ways.  Recently, a parishioner lost her dear mother to cancer and was understandably heartbroken.  Members of the parish who have been part of her small-faith group, decided to gather on the front lawn of her house and pray the rosary.  This powerful act provided a great deal of comfort to their friend and is a great example of how important it is to be there for one another in prayerful action.  I was touched by simply hearing about it.
 Thank you, blessed community, for the many ways that you support one another during their most difficult times.  You truly are the hands and feet of Christ.
 Darcy Wharton
 
 December 4, 2024- Taking the Time
 About six weeks ago, my sister Susan lost a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.  As many of you may remember, I am adopted and was reunited with my birthmother about 25 years ago and my birthfather about 8 years ago.  My sister Susan is on my birthfather's side.  Over the past eight years, we saw each other only occasionally because she lived over an hour away.  However after her diagnosis, much of her treatment occurred in Roseville.  During her last two months, I was able to see her several times a week, usually for 2-3 hours each visit.  These days were so precious.  We shared countless stories and laughs.  Our love for each other grew with every visit.

I am grateful that I took the time to be with her.  It can be easy for me to say, "I don't have the time" when in reality, if it's important enough perhaps I can TAKE the time.
 Lord, help me in this busy season to take the time to be with you in prayer, and to be with those who most need me.
 Darcy Wharton
 
 December 5, 2024- The Tradition Continues
 The Advent Wreath was a familiar sight in my childhood home.  I remember lighting the candle each week and saying a short prayer.  As a single adult, I continued the practice and it has continued through my married life, although I admit that as a busy mom, I was sometimes a bit late in getting it placed on our kitchen table.  Did you know that there is symbolism in the wreath beyond counting the weeks until Christmas?  I recently learned that the shape of the wreath (no beginning and end) is a symbol of God's unending love for us.  How beautiful is that?  As I suspected, the candles represent the light of Christ (as they do in Baptism). Each candle also represents a particular Christian concept- hope, peace, joy and love.

Now that my children are grown, I still bring out the advent wreath and try to focus on the true meaning of the season.  The tradition continues!
 Darcy Wharton
 
 December 6, 2024- St. Nicholas Day
 The joyful traditions celebrated around the holidays in various cultures have always warmed my heart.  As an elementary teacher 35 years ago, we had a series of lessons on holiday celebrations.  One of my favorite lessons was teaching the children about St. Nicholas Day.  In parts of Europe and in Germany, children are given special gifts or coins from Nikolaus when they leave their shoes near the front door or fireplace on the evening of December 5.  Imagine the joy those children experienced on the morning of December 6th!
 This happy celebration (as well as our tradition of Santa Claus) has its roots in the remembrance of St. Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century Greek bishop who would leave coins in people's shoes and who was known for his generosity to those in need.
 Obviously, this season has become highly commercial, but isn't it wonderful that the generosity of one bishop continues to inspire us to give to others?
 Lord, help us to give generously in the spirit of St. Nicholas.
 Darcy Wharton
 
  December 7, 2024- Hallmark Movies
 I'm pretty sure people fall into two categories on this topic: they either love or despise Hallmark Movies.  There are many jokes about them, with some citing that all Hallmark movies pretty much have the same storyline.  I was surprised one day to find out that one of our closest friends regularly watches them throughout the year, while his wife can't stand watching them!  Perhaps many of us need to watch something optimistic to distract ourselves from the sadness we encounter.  It can be comforting to immerse ourselves in a story with a happy ending.

Julian of Norwich is most famously known for her quote, "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."   I recently read the lines that followed that which are, "for there is a Force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and will never let us go."
 So whether you love or despise Hallmark movies, we have a reason to believe in a happy ending!
 Darcy Wharton
 
 December 8, 2024- The Immaculate Conception
 Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception but since it falls on the Second Sunday of Advent this year, we will be celebrating it tomorrow, December 9th.  (Masses at 8:30 and 6:30 PM).  Any feast day concerning Mary always brings me back to my childhood.  My great-grandmother and my grandmother had a strong devotion to Mary which must have had a profound effect on me.  At their apartment, I created a small devotional space in their small backyard on one of the cross posts of a wooden fence.  I adorned it with a plastic statue of Mary and some succulent plants in pots around it.  Each time I would visit, I spent some time in prayer, even reciting the rosary on occasion.
 Tomorrow I will have the opportunity to once again express my love to our Blessed Mother- a woman whose "yes" changed the world.   May the relationship that started so long ago, continue to draw me closer to her and to her Son.
 Darcy Wharton
 
Nov. 25- Dec. 1,2024
November 25, 2024 – Called By Name
 
When I taught high school, I would challenge myself on the first day of school to memorize my students’ names by the end of the first class.   Of course, practically it was helpful to know their names quickly so that I could manage the classroom environment, but it also brought instant connection.  When someone asks for our name, and remembers it, we feel as though we belong.  
 
Our names are such an incredible gift: given to us at birth, they are the one thing that for the most part, stays with us for our entire lives.   I have other names that have been given to me as well: “mom,” “mama,” “mmmoooommm,” by my daughters; “Pfister” or “Pfist” on the soccer field; and then of course there my husband’s pet names, “honey” or “babe.” There is no substitute however, for the feeling of being called “Katie” because it makes me feel seen and known.
 
Sometimes I think about the moment at my baptism when my parents were asked, “What name do you give your child?”  I imagine them holding me and exclaiming “Katie Marie” with smiles on their faces, and it feels akin to how God beholds each of us as we read in Isaiah 43, “I have called you by name; you are mine.”
Katie Maynard
 
 November 26, 2024 – Let it Rain
 
I spent my first year of college at the University of Portland, and admittedly I was not prepared for the rain.  Not only was I far away from my family, but I was also trying to make a long-distance relationship work, and so it took me awhile to adjust.  I remember crying a lot as I looked out to gray skies, and so I decided to pour myself into my studies.  At the end of the year, I decided to transfer schools to be with my now husband, Casey (good decision) who was attending school in Washington.  There was still plenty of rain, but I felt connected, which made all the difference.  
 
For a long time, I resented the rain, because it only reminded me of the sadness and loneliness that I felt.  Many years later, however, I have come to love the rain because of the growth and promise that follows the storm.  Step out into the rain…get wet, and let God’s love rain down on you!
Katie Maynard
 
November 27, 2024 – Persistence
 
Gardening is not for the faint of heart and requires a great deal of persistence.  In the face of uncertainty, set-backs and disappointing yields, gardeners press onward.   They work hard to consider the many factors at stake: hydration, depth of seed, nitrogen levels in the soil, amount of sunlight, etc. and then at the end of the day, it may not bear fruit!
 
How do we keep persisting when we face disappointment like that of a gardener?  I recently walked with my daughters through their own share of disappointments when their hard work was stifled or halted.  Whether it was a broken wrist, or a tough class schedule change…they took it one step at a time.   Like the gardener who adds fertilizer after a disappointing crop, and adjusts the hydration and moderates sun exposure for the next planting, my daughters figured out how to navigate their challenges, adjusted their expectations, prayed a lot, and then picked their heads up and got ready for what was next.  
 
Sometimes the garden gives us something we didn’t expect, like a rogue pepper sprout or a hidden tomato…and that can also give us hope for the next harvest.  There is never permanence in the process of growth and change, but we keep learning and looking for signs of hope.
Katie Maynard
  
November 28, 2024 – Thankfulness In…                                                        
 
As we celebrate this day of thanksgiving, I am reminded of Paul’s words on gratitude as he describes the Christian life in his letters, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3:17).
 
It is not a passive sense of gratitude though…not just a “thankfulness for” but a “thankfulness in” all things.  A “thankfulness in” moves us to a life of service, as illustrated in John’s gospel when Mary anoints Jesus at Bethany using expensive ointment and wiping his feet with her hair.  She allowed the grace she had received to move her heart towards gratitude and the result was an extravagant act of service to Jesus.  
 
Perhaps today as we gather around the thanksgiving table, we can express not only what we are “thankful for” but also consider how our gratitude can move us to lives of service in simple, everyday ways: text messages or notes to let others know we are thinking of them, looking others in the eyes and sharing a smile, taking an extra moment to be silly with your kids, or lingering a bit longer in my husband’s embrace.  Happy Thanksgiving! 
Katie Maynard
 
 November 29, 2024 – Be Not Afraid
 
When I took my youngest daughter to get her flu shot this week, she told the nurse that she was feeling a little scared.  The nurse said to her with kindness, “Oh dear one, I am not going to try and tell you to feel any different, because that is how you are feeling right now…but I can tell you…although you will indeed feel a stick from the needle, I am not going to harm you.  You can take your time and tell me whenever you are ready.”  My daughter immediately welled up with tears, but not from a place of fear, rather a place of being seen and heard.
 
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).  God’s desire is to hold us in our most vulnerable state, to let us know that we are seen and heard, that no harm will come to us by His hand, and that He is ready when we are.
Katie Maynard
 
 November 30, 2024 – Called and Chosen
 
As the coordinator of Christian Initiation for adults and children, I have the privilege of facilitating the journey of those who feel called to join our Catholic Christian faith, or to be welcomed into Full Communion.  Every person’s story is different, and everyone comes with a different template of faith…but they all have one thing in common: they have been called by the Holy Spirit.
 
In today’s gospel, we hear the story of the calling of the disciples at sea.  As Simon, Andrew, James and John answer the call to, “Come and follow me” they leave behind their nets, jump out of the boat and follow Jesus.  May I identify not only with the disciples, but also with our brothers and sisters who are joining the faith.  Lord, let me hear your voice, trust the work of the Spirit in my life, and jump out of the boat to follow Him.
Katie Maynard
 
 December 1, 2024 – Find Us Ready
 
I’ve always been moved by the rhythmic beat of a drum line: the sharp, crisp rhythm of the snare drums, the anchor beat of the bass, the complexity of the quad drums, and the clash of the cymbals.  The drumline is the beating heart of any marching band, and historically has directed the movement of troops, or announced what is to come.  
 
Today, as we start a new liturgical year and celebrate the season of Advent, we hear from the gospel, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy…be vigilant at all times.”  Through these words, I can feel the beat of the drumline: directing, announcing and moving me to get ready and to stay awake.  As we anticipate Jesus’ coming this Advent season, find us ready, Lord.
Katie Maynard

Nov.18-24, 2024

November 18, 2024 – the Power of God
My history class, sophomore year in a Catholic high school, was  built around Greek mythology. I never really understood why until I picked up Thomas Merton’s Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander. 
Recently I’ve read two books that are  contemporary retellings of some Greek myths.  I’ve been reminded that the primary concern of the Greek gods was power, fame, wealth, etc.  They were jealous, violent, and usually merciless.  Some of the gods were patrons of humans, but when these mortals disappointed…they were punished and/or abandoned. Then Merton reminds me that God himself, our all-powerful and loving God, chose to become a member of the human race itself. And to be born into a part of the world controlled by the Romans who had adopted the gods of Greece.  This immense, ineffable and unknowable God  chose to identify with the poor and powerless and showed us  “that all of the sorrows and stupidities of the human condition could overwhelm{us}”  but God never abandons us. Instead he takes all of our stupidities unto Himself, dies, and buries them in the tomb.  Then He rises and invites us to join Him.    He never says it will be easy, but he does promise never to leave us.  What a stark contrast!
 I imagine a baby in a stable, powerless, poor and threatened, a man hanging on a cross forgiving everyone who has put him there, and I understand why Sr. Maureen used mythology to show us the difference  between the world of power and the power of God.      
Jane Haproff
 
November 19, 2024 - Unworthy
Thomas Merton was writing at a time when the biggest threat to the world and to Christianity in particular was Communism.  While Communism is not the same threat today, what he says is applicable to the political climate of the United States today.  For instance “ the flatly unchristian refusal to love those whom we consider, for some reason or other, unworthy of love….for even very trivial reasons… we refuse to accept them into our hearts…and  justify a certain coldness, suspicion, and even disdain towards them. “ Merton points out that this thinking creates a dilemma because it takes away any possibility for the sense of peace that our own happiness requires and raises the question of “worthiness”.  Ahhh, there it is…who, if any of us, is worthy?  And isn’t God asking me, the unworthy, to “ forget my unworthiness and that of all my brothers, and dare to advance in the love which has redeemed and renewed us all” ?  And so I pray, Lord empty me of any judgments associated with the world today that allow me to feel superior over anyone for any reason.  Help me to recognize that the idea of  judging anyone’s worthiness places me over and against you who loves us all.                                 Jane Haproff
 
November 20, 2024 – Prayer as Living God
Something  in my recent reading of Merton has helped me to readjust my thinking about prayer and devotions.  First, I must confess that I  have struggled with some of the prayer practices of the Church.  I often pray the rosary, but not daily.   I rarely ever participate in some of the formal devotional practices of the Church except of course for Mass, but I have been saying  the Jesus prayer for over forty years.  I do a lot of spiritual reading but have had some difficulty finding a designated prayer time lately.  Additionally,   I  struggle intellectually with the division of the world and or life into the sacred and the profane.  If God is everywhere, then isn’t it all sacred, the work of His hands?  Can sin undo that, or  is it that sin obscures the goodness of God?  While I fret over  this, I came across an idea that Merton offers in Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander. He asked who do the devotions and prayers make feel better?  If they make me feel holier, then I’m really doing them for myself, not necessarily for God.   Wow that was a big idea for me, who from my early childhood wanted to be a saint!!   Was that to please God or for myself?  Merton wonders if it isn’t enough really just to fall totally and completely in love with God; to let go and live God.    A new thing for me to think about: letting go of sainthood (which I’m sure my family thinks I’ve already done!) and living the love of God.                                                                                                       Jane Haproff
 
November 21, 2024 – Prayer as Communication with God
Most of our children live scattered around California except for two sons who live in New York.  We all communicate with each other so differently!   Living next door to one daughter makes communication easy, but days will go by when I don’t see her, then she’ll pop in the back door for a quick chat or she’ll wave to me as she leaves for work. Another daughter lives five blocks away and we don’t’ see each other regularly, but she’s first to volunteer if we need something.  Another daughter calls often on no schedule and comes up from Ventura to visit frequently.  We talk with yet another daughter much less often as she runs her own business, and has a hectic, busy schedule. But when we talk it is full of humor.  Our oldest son calls every Friday morning just to check in, and at times for a long conversation, while our second son calls hardly at all; then we’ll get a text from him with a picture of something that reminds him of us.  Through all of this we are all texting short thoughts, observations, questions, etc. So many different times and ways to communicate.  When I think of my prayer life as communicating with God, I wonder which category I fall into.  And then I realize that it doesn’t matter.  If God is like most Father’s, he knows the circumstances of our lives and just loves to hear from us anytime and in any manner.         Jane Haproff
 
November 22, 2024 – Birthdays
Today was my mother’s birthday.  She was an interesting woman, youngest in her family, as I am, born to an older mother, as I was.   She was one of the few women of her generation who attended university, but her mother died when she was 21 and she left college to move West with my grandfather, where she met my father and then had three children.  My eleven-year-old brother died under difficult circumstances before I was born and in her sorrow, my mother was overcome by illness.  I can just imagine people saying  “what Katherine needs is another baby”; probably not, since she was already forty.  However, there I was.  All of this left her sick in my early years  yet I always sensed a great strength in her.  I could talk to her about anything, bring any problem or question to her and she never responded with shock or dismay but wisely directed me.   She had a quiet humor; her faith was the focus of her life and therefore of our family life. People always liked her from their first meeting with her. She lived with us the last eight years of her life, and she modeled for me patience, wisdom, counsel, understanding….the gifts of the Spirit. And…how to grow old.  That was a greater gift than I could have imagined.  Happy Birthday, Mom.                  
Jane Haproff
 
November 23, 2024 – Better Than 79%
Two word games that I play on my phone will occasionally flash a notice onto the screen rating how well I am doing in the game.   Often it says I’m better than 78% or 93% or …it doesn’t matter.  I ‘m just better than a lot of other people playing that game.   This whole circumstance draws forth two different reactions from me.  First, I get annoyed at the explicit use of  competition, to being smarter than, or having a better vocabulary than etc.   My second response is to try harder to be even better!  Why not better than 99%?  It always bothers me when I catch myself in this obvious trap.  Yet I fall for it over and over.  How insidious this  use of competition is when it transfers over to other areas of life:  better than those who sleep on the streets, better than those who have no faith, better than those who have any kind of addiction or suffer from mental illness.
There are games on the market now that are built not on competition but on cooperation.  Two that I can think of are Ravine and The Mind.   In these games there is a common goal that all work towards and a tremendous sense of joy and accomplishment for all when the goal is achieved.  And isn’t that what the Gospels tell us, working together for a common good is better than beating 79%.                           Jane Haproff
 
November 24, 2024 – Holy, Holy, Holy
This morning I awakened to find myself singing the Gloria over and over in my head.  I lay there, letting the internal music rise in my mind and gently wash over my being, calling  me to full wakefulness.  As I lay there hearing the words of that hymn playing over and over, I felt blessed.   Often I’ll get a popular song stuck in my head, repeating itself until I want anything else to take over.  In fact I’ll try to put a hymn in its place:  “As the deer longs, for running springs, so I long, so I long, so I long for you! “  But it doesn’t work.  I can’t trick my brain into letting go of  a repetitious, unwanted song.  But it was different with the Gloria.  I let it play over and over in my head, first waking me up, then taking me into prayer and I was grateful for that gift.  
Jane Haproff

