Holy Innocents Catholic Church!

May 6, 2021

Dear Friends in Christ,

The readings this Sunday remind us of the nature of love: that it has its origin in God.   God takes the initiative with us, “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.”  And having experienced the love of God, God gives us a new commandment, “Love one another, as I have loved you.” 

A few years ago, Pope Francis elaborated on the way the Lord Jesus calls us to love:

First and foremost, it is important to realize that Christ’s love is not a superficial feeling, no; it is a fundamental attitude of the heart which is manifested in living as he wishes. In fact, Jesus states: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (v. 10). Love is fulfilled in everyday life, in attitudes, in deeds. Otherwise, it is only something illusory. They are words, words, words: that is not love. Love is concrete, every day. Jesus asks us to follow his commandments, which are summarized in the following: “that you love one another as I have loved you” (v. 12)…

How can this love which the Risen Lord gives us be shared with others? Jesus has many times pointed out to us who the “other” to love is, not with words but with actions. It is the person I encounter on the street and who, with his face and his story, challenges me…

Openness towards each brother and sister, whoever they may be and whatever their situation, beginning with those who are close to me in the family, in the community, at work, at school.... In this way, if I remain united to Jesus, his love can reach the other and draw him to it, to His friendship.

And this love for the other cannot be reserved for exceptional moments, but must be constant in our lives. That is why we are called, for example, to safeguard the elderly like a precious treasure and with love even if they cause economic difficulties and inconveniences, but we must safeguard them. This is why we must give all the assistance possible to the sick, even in the final stages (of life). This is why unborn children are always to be welcomed; this is why, ultimately, life is always to be protected and loved, from conception to its natural end. And this is love.

Mary is the exemplar of how to open ourselves to the love of God, and to love as he has loved us. May is the month in which we particularly remember the Blessed Virgin Mary and the way she responded to God’s love and initiative in her life. God’s love became incarnate within her, in her Son.  She observed throughout her life, even at the foot of the Cross, the way he manifested that love. We are told that she pondered all these things in her heart. Mary, even now, invites us to ponder the mysteries of Christ, of his divine love in the Rosary.  So, especially during “Mary’s month,” I invite us all to pray the rosary, daily if possible, but especially together on Friday night. As we did last year, this year we will once again livestream the rosary on all Friday nights in May at 7pm.  Many people commented last year that it gave them an opportunity to pray the rosary as family, yet united together with the people of our parishes.   I hope you will join Fr. Anh and me in pondering the mysteries of Christ’s divine love and asking the intercession of the Blessed Mother on the Fridays of May.

Transitions

As we announced a few weeks ago at Mass, Fr. Anh will be leaving us to serve in his own parishes.  The purpose of his assignment here at St. Jude and Holy Innocents was to prepare him to take on the leadership of a parish.  Archbishop Etienne has appointed Fr. Anh to be the Priest Administrator of two small parishes in East Pierce County as of July 1.  They are St. Aloysius in Buckley and St. Cosmas and Damien in Orting.  Fr. Ann has been a tremendous help to me as my parochial vicar and a great blessing to our parishes.  I am tremendously grateful to him.   I know Fr. Anh will be a blessing to his new parishes and serve them well.

In July, we will welcome a newly ordained priest, Fr. Kyle Poje (pronounced POO-JEE) as our new parochial vicar.  Kyle is currently a transitional deacon studying at the North American College in Rome and will be ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Etienne at St. James Cathedral on June 26.  He will serve at our parishes this Summer in July and August and then return to Rome to finish his SSL in Biblical Studies.  What a blessing it will be to have him with us.  I am grateful to Archbishop Etienne for entrusting newly ordained, and recently ordained priests to us to train and form in their first few years of priesthood, to help get them off to a good start.  In September, another priest will be assigned to assist me.   Please join me in praying for the soon to be Fr. Poje, that Lord might prepare his heart well in the coming weeks for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at his ordination.

May the Blessed Mother extend her maternal care over you and your families and always point you to her Son and our Savior!

Fr. Johnson