As we are ENTERING THE YEAR OF SAINT JOHN BOSCO on our 42nd anniversary next Sunday, September 11th (our parish birthday is September 15), I invite you to reflect on the JOY OF BEING CHRISTIAN!
To be a Christian is to ENCOUNTER CHRIST and to PUT HIM FIRST IN OUR LIFE.
It all begins at BAPTISM. Baptism, as the sacrament of faith, is the basis of the whole Christian life. In Baptism we die and rise with CHRIST. We are reborn as adopted children of God through WATER and the HOLY SPIRIT. We become members of Christ's Body, the Church. We become a Temple of the Holy Spirit (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1262-1271). Once BAPTIZED, nobody can take away the Baptism' s effects sealed upon our souls.
CHRISTIAN JOY is one of the key fruits of the HOLY SPIRIT. Last Saturday morning, right after the 9 am Mass, the HOLY SPIRIT was at work and brought so much JOY to those attending the BAPTISM of a little ANGEL! This was truly CHRISTIAN JOY!
I have baptized many babies in my 13 years of priesthood. Every baptism brings JOY. But last Saturdays was truly special. You should have been there to share the JOY of Angel, his parents, godparents and family. ANGEL was born on January 31st, 2022, the Feast Day of SAINT JOHN BOSCO! This is not a coincidence, this is GOD's INCIDENCE: our parish is just entering the YEAR OF SAINT JOHN BOSCO, and here we are, welcoming the entrance into our church of a seven -month-old baby named ANGEL born on JOHN BOSCO's FEAST DAY.
Throughout the entire Rite of Baptism, "ANGEL WAS ATTENTIVE, REVEREND! and he KEPT SMILING”: HIS CONSTANT SMILE brought JOY to all of us. My own Joy was when I said the words: "ANGEL, I BAPTIZE YOU IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT" while pouring abundant HOLY WATER over Angel' s little head THREE TIMES...his face radiated like the face of a little angel...My own Joy was when after completing the Rite of Baptism, I consecrated Angel to HIS MOTHER IN HEAVEN and he kept looking attentively at the image of Mary in our chapel (Our Lady of Guadalupe) ...and he kept smiling.
Jesus Christ promises us LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE. He promises us PEACE, JOY and LOVE, both on earth and in heaven. But He did not promise us a comfortable and easy life on earth. To be his true disciple, we have to carry our CROSS and we have to renounce our attachments to the world (Luke 14:25-33, this Sunday's Gospel). Christian suffering is part of Christian life. Saint John Bosco suffered much as a child. He then gave His entire life to Christ. He devoted his prayer life and joyful energy to assist children facing difficulties and bring them the Joy of Christ. Through his establishing Salesian schools for boys and girls throughout the world, he had and still has a major impact on a huge number of children. Not surprisingly, the Church recognizes him as Patron Saint of SCHOOL CHILDREN!
May Saint John BOSCO help protect all the children and youth of our parish as they enter into a new school year.
May Saint John BOSCO's great DEVOTION TO THE EUCHARIST help inspire our parish in our ongoing EUCHARISTIC RENEWAL.
May Saint John BOSCO's LOVE AND PROMOTION OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS throughout his own life inspire our entire parish to stay close to our Patroness Saint and her Spouse the HOLY SPIRIT!
Let us celebrate with JOY our 42nd Anniversary next Sunday: 11:30 AM outdoor Mass, followed by picnic, music, and games for youth and adults!
One in Christ,
Fr. Alain