Bulletins by St. Clare Parish (Page 4)

On the great feast of Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles was fulfillment of the promise made by Jesus: “The Father will send you another Paraclete,” [also called “Comforter” and “Advocate”] “to be with you always” (John 14:16). This same Spirit comes upon us in Baptism, Confirmation and, in fact, in every moment of our lives. The Spirit comes upon our gifts of bread and wine, to change them into the Body and Blood of the Lord; the Spirit also forms us into “one body, one spirit in Christ” (Eucharistic Prayer III). On Pentecost, the frightened group of Jesus’ followers suddenly became bold in proclamation, speaking in ways that everyone understood, no matter where they came from. The Spirit gave them courage not only on the day of Pentecost, but for the rest of their lives.

As we celebrate the Lord’s Ascension into heaven, it is easy to overlook the significance of Jesus’ return to the Father: “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). Jesus’ work on earth did not conclude with His Death, Resurrection and Ascension; through the power of the Holy Spirit, He continues to be with us, as he promised. This same Spirit comes upon our gifts of bread and wine, transforming them into the living Body and Blood of Christ, broken and poured out for the life of the world. Through the indwelling of the Spirit, the Lord invites us to share the holiness of God and sends us out into the world to proclaim God’s goodness by our very lives. Without the Ascension, there would be no great feast of Pentecost, which we will celebrate next weekend. Let us rejoice in the Lord who is with us – always.

Jesus invited His disciples to follow Him, to live as He lived: This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:12-13). On this, our second weekend of First Communion for some children of our parish and school, Jesus’ words remind us that the Eucharist is our ultimate way of sharing God’s life while we are still here on earth. As we share the life the Lord has “laid down” for our sake, He also urges us to a love so great as His love for us. We thank and congratulate parents and other family members whose self-sacrifice has helped bring their children to the Lord’s Table these weeks. Though it may not always seem so, the lessons you teach by your love are establishing the pattern of love and service that your kids will follow for the rest of their lives. Again, our thanks to you. On Saturday, June 1, Father Victor will celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of his ordination as a priest. He will be the celebrant of the 5:00 pm Mass that afternoon. The celebration continues with a reception in the Rectory Garden. All are welcome to be part of this milestone in Father Victor’s life and in the life of the parish. Details will follow during this month.

“I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. . . Remain in me, as I remain in you.” Using the image of the vine and the branches (chapter 15, Gospel of John), Jesus describes the connection between Him and believers and, by extension, between and among believers. It is impossible to be connected to the Lord without being connected to others. Just as the branches are joined to the vine, so are they joined to one another. Faith comes through a community, in fact by means of various communities; first among these is the family, then the parish, perhaps the school and sometimes from one’s friends and classmates. Faith is also nurtured by these relationships. We should never discount our role in the faith life of others. Not only by our words, but especially by our example, others can come to – and remain – in Christ, the vine.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is known as “Good Shepherd Sunday,” because the gospel readings are always from the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John. On “Good Shepherd Sunday,” the Fourth Sunday of Easter, we take up the annual collection to benefit the retired priests of the Diocese of San Jose. This Sunday has been chosen for this appeal as a way to honor our retired priests as good shepherds, after the heart of Jesus, who said: I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep (John 10:14-15). Our gifts to this collection will help to stabilize the retirement fund that benefits 45 currently retired priests and the 38 priests who will reach retirement age in the next 12 years.

It is easy to forget the Apostles’ first reaction to the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus, as narrated in this weekend’s passage from the Gospel of John; they thought He was a ghost. Jesus’ response is an indication of His disappointment in them, but also a sign of His patience: “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” The Lord is also patient with us, with our questions and our doubts. When we have them, we should never be discouraged. If the Lord forgives all our sins, how much more will He ‘forgive’ our questions and doubts, that are not sinful, but merely human?

The celebration of Easter lasts for 50 days, until Pentecost. However, for the Church, the day of Easter extends until today, the Second Sunday of Easter. Throughout Easter Week, we have continued to chant, “Alleluia! Alleluia!” at the conclusion of every Mass. Why do we do this? Because the joy and wonder of the Resurrection of Jesus cannot be contained in a single day. If one were to listen closely to the prayers during the liturgies these days, you might hear the priest speaking of “this day,” even though the day of Easter has passed. For example, in the Preface to the Eucharistic Prayer, after echoing the assembly’s response, “It is right and just,” the celebrant says: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, at all times to acclaim you, O Lord, but on this day above all to laud you yet more gloriously, when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. It may be presumptuous to believe that we could do the feast justice even if we were to celebrate it for a thousand days. In fact, every Sunday is called “The Day of the Lord” because in a real way we observe Easter on all the Sundays of the year. That is why we keep Sundays as our weekly holy day, unlike the Jewish people, for whom Saturday remains the Sabbath, in honor of the day that God rested in the biblical account of creation. So we say to all, once again: “Happy Easter!”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Now that we have finally arrived at the Easter feast, we rejoice in the Lord’s Resurrection. We allow ourselves to be renewed by the very mysteries we celebrate these days and, indeed, every time we gather around the Table of the Lord: His Life, Death and Resurrection. Of this, Cardinal Basil Hume once remarked: “The great gift of Easter is hope – Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in His ultimate triumph, and in His goodness and love, which nothing can shake.” Walking with the Lord and with one another, sharing the joy of those who are newly baptized in our parish, our cities, throughout our Diocese and around the world, we deepen our commitment to the life that Baptism has opened to each of us. If you are visiting us for the first time, we hope you will come back soon. To those who have wandered away for some time – perhaps due to the pandemic or other personal reasons – we have missed you and we are so happy that you are with us today. What a wonderful gift you have given to all by choosing to be at Saint Clare. We can never be complete until you join us again! We thank you for the privilege of allowing us to serve you. May God continue to bless you, your families and your loved ones this Easter and always! Sincerely,