Reflections for Nov. 11-17, 2024

Nov. 11, 2024 - It’s All About Perspective
I came across this poem in junior high called Desiderata by Max Ehrmann and there is a line that has stayed with me.  It says: If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.”  Recently we had the opportunity to help a family in need.   We opened our home for them to stay with us for a short period of time.  The Mom of the family remarked how wonderful it was to stay with a “normal” family and have “normal” routines.  I laughed at this statement because there is nothing “normal” about our family. We are loud and high energy and always quite busy.  It reminded me of this quote because I often feel like our family has so many opportunities to be “normal” but this one woman’s observation changed my entire perspective.  One person’s normal is another person’s crazy.  We were happy to provide some temporary assistance in their time of need and provide a more “normal” routine to their lives.                                                       Bianca Hennager
 
Nov. 12, 2024 - You Can Quit Tomorrow
As I was doing my daily scroll through social media, I saw an entry that discussed the idea of “quitting tomorrow”.  He said as we go through difficult times and are challenged, we may want to give up in the moment.  However, we should promise ourselves that we can quit tomorrow.  And when tomorrow comes it is actually a new day with a clean slate, a fresh start and you do the daily grind/challenge again.  It helped put into perspective the idea to just keep going despite the pain I may be feeling in the moment.; to just resign myself to the fact that each day is a new day and to keep going. I often wonder If that was what Job had to do during his trials and tribulations.  Did he have the self-talk of “just keep going; you can quit tomorrow”?  I imagine his prayer life had a lot to do with his ability to persevere through his many hardships.                                                                                                                                 Bianca Hennager
 
Nov. 13, 2024 - Mother Cabrini
Today is the feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.  Recently a film was made about her life and her pilgrimage to America.  She was a formidable woman and often didn’t take no for an answer.  As a young girl I received a necklace with a medal of her and loved hearing her growing up story.  She marveled at St. Francis Xavier (the ninja saint) and wanted to do missionary work in the Far East like St. Francis Xavier. Her desire to do that was met with an encouraging order from Pope Leo XIII to go to New York.  She was to come to America to serve the Italian people here in the United States.  When she got to New York she was not well received and had to be creative in how she was going to meet the needs of the Italian people who faced poverty.  Ultimately, she was successful in establishing 67 orphanages and hospitals worldwide.  One of her famous quotes is “I trust in you, my Jesus.  I place my poor soul in your hands – mold me according to your divine will.”   May we all strive to be more like St. Frances Cabrini and place ourselves into the hands of our Heavenly Father to do as he will with us.                           Bianca Hennager
 
Nov. 14, 2024 - The Last Time I Held You
Today’s Gospel reminds us that we won’t know when the coming of the Kingdom of God will occur; it is happening among us already.  It reminded me of a reflection I recently read that discussed that we don’t know when the last time will be that we will hold our child.  Now having much older kids, I try to remember when that last official time was when I held each of them individually and I cannot recall it.   It is such a bittersweet experience because I can think back to the times that I held them – in the grocery store, at Disneyland, trick-or-treating, etc. but I cannot recall when the last time I held them was exactly.  I have truly enjoyed each season and phase my children have gone through or have yet to grow into.  However, there is a bittersweetness to letting go of what once was.  So as I go throughout my day, may I reflect back on times past and celebrate the last(s) as they happen, giving way to the new beginnings that are to come.                                                                                                                                                         Bianca Hennager
 
Nov. 15, 2024 - The Stone Rejected Became the Cornerstone
 “The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone” is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.  It reminds me of the importance of perspective – how the builder could discard a stone as being not worthy for the house they were building, yet it could become the main stone, the cornerstone on which the building is built.   The imagery is powerful – what one discounts can be powerful and important to another.  Another image I gathered from this statement is instead of throwing stones at one another maybe use the stone to build a bridge to greater connection.  I pray the next time I pick up a stone that may I use it to help build something beautiful instead of trying to knock something down.       Bianca Hennager
 
Nov. 16, 2024 - The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease
I didn’t come from a large family and being the youngest I always felt like I had to compete with my older sister.  My older sister often did better in school than I did,  was more athletic, and most importantly seemed to have more of the attention of my parents.  I found myself not liking “being the baby” and would become louder and “squeakier” in trying to get my needs met.  I gained the skill of being relentless and persevering to ensure I was heard.  I liken this to today’s Gospel in the parable of the widow and her relentless nature to have a just decision against her adversary.  This is also similar in  my prayer life.  I find I am relentless in bringing my petitions and concerns to the Lord in everyday prayer.   I am hopeful that he will respond in the same way as he does in the parable.  And I would like to think much as I did when I was younger, that he will hear me through my squeakiness.                                     Bianca Hennager
 
Nov. 17, 2024 - Hope in Darkness              
I am not much of a conspiracy theorist or given to “the end times” mindset but it is something that   has crossed my mind from time to time.   As I have grown older it is something that has become more prevalent than when I was a child.  In today’s readings we hear about the end times and how “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” (Mk 13:24).   Our current environment can be wrought with fear and hopelessness with the darkness that can surround us.  Christ calls us to look to him as a source for hope; He is our light in all the darkness.  I pray that if I find myself feeling like I am in darkness that I look to find where Christ is with me.  Sometimes all we can see is the step in front of us and all we can take is one step at a time, so I trust that Christ is walking with me as I try to find my way through the blackness.  
Thank you, Lord, for being with me as I navigate through the dark times.  Knowing you are at my side holding my hand comforts me and gives me hope; hope in knowing that one day there won’t be anymore darkness and only light being with you.                                                                                             Bianca Hennager

November 4, 2024 - Conquering Challenges
 
When my youngest son was about 5 years old, he saw a large boulder at a local park and was determined to climb to the top of it. It was round and smooth with few areas for him to grasp or get a foothold. He tried and tried with great determination, but no success. So my husband and I helped him. When he stood on top of that great big rock, he reacted like he was on top of the world! He was thrilled to see things he simply couldn’t observe from the ground. We watched him go from total frustration trying to reach the top, to utmost excitement once he got there. He had a new perspective and loved it! 
 
I took a picture of him on top of that boulder and every time I look at the photo it reminds me of that day and much more. It is similar to having a Christ centered life. Sometimes the boulder before us seems like the highest mountain to climb. But I shouldn’t give up! When I face struggles in life, I can be uplifted to new heights by Christ’s love and guidance. The inner strength I gain by having faith and conquering challenges gives me an empowering new perspective. With Christ in our life, the ordinary becomes extraordinary and the world is so much more amazing! 
 
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
 
Maria Montalvo
 
November 5, 2024 - Choices
 
The popular hymn, written by Fr. Peter Scholtes, gives me so much inspiration! “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord… And we pray that our unity will one day be restored. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love…” 
 
These are words to remember every day, especially this week when we are faced with consequential choices which will affect the course of history. The amount of information which inundates the mail, newspapers, television, and social media is mind boggling to me and, frankly, quite stressful. People are emotional; the intensity across the land is extreme. People are severing ties with family and friends they care about, because they put more importance on their affiliation with someone they don’t even really know. It’s heartbreaking. I’ve been praying for a nationwide peaceful response to the results of this election regardless of the outcome. 
 
Lord, please grant me patience and understanding to interact positively with everyone. Help me to conduct myself in a way that reflects your life and teachings. Guide me in my words and actions so that I may be an example to others. And please give me the strength to make difficult decisions based on my heart, my conscience, and genuine love.
 
I don’t know the choices others will make, nor do I know what the future holds. 
But one thing I know for sure …
I choose JESUS. 
I choose LOVE.
Maria Montalvo
 
 
November 6, 2024 - The Rising Sun
 
Bright but not early enough on a Friday morning, I jumped out of bed in a panic. Unfortunately, I had overslept. I rushed to get out of the house, worried that my first patient would be waiting for me to arrive. In frustration, I slammed the front door unapologetically. Needless to say, I was pretty stressed out. 
 
Well, what did the good Lord reveal to me as I was driving out of my neighborhood? The most incredible sunrise I had ever seen! It was so beautiful, I just had to pull over and simply admire this wondrous sight. Looking eastward in awe, I noticed a cross atop a nearby church in the foreground of my view. This was an overwhelming reminder of God’s presence in my life. The rays and colors of this sunrise were so amazing, I wish everyone could have experienced it like I did.   I’m glad I took the time to stop, soak it all in, and connect with God. This calmed my nerves and put me in a better frame of mind for the rest of the day. And, I made it to work on time too! Hallelujah! 
 
In a world full of uncertainty, we can always count on the blessing of a sunrise. May we continually accept this glorious welcome from our creator, who beckons us in faith and like the rising sun, never fails.
Maria Montalvo
 
November 7, 2024 - Wonderful Surprises
 
As I journey on my path in life, sometimes my pace is like a smooth leisurely stroll. Oftentimes, however, it feels more like a sprint in which I tackle one task after another and move so fast that I barely notice anything else but my “finish line”.  No matter the pace, I know God is calling me to feel His loving presence. He gives me opportunities to pause and appreciate the world around me, the special people in my life, and the memorable moments that make my life unique.
 
I have come to view these opportunities as meaningful gifts along my path, ready and waiting to be opened. This perspective helps me look forward to each day with hope, excitement, and anticipation for what is to come. When I walk with faith and allow myself to slow down enough to recognize and humbly accept these gifts — the ways in which God reveals himself — and  even when my journey is rough, life can still be full of wonderful surprises.  May you also feel joy in His presence as you discover the gifts that lie ahead on your journey today and in the future. 
 
“You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.” Psalm 16:11
Maria Montalvo
 
November 8, 2024 - I Wish, I Wish
 
I remember picking dandelions as a kid and making a wish while blowing the wispy seeds into the air. My children used to pick dandelions too and give me mini bouquets of the vibrant yellow flowers, not knowing they were considered weeds. In early adulthood, when I wanted a perfectly manicured lawn, those darn dandelions would pop up ruining patches of grass, and I wanted them gone. 
 
Now that I’m older, I’m fascinated by the tenacity of these plants! A season without weed killer and the dandelions in our backyard have absolutely thrived — withstanding weather changes, being mowed over multiple times, and even being uprooted from the soil. 
 
I can choose to view them as pesky weeds or I can see within them the possibility of a hundred wishes and the potential for good things to come. It’s no surprise that dandelions are symbolic of optimism, resiliency, hope, growth, and new beginnings! 
If I had the characteristics of a dandelion, I would be: full of potential to grow in countless places, spreading hope to those who wish for something special; prolific and healing, hardy, yet soft; resilient, beautiful, delicate and strong; complex, yet simple, adaptable, thriving; colorful, calming, tenacious, inspiring. 
 
Today, I held a dandelion, said a prayer, took a deep breath, and made a wish. I exhaled with a soft blow and thought:   I wish, I wish… I wish I could be… 
more like a dandelion, to spread faith and love everywhere.
Maria Montalvo
 
November 9, 2024 - Blessed To Be Alive
 
I woke up today feeling tired, like I had slept for only minutes instead of hours. I woke up today feeling worried about my never-ending "to do" list that seems a mile long. I woke up today feeling sad for everyone missing loved ones due to loss, illness, conflicts, or distance. I woke up today feeling heartbroken, knowing so many people are homeless, hungry, and lonely. As I laid in bed feeling overwhelmed, I noticed the sun shining through my bedroom windows, casting a beautiful glow on the walls around me... and my anxiety started to fade. Suddenly, I heard Mexican music downstairs, which my husband loves to play when he is cooking. It always reminds us of family, especially his father, who now dances in heaven. One of my favorite songs came on, and my weary body felt a spark of energy. Then, I smelled breakfast — chorizo and eggs! As I breathed deeply, taking in this familiar aroma which brings back childhood memories, my salivary glands woke up too and I could literally taste it. I couldn't help but smile. 
 
I woke up today feeling the weight of the world upon me, but God wrapped his love around me and woke me up in other ways. In the acute awakening of my senses, I felt peaceful and invigorated at the same time — and so incredibly blessed to be alive. 
 
I woke up today! And if you're reading this... 
you did too! 
 
Thank you, Lord!
Maria Montalvo
 
November 10, 2024  - Autumn Blessings
 
During the autumn season, I enjoy going on long walks in the comfortable weather and I absolutely love seeing the trees change colors over time. Although autumn is only a few months long, it’s beauty brings a lasting impact. It is the perfect transition to lead me into the holidays. When I witness the colors God reveals in nature, I can't help but admire my surroundings with a refreshed appreciation. From the tree tops to the ground below my feet, to the leaf covered path ahead of me, the rich and stunning hues of the season warm my heart and motivate me to take notice of the blessings I sometimes take for granted. Seeing the trees release their leaves inspires me to let go of the things I must, as I look forward to the peace of winter and the new life that lies ahead in the spring, when I can begin anew. 
 
Autumn... it's the time of year when the world becomes God’s canvas and vibrant colors are freshly painted before my eyes. It’s a time when the transformation of an ordinary tree-lined walkway can create an inviting masterpiece that leads me down a path of extraordinary gratitude. 
 
As we look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends, may the beauty and clarity that autumn brings remind us of how truly blessed we all are to be children of God.
Maria Montalvo
 
Reflections for Oct. 28-Nov. 3
Oct. 28, 2024 - The Transcendence of Self
Wow! That year went by pretty fast.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are the big holidays nearly upon us.  And you know what?  Most all of them carry a Christian message of love, hope and belonging.  The basis for these holidays all had Christian beginnings and no matter how commercial they’ve become, they still have that seed of thanksgiving, of recognition, of anticipation and of renewal.  All my life I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving as a day to give thanks, Christmas as a day of loving togetherness, and New Years as a renewal, and a time of looking forward.  Not so much Halloween.  Putting aside the candy and costumes tradition, Halloween is grounded in honoring our dead.  Mexico comes to mind with its Dia de las Muertos.   On that day, those who have died are honored and remembered, but not in a morbid way.  It is a celebration of the joy of life once shared.  I’ve become rather fond of “dia” and am now considering it a major stepping stone in the pantheon of really meaningful holidays.  So as far as I’m concerned, the holidays begin with Halloween!                                   
Don Eagle
 
Oct. 29, 2024 - The Ten Commandments
According to my calendar, we’re about to vote and get this whole election business behind us.  Alleluia!  Elections have become so divisive that you may forever feel bitter, no matter who wins.  I woke up in the middle of the night and began to equate the Ten Commandments to our current situation and feel that politicians have turned our guiding light rules around to the destruction of who we are as a nation.  For instance:  God has been replaced by money.  The Sabbath Day is no longer a day of rest, but a day to shop.  The Lord’s name in vain?  Hollywood finds the F word to be a normal part of film dialogue.  As for honoring ma and pa, some just send them off to a home somewhere and get power of attorney.  Not killing ?  Get good attorney or be out of jail early if you rat on someone else.   As for adultery?  Well, it IS the decade of me.  Stealing?  Check out the news, and the gangs that invade stores.  Coveting?  Mr. Putin?  It doesn’t take a genius to see that since we’ve given the Ten Commandments a make-over, we’re in a kind of a mess.  Maybe if we put God back in our lives we wouldn’t be. 
Don Eagle 
 
 
Oct. 30, 2024 - Starry Robe
There is something intriguing about a starry robe.  I heard it once as a reference to Gods attire, and another depicted it as the individual stars of souls of those who have fallen asleep in the Lord who are letting their light shine through.  Some look upon the stars as loved ones who look down upon you after they’ve passed.  Today, on a clear night you can see thousands, maybe millions of stars in the night sky.  What you don’t see are the stars on the other side of the sun, just as plentiful, just as permanent.  They too make up God’s heavens.  They too, make up the starry robe.  But, considering that you can only see part of God’s robe, you’re not seeing the millions more who are casting their light in the heavens.  The millions more who share the light and message of God as a blanket that enwraps us all.                               Don Eagle
 
Oct. 31, 2024 -   Cathedral Visiting
I have made it a special point to visit churches along the way when I travel around the world.  Perhaps the most spectacular have been the great Cathedrals of Europe which were embellished with ornate art from the middle ages.  Some have had special significance, including being the burial places of Saints such as St. Mark and St. James.    The Basilica of the BVM in Washington DC is a modern home to effigies of Mary as represented in different cultures and depictions.  Of course the Cathedral in San Francisco is spectacular, with its soaring baldachin rising above the main altar.  But with all the grandeur of these monuments, the real soul of our church is in its people, most specifically on display right here at home.  I would classify SS Peter and Paul as a progressive, loving community of die-hard members of a devoted Catholic community.  Our people reach out to others, we get involved in teaching God’s word, we practice what they preach.  I fully appreciate the beauty, the amazing history of so many of our cathedrals, but give me our faith community anytime, because that’s where my Catholic soul comes alive.
Don Eagle
 
November 1, 2024 -  Where is God? Part Deux
A few months back I wrote a reflection noting that we all find God in different places.  Some in the garden, some in a church, some in the eyes and actions of our children.  Since then, I narrowed in  on where I find God.  Believe it or not, I find him in a starry night.  Laying on my back and looking up on a clear night, I am overcome with the number of stars that sprinkle the sky.  These millions of pinpoints of light are awesome, because they tell of the vastness of God.  A mere twinkling of the universe He created, the beauty that comes from Him alone.  Quiet and majestic, this robe of light  is an outward sign of His universe, a point in time where reflection is prompted, and a pure appreciation of how the whole of creation is on display.
The second place I see God is in the complexity of the human body.  We take so much for granted in the every day, that we fail to fully appreciate how all the systems of the body are so complex, developing from a minuscule egg into a fully formed adult, and functioning for decades.  
These are the two encounters with God where I can see and fully appreciate his power, majesty, and total love for us.
Don Eagle

November 2, 2024 - A Christmas Story
I guess it’s been a few years ago that the movie A Christmas Story was released.  I had so much in common with the little kid who was the star of the whole thing.  The movie was a period piece set in the 1940’s, and the memories that came out were classic.  The dad was a salesman; he continually was fighting a coal burning furnace (as was mine), The older son sent away for a membership code ring, and made daily trips to the mailbox, only to find that the code was nothing but an ad for cereal.  He desperately wanted a BB gun for Christmas, only to be told he’d shoot his eye out if he got one. And there were way too many similar incidents to mention here.  But much resonated with me.  The Christmas Tree lot, the heavy winter clothes, tinsel, real trees, the classroom decor, the dreams and fanciful imagining involved, in short, it was a snapshot of what childhood was like then.  It was indeed a picture of simpler times, of families, and of living a life that included consequences.  
Don Eagle
 
November 3, 2024 - Pilgrimages
A while back I wrote about The Way, and about the pilgrimage to Santiago di Compostela.  Since my visit there a few years ago, I have discovered much about myself, about The Walk and most especially about the people who walk it.   First off, Santiago translated, means Saint James. (San Diego).  It is here where the purported bones of St. James rest.  The Cathedral was begun in 1075 in the northern part of Spain, just above Portugal.  Despite its remote location, the apostle’s tomb began attracting pilgrims from around Europe, and several routes were used:  France, Spain and Portugal.  Each of the routes was lengthy, and over 200,000 pilgrims walk the walk each year with devotion, reflection, and purpose.  Pilgrims today come away from their walk with a special feeling of religious fervor, of challenge, and of spiritual accomplishment.  
Pilgrimages have long been a part of the Catholic faith and have included walks to Rome and to Jerusalem.  People walk them as spiritual journeys of their own, and invariably feel fulfilled upon their culmination.  To me, The Way has become very special,  as it has for many fellow parishioners.  The internet has a plethora of information and stories to share, and I would encourage you to check them out if you’re interested.  
Don Eagle
 


Reflections for Oct. 14-20, 2024
October 14, 2024 - Flowers, but No Fruit
 
My tomatoes were amazing from June to July.  We harvested beautiful, ripe tomatoes of every type and color. I even froze three bags for this winter’s pasta sauce.  Then we went on vacation. I left them with our dog sitter who picked and watered while we were gone. Since we have been home—seven weeks now—nothing.   There are lots of flowers, but little fruit. And the fruit that the plants do produce, doesn’t grow or ripen.   The imagery and symbolism has stayed with me (even as I am still getting over my frustration).  My huge, healthy plants have something else in mind.  They are growing, but not producing for me.  I remind myself that I need times in life to grow without producing.  I need time to rest, to let my ground lie fallow, to let seeds germinate in their own time.  If I am always about producing, especially if I am producing for someone else’s wants, I may miss listening to the internal rhythms of life and God’s invitation of seasons.  It is important for me to listen and discern.  Then the fruit I do produce will be full and ready for the harvest.
Renee Anaclerio
 
October 15, 2024 - Speck and Log
I enjoy hearing the story in Matthew 7 about the speck and the log (also translated as beam or plank—The point is, the thing is big!). The story is about someone who is very concerned with a speck of dust in his companion’s eye. I image him standing there with his tweezers ready to start an unsanitary exploratory procedure. One way to understand the story is as an example of projection, the psychological process of displacing one’s feelings and one’s unconscious fears and desires onto someone else. As humans, we tend to criticize in others what we can’t see, or what we refuse to see, in ourselves.  My interest in someone else’s speck is a clear clue to take an inventory of my logs.  During these times of “cultural wars” and political tension, that can be a tall task.   But it is an opportunity to know my shadow side better which is an important part of spiritual growth.
 
The story also makes me think about the proper way to help someone who does have something in their eye.  They rinse the eye with clean water or allow the tears to do their natural work.   They do it, I do not.  The last thing I do is stick my fingers in someone’s eye.  A good rule to remember, both literally and metaphorically.
Renee Anaclerio
 
 
October 16, 2024 - You Don’t Know What You’re Asking.
In the Gospel of Mark, James and John want to sit on Jesus’s right and left in his glory. Jesus replies, “you do not know what you are asking.” There is such truth to that, both for James and John and for all of us.  I seldom understand the cost of what I desire.  It’s sometimes hard to even discern what I truly want, rather than what I think I’m supposed to want.  I have chased desires to find they were someone else’s, and I have left invitations unopened, unpursued because I didn’t think I was capable.  Such is the human experience. I am grateful that God knows what I need and offers it.  God accompanies me and teaches me, even through my pursuit of what is not truly fulfilling, and God gently offers an alternate path. 
Renee Anaclerio
 
October 17, 2024 - Sacred Visits
We have deer that make a daily visit to our yard.  Over the years I’ve planted and fenced accordingly.  There are things we protect from hungry mouths, like our vegetables, things I know they won’t hurt, and things we have agreed to share, like the fruit from our peach and pears trees.  The other evening I was walking in the back yard, and I came upon two does with their fawns. I was close to them before I realized they were there. One looked up at me, and I recognized her right away.  She has come for several years, and I know her by the round notch missing on the edge of her left ear.  I love that we know each other.  She trusts me and waits as I throw her a few pears.  I am grateful for these moments when I feel connected to God’s creation and aware of its sacredness.  It also makes me aware of how often I am not paying attention, of how much I miss. We walk by miracles every day. When I am not aware, I not only miss the joy of feeling connected to creation, but I miss the subtle messages about how we are interconnected, the lessons about life’s rhythms. It’s not only in nature that the sacred appears. It’s in little acts of kindness and humility, a stranger’s smile, or a behavior that challenges my assumptions. How different would my life be if I could recognize Spirit in all her manifestations? 
Renee Anaclerio
 
October`18, 2024 - Free All Along
I have placed a small black bumble bee on my bookshelf.  She is dead.   I found her on the porch inside a large flower vase.  My theory is she went inside and then felt trapped. She probably flew against the sides until she exhausted herself, never finding that the opening was up above.  I’m partial to bees because I keep a hive, and I have learned how they live in community. They are quite amazing creatures.   I will keep her body on my shelf for a while because she makes me think about the times I bang against barriers and fail to see the way forward.  How often do I not see a path open in front of me? How often do I waste my energy banging into closed doors?  I assume the path lies in a particular direction, but God has offered something else.
The little bee was free all along, but she didn’t know it. A slow crawl would have taken her right to the rim.  Sometimes a slow patient crawl is what’s needed. Nothing heroic, just a patient, trusting step by step. And I ponder, how often are we freer than we realize? 
Renee Anaclerio
 
 
October 19, 2024 - Update on the Tomatoes
I debated whether I should share about ripping my tomato plants out… but I do believe this turn of events does not contradict my spiritual lesson from earlier in the week.   I think this was a lesson in seeing something from different angles.  More than one thing can be true about something.  While I thought I was leaving the tomato plants to grow a bit longer, I also realized I needed the space.  So, without denying the lesson about needing rest and not over producing, God is teaching me that there is a time for endings.  There is a cycle to things and a time to let something die or even a time to rip it out.  In the Gospel a few weeks ago, Jesus talked about ripping out your eye if it causes you to sin.   That’s not what I’m thinking about here. It’s more of the painful process of letting go of something that is, or was, good. It might be my attachment to something that once served me well but is no longer available to me—like a personal strength or ability I valued.  It may be a pet, or a place or even a friend or family member.  There is a time to let go.  And sometimes, like the trapeze artist, we must trust that God’s grace will guide us to the hands that are waiting for us and for what is to come. 
Renee Anaclerio 
 
 
October 20, 2024 - Jubilee Year 2025
Pope Francis invites us to celebrate 2025 as the Year of Jubilee.  I first learned about the biblical meaning of the jubilee in college.   It comes from Leviticus and refers to the year that follows the passage of seven “weeks of years” or 49 total years. “You shall make the fiftieth year holy and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.” As I understand it, every 50 years God’s people were to redistribute land to prevent inequality. Slaves were to be set free and debts were to be forgiven.  That’s amazing!  I would love to have my debts forgiven… but forgive the debts that are owed to me?   That’s a lot more challenging.   Even in South Africa after apartheid ended and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed, it was much easier to admit fault and apologize than to return land to black South Africans (which didn’t happen).  As I ponder the idea of a Jubilee year, my intention is not to list all the faults of past political/economic decisions.  What strikes me most is that our great, great, great… grandparents believed that God literally (not figuratively) expected us to make things right, to redistribute wealth, to care for the poor, to let the land rest. They understood that there are limits to what we should accumulate.  I think Jesus’ teaching and life example also preached Jubilee in the form of the Kingdom of God. What would it look like for me, for us, to practice Jubilee in 2025?  
Renee Anaclerio 
 
Reflections for Oct. 7-13, 2024

October 7, 2024—Bridge
I have been driving across the Bay Bridge since before I have memories. When I was a child, my mom frequently drove us to the Bay Area to visit my grandparents. I have so many memories of crossing that bridge and entering the city:   the first look at San Francisco, the smell of the ocean air, the radio station my parents always listened to when we got there. In later years I made the drive myself and then with my own children. Recently I drove across the bridge to visit San Francisco and I had this overwhelming feeling that all those past experiences were present to me in that one moment. I was united with past and present and future. In just one breath I could feel all the times that I had ever been there and ever would be.
And isn’t this what the celebration of Eucharist is like? A unification of all the celebrations of Eucharist past, present and future? When we come to the altar we are united with Christ at the Last Supper and we are united with all the Catholics everywhere and in every time who come to His table. When we celebrate the Eucharist at Mass, may we remember Christ and our community, past and present, here in the moment.                                                                                                                                       
Erin Gallawa
 
October 8, 2024—Master Lock
One of my daughters started high school this year and was granted a Master Lock for her school locker. She felt daunted by having to learn how to use this lock, so I told her we could practice on the lock we have in our kitchen junk drawer—the Master Lock that I have had since I was in junior high school almost three decades ago! That Master Lock was used for junior high PE, all four years of high school, for gym use in college and for locking up my bike when I left it unattended. I used the first four numbers as my first ATM pin and I still have the combination memorized today. This lock is by no means valuable, yet it holds a special place in my heart. I have never thrown it out and the numbers are almost sacred to me. As I reflect on this, I am drawn to the name “Master,” a title used for Jesus. For he indeed is the master of our hearts. Secondly, the word lock—Jesus has a hold on my heart. So maybe this Master Lock is more than just a piece of metal for protecting my worldly goods. Perhaps it is about Jesus holding me safe.                                                                                                        
Erin Gallawa
 
October 9, 2024—But God!
I recently completed a study of Ephesians with a group of women. As we were reading Ephesians 2, I was struck by one very short phrase: “But God.”
BUT GOD! For every situation, for every difficulty, for every struggle in life, there is a moment where I can exclaim, “but God!” For God is always present, always merciful and always ready to intervene for me. In an age where there is so much messaging that says I am not enough, that invites us to sin, that values productivity and profit above people, I am reminded that God is here and he will reign. His power is stronger than any other and his presence is enough. In every moment where I am challenged, I need only remember, “but God.”                                                                                                              
Erin Gallawa
October 10, 2024—The Building of Christ
I have always loved the image of the Body of Christ. It is an image of the Church that resonates well with me. But in my recent study of Ephesians I was particularly struck by Ephesians 2:19-22: “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you are also being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” I read this and imagined an actual building standing on a road where it could be seen by all.
The Body of Christ is powerful because it is mobile and moves in and amongst the people. When I reflect on this Ephesians passage, I think of a building that stands tall and firm. A building is there for all to see and witness. It is a monument that believers and non-believers alike travel past. The Body of Christ can touch people, but this building stands tall and proud for all to see, inviting us to enter.                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Erin Gallawa
 
October 11, 2024—T-shirt
In last weekend’s Gospel, Jesus says, “For whoever is not against us is for us.” Like so many other times, Jesus’ message is contrary to contemporary cultural messages. In today’s world, the message sounds more like “whoever is not with us is against us.” But Jesus did not alienate those who did not know him. Whoever does the work of Christ is on his team! I used this silly non-secular example in RCIA: let’s say I am doing an organized river cleanup project. I signed up with a group, got a t-shirt, and showed up to clean up trash along the river. If someone outside the group started picking up trash, I would not say, “you cannot pick up trash because you don’t have the t-shirt!” Jesus wants the work done anyway that it will be done. If you are doing the work of Christ, you are on his team; you don’t have to have the t-shirt.
We know so many people who do not know Christ, but who are doing the work he compelled us to do. Let us pray for all those who are with us in the work and ministry of Christ, even though they may not know it!                                                                                                                                                                             Erin Gallawa

October 12, 2024—Welcome Autumn
Fall is my favorite season. I await the cooler weather, the changing of the leaf colors in the trees, and the slow coming of darkness. After the long heat of the summer, October represents a time of change and transition as we prepare for the winter. October is always in the midst of Ordinary Time in the Church, and I find that to be an interesting juxtaposition, as October never feels ordinary to me. In the cyclical dying of the leaves and the hibernation preparation of the animals, I feel anything but ordinary. This change in the seasons feels like new life after the long summer. Every October I think of Anne Shirley in “Anne of Green Gables” when she exclaims, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” and I couldn’t agree more. I await the changing of the season, the preparation for Advent and the natural cycle of the Earth that will bring us closer to winter.                     
Erin Gallawa
 
 
October 13, 2024—Concerts
The interesting thing about concerts is that they take music to another level. I can listen to music in my car or on my headphones whenever I want. But when I hear music live or see a musical on stage, it is suddenly more than just sound coming from speakers. It is a full experience which unites people! This is why participation in the Mass is so important; we can read Sacred Scripture and share a table with people anywhere. But doing it together in the Mass is a profoundly different experience.  We are united! In this unity, we take something ordinary and bring it to life. While we don’t cheer and scream at Mass like we might at a concert, we do unite in song as we stand, sing, and sometimes clap for our God! May our participation in the Mass lift our faith to new heights!        
Erin Gallawa

Reflections for Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2024

September 30, 2024 - Cabrini
I recently watched the movie Cabrini, which I recommend to everyone.  The story is about Mother Francesca Xavier Cabrini and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who came to America in 1889 to care for the large Italian immigrant population struggling to survive in New York City. From 1889 – 1910, over 2 million Italians came to America to flee starvation in Italy, especially from the southern regions like Calabria and Sicily. My grandparents came from Calabria to America in 1914. Mother Cabrini aimed initially to go to China as a missionary, but Pope Leo XIII asked her to go to America instead. Even though she came to minister, she had to fight the local Diocese and the City Government to help the people. Her tenacity created orphanages, schools, and hospitals. Her order established 67 missionary institutions in America, Latin America, and Europe. After her death, the Missionary Sisters achieved Cabrini's dream of establishing missions in China. In 1946, Mother Cabrini became the first American saint. In 2020, Colorado declared the 1st Monday in October, Mother Cabrini Day, a state Holiday. The scene that struck me was when Mother Cabrini addressed the Italian Senate to obtain a loan for their first hospital. She tells them, "For at the hour of our death, we will be asked one question. What did we do for the poor, the sick, the homeless, and those stripped of their dignity? What did we do?”  Mother Cabrini lived the words of Jesus all her life. At the hour of my death, how will I respond?                    
Kurt Peterson
 
October 1, 2024  – New York
When we were planning our trip to see our son Spencer in New York, he asked us what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go. We told him we wanted to see a Broadway show and to visit the 9/11 museum, otherwise we wanted to see “his” New York. Boy did we! For five days we walked 10 – 15 miles a day going all over New York. From Brooklyn to Queens to Manhattan to Chelsea to Times Square to East Village to Hudson Yards to Central Park. We attended Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and even visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, all on foot or the subway. We were out late every night and loved every minute of it. New York is loud, bright, and busy. Everywhere around you are tall buildings and steam coming out of the street through grates. There was spontaneous live music playing on the subway platform and sometimes even on the trains, yet I was never nervous or apprehensive walking around. New York is truly a melting pot of hundreds of different cultures which seem to live in harmony with each other. We had the best time with Spencer, and as parents, we feel much better about him living out there now that we have visited “his” New York. I may have left my heart in San Francisco but, I Love New York!                                                                                    
Kurt Peterson
 
