Happy Fourth of July! Today is a day of celebration for our country. Even with the virus hanging on, we can celebrate, especially if we have been vaccinated. The USA is a great place to live, better for some than for others. As followers of Jesus, we have the freedom to help those in need. Love your neighbor as yourself. That includes all our brothers and sisters. I want to thank all here at church who manifest this love by supporting and working in our Soup Kitchen, St. Vincent de Paul Society and Faith in St. Joe County. I also want to thank those who help out at liturgy with music and reading and ushering as well as cleaning and decorating and putting our services on line.Thank you, thank you, thank you! And of course, thanks to all who continue to contribute to the parish.
Our readings today tells us that all doesn't always go well for prophets. In our first reading the Prophet Ezekiel is told by God that he is being sent to preach to a rebellious people. "But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God! And whether they heed or resist - for they are a rebellious house - they shall know that a prophet has been among them." In the Gospel Jesus visits his family in his home town and finds out things didn't go well there for him."A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." The people knew him and so questioned his power. They could not see beyond what they knew of him and his family. He is just the carpenter, the son of Mary! He can't be doing great things! "So he was not able to perform any mighty deeds there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith."
In our second reading, St. Paul tells us of an affliction he himself had and that he asked the Lord to take it away. However, his prayer was answered differently than he expected: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." This leads Paul to profess: "Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong," Most of us have to come to the same conclusion, at least from time to time.
We continue to have our Sunday Masses at 8:15 and 10:30 AM. Little by little we are trying to get back to normal. The Soup Kitchen is still open MWF from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. We can always use more volunteer help. Our St. Vincent de Paul Society still brings food and other help to shut ins. Faith in St. Joe County in the parish meets by ZOOM every other Friday afternoon. Cheryl and Francine still work the recording of the 10:30 Mass as well as hold Children's Church in the hall. Good Shepard instruction will pick up in the Fall.Last week with the heavy rain we had a leak in the basement. I am looking for help in finding a company to look into that. I am also looking for an electrician. Please let me know if you have any recommendations.
Once again have a great holiday and remember to say a little prayer for our country.