June 21, 2020: 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows“
Matthew 10:31
Pastor’s Message
Today we celebrate the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our Gospel for this weekend gives a wonderful ‘triple-play’ about not being afraid. Jesus says: “Fear no one,” and later, “Do not be afraid,” and finally, “So, do not be afraid!” Three times in one Sunday Gospel! He is telling us that we never need to fear. How much clearer could he make it?! Simply stated, today’s Gospel is a marvelous lesson about Providence. God has a plan for our lives. He cares and guides us along the way, giving meaning to our existence, quietly inspiring us to do what is good. So, let’s listen to Jesus on this one: “Do not be afraid!” because we have a Father in heaven who gave us life, loves us throughout that life, and wants us to share eternal life with Him! Nothing in this world can top that!
Today, we celebrate Father’s Day…a day to honor the men in our lives who are an example to each one of us. Father’s Day is celebrated by families all around the world—and this year is no exception. While it’s certainly going to look different due to social distancing measures, Father’s Day will still be happening all around the world. Did you know that a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd started her quest to establish Father’s Day as a national holiday? After a year of petitioning her local community and government, Dodd’s home state of Washington celebrated its first official Father’s Day on June 19, 1910. Over the years, the celebration of Father’s Day spread from state to state, and after a long fight it was finally declared a national holiday in 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed it into law.
On page 3 of this week’s bulletin, you will see our newly created Our Lady of All Nations Shrine in the Lower Church. Our vision is to have a statue between 10 and 15 inches high that represents the different ethnic groups within the parish. If you wish to donate a blessed Mother from your homeland country, please let us know.
Finally, our first weekend back (June 7th) we had 366 people attend Mass and this past weekend (June 14th) we had 483 people. Thanks for reading, stay healthy, reach out to those close to you by phone, text message, or social media and have a good week.
Your Brother and Shepherd,
Rev. Msgr. Joseph Trinh