October 2, 2024 – Cuisine
Food is an interesting thing. It is not just for sustenance; it also tells us much about ourselves as a people. We learn about ourselves through our food. The Jewish culture learns about the Passover from the symbolism of the food that is eaten at the Seder meal. American Southerners eat black-eyed peas for prosperity. In Europe the pretzel was used as a reward to children for learning their prayers. But I believe the greatest thing that food does is to bring people together and New York is a great place to do that. We ate Venezuelan food, Xinjian hand pulled noodles, pastrami from Katz deli, real Italian cheeses and Mortadella, Middle Eastern Street food, and Palestinian food, even the everyday hot dog off of a street vendor cart. It was all so delicious because of their wonderful use of spices, well, maybe not the hot dog. The thing that struck me the most is that it was all being shared by different people from different cultures. After talking to some of the servers about the dishes we ate, I left knowing a little bit more about their culture. I could saw similarities between cultures such as, everyone has a form of flatbread or noodles and that so many similar spices are used in their dishes. Trying different ethnic cuisines showed me that we are more the same than we are different. God created these things of the earth so we could make something amazing and when we share them, we come together.                     Kurt Peterson
 
October 3, 2024 – Never Forget
While in New York, Sarah and I visited the 9/11 museum and Ground Zero.                     I recommend that everyone take the time to go there and walk around this vast exhibit.    It is filled with stories of the 9-1-1 calls and pieces of the building, including one of the mangled fire engines and much more. There is a section for the Pentagon attack and about Flight 93, where heroic passengers fought to bring down the plane before more casualties in Washington, D.C. would occur. There is even a section where you see and hear from everyday people about where they were when the attack happened. Hearing it took me right back to where I was and what I was doing when I first saw the images. Sarah recalled when she and her friends, just six months before the attack, were in New York and went to the Windows of the World at the top of the World Trade Center. 
In a prominent place like this and with the crowds there, you might expect it to be somewhat noisy, but it was almost eerily quiet. Everyone, from children to seniors, showed great reverence, whether in the exhibits or walking around the Tower waterfalls. I imagine that the atmosphere of the Vatican is very similar. The word reverence means to treat someone or something with deep respect. And the respect shown by everyone was astounding. As Catholics, we have the Vatican; as Americans, we have Ground Zero.                                                                                                                                                                               Kurt Peterson
  
October 4, 2024 – Community
Our Son, Spencer, has lived in New York for over four years. Until this year we had not been back to see where he lived. During Covid and the different riots and demonstrations, we were anxious about him living there. It was a great relief finally to go there and see how he lived. The last night we went to Eataly, a market for all things Italian, and we got the ingredients to make dinner for his friends. 
At the dinner, there was a combination of high school friends who moved from Rocklin and friends from New York. We all ate, talked, laughed, and watched Sunday Night Football together. Sarah and I went to bed early because we had an early flight. But we could hear them talking and laughing with each other. Our son has his community there. We felt at peace when we left the following day to return home to our family and community. A parent never stops worrying about their children, no matter how old they are; however, we know Spencer will be ok because he has what we have here: a community of love.                 Kurt Peterson
 
October 5, 2024 – Unplugged
Recently, Sarah and I were on vacation for ten days. We first visited Michigan to visit Sarah’s father for four days, along with two of her brothers. Her father lives about 60 minutes from Detroit. One day, we went to Ann Arbor where we had the opportunity to visit Fr. Stanley. The convent where Fr Stanley lives is out in the country and is beautiful.  On another day, we drove to the other side of the river into Canada. Then we went to New York, and during all that time, we did not watch any news or TV shows or listen to any radio. We were unplugged, and it was so great. We spent time with our family, talking and laughing. The craziness of the outside world was nowhere to be found. What a blessing that was. I did not realize how much those things are part of our lives until we weren’t around it. I liked that break and will try to bring more of that into my life. Sometimes, hearing everything going on in the world can make me anxious. So, I will try to take more time to read, listen to music, and be in silence, unplugged from the world and plugged into God.                                                                                                  
Kurt Peterson
 
October 6, 2024 – My Lord & My God
At SS Peter-Paul we have had 4 pastors, and each brings something special to the Eucharist when celebrating the Mass. The rubric of the Mass allows each priest to have some leeway in the prayers they use. Each of our pastors had their favorite ones that they used and had different styles in how they presented their homilies. When a new pastor comes, I try to consciously listen closely to learn their style. Yes, every priest has a style. For example, during the consecration Fr. Renier holds up each element of the bread and wine, saying out loud, “My Lord and My God”. I enjoy hearing him say those words. Those are the exact words that St Thomas said when he saw Jesus and placed his fingers in Christ’s hands and side. Thomas was so distraught after the crucifixion that he could not believe Jesus rose until he could touch his wounds to make sure it was Him. In reciting those words, Fr. Renier is telling me that what he is holding is not merely a symbol but Jesus himself fully present in the two elements of bread and wine. It is easy to get caught up in everything I have going on in my life, but Fr. Renier reminds me to focus on what I am receiving. When I go up to receive communion, I accept Jesus into my body and my life and accept Him as my Lord and my God. Thank you, Fr Renier, for that reminder.                                                                                        
Kurt Peterson

Reflections for Sept. 23-29, 2024
September 23, 2024 - Let Go and Let God
I've heard this comment repeated over the years by friends in a 12-step program and I thought it worked fine... for them. Recently I had just a small occasion to apply it to myself when I had conflicting appointments that had to be taken care of.  Each of these appointments was important, and I couldn't figure out what to do. Miraculously I got a phone call postponing one of them. I must have unconsciously prayed for help, and I was relieved. I've taken that small instance as a guide to my larger concerns about the state of our polarized and fractured political world. I fret also about divisions within our faith, and I pray often for God's healing power realizing that that is the best thing I can do. That doesn't mean I'm abdicating any positive efforts to help cure these ills, but it does remind me to ... “Let go and let God.”      
Deacon David
 
September 24, 2024 - The Power of Example
One of my earliest memories as a boy growing up in east Los Angeles is being present in my grandmother's house which was in a nice neighborhood.  It was not too far from a Main Street that went over a bridge, over multiple railroad tracks, and into the city of Los Angeles. Coming east from the railroad tracks was a route for what we used to call “Bums”, men down on their luck, two of whom stopped regularly at Baba's house asking for food. I happened to be at her house one day when a man knocked on the door which I answered; the man asked if he could have a sandwich. Baba heard that and told him to wait while she fixed him a lunch meat sandwich.
A couple of weeks ago a man knocked at my door, disheveled, dirty, mumbling but he clearly asked for something to eat. Baba’s response sprang to my mind...” Sit down while I fix you a sandwich.” All we had available was peanut butter and jam so I made that along with a glass of milk and when I offered it to him he said ”... Ohh, my favorite.” I chatted with him as he ate while telling me the story of his life for about 1/2 hour. Baba, a God-fearing woman, (RIP) gave me the example to respond to those in need with care and the recognition that we are all God’s children. I wonder what kind of example I have given my children.                             
Deacon David
 
September 25, 2024 -  Milestones
In August Jane and I marked 63 years of marriage. On that anniversary day we looked at one another in wonder saying, almost simultaneously, ... But we're not old enough to have been married for that long... We are not that old! Alas, on further reflection I have to admit I don't walk as fast as I used to and I'm ready to go to bed much earlier. It is fun though to mark the decades with significant faith related events.
My first two decades of life I neither knew nor practiced any religion. In my third decade I was granted the gift of faith and began, with Jane's help, a long period of growth in becoming Catholic and attempting to be catholic in my practice of Catholicism. Since early in my 4th decade a major focus of our lives has been service through the auspices of the Church. Time has taken four more decades, and through it all Jane has agreed to, encouraged me and engaged in what we vowed to do back in 1961-becoming “one”…and knowing our Lord was along with us for the ride.                
 Deacon David
 
September 26, 2024 - What Have (You, I, We) Got to Offer?
One part of the celebration of the mass is called the offertory. That is the time during the eucharistic celebration when the priest takes the bread and the wine to consecrate and, through transubstantiation, it becomes the body and blood of our Lord Jesus. Just prior to that point, though, the priest accepts the bread and wine from representatives from the community who process down the center aisle carrying thee bread and wine and also the monetary gifts collected a bit earlier in the collection. But wait, there's far more in the way of gifts than money. We bring with us all of our sacrifices and the work we have done throughout the week, true gifts for the priest to offer on our behalf along with the bread and wine. Recall, if you will, the words of the priest and then our own:
Priest: pray brethren that my sacrifice and yours will be acceptable to God, the almighty father.
We say: may the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name for our good and the good of all his holy church.
Everybody gives, - not only the priest who does it on our behalf. Amen? Amen!                                               Deacon David
 
September 27, 2024 - Peace Be with You!
It seems that sometimes a word or phrase is said so often that it/they become simply words to be said at the proper time. I say this because it is true about me. For example, someone will ask” how are you?” And my automatic response is ”… fine, how are you?”  Usually I'm “fine” because I don't want to talk about any of my ills, my frustrations, my disappointments because I'm so sure that the person who asked me doesn't really want to know. How about that for insincerity and a judgmental dismissal of what may have been true concern for my welfare?  Because I have been unhappy with myself about this poor attitude, I'm now making the effort, mostly during mass at the sign of peace, to look into other people's eyes when they/I say” peace be with you”. And I hope that they know I really want them to experience peace. I hope that my attitude spills over to the question and answer I started with, “I’m fine. How are you?”
How are you?                                                                                 
Deacon David
 
September 28, 2024 - Child of the 50s
I was born in 1940 and raised in a middle-class household. I, being male, inherited the then ingrained expectation that women were created to serve men. That was kind of the way it was for my mom and dad. He worked hard and expected his dinner to be ready, his lunch to be made and, ohhhh no, he didn't do the shopping, preparing, cooking or clean up. My mom was a dutiful wife and, besides being employed full time, fulfilled all of dad's expectations. She did not, however, pass along dad's traits to me. I babysat my younger sister, helped clean the house, wash the dishes and do yard work (dad didn't). Mom insisted on a different model of what women could be for my sister and me. She both mothered me and mentored me by being a good mate to her husband and as a woman involved in a changing world. By her actions, she showed respect for traditional ways, while at the same time pushing my sister and me into a different world. I often wonder if my mother’s openness to changing ideas set an example for me that allowed me to be open to the idea of God.  In doing so she revered God in her own way.   Thanks Mom.                                                                                                  
Deacon David. 
 
September 29, 2024 - Differences
I belong to an easily identifiable ethnic group. I believe in a long-established religion. I vote generally along party lines although I have wandered across the line on occasion. I consider myself part of the middle class. I can be stubborn, but I can be reasoned into change. During this turbulent time of political, religious and lifestyle clashes I'm trying to be open to how I differ from other people and trying to understand their viewpoints. How?  I have the prime example in our Lord Jesus, born a Jew to serve the Jews but ministering to and using as good examples, people of other religious beliefs. He contended with political problems as well as religious differences within his own faith. Today's world is beset by ethnic, religious and economic divisions which I, disciple of Christ, am called upon to navigate without denigrating those with whom I disagree. I, along with them, am one of God's children, and there are eight billion of us. God is love. I want to share that love that God has given me with those who vote differently than me, love differently than me and those who possess more, or less, than me. You are all my sisters and brothers. God bless us all, every one.                                                                                 
Deacon David
Reflections for Sept. 16-22, 2024

September 16, 2024- Make Your Bed
I was raised to make my bed every morning.  It was an expectation that I honestly never questioned.   Even when I was in a college dorm, I ended up with roommates who had the same habit.  Once I got married, I discovered that my husband also enjoys a tidy bed.  However, although we trained our three daughters to make their beds each day, it was a struggle and as adults, I think only one of them is in the daily habit.
It can be easy to assume that everyone agrees with us on things, especially those with whom we are the closest.  We might even hold onto a belief that our way of doing things is “right”.  Over time, though, I have realized that my unquestioned assumptions can get me into trouble.  Am I open to new ways of looking at things?  Do I consciously or unconsciously feel that my way of expressing my faith is the better way?  
Lord, help us keep an open mind which allows your Spirit to move freely!
Darcy Wharton
 
September 17, 20024- Prime Day
In mid-July, Amazon had what they call “Prime Days”, a two-day event during which prices have been lowered on certain items.  A radio disc jockey commented that this yearly event has become a holiday of sorts, almost like Black Friday.  This event, like most marketing tactics, hopes to create a desire within consumers to buy things that they don’t necessarily need.  Some people even mentioned they felt that they would miss out on something if they didn’t at least browse the website during Prime Days.
I noticed this “pull” within myself as well, and I reflected on the ability of a company to play on my emotions and affect my actions.  How does this happen and why would I allow it?  
Am I as aware of God’s invitations?  With prayer, I hope that I can remain awake to the Spirit that draws me into a stronger relationship.   Certainly the “pull” from God is stronger than that of Amazon, right?
Darcy Wharton
 
September 18, 2024- Shared Experiences
Recently we had a break from our hot spell and had a day of unexpected rain.  It caught so many of us off guard!  I had been shopping with one of my daughters and was dressed for a hot day.   We dodged in between buildings as we were caught in a downpour and so many other shoppers were doing the same thing and laughing with us.  We all commented that we were completely unprepared.  Yet every one of us said that despite our unpreparedness (and a bit of discomfort), we were grateful for the rain.
I wondered what made us handle this situation with grace.  It seems it was largely that we shared the experience with others and took the time to talk about it.
Some people who meet with me for spiritual direction find themselves in unexpected situations which are far more serious or consequential- a recent divorce, the loss of a loved one, or even the loss of permanent housing.  In those situations, it is easy to lose sight of God and more difficult to maintain a positive attitude. Having someone to lean on and a community of support can be crucial.
Lord, keep us open to the support of others, especially in times of difficulty.
Darcy Wharton
 
September 19, 2024- Keep in Touch
Do you have a family member or a friend that you seldom see?  I have several people in this category, and I am consistently amazed at how I can pick up right where we left off.  It doesn’t matter if it has been months or years, but once we are reunited, it’s as if we haven’t been apart at all.  Laughter and love fill our time together.  After our visit, I feel more committed to keeping in touch.  
I think this is like prayer.   Even if it has been a few days since I have had a dedicated prayer time, I am always met with a loving familiarity (as if I haven’t really been away) which is wonderful.  My relationship with God is strong, but the more I pray, the more connected I feel.  
What a blessing it is that God never leaves us.  I just need to remember to keep in touch.
Darcy Wharton
 
September 20, 2024- Do People Treat Church Like Teenagers?
Catholic author and priest Ron Rolheiser once wrote that sometimes people treat church like teenagers in a family.  They want to be there for all the major occasions (birthdays and celebrations), but they resist taking out the trash, day-to-day dinners, or help with shopping.     They want the benefits but not the responsibilities.  He says it is the same for church.  People want the church there for baptisms, first communions, and marriages.  But when it comes to weekly Mass attendance, there is resistance.  
Although I admire much of his writing, I disagree with Fr. Rolheiser in this analysis.  First, I have a generally higher regard for teenagers.   In regard to people’s expectation that Church serves their needs without responding in service, it has definitely not been my experience at SS. Peter & Paul!  Every day I see volunteers of all ages stepping up to offer their help in so many ways.  Are there still areas in which more volunteers are needed?  Sure.  Are there people who only show up for Mass and offer little in response to what they have received? Sure.  However, I am continually gratified by the generous response of our parishioners whenever there is a request.
Thank you, Lord, for those who give so generously of their time and talent to our parish.  
Darcy Wharton
 
September 21, 2024- Taking the Long View
There is a contemporary Christian song by Shane & Shane entitled, “You’ve Already Won”.  Part of the lyrics are “No matter what comes my way, I will overcome.  I don’t know what You’re doing but I know what You’ve done. I’m fighting a battle You’ve already won.”
I am inspired and reassured by these lyrics.  When I am confused and amidst times of questioning, it helps to be reminded that God has already done wonderful things in my life and whatever I’m dealing with in this current situation is no different than the difficult times in my past.   Can I look back and concretely see how God has been at work in my life?  In times when I can do this, I am able to move more confidently into the future.
Lord, grant us the long view in times when we are shortsighted and blinded to you.
Darcy Wharton
 
September 22, 2024- Inherent Dignity
In 2021, Pope Francis spoke to a group of French priests pursuing higher education in Rome.  He urged them to be “shepherds with the ‘smell of the sheep’. (He had said this previously in 2013 at a Chrism Mass a couple of weeks after his election.)  He warned them against the “temptation to create small, closed groups, to isolate oneself, to criticize and speak ill of others, to believe oneself superior or more intelligent.”
I am consistently challenged by these words that I feel apply in politics, religion, and in all human relationships.  I believe Pope Francis is echoing the words of Jesus who says, “if anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”  Then Jesus places a child in their midst as an example of how easily we can forget the inherent dignity of each person.
Lord, may the words of both Pope Francis and Jesus resonate in our hearts.
Darcy Wharton
 
 
Reflections for Sept. 9-15, 2024
September 9, 2024 – Wings
 
My oldest daughters just started middle school, and it was a big transition: carrying heavier backpacks, memorizing their class schedules…and no more recess.  There were lots of nerves, but before I knew it, they had spread their wings - meeting new friends, trying out for sports teams, dressing down for P.E., figuring out their combination locks…and then one day last week, Noelle came home and exclaimed, “I joined the Hooks & Needles club today mom!”  It turns out, on her own, she decided to try the crocheting and knitting club (whew!).   She saw the flier, walked into the library at lunch by herself, introduced herself to a teacher and students who she didn’t know, and set to learning a new hobby.   
 
I was overcome with emotion and filled with joy to hear how her light is shining so brightly.  I imagine God is delighted in the same way when we step outside of our comfort zones to challenge ourselves, spread our wings and share our gifts and talents with the world.
Katie Maynard
 
September 10, 2024 – Knowing Nothing
 
In today’s gospel we read about one of the many times that Jesus departs for a time to pray.  
I often pause at these moments in the gospels, because I think it is so significant to remember the importance of taking space and time for quiet, solitude and prayer.  It is also important to remember that prayer is about relationship, and in these moments in scripture Jesus turns to his father and finds comfort and solace.   
 
As my daughters have started middle school, I have had to adjust to knowing NOTHING as a middle school parent.  I don’t know the homework, I don’t know whether they have practice on Fridays…and of course there are ways in which I can find this information, but the point is that it has become my daughters’ responsibility to inform us and to share their day with us.
 
Now, they are pretty great about sharing their day with us, but it has made me think about my relationship with God in prayer.   When I don’t take time to pray, I think God can relate to my exasperated feeling of knowing nothing. Even though God knows ALL things, God wants to know about my day…He wants me to come to Him and share my life with Him.
Katie Maynard 
 

September 11, 2024 – More than Wheels
 
I never saw myself as a “minivan” sort of gal, but the minute we found out we were pregnant with our third child,  we found ourselves at the dealership being handed the keys to our very own minivan.  I have never looked back once, until recently when it started to become mechanically unreliable and we made the decision to sell it.  
 
Admittedly there was a lot of emotion when it drove away, not only on my part, but also my daughters. The emotion wasn’t just about the sweet DVD entertainment system, or the massive amount of storage (oh man was that great) …but there were so many great memories made in that van.  There was a drive home from the hospital with a newborn baby, numerous road trips to Montana and up and down the coast with the audiobook stories that made the trips seem to fly by, lots of soccer and softball gear loaded as Casey and I coached their teams, carpool stories, laughter, and lots of tunes blaring with the windows down…that van took us places together! 
 
Things are often just things…but sometimes things take you places, and as I said my last goodbye to the minivan, I placed my hand on the hood and said a prayer of blessing for the next person who is held by those four wheels.  A prayer for safety, security and new memories to be made.  May we find ourselves held once again with a new set of wheels on our way to new places and new horizons.
 Katie Maynard 
 
September 12, 2024 –  Meals on the Go                                                                                             
 
Family meals around the dinner table were always important for me growing up, and so of course we have placed the same importance on our family table.  Often times though in the evenings, we’ve been confronted with busy lives – not only with sports and extracurricular activities, but also with many appointments, therapies, and work meetings that take up our afternoon and evening time.  
 
It’s in those moments that we have tried our best to take our family table “on the road.”  I remember packing dinners for the girls as we drove down for Noelle’s speech therapy at Sac State, or “deli dinner” nights at the softball field, sharing a meal in the courtyard at church before L.O.V.E ministry, or even recently gathered around the conference room table for dinner with the girls at our church’s parish office.  
 
Of course, we have also had some drive-thru meals in the car, and dinners on the run…but what I realize is that it is less about what the food looks like or the formality of the dining table, and more about how we gather: that we pray before our meal and that we are present with one another.  That space is a sacred space where all else falls away and what remains is love, laughter and connection – eucharistic fellowship at its finest.
Katie Maynard 
 
 September 13, 2024 – Never Tire
 
This past summer, we went on another epic road trip to visit more of our country’s National Parks. This time we visited Crater Lake, Olympic and Glacier National Parks where we hiked, swam, spent lots of time together in the car, and saw the most amazing examples of God’s creation.   We saw the most incredible wildflowers scattered across mountainsides, crystal clear waters, driftwood tossed ashore by the ocean, mossy rainforests, the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, glaciers, cascading waterfalls, the most beautiful vistas, and then there were the marmots and mountain goats.
 
We also found such incredible joy, peace and freedom in the simplest tasks like picking raspberries, playing with/hunting crawdads, swinging on a porch swing, and jumping off a dock.
 
In all these things, we were aware that we were doing exactly what God had in mind when he made us – to behold and never to tire of God’s creation and the gift that it is to participate in it. 
Katie Maynard 
 
 
September 14, 2024 – Lyrics
 
As a child, I loved to memorize song lyrics.  I would pour over the CD booklets and listen to songs over and over again allowing the words to wash over me as I followed along.  For me, knowing the lyrics meant connecting to the song in a deeper way…and church hymns were no different.  There were many communion hymns in particular, during which I remember setting my “Breaking Bread” songbook down to join the communion line and challenging myself to remember the words to the song as I sang all the way to receive communion.
 
One in particular, “Be Not Afraid” by the St. Louis Jesuits, has always been a favorite, and today’s gospel happens to be the foundation for this song: the Sermon on the Plain.  The practice of singing songs week after week at mass allows us to know scripture in a more intimate way.  The repetition transforms these worship & praise songs or traditional hymns, so that the lyrics become what they are meant to be: an encounter with Jesus through scripture.  
 
It is through that encounter, that we come to know Jesus, love him more deeply and follow him more readily…so let’s make a joyful noise!
Katie Maynard 
 
  
September 15, 2024 – Labor
 
As my daughters just celebrated their birthdays, I gave a lot of thought to the word “labor.”  Laboring for the birth of my daughters was one of the most incredible insights to what Jesus calls us to as laborers in the vineyard.  When we’ve worked for something good…and then moved through it or beyond it, it’s almost as if we don’t remember or are out of touch with the discomfort or pain that may have been involved. It seems as though that is what we are called to in Scripture…to labor and toil for this most amazing good.  
 
This past summer, as we climbed up in elevation on the “Going to the Sun” road in Glacier National Park, I was literally overwhelmed by the vast beauty that passed by our windows.  The road clings to the cliffs of the Rocky Mountains and one can only wonder what untouched beauty lies beyond.  What felt like a bit of white knuckle driving for both the driver and passengers, led us through the most incredible vistas and hikes.  
 
When we finished our drive on the “Going to the Sun” road on our way to another hike on the St. Mary’s side of the park, we looked back at the wall of mountains and said to each other “we just drove through that!”  It made me think of how we move through heightened experiences and obstacles in life and have the opportunity to look back on things with a different sort of awe.   We hear in today’s gospel the call to “take up our cross and follow Him” which speaks to the sacrifice of discipleship.   It’s hard work…but the resurrection lies beyond the crucifixion, and as we move through hard things, we will look back with awe and say “We did that!”
Katie Maynard 

Reflections for Sept. 2-8, 2024
September 2, 2024 - Lord I Am Not Worthy
As I child I learned that prayer is a conversation with God.   Recently while in prayer I thought about what it means to be in such a conversation.  After all, this is not some important person I am speaking to, it’s God.  So I prayed that God would make me worthy to approach Him.  As I prayed this way, I became aware of the enormity of what I was asking.  This is God.   This is Almighty God, the creator of all things and I am asking to be worthy to approach the Holy of Holies.   What would that kind of worthiness even look like in human terms?  Realizing this, I felt a kind of fear, how dare I ask to be worthy and then I felt a rush of love that was almost overwhelming. As I processed this, I remembered that the letters of John remind us that God IS love.  Worthiness has nothing to do with it. Jane Haproff
 
September 3, 2024 - Body and Soul
Recently I had knee replacement surgery.  Having experienced one ten years ago I was nervous; happily this surgery was nothing like the first one.  I had no pain, only discomfort associated with being unable to get into a comfortable sleeping position and being helpless to do certain things for myself.  Our children came to help David and I felt loved and well cared for; except, that is, when people offered to help me when I didn’t need it and neglected at times to offer help when I did need it.  Bursts of impatience would surface when someone made my sandwich the wrong way, or bought five tomatoes when the grocery list said three.  I was shocked at my reactions and was afraid I was turning into that woman, needy, impatient and cranky.  I apologized a lot making sure people knew that inside I was graciously accepting what God was asking of me.  Except I wasn’t.  I had some idealized view of what I would be like under duress and I was shocked and disappointed that I wasn’t that person. Then I remembered a prayer called Intimacy of Body and Soul, by Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J.:  “The intimacy that exists between body and soul is a marvel of creation and a mystery of human existence…So slight a thing as a headache can affect our relations with those around us.…We are constantly, day in and day out, hour after hour, under the influence of the mysterious working of soul on body and body on soul.” To which I respond a grateful “Amen”.                                                                   Jane Haproff
 
September 4, 2024 - Evolution
The evolution that I want to explore is the Church’s evolving understanding of Eucharist which we can see in the year of Eucharistic Revival as a movement from adoration alone, to actively living it.  In  Living with Real Presence, S. James Meyer asks the question.  “When Jesus said ‘Do this in memory of Me’, what does the this refer to?”  Most of us might answer that it refers to the ritual act of consecrating the bread and wine, (Lk. 19:22) in which case the this is the job of the priest at the altar during Mass.  And Catholics believe that when Father blesses the bread and wine at Mass something miraculous happens: bread and wine become a different thing but still look and taste like bread and wine.  We see this kind of transformation in nature all the time.  A bitter green, orange changes into a sweet orange one but it is still an orange.  What happens with Eucharist is just the opposite. The substance changes into the Body and Blood of Jesus while still tasting and looking like bread and wine.  When I eat this Bread it is digested in exactly the same way as any other bread. It becomes part of me.  Science tells me I become what I eat; so as I digest this Holy Bread, this Body of Christ something miraculous happens to me:  I become the Body of Christ while still appearing to be myself.  This realization is truly overwhelming.  How do I live this?                                                                               Jane Haproff
 
September 5, 2024 - The Body of Christ
 Yesterday I concluded with the question how do I live the realization that when I eat the Body of Christ, I become the body of Christ.  S. James Meyer, answers that question in Living with Real Presence.   He claims Eucharist does not end with the consecration.  It begins there.   In St. John’s gospel the this of “Do this in memory of Me” refers to the washing of feet and this realization means that the action of Eucharistic extends into the material world.  
During the COVID Christmas shut down we did not have consecrated bread and wine, and families were separated and isolated.  Christmas morning we opened a package of four different kinds of cookies from a daughter who normally meets with her sisters to bake traditional holiday cookies.  She sent everyone in the family a similar box explaining she could not bear to make the traditional ones all alone. She also took these cookies to a homeless camp. There was so much love, longing and sacrifice in those cookies that it felt like Eucharist.   Did I think the cookies were the Body of Christ?  No.   But was the love they embodied Christlike?  Yes.  And we were transformed that morning; united while still apart. 
So Eucharist happens at the altar when Father consecrates the bread and wine and when I am changed into the Body of Christ and then when I take it out into the world in service to those in need and all of this happens in memory of Him.  Making Jesus present in the world is not limited to the priest but becomes the job of all of us.                                                                                                                   Jane Haproff
 
September 6, 2024 - A Ball of Yarn
As I struggle to understand where God is in the world, and what is holy versus what is profane I awoke this morning thinking about God and/or the world as a ball of yarn.  When I picture a ball of yarn, I see what looks like individual strands of something all tangled up together, wound around each other and twisted back and forth.   But that is not an accurate picture.   There are no individual strands of yarn; it is all one very long interwoven and twisted up thing.   Sometimes it is difficult to find the end of that single strand of yarn, hard to know where it starts and where it ends because everything is connected.  It could be like a tangle of what appears to be individual people, stories, events, joys, tragedies and times that can be hidden deeply into the center of the thing or close to the surface.  But all wound around that one thing, all existing as part of that one thing…a ball of yarn.  So is God the One thing?  Is it the work of his hand, this world that is the one thing?  I’m struggling to separate it all, just as it can be so difficult to unravel a ball of yarn so I turn to you, O Creator, to help me see you in each strand of life that is present to me and not to worry about the deeper connections.                                                                                                
Jane Haproff
 
September 7, 2024 - Concerts, Conventions, Olympics and Community
Have you talked to anyone who has been to a Taylor Swift Concert or one of the political conventions of this summer?  Or been lucky enough to attend the Olympics?  Or perhaps you have watched  any one of these things on television yourself and been amazed at the theatrics of the productions and the enthusiasm of the participants.  Several of our family members have been to various Swift concerts and I’ve been privy to their experiences and observations.  The biggest and most commonly shared experience is one of community, of sharing something bigger than themselves.  It strikes me that this looks like what happens at political conventions and the Olympics also.  And while I can’t help but be happy for people who have experienced these connections, I am saddened that they come from expensive, and in some cases competitive events that artificially unite us and that are available only for a price.   When I walk into the vestibule of SSPP Church I am grateful to find community and connections that bring us together around a life commitment to something truly bigger than ourselves.                                                                                                                  
Jane Haproff
 
September 8, 2024 - Renewal
The color of the setting sun is different now. as it moves further to the south.  Things have more of a golden glow than the bright, blazing sun of July and early August.   The heat feels different too; it’s still in the 90s but the heat feels kinder than the 115 degrees of several weeks ago.  Most schools are back in session now and that always means to me that summer is over.   David and I had no vacation plans for this summer since I was having knee surgery mid-June, but still summer felt like the season of possibilities.  Schedules are more flexible; longer evenings allow more time outdoors sitting on the porch or patio, perhaps enjoying a glass of wine.   Life just seems easier in the summer.   And as that all draws to a close, schedules regain an authority not held in summer.  We are beholden to the busyness of the world even when we are retired and don’t have to worry about school schedules.  All of this reminds me of how important cycles of time are; time for busyness, schedules, planning and productivity and time for renewal:  doing nothing but pondering, sitting in the sun, visiting with a friend, finding God in nature and light and leisure.  As the seasons change, may we find peace, hope and renewed energy in all that we do.                                                                                                                     Jane Haproff

Reflections for August 26-Sept. 1

August 26^, 2024 – Flawed Men Becoming Saints
I read a reflection that discussed the Apostles, who were some of our greatest Saints sitting, around the table at the Last Supper.   Despite Peter’s denials, Thomas’ doubts, and the other Apostles hiding out in the Upper Room, Jesus appeared to them and wished them peace.  It made me realize that even the least among us can become saintly when you have a relationship with Christ.  Sure there were moments when their flaws were glaring and hard to imagine as “saint-like”. However, later in life each one of them had a lasting conversion, a metanoia, and became committed to serving God.  
Heavenly Father, help me to become more saint-like in my daily struggles and to focus on growing my relationship with you versus on the things of this world.  Help me to keep my eyes on you as I imagine the Apostles focusing on you doing during the Last Supper; all eyes fixated on you offering the bread to become your Body; wine to become your Blood.  
Despite the Apostles encounter with Jesus at the Last Supper, they still sinned. Yet after the gift of the Holy Spirit each of them were transformed and became early saints of the Church.  Help me Lord to seek you and create in me a lasting change so that I can be closer to you.                                      

Bianca Hennager
 
August 27, 2024 – Hugging the Cactus
Recently I came across a clip of how Mel Gibson was influential in Robert Downey Jr’s life at his lowest point.  Downey struggled with substance abuse and according to him, “no one would hire me.” Gibson told him not to give up hope and to grow in his faith.  Gibson said if Downey embraced the ugliness of his soul, or as Gibson referred to it as “hugging the Cactus” then his life would take on new meaning.  Soon after their encounter, Downey was cast in a movie for a lead role that Gibson was slotted for.  Downey went on to become Iron-Man and continued to have a prolific career.   Hugging the cactus doesn’t sound fun to me and would not be something I would seek out.  If I had someone there with me, to comfort me during those painful hugging the cactus moments, it may make it more tolerable.  As I reflected on this, it brought back memories of when I experienced low points in my life and being reminded of that encouraging friend or smiling face at Church that made hugging the cactus more bearable.    I am grateful for these moments and for those little angels that have come into my life just at the right time to make such a difference.                         

