Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 20:10-13 Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33
Meditation:
What does fear have to do with the kingdom of God? Fear is a powerful force. It can lead us to panic and flight or it can spur us to faith and action. The fear of God is the antidote to the fear of losing one’s life. I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. O fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want! Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (Psalm 34:4,9,11)
What is godly fear? It is reverence for the One who made us in love and who sustains us in mercy and kindness. The greatest injury or loss which we can experience is not physical but spiritual – the loss of one’s soul to the power of hell. A healthy fear of God leads to spiritual maturity, wisdom and right judgment and it frees us from the tyranny of sinful pride, cowardice – especially in the face of evil and spiritual deception. Do you trust in God’s grace and mercy and submit to his word?
When Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God he met opposition and hostility. He tells his disciples that they must expect the same treatment if they are to live and to proclaim the reign of God. There is both a warning and a privilege in his statement. Just as Jesus had to carry his cross, so the disciples must carry their cross and not try to evade it. To suffer for the faith is to share in the work of Christ. As one hymn states: Lift high the Cross of Christ! Tread where his feet have trod. The Holy Spirit gives us power and grace to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Do you trust in God’s grace to carry your cross for Jesus’ sake?
“Lord Jesus, it is my joy and privilege to be your disciple. Give me strength and courage to bear any hardship and suffering which may come my way in your service. May I witness to others the joy of the Gospel.”
Your spiritually adopted baby was born this month – – nine months after her mother conceived her. The only change at birth is a change in the external life support system of the baby. She is no different now than she was before birth except that she breathes and eats differently. She is truly a miracle. She began as a 46-chromosome cell and has grown over the past nine months into this unique human baby we now can see. Never before in history, nor ever again, will anyone exist who is exactly like your spiritually adopted baby. Your prayers saved her life. Thank you on behalf of all of the little babies and their parents for your loving prayers that helped to bring them to birth “so that they might have life and have it to the full!”
St. Ann offers Religious Education & Youth Ministry classes for children and teens, for grades Pre-K (3-4 yrs.) thru High School Confirmation Class. Registration for the 2017-2018 RE/YM school year is now open!
Both new and returning families must register to attend classes. Parents/Legal Guardians may stop by the RE Office during regular business hours (June and July: Monday thru Friday, 8am – 3:30pm) to fill out a registration form and make payment. 
Next week, our special collection will be for Peter’s Pence, which provides Pope Francis with the funds he needs to carry out his charitable works around the world.
We Catholics seem to be in constant need of reminders. That is why today’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is so important for us. Just as the ancient Israelites needed Moses’ reminder concerning all that God had done for them, so, too, we need the reminders today’s festival issues. The proper entrance antiphon for today’s Mass sums it all up: “The Lord fed his people with the finest wheat and honey; their hunger was satisfied.”
St. Joseph is the patron saint of fