pastor’s corner

Sunday, April 28, 2024

     Hello folks,  

     The Lord be with you all!

     Today, the Lord encourages us to remain in Him. Yes, that implies that we might not remain in Him, and thus that we have a choice to make in the matter. Remaining in Him as branches on a vine, we can bear much fruit, but if we are not bearing fruit, He will merciful prune us in order that we bear the fruit we can bear. So, how would we not remain in Him? By not doing as He tells us, by turning to sin and being unrepentant about it. Oftentimes, that will be accompanied by a pride that comes before the fall, a pride that will partially blind us to what is happening. Pride will often encourage us to do great good…but by our own efforts, not dependent on Him. Pride will make us stubborn to acknowledge our wrongdoing. Pride will separate us from God, and thus from the spiritual community that is the Church, the Body of Christ. If you notice that happening, perhaps if you notice in gentle prayer that your heart raises a protest against something you are holding onto as indicated in today’s second reading from the first letter of Saint John, bring that protest to prayer, and try to accurately identify the problem with God’s help. If necessary, bring it to confession too for pruning.

     A couple more things for you to bring to prayer. This weekend we will have First Holy Communion rehearsals prior to the First Holy Communion Masses the following Saturday. There will be around 24 young people from our two parishes receiving Our Lord in the Eucharist for the first time. Even as the First Holy Communion Masses are happening, we will also be having the Confirmation retreat for both parishes. I ask for your prayers for the First Communicants and for the Confirmation candidates and for their families, especially that these young people might be able to remain in Him who gives Himself to them. It is clearly difficult for many of our young families to hear the voice of the Lord and follow Him. I don’t know what to do to better help them hear and follow the Lord; and it is true that this is a difficulty that spreads way beyond our two parishes. Yet, if we who read this can remain in the Lord, and unite in prayer about this, then as the Lord says in today’s Gospel, it will be done for us. Like He says, of ourselves on our own, we can do nothing about this, but in Him all things are possible.

Lord, please show us what we can do to help Your people to be grafted onto You, to remain in You, and to bear much fruit.

     God bless,

     Father Maher

p.s. It is still a couple of week and a half away, but to help with your planning, remember that Ascension Thursday is a Holy Day of Obligation with Masses on Wednesday, May 8 at 5pm at Saint John’s in Townsend, on Thursday, May 9 at 8:30am in Saint James in Groton, and 7pm in Saint Joseph’s in Pepperell.