Bianca Hennager
 
August 28, 2024  – How Lovely is your Dwelling Place
As the kids have grown older, I made a commitment to each one of them that I would take each one on a special trip to wherever they wanted (within reason) as a graduation gift.   My second son recently graduated high school and for his special trip he chose Ireland.  It had been over 20 years since I had visited Ireland, but I still have many fond memories.  I was excited to go to Ireland with him and to explore new areas that I had missed before.   Traveling to a country that I visited 20 years ago had changed from what I remembered.  Previously when I went with a group of friends, we stayed in a hostel.   Our plans were quite flexible and we had an air of invincibility that being in your 20’s gives you.  Fast forward to now being the sole person responsible for the trip and having my son depend on me brought about a less than invincible feeling inside.  I had many fears going into this trip and played out a lot of “what-ifs” in my head.   What if we lost our luggage?  What if we got lost? What if we missed our flight?   What if we lost our passport(s)? The fears continued to grow until we got to our final destination and got our luggage.  As soon as we met our tour guide a sense of peace came over me.  I felt right at home and welcomed by complete strangers.   Right outside of the customs area there was a sign welcoming us from our tour agency and a lovely lady named Celina was there to greet us.  She wasn’t the only one who welcomed us and who made us feel at home.  We had a great driver who shared his knowledge of history, his background, and was quite entertaining with his storytelling.  It brought back a lot of the same feelings I remember having when I visited in my 20’s.  We had a wonderful trip with lots of shared memories that will last us many years.                                                                                                      Bianca Hennager
 
August 29, 2024^,– Heart of an Explorer
One of our excursions while in Ireland was to to Killarney Forest where there is a hidden waterfall that you need to hike to.  My son wanted to see the hidden waterfall and he managed to make an acquaintance while on the trip who wanted to go too.  He and his new friend went off in search of the hidden waterfall.  We didn’t have much time to explore the forest, and it is definitely a place I would like to travel back to if given the opportunity.   The forest was so dense that it only took a few minutes of watching him go into the trees before I lost sight of him.   I was a bit comforted that he wasn’t alone and had another person with him.  As the time drew near for us to meet back at the bus, he was nowhere to be found.  Cell coverage was not available either.  I had to trust that he knew when to return and would be back as soon as he could.   Thankfully he was only 10 minutes late to return and wasn’t the last one to arrive.  He was so excited to have made it to the hidden waterfall and get one picture before having to turn around and run the entire way back to make it to the bus relatively on time.  He has always loved to explore his surroundings and wanders far off the beaten path.  This reminded me that we may go off the path once in a while, but if we are focused on God, we can make a speedy return.                                             Bianca Hennager
 
August 30, 2024 – He is Not Here
When the kids were little, we loved going up to Apple Hill during apple season.  There is one farm there that is quite popular and offers lots of kid’s activities.  They had face painting, pony rides, a pond to go fishing, and a hill to roll down, just to name a few things. While waiting to get his face painted, our second son grew impatient. As I was attending to my older son’s request for face paint, I turned around and discovered that my second son was nowhere to be seen.  As any mother would, I panicked.  I searched the crowd as quickly as I could but could not find him anywhere.  I met up with my husband and asked if he had seen our second son and he thought he may have gone over to the pony rides.  We went to the back of the farm and found our son with the ponies.  I was relieved and overwhelmed with feeling.  I imagine Mary feeling the same way when she and Joseph lost Jesus and found him in the Temple.  Or Mary Magdalene when she went to the Tomb and saw that Jesus not there.   In these scary moments I try to remember that Jesus revealed himself just at the right time and for the right purpose.  Additionally, I try to remember to trust in God that it all works out in the end.                                                    Bianca Hennager
 
August 31, 2024 – Using our Talents Wisely
Today’s Gospel reading reminds me of a Spider-man quote that says, “with great power comes great responsibility”.  In the parable the master gives money to his servants and when they use the money to make more they are rewarded.  But the one who buries his coin and returns it is scolded.  I imagine that if I use the talents that God has blessed me with to serve our Lord and to help others, I can find lasting joy.  When I use my talents for my own gratification or with an expectation of receiving something in return, I am left empty and disappointed.   I see this in all facets of my life – whether at work, home, or in ministry.
As a side note I often wonder how the master decided who got how many of which coins?  I wonder if there was bickering amongst them afterwards about who got what.  Maybe that comes with being a mother of four and working tirelessly to ensure everyone gets an even amount.  The parable is quite clear that the servants did not get an even amount. It was about whether they used what was given to them to do good:  to sow well and reap the benefit of their hard work.  My focus needs to be on God and what his will is for me in how I serve using my talents to find lasting joy in him.         

Bianca Hennager
 
September 1, 2024– The “A” Reel
One day I was sharing with a close friend how everyone’s lives always look so wonderful when I scroll through my social media.  Sure there were moments of prayer(s) needed and sadness that occasionally would be posted.   But by in large most of what was posted on my newsfeed was something new/flashy, some great adventure, delicious food, or some recent accomplishment.  My friend told me not to believe everything you see on someone’s “A reel”.  I had never heard that term before.  When I asked what it meant, she said don’t believe everything you see on social media.   I found it a bit confusing because of course what I was seeing was real people that I knew and real events.  When I further questioned, she explained that people only show what they want you to see not what is happening all of the time.   You are only seeing the best of the best and not necessarily their daily life.  When I pondered that statement it made sense to me.  Even I found myself sharing the latest vacation pictures, proud family moments of graduation – not the stress of getting to the vacation or the trials of getting the kid to graduation.  
In today’s Gospel we are reminded that the Pharisees claim to know God through their knowledge of the Law, but by their actions they deny him. TobyMac’s song, What if I Stumble begins with the quote “Christians acknowledge Jesus with their lips, but deny him by their lifestyle.”  Let me be reminded that my actions should model what Christ asks of us: to live in virtue namely inner purity, to seek God in all things, and to be humble.  It is hard to be humble if I am only showing my “A” reel.  Bianca Hennager
 
Reflections for August 19-25, 2024

August 19, 2024 - Where Is God?
 In reading through our daily meditations, I am struck by how many times we find God in the everyday places.  We find him in the beauty of a sunset, the laughter of a child, a railroad station, the solace of a mourner.  In fact, we find him everywhere.  He is with us from conception, supporting us through life, and promises to be with us through eternity.  And yet, people are always searching for God, especially when they need Him. I’ve felt the greatest joy when I don’t go searching for God, but when He taps me on the shoulder and comes looking for me.  See what I made or did for you?  There.  There is God.   Standing right beside you.   Loving, guiding, helping.  
 
Many years ago in High School, we used to sing in acapella choir a song (and psalm) that’s never left me.  The words go something like this:  “When I with pleasing wonder stand and all my frame survey, Lord tis thy work, Thine own, Thy hand that built this wondrous clay.”   I am so appreciative for these moments of beauty and grace in my life.
Don Eagle
  
August 20, 2024 - What Is Sin?
 
Benedictine nuns taught me and my fellow classmates all about our religion.  Of course one of the subjects frequently brought up was SIN. I never knew just how big of sinners we 6th graders could be.  There was of course original sin, we couldn’t do much about that except get baptized.  Then there was venial sin, which boiled down to not doing what you were told to do.   Not minding your parents, whispering in the classroom, jay-walking - well, you get the idea.  In today’s jargon, you might call it Sin Light.  But then there was— Mortal Sin.  I’m conjuring up all the acts that constitute a mortal sin. Stealing, murder, lying, well, those things delineated in the 10 commandments as things you should not do as directed by God himself.   But when’s the last time you heard about sin? Today’s society takes away the religious or moral ethos of sin and substitutes instead man-made laws, doing a makeover of His commandments, but oddly leaving Him out of the equation.
Don Eagle
                                                     
 August 21, 2024 - The Turning Point
 
I believe that in every life there is a major turning point.  It’s probably not what you may think, but in reality, it affects the entire rest of your life.  It’s probably not your wedding, as you have already made the decision to marry.  Probably not your graduation, because you have already plotted out your career.   The decision to devote yourself to a religious life might be one of those turning points, as you know yourself and what you want to devote your life to.  For most, puberty and the age of reason come close together,  when you begin to shed the trappings of childhood and embark on a whole new life. No more eating cheerios and bringing a toy to church, now you experience an epiphany of sorts, a change that may take time , even years, to happen.  As a parent, I’ve witnessed my own three children develop a sense of compassion, of wanting to help others.  Personally, I’ve exchanged  the awe of liturgicaL embellishments to a deep-seated understanding of basics.   I’ve experienced profound emotion that empties me out, only to be filled up again by the Holy Spirit. In every life there is a turning point, and I am always reminded of this when I reflect on “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.  
Don Eagle
 
 
August 22, 2024 - The Cursillo
  
A few years back a friend talked me into making a Cursillo which has become known as a short course in Christianity.  Begun in Spain as a way to attract men into practicing their Catholic faith, the movement spread to Texas here in the United States and to the rest of the world and according to estimates now has more than 5 million members.  As far as I can tell, it has deeply impacted everyone who has gone through it. Here in the Sacramento Diocese, the Cursillo movement is a strong multi-parish effort to make both men and women aware of their closeness with Christ through a sort of weekend retreat.  But the big difference is that once the weekend is over, it goes on through 4th Day get togethers with fellow Cursillistas. It changed my perspectives, and through newfound friends, you discover that there are others like you that explore, discover, and become stronger in their beliefs.  
 
I found my weekend to be overwhelmingly uplifting and emotional, a springboard into a dive that is profound, challenging, and above all, spiritually rewarding.  Our Diocesan Cursillo is normally held in September for men, and October for women.   Perhaps you should watch for it.
Don Eagle
 
 August 23, 2024 - My Little Mermaid
 
Last week Jen described our granddaughter who has always been an adventurous child.  Her creativity is off the charts.  Jen described how our granddaughter became a mermaid by wriggling herself into one half of a panty hose.  Another time she daubed her entire self with a green ink pad to become a leprechaun.  More recently, she gifted me with a hand-made nativity set —composed of tiny figures all wearing fish tails (mermaids tails) set in a small seashell.  I am amazed at her resourcefulness and creativity.  In so many ways I am joyful at the abundance of things that the Holy Spirit imbues us with.  She may not even be aware of how many gifts she has been given.  But selecting this one instance of God touching us with gifts reminds me of the special talents we all are given, and most especially, what we do with them.  Watching the Olympics a few weeks ago pointed out the many talents that are visible in our athletes.  But going to Mass on Sunday can also open your eyes to the many talents given to our parishioners.  And seeing them in others makes you aware of your own gifts and in so doing, giving back to God what he has given you.
Don Eagle
  
August 24, 2024 - Faith, Hope, and Love
 My maternal grandfather was full-blooded Irish, which of course qualified him as a saint already,  I was only a year old when he passed, so I never got to know him, nor him, me.  He was spectacularly successful, according to my mother.  He and his brother owned the hardware store, the furniture store, the funeral parlor, and maybe even the drug store, the only ones in town.  But I need to tell you that there were only 564 people in the whole town and he was not a wealthy guy. He was quite a bit older than my grandmother, and was in his early 70’s when he died.  His last name was Donovan, his first name was Jeremiah and he was called Jerry.   They named me after him.  I became Jerry Donovan.  But with a father and grandfather already named Jerry, they just called me Don.  Now why am I telling you this?  That man had a profound influence on my life.  Today, sitting on my bookshelf, sits a two-volume set of his called the Manual of the Holy Catholic Church.  These books paint a picture of our church in the early 1900’s, from detailing clerical clothing to explaining what constitutes sin.  They became, to me, a guide, an explanation, the hand of my grandfather pointing out the beauty of our Catholic religion.  Some grandpas take their grandsons fishing, others teach them sports.  
My grandfather was a saint.
Don Eagle
 
 August 25, 2024 - The Fire of Life
At Easter, a candle is lit, reminding us of the fire of life.  The dancing flame tells us that 
Jesus is with us.  This candle in particular, is used throughout the Easter season, and is extinguished after Ascension Thursday.  It represents and reminds us of, the presence of Jesus. During the course of the year the Easter candle burns once again at baptisms and funerals, reminding us of our closeness to Jesus.    
 
Candles at the altar not only illumine the sacrifice being offered during Mass,  but also are meant to show light on the readings from the testaments, and lead the way for our processionals to and from the Mass celebration. We are continually reminded of the presence of Jesus in our lives as the flame not only enlightens, but is so symbolic of life itself.  
 
In our hearts and in our homes we burn candles to commemorate special moments in our lives that are extraordinarily special.   These flames are especially meaningful at Christmas when we celebrate the birth, and at Easter, when we celebrate not only the resurrection of Jesus but the promise of our own as well. 
Don Eagle

Reflections for August 12-18, 2024

August 12, 2024 - Instagram Ready
Recently I was leading a collage-making class for a high school girls retreat. I asked them to choose pictures based on instinct – choosing magazine clippings that appealed to them in some sense whether it was color or content.  I watched them instinctually pick and choose attractive photos and glue them down carefully in an appealing layout. After they chose the photos and laid them out, I wanted them to explain why each photo spoke to them or what it said about who they were.
I realized that despite my instructions, they were creating a collage for others more than for themselves. Much like their carefully curated Instagram posts, they were putting out there a picture of how they wanted the world to see them, not how they saw their authentic selves. So I made an example collage that was messy and contained unusual hobbies and pictures that revealed anxiety and insecurities.
This is the collage that I want to be able to share with others and definitely the one God wants me to share with him.                                                                                                                                                          Jen Payan
 
August 13, 2024 - No Packing Allowed
What would it be like to leave for a journey without any provisions? My packing for vacation includes clothes, snacks, sunscreen, and a multitude of other items. (I am a mom after all). What about just leaving for work for the day empty handed? I usually head out the door with a coffee cup, water cup, lunch bag, extra sweater, purse, and a backpack full of my nurse tools. I really couldn’t imagine the day without them. 
In the gospel of Mark, chapter 6, Jesus instructs the disciples not to carry anything with them except their staff and sandals as he sends them out to share the word. He tells them that everything will be taken care of. He asks them to trust the people around them to provide.  
Leaving my house empty handed would be a challenge for me and being completely reliant on others would be a huge leap of faith. This scripture teaches that God wants me to look to others for help and support. He created us to be in fellowship with one another, so we can rely on each other.  
I will be sure to remind my family of this when they ask me for snacks and sunscreen!                            Jen Payan
  
August 14, 2024 - Plant Killer
That is what my family calls me. I can’t seem to keep the lowest maintenance foliage alive. I think I’m figuring out why this is. 
On a recent visit to my plant loving adult daughter, I made a few observations. She had some time off work and I was helping her with some chores around her house. Good, I thought, she really needs to clean her room. Instead, she took her many plants out to the deck and preceded to mist them, check all of their soil, fertilize a few, remove old leaves and talk to them while they were sitting in the sun. She dubbed them her “plant babies” and spent most of her cleaning time tending to them. 
While this may seem obvious to you, I never realized that plants need that kind of attention. No wonder mine die early deaths.  They are always an afterthought to me. She was prioritizing her living things over the cleaning and busy-work that I often get distracted by. 
This is yet another reminder of how important it is to tend to the living things in my life first, whether it is my health or relationships with others, spiritual life included. There will always be time for the chores and busy-work. Just ask Mary and Martha!                                                                                                         Jen Payan
 
August 15, 2024 - Mermaids
I have a daughter who once believed she was a mermaid. She would sit in the middle of our family room with both of her legs tucked into the single leg of her tights and flop around combing her hair with a fork. Sometimes I would spot her on top of our pool’s waterfall holding her legs together like a fin and talking to an imaginary group of ocean friends. She would be absorbed in her own world. She would rope any friends or siblings into playing mermaids, whether on land or in the pool whenever she had a chance. Her younger brother truly thought he was a merman until he turned about five. 
It makes me wonder how a child can create an imaginary world where they are able to untether themselves from worries and stress. As adults we seem unable do that with our responsibilities and constantly running minds. Isn’t this what happens spiritually over time as well? If I were able to lock out the sound of the world and bring back some of that child-like ability to let go, perhaps I could just focus on being with God.  

Jen Payan

August 16, 2024 - Choices
The internet says that we make about 35,000 decisions per day. No wonder I wake up stressed out! Knowing that I have all of that navigating to do in 24 hours makes me want not to get out of bed sometimes. What if I decided to let God help me with every decision? What if I pestered him 35,000 times? Do you think he would get tired of me asking? Nope. He promises us (me) in scripture that he will be there for me, he even asks that I be persistent with my petitions.  “With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones” Ephesians 6:18. God is an endless source of guidance, I just need to remember to ask – I would settle for help with at least 100 of those decisions!                                                                                                         
Jen Payan
 
August 17, 2024 - Stand Up Paddling
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is stand up paddling at Donner Lake. With experience, I’ve figured out the best times to go. I try to make it early when the lake is calm and to secure a good dock to launch from. As the morning goes on, the wind shifts and boat traffic increases, making it rough and creating a lot more work with the paddle. I generally can get off the lake by then and observe the chaos from the dock. I always prefer the smooth and calm version. Fortunately, there is some predictability so I can schedule a good experience. 
I wish I could plan every day like that; enjoy the smooth and calm parts and extricate myself before the chaos and hard work starts. But sadly, that is not how life works. Everyone’s boats start churning things up in front of me, and the wind turns against me. I dig my paddle in hard and fight to make it to safety. I’m realizing that God really serves as my dock, if I paddle to him, I feel protected from the chaos. He clearly promises this to me in scripture.                                                                                                              Jen Payan
  
August 18, 2024 - Cat Resistance
We are all sitting on the couch and the cat jumps up, walks over all of us and balls up on my husband’s lap. But he is the one who claims he doesn’t like cats. We are all calling to her asking her to come snuggle and she always picks him. I specifically remember this phenomenon with my cat when I was growing up. My dad’s lap would always be top choice even though he was completely indifferent to her. Why do cats gravitate to the most uninterested party in their home? Are they giving their affection and unconditional love in hopes of a conversion to cat lover? I would like to think that God is persistent like this, willing to comfort and seek me out even when I ignore him. Jesus modelled this for us when he chose the company of unbelievers, sinners and those suffering. 
And my husband is now a cat lover – I’d call that a conversion.                                                                     Jen Payan
 
 Reflections for Aug. 5-11, 2024

August 5, 2024 - Cura Personalis
My wife and I have been married for 44 years.   I hope I encourage her spiritual growth as she does mine.  I picked up the household load during her broken ankle recovery as she did when I had back surgery.  We participate in the L.O.V.E. couple’s ministry at SS. Peter and Paul.  Another example of care can be found in John Wooden, the famous and successful UCLA basketball coach, who was admired for how he cared for his players.  But I also witness life and in death care beyond the immediate need in our parish in the connections between couples, young and old, where anticipation of the others needs is seen.  What these observations have in common is what Jesuit education calls ‘cura personalis’: care of the whole person.  That person can be a spouse, relative, patient, co-worker, or stranger. 
 
