“We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.”
(1 John 4:16)

Dear friends,

Recently I was watching a video on the internet that featured a gentlemen handing out one hundred dollar bills to random strangers. What was most fascinating to me was the reaction of the recipient of the free cash. While looking perplexed they asked, “Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I can’t possibly take this.” As I watched this happen over and over again I began to think about how this dynamic is similar to God’s free and gratuitous gift of love and salvation that He offers to His people. Our reaction to God’s gift can sometimes be similar to the above example: “Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I can’t possibly take this.” God’s particular and free love is so amazing that we feel that it must be too good to be true or we believe the lie that we are not worthy of it. Dear friends, it is true . . . God loves you! We did nothing to deserve it . . . It is free. We only need to receive it.

"Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
(Matthew 10:8)

Linked to the truth of God’s love for us is our call to be giving to others. This is to say that if we have experienced God’s free and particular love for us a desire wells up within our heart to be generous in sharing the gifts with which we have been blessed. Such sharing of gifts is truly free in that it is done not out of compulsion or duty but out of gratitude and praise to the Lord.

God is very much at work in the world, showering His love and blessings upon us. We give witness to this concretely by our sacrificial giving. It is with this in mind that I am once again making an appeal to you to fill out and return your 2020-2021 pledge card as a response to God’s love. On the weekend of September 26 - 27, 2020, at each of the weekend Masses, you will have the opportunity to place your completed card in a special collection basket.

I hope that you will take the time to prayerfully fill out your pledge card. I thank you for your generosity in the past and your continued faithful support of the parish. I continue to be so impressed with the generosity of our parishioners even amidst challenges and setbacks.

Peace and God bless,
Fr. Christian



"Feed My Sheep" by Yongsung Kim