Jesus’ miracles reflected his ‘cura personalis’ approach. He turned water into wine for his mother and the wedding couple.   He freed Mary Magdalene from seven demons.   Distressed by Jesus’ death yet strong enough to go to the tomb, Jesus appeared to her first after the Resurrection and relieved her fears.  He instructed those he healed to perform the ritual washings.  He fed the crowds he taught, not asking whether they understood, agreed, or even believed in him.   Jesus raised Lazarus and Jarus’ daughter for their whole families. Jesus comforted the women of Jerusalem. Every person Jesus met had a different story and he cared for the whole person, as should I.
Ray Frink
 
 August 6, 2024 - Field Hospital
During World War II, it was common practice for local newspapers to list their citizens who were soldiers who had died, were wounded, or missing-in-action (MIA).  My father was listed as MIA for 3-4 days and my mother could only pray he was alive.  He was in a field hospital recovering.  My father was wounded physically, my mother, and anyone who knew them, was wounded emotionally.  Pope Francis said, “I see the Church as a field hospital after battle”.  I belong to a church that is a field hospital for a wounded world.  As a practitioner of that faith and member of that Church, practicing and recovering at that hospital is open to all.  I am sure that my father and mother did not care about the faith practices of those who cared for him.  My parents only cared that they were people of good-will, making sacrifices for the benefit of many, demonstrating Christ-like love.  In Matthew 12:46-50 Jesus asks “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Jesus continues “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
          
Every member of SS Peter and Paul is a physician or patient in the field hospital called the Catholic Church.  All practitioners and patients are welcome.   I will not judge exactly how they believe or how their faith is practiced.    If they possess and express Christ-like love, they are welcome to operate with me anytime.
Ray Frink
  
August 7, 2024 - Going My Way?
I am a fan of the 1944 movie “Going My Way”.   There is an invitation and a question in those words.  Jesus said “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. (Matt:  9: 9-13.)  The way this passage was explained to me is that Jesus doesn’t want me just to fulfill my religious obligations.  He wants my heart to be open and involved in my actions and other people's lives so that all I know is to love others as he loves me.
 
Currently there is more poverty, homelessness, hunger, and strife in our communities than I can remember.  I ask our Lord daily: Where is the path through the darkness?  Deep in my heart I know and believe that there is one and that path is slowly, painfully, and patiently being revealed to me.   I have to have faith.  I have to trust in the Lord.  I have to love Father, Son, and Spirit and live out that love in the manner Jesus described.  I have to move beyond sacrifice, at which I am very good, to mercy as described above, at which I am only fair.  A principle of Ignatian spirituality is that God is in everything in the world.  Recognizing God’s presence and focusing on each moment as an opportunity for holiness will get me started.  With mercy, trust and faith, I will find the path I seek and I will hear the invitation and question: “Going My Way?”, every day.
Ray Frink
   
August 8, 2024  - It’s All Good
When I was a young man growing up with very modest means, the thought of delayed gratification was often on my mind.  I embraced the idea that if I worked hard, utilizing the intellectual gifts given to me, that in the future I could begin to enjoy life.  Focus, sacrifice, and discipline became the bywords of my life through college.   Although these can be good steps while building a life, I now recognize that there are missteps that can occur when the focus, sacrifice, and discipline become all consuming.  
 
There is the danger of not enjoying the moment, not experiencing the gifts of God in my surroundings, in the friends I have, in the simple pleasures of life.  When I was young, I did not learn how to enjoy life.  I embraced the responsibilities of work and school and left joy out of my daily experience.   When I finally began to achieve some of those goals, I really didn’t know how to enjoy life.  I missed opportunities to enjoy the day-to-day and just being alive.  I had limited social skills.  I struggled to determine the best responses during interactions with my friends.  Once I had finally arrived at where I thought I wanted to be, I wasn’t sure if that was where God wanted me to be.  I had climbed the ladder, but was it leaning against the correct wall?  I have moved the ladder and accepted the above as part of whom I am, a beloved Child of God.
Ray Frink
 
 August 9, 2024 - Joe
A book of importance to the growth of my faith, Philemon’s Problem by Fr. James Burtchaell, contains a story about Joe.   Joe is the brilliant son in a working-class family who could not afford a college education.  After high school Joe’s father mysteriously gives him a package with enough money for his freshman year, and repeats this each year after.  Upon completing his studies Joe brings the full force of his knowledge and wisdom back to his community to the benefit of all its members.  Years later an elderly neighbor reveals to Joe that he was the benefactor who anonymously gave Joe’s father money for Joe’s education.  The neighbor wants Joe to know who loved him when Joe knew nothing of it.  
          Joe was already a person whose life’s work brought love, hope and joy to his community.  And I meet people like Joe.  They may not be Christian, nor practice their faith in the way I do. They, like Joe, live a Christ filled life, without knowledge of Christ.  They live a life worthy of eternal life.  As a Catholic, the discovery of Jesus’ love for me or the elderly neighbor for Joe transforms and calls us to redouble our efforts to improve our community especially now that we know the giver of the gift.    We are called to reveal Christ living in the hearts of the Joes we meet. I know the story of my salvation from the very beginning and my life is richer.   Joe’s life was forever changed. 
Ray Frink
  
August 10, 2024 - Letting Go 
If asked what regrets I cling to from my past: where and how I was raised, went to high school and college, grad school, personal life, etc., I would tell you I have worked through and dealt with those by this time in my life.  But that is not entirely true.  I was asked recently where I went to high school in San Francisco.  I still hesitated to answer that I attended St Ignatius College Prep.  I hesitated because the majority of attendees of that school were from upper middle-class families, socially aware, and those few gave the rest of us a reputation of entitlement.  I was none of these.  I had a few good friends that continued to the same college I attended.  I was respected for my academics.  Why did I care what others thought?  After all these years, I still hesitated.   I hadn’t let go of that.   When asked about undergrad, I’d say almost sheepishly, “I attended a little college called the University of San Francisco,” when speaking to grads of Cal, Stanford, or other “name schools”.  I believe God was in this somewhere, though I did not seek to find Him in those times past.  Miraculously, God has brought me to a place surrounded by a wife and children who love me and friends that care about me.  I have now let go of my hesitation.  I have never attended a high school reunion and probably still won’t.  My 50-year college reunion is soon and I just may go.       
Ray Frink
 
August 11, 2024 - The Way You Are
In May of this year the mass for Corpus Christi, the body of Christ, was celebrated by a visiting priest who spoke about the significance of the Eucharist, its importance in my life, and the grace I receive each time I receive Jesus.  This included a call to go into the world and be recognized as a force for good because I carry Christ within me. This was a powerful and important reminder that I believe that I am receiving Jesus.  Eucharist is not a symbol or a remembrance.   I believe that I am receiving Jesus’ being into myself, a living grace.  This is vital to my faith. 
 
That day I also recalled a simpler truth.  During Mass, a parishioner’s phone rang, and being technologically challenged like myself, this parishioner had difficulty silencing the phone.  At first, I felt embarrassment for them.  Then, I realized the Holy Spirit was there to remind me that the core of Christ’s sacrifice, the core of the Eucharist, is to love that parishioner and all others just the way they are.   The Holy Spirit used that phone ringing to remind me that with all my flaws I am loved just the way I am.  The Eucharist brings the grace and energy to love with more determination than I can imagine as a child of God.  I adore and honor the Eucharistic celebration as the source and summit of my faith.  I will be remembered by how much I loved you all, just the way you are.
Ray Frink

Reflections for July 30-Aug. 4, 2024

July 29, 2024 - Our Parking Lot
For months I have been observing the way we leave the parking lot after Mass.  It fascinates me. It is such a small thing, but so full of symbolism.  I notice how we take turns; we wait patiently for someone with a cane to slowly make their way across the driveway. We wave and acknowledge each other.  We leave in loving care for each other.  I don’t take it for granted… I remember a long time ago when I was in high school, a friend commented on going to Mass at his church.   He noticed how everyone prayed together and then raced each other out of the parking lot when it was over.  He thought it was funny, but the irony was not lost on him.  
What if we could hold onto that sense of brotherly/sisterly love and caring all week?  Perhaps you do… I often lose it by Tuesday.  Then my patience and caring becomes a little more tribal.  What would happen if I assumed each stranger was my brother or sister and extended myself to them with that in mind?  Perhaps they would return the kindness… perhaps the world would be a better place.
Renee Anaclerio

July 30, 2024 - Gardening
I love my gardens.   Lately I’ve become aware of a shift in my way of being present and receptive when it comes to gardening.  For many years I have enjoyed a routine in which my husband and I would walk around the yard each evening. (I’ve since learned that my husband didn’t enjoy the walks as much as I did. He said they felt like a “to-do list” in the making.)  I walked around and noticed what needed trimming, weeding, feeding, etc. In some ways the walks were my way of taking stock of my little domain.  
I don’t know exactly when things shifted, but I am much gentler and freer in my gardening now.  It is a contemplative act and full of surprises.  It is as if God says, take your shoes off, feel the grass between your toes, lay on the grass and watch the clouds go by. Look for unexpected guests in your garden:  spirit passing by, breath of God on the breeze.  You are standing on holy ground.
 The gardens are not mine to own and tame, but God’s invitation to me to be present and appreciate creation.  God comes to us through daily experiences…and delights us with surprises.   
Renee Anaclerio
 
July 31, 2024 - The Sibling Dance
My sister and brother-in-law visited for a couple of weeks this summer.  My sister and I are very close, and it was a wonderful visit, as it always is.  The visit also gives me pause to reflect on the deep patterns in family relationships.   I am older by five years.  Our sibling pattern is that my sister seeks my approval, and I am the constant giver of advice—ugh.   It doesn’t lead to any obvious conflict; we both play our roles well. But, I am aware that I really don’t want that pattern to guide our interactions as adults and best friends.  It makes me wonder about how deeply embedded these patterns are in my psyche and how I can work to consciously change them.  It also makes me think of the very real ways that the rhythm of sin and forgiveness work in daily life.  Whether with my sister or with my husband, or with my grown children, I slip back into patterns that I don’t particularly like.  But they are rooted deep in me and in the relationship.   I catch myself and course correct.   Sometimes I acknowledge the pattern aloud; sometimes not.  I wonder at how our lives are like a dance in which we try to learn to move together with others with more grace and attentiveness.  Occasionally we step on a toe, smile and try to learn to dance a little better.
Renee Anaclerio
 
August 1, 2024 - Grand-dogs
In our blended family, we have four adult children and only one grandson.  The grandson lives in Mammoth Lakes, so we only see him once or twice a year.   But, from the kids who live close, we have grand-dogs. Milo is a rescued German Shepherd mix that our daughter got as a puppy, and Lady is an older German Shepherd that my son rescued.  My kids know we love dogs, so they assume we won’t mind “babysitting” theirs.  I have been trying to find spiritual lessons in our experiences—particularly when I feel like we are running a dog B&B.  
The spiritual lesson comes to me as I ask myself, why do we do it?  I remember the time in my life when my parents were my support system as a busy mother and as a graduate student. They kept my kids when I went to classes. They helped tremendously when I divorced.  I thought of my parents as available and able to do just about anything to support my young family.  It never occurred to me that they might have other things to do.  Was I selfish?  Maybe… But I was fully confident in their love and care.  I want my children, now young adults, to experience God’s unconditional patience, love and support through me, just as I did through my parents.  If dog-sitting is the way I can show that, I’m all in.  
Renee Anaclerio
 
August 2, 2024 - “Don’t Dumb Down Sin”
I heard this statement at a retreat recently.  The point was not that we don’t take sin seriously, but that we tend to see sin too narrowly.  As a culture, we have tended to think of sin as personal behavior—a loss of temper, an impure desire, a thoughtless action.  While sin can be any of these things, it is also our participation in systems that harm others—racism, sexism, greed, etc.  The list could go on and on.  I am part of a group called OMNIA Institute for Contextual Leadership. We train interfaith peacemaker teams of people around the globe to work together for change from the ground up.  In several countries in Africa and Asia, the local work focuses on finding crops that will grow in the increasing periods of drought and confronting power structures to address hunger and food insecurity. These are real and rapidly growing problems because of climate change.  Part of the sin that I participate in as a citizen of a rich country is that we produce most of the greenhouse gases causing global warming.  The problem seems so big and complicated. How can my small efforts at living sustainably make any difference?  I think acknowledging that this is sin and that my lifestyle impacts the lives of people half a world away is a start.
Renee Anaclerio
 
August 3, 2024 - Grounded in Hope
What does it mean to me to be a Christian at a time when so much of our world is in turmoil and conflict?  There are very real crises that call for my response in prayer and action—in ways I discern I am able to help. It’s important for me to respond in these ways. I have also learned the importance of being grounded.   Parker Palmer says in Standing Firm, “We can choose to stand on ground that is not riddled with the fault lines of fear, to move toward others from a place of promise instead of anxiety… we can stand on ground that will support us, ground from which we can lead others toward a more trustworthy, more hopeful, more faithful way of being in the world.” Being grounded means trusting that God continues to create and heal the world. I am a small piece of that work, as we each are, but I do not have the gift of seeing the whole picture. When I am grounded in hope, I can participate in the mystery of God’s work for peace and justice and trust in the outcomes. I can listen deeply without holding preconceived ideas about what another thinks.  I can listen beneath rhetoric and hear the hurt and fear behind what I first perceive as arrogance. It means remembering that my choices are not limited to the polarities I experience. It means finding a third way remembering that God’s ways are higher than our ways. 
Renee Anaclerio
 

August 4, 2024 - Blessing the World with their Gifts
This past month I was honored to be with a group of new spiritual directors who just graduated from a two-year preparation program at the Mercy Center in Auburn.  I have been walking with them on this journey as a mentor and staff person. They are amazing, and witnessing their faith has been inspiring for me.
They also reminded me of my own experience years ago.  At the beginning of my program, we gathered with excitement, wanting to learn how to help others, how to serve. We wondered if we were worthy.  By the end of the two years, it was our own inner selves that had been broken open and touched by God’s unconditional love and healing.  We have learned that it is our own wounds that make us compassionate healers—worthy has nothing to do with it.  When I meet with someone for spiritual direction, it is the Holy Spirit that we both listen to, together.  In our relationship, we experience God’s love and grace.  For the people that now enter this ministry with humility and awe, I thank God.  I pray for their continued growth and with gratitude for all the encounters they will have and the lives they will gently listen to and hold in sacred space. 
Renee Anaclerio

Reflections for July 22-29, 2024

July 22, 2024—Music
Three years ago, my daughter Grace watched as Traci in the 5pm Sunday choir played her electronic wind instrument. Because of her, Grace was inspired to learn the clarinet. For the last 3 years Grace has taken weekly lessons with her instrument. Unfortunately, our school does not have a band, so Grace has played her music alone. Last week Grace had the opportunity to attend music camp for 6 nights, surrounded by more than 100 musicians and be part of her first band. On the last evening, the families were invited for a concert in the woods where we heard small ensembles, jazz band, choir, concert band and the symphonic band perform. Grace played in the concert band with 70 other musicians and I cried when I saw her use her gift for music to be part of something bigger. At the close of the evening, all current campers, staff and alumni continued a 35-year tradition of closing camp and the concert with a singing of Dona Nobis Pacem—the very same that we sing at the 5pm Mass on Sunday. 
Music has always made me feel connected to God, but that night felt special, as God brought this music full circle, beginning and ending with our Mass. Grace’s music camp has no religious affiliation, but truly God is present there.  
Grant us peace. 
Erin Gallawa
 
July 23, 2024—Squash
I have a regular route that I walk several times a week. There is a quarter mile of road that tends to accumulate trash and pet waste. It has hard, rocky soil and lots of weeds.  Last fall someone disposed of a squash on the side of the road. I walked past it many times thinking that it was a very odd place to leave a squash, but I thought nothing else of it. Imagine my surprise when I walked by last month and found that a squash plant was growing in that place! For the last few weeks I have watched this little plant emerge, blossom and now bear a perfect little squash.
Watching the cycle of this squash felt like my own little parable. There is a lesson about persistence in growing in a difficult place. Finding life and growth amongst the refuse on the side of the road. And about bearing fruit in the places we least expect to find it.
Erin Gallawa
 
July 24, 2024—Wordle
Several years ago a game called Wordle became popular to play. Each day, players have six guesses to figure out a five-letter word. I have been playing for years. In the early days I played when I remembered, but as time passed, I started to play routinely and watched as my streak got longer. Some days I lost and my streak started over. Other times I forgot to play and my streak went back to zero. The worst were the days when I opened the game and my data had been forgotten. 
The thing about Wordle is that you can only play once a day. But there is only so much satisfaction in the game that takes only a few minutes and can only be done once! Unlike so many other mindless games on the Internet, you can’t hit restart and play again. You can only play once and then wait until the next day for another chance. I am not good at being patient. I am not good at waiting. But playing this game for the last four years has been an exercise in patience and practice. When I wake up every morning, I am excited and ready. Thank you, God, for this opportunity to practice patience and perseverance. And may my prayer life be as dedicated as my daily Wordle!
Erin Gallawa
 
July 25, 2024—Stale Water
I don’t understand exactly how water becomes stale. But I know that it is real. If you leave water sitting in a cup on the counter, the next day or days later, it doesn’t taste right. If you’ve ever been to a river where the water is not moving, you will see that it doesn’t feel the same; it becomes stale. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that he is living water. He is not stagnant. He is not stuck. Water should always be moving, and we should be seeking water that is full of life. 
Water is essential for our survival. But we do not want to drink of stale water. We do not want to be baptized in water that is not full of life. May we seek the living water of Christ who never goes stale!
Erin Gallawa
 
July 26, 2024—Jesus as a Child
I recently saw a news story about the discovery of early copies of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. So many people were surprised to learn that other stories of Jesus existed. The four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the ones we know and learn. But there are other accounts of Jesus‘ life that were not included in the canon of the Church. The infancy Gospel of Thomas is one of those. While it has been declared inauthentic and heretical, I appreciate the reminder that Jesus was indeed a human. Aside from the few Gospel stories we have of Jesus in the temple, we do not know much about his early years. These writings tell stories of childhood. At one point he was a baby, then a child and then a teen just like my own daughters. He lived and experienced the world as all young people do. So as I experience this world as a mother of teens, I pray that I remember that at some point, our Lord and Savior was an adolescent, too!
Erin Gallawa
 
July 27, 2024—Camp
A few weeks ago, one of my daughters went to summer camp. This camp has a private Facebook group where parents can see dozens of pictures posted every day. Although I could see everything that my child was doing, she could not communicate with me. I watched my daughter in moments of joy and fun. I watched her climb a rock wall and play with a therapy dog. I saw her on the dance floor and doing skits. In those moment, I felt like God looking down on his children on earth, desperately hoping that we would talk to him or pray to him. I envisioned a God who was watching me and wishing for me to reach out and talk to him and pray. As I witnessed my daughter experience love and joy, what I wished for most was that that she would speak to me. 
I hope that as I move through my days, I use this as a reminder to pray to God!
Erin
 
July 28, 2024—Go Your Own Way
When you have twins, people just expect that they will do everything together. And for many years that was the case. But our girls started to take their own paths in the last few years. While they share a love for theater, one has a passion for playing instruments and a burgeoning love for water polo. The other is working on voice lessons and loves to read. And perhaps the biggest divergence is that one is headed to high school next month while the other finishes her eighth-grade year right on time.
 
We don’t choose our children or their paths. As I’ve raised these girls side by side, I’m surprised every day at how different they are and what their individual needs are. Every day God sees us as individuals, people he formed in the womb, people he knew before even our mothers knew us. How wonderful that he sees each of us as unique and beautiful beings! May each of us be recognized for our distinct gifts and talents!
 
Erin Gallawa

Reflections for July 15-21, 2024
July 15, 2024 - Forgiveness
The series, “The Chosen," takes artistic liberties creating back stories for the sayings and parables of Jesus, putting them in a way that shows how the apostles may have struggled with His teachings. In one episode, Matthew and Peter cannot stand each other. Peter resents how Matthew unduly punished the people, especially his family, by working for the Romans and extorting his people with heavy taxes. Matthew resents Peter for oppressing him even though he is no longer a tax collector. Separately, they both speak to Jesus about it, and Jesus tells them both to forgive and ask for forgiveness. This becomes the story behind the teaching of how often we must forgive. Jesus says 70 times 7. We understand that means a lot, but it is more than that. Jesus tells Simon that 7 is the number for completion, like the seven days of creation. So, 70 times 7 is completion times completion, which means our forgiveness for each other should be limitless because God's forgiveness is unlimited. However, to forgive continually is not an easy thing for me to do. I can get caught up with the suffering I experienced, and I want justice for that pain. But I also know Jesus had forgiven me when He was on the cross, so how can I do anything less?                                              

Kurt Peterson
 
July 16, 2024 – I Am So Glad You Got to See Me
My cousin's joyful remark, "I am so glad you got to see me," underscores the importance of presence and openness in relationships. It was something he said instead of the typical goodbye. It is meant as a joke, but as I reflect on it, it is an accurate statement because it has to do with being present to the person you are with. It reflects a genuine appreciation for shared moments and highlights how being present allows others to see and understand the real you truly. That is something that takes work.  I have to learn how to listen to what the person is saying and not just formulate what I will say next. I have to be open and vulnerable to be present to them, and in doing so, they get to see the real me. I only sometimes succeed at doing this, but I try, and when I do, it makes the time together more meaningful. So, if you hear me say, "I am so glad you got to see me," it is a reminder of the value of presence and authenticity in our interactions.                                                       

 Kurt Peterson                                                                                       
 
 July 17, 2024 – W.I.N.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with all the things that you have to do?  Do you ever feel like you do everything and others don't? Many in the business and sports world use an acronym:  W.I.N. What’s Important Now!  It is about prioritizing your tasks and doing the most important thing for that day. In the Gospels, the two sisters, Martha and Mary, get into an argument. Martha complains to Jesus that Mary is not helping her care for everyone.  Jesus tells her that she is anxious and troubled about many things, but today, only one thing is necessary, and her sister Mary has chosen the better path. Mary chose what’s important now. For that moment, it wasn’t making sure Jesus and his disciples were taken care of; it was sitting and listening to Jesus teach. Mary chose the W.I.N.   Jesus knew his time there was limited, and He wanted to be with them. Martha was there but not present. I am often like Martha, being the one doing things for God but not being present to God and not listening to His words. Reclining with Jesus in His word and doing His work are both very important aspects of being a Christian, but I need to ask myself what’s important now and do that.                                       

Kurt Peterson
 
July 18, 2024 – Spirit of Adoption
I have cousins who adopted two children many years ago. They already had a child but wanted to adopt more. I have a lot of respect for them and anyone who adopts a child. Adoption is an extraordinary and vital act to do. In Romans 8:15, St Paul writes, “We did not receive a spirit of slavery but a spirit of adoption." Through adoption, we become God's children, so we are to call God “Abba” or father. For the Romans, it meant more to be an adopted child than to have been a child by birth. In ancient Rome, if your biological child had issues, physically, mentally, or just not what you wanted, you could abandon them, and they were no longer yours because you had no idea what the child would be. However, in Roman law, in adoption, you knew who the child was and what you were getting, so you became responsible for them for the rest of their lives. Adoption also wiped away any history or debt from the child. The people St Peter was talking to knew the Roman law and understood what he meant. Through Jesus, we are God’s adopted children whom He will never abandon. How beautiful is that?                             Kurt Peterson
 
July 19, 2024. – The Detective's Code
I like to watch British crime shows; they often show the Detective's Code. It states, "There is no greater responsibility or duty placed on a human being than to investigate the circumstances of the death of another human being." It reminds me of Jesus' teaching, “Greater love no man has than this, that a person lay down his life for his friend." The detective's code and Jesus' teaching on love highlight a profound commitment to others, though they focus on different aspects of sacrifice and duty. The detective's code emphasizes the grave responsibility and duty of investigating the circumstances surrounding a person's death and the importance of seeking justice for the deceased and their loved ones.
On the other hand, Jesus' statement encapsulates the ultimate act of self-sacrifice and love. This teaching emphasizes the willingness to give one's life for the sake of others, reflecting the highest form of love and devotion. While the detective's code focuses on the duty to the deceased and their families, ensuring justice and honor, Jesus' teaching calls for a selfless love that prioritizes the well-being and lives of friends over one's own. Both concepts reveal deep commitments—one to justice and duty, the other to love and sacrifice.                                                                                                                          

Kurt Peterson
 
July 20, 2024 – Organization
During this time, every year, my grandchildren are busy with competitive sports and dance. We love attending their games and dance competitions and seeing how well they do and how far they have come. What I like about these organized groups is that the kids learn valuable lessons like perseverance, teamwork, overcoming adversity, humility, and a sense of accomplishment. The lessons they learn will help them for the rest of their lives. These lessons will make them better athletes, artists, and people. St. Peter knew that being part of a faith community is no different. In 2 Peter 1: 5-7, he says, “For this reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love." This world gives us many joys and sorrows; at times, we can feel crushed by it all, but if I make those efforts that St Peter speaks of, I will have abundant joy.                          Kurt Peterson
 
July 21, 2024 – Sow and Reap
For the most part, our society is no longer agrarian, but we still use agrarian phrases when dealing with the land. One of them is “you reap what you sow.”  Sow means to plant seeds in the ground, and reap means to harvest what you planted. The concept of "reaping what we sow" is grounded in the Bible, particularly in Galatians 6:7, which states, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." This principle emphasizes the natural and spiritual consequences of one's actions. Good deeds, kindness, and righteousness result in blessings and positive outcomes, while negative actions such as selfishness, sin, and harm can lead to negative consequences. This idea aligns with the broader biblical theme of divine justice and moral accountability.  But If Christianity ended with the belief that God observes all actions and rewards or disciplines us accordingly, we would all be in trouble. As Christians, we try to live virtuously, fostering a sense of responsibility and ethical conduct, knowing that our actions have a lasting impact on ourselves and others. But when we stumble and fall, Jesus, through God's mercy, gave us the sacrament of reconciliation to heal and unite us with God again.           Kurt Peterson

Reflections for July 8-14

July 8, 2024 - Everyday Good Samaritan
On a recent flight to New York, a wheelchair had been arranged for Jane at the airport.  When the chair arrived, I moved over to push it but an employee motioned for me to let her do it.  We headed up a ramp but I was still not allowed to assist.  The lady took us to the baggage area and, again, insisted on retrieving our bags and then on to a chaotic scene at the pickup area.  Several attempts to obtain a long distance/affordable ride, with her doing the negotiating, were fruitless.  It was a hot day in the sun in continuing chaos, until (about 20 minutes later) success!  The aide secured a car for us and still she stayed with us until she helped Jane get in our vehicle.  She started away without expectation of a gratuity until I called her back.  Granted it was her job to assist us, but she had seen two tired older folks in need of help and, just as in the gospel about the Good Samaritan, she stopped and helped us beyond what was required.  We don’t know her faith, but her goodness spoke volumes.                                                                                                                                                                 Deacon David
 
July 9, 2024 - Jaded Expectations
Our new old house has been undergoing needed renovations.   We’ve had to engage various tradesmen to do needed facets of the work.  We’ve tried to be realistic about our expectations of the time involved for each job and, in most cases, the jobs were completed as promised.  However, there have been exceptions and delays for questionable reasons where people don’t show up when they say they will or do not provide the service we thought we were paying for. The good outweighs the “bad”.   Of course, this puts me in mind of my own promises to God about my intentions…to do better, to change my ways and or attitudes; to follow through.  It pleases me, as I grow older, that, first, I don’t make too many of these promises and, second, that I do follow through on most of the ones I make.  There are times of delay or outright disregard, but, as with the people we engage, there are good times and “bad” times.  God continues to be patient with me which gives me a model to follow with those tradesmen who I engage …and I will, I promise.                                                                                                                                                                    Deacon David
 
July 10, 2024 – Impatient (with God)
Looking back over my years I don’t think that I was ever considered to be a patient person.  As a teen driver I drove faster than I should have without regard for  how my driving affected others on the road.  Now, at the midpoint of my ninth decade I look unkindly on those who drive as I once did.  My expectations have changed to the point that I wonder just why God isn’t taking care of things the way I want Him to.  He got creation all together in six days but hasn’t kept up the pace (the one I expect) lately.   The old saying is “man proposes, God disposes”.  But God, I want it taken care of now.  But now I hear his response to my concerns about wars, greed, starvation, illness, etc. as a question to me:  What are YOU doing about it?  After all, God did give the world to us to populate and use.  I’ve helped do that, but much remains for me to do – small but needed steps.  I cannot be impatient with God since He is so patient with me.  Make me a channel of your peace and love.                                                   Deacon David
 
July 11, 2024 – Body of Christ
The figure of the Risen Christ towering above the sanctuary in our church was one of the first things that drew me to like SSPP. As it happened our previous small parish in Corona, CA also had the same figure above the altar linking, in my mind, the two welcoming communities.  Jane and I recently visited friends in Missouri and attended Mass with them in their recently renovated church which had a homey, welcoming atmosphere.  Their corpus, however, was a very large, traditional crucified Christ figure, dominating the sanctuary and to my shame, I didn’t like the feeling I got.   This made me think about another church we visited when we went to the African country of Swaziland (now Eswatini) where our son was a volunteer.  Again, the church was small and crowded but we were welcomed and greeted warmly.   There was not a Risen Christ figure in the sanctuary, but a traditional corpus carved from ebony – a black Christ with African features as was fitting.  My feeling there did not match what I later felt in Missouri.  These several examples of images of Christ displayed in different churches remind me that WE, in all our permutations, are the Body of Christ:  joyful, sorrowful, suffering and welcoming and reflective of the culture in which we are displayed.
Deacon David
 
July 12, 2024-Example
Last month a friend of ours died at the early age of 60.  She hadn’t been ill and was in fairly good health, so everyone was shocked and greatly saddened. She had recently retired after a career of almost 40 years as a registered nurse and it was in that profession that she made a huge impact; an impact not only on those she cared for in her job but, to a greater extent, on her fellow nurses and doctors whom she mentored and taught.  At her memorial service many of her colleagues/friends remembered her as a person who did not hesitate to share her wisdom and expertise, not only regarding her vocation but also as a talented cook/baker, world traveler, confidant and, most importantly, as a friend who could be counted on.  She was, in my estimation, the embodiment of what Jesus commanded us: Go into the world and share the good news.  Karen did that with her whole joyful life of service, healing, loving, giving food and friendship.  May God rest her soul.
Deacon David
 
July 13, 2024-I’m proud of you
Just about three weeks ago our second born, Stephen, celebrated his 60^th birthday.  His spouse went all out planning a party of 40 guests that included many of their friends as well as Jane and me.  Their friends are mostly of that same age group and the majority of them  didn’t know who we, the oldest in the group, were.  When we identified ourselves as Stephen’s parents, the responses were universal: “…Oh, how we love Stephen…he’s such a good man, smart and funny…give the shirt off his back…ect.”  As parents we ate it up with pride and I then had the hopeful thought about my relationship with God the Father.  Would He hear such comments from people I’ve known in respect to how I’ve lived my life? In various toasts made at the dinner, Jane’s and mine too, we heard words amounting to “…I’m proud of you.”  God, I hope I’m making you proud.                                                                                 Deacon David
 
July 14, 2024-Awesome
Jane and I have good friends who live in Missouri and whose home lays in the (94%) path of the recent total eclipse of the sun.  They invited us to stay with them in order to observe the eclipse.  For us this was a once in a lifetime event so we went.  I really didn’t know what to expect and surely not the three hours of craning my neck, being sure to wear the special glasses, and observing the effect of daytime darkness on nature.  It was indeed awesome.  The air cooled, the birds stopped chirping, the bees retreated to their hives and I said to myself “ain’t God awesome?”  The air gradually grew warmer, the birds resumed chirping and I straightened out my neck.  All that happened can, of course, be explained scientifically but I think I prefer to think of it as God’s artistry and ability to capture my attention.   AWESOME!                                                                                                                                       Deacon David

Reflections for July 1-7, 2024
July 1, 2024- A New Chapter
 Today we welcome a new pastor into our parish family…Fr. Renier Siva.  As with all transitions like this, we feel as though we are both letting go and reaching out.  It reminds me of my childhood schoolyard experiences of playing on the monkey bars.  I had to learn how to let go of one rung, swing, and reach forward to grab the next.  That was the only way to move forward!  
 During this past weekend, we formally said goodbye to Fr. Bony and now we are invited to reach out to welcome Fr. Renier.  I am confident that Fr. Renier will enjoy our parish community and no doubt our parish will grow in new ways.  Change can be uncomfortable, but there can be no life without it!  
 I have had the pleasure of working with Fr. Dillon, Fr. Stanley and Fr. Bony.  Each brought their unique gifts and personalities.  It seems that no matter who our pastor is, what remains strong is what I call the “core” of our parish- our welcoming, active, and generous spirit.  Our leaders may change, but I know that the spirit of SS. Peter & Paul carries on!
 Darcy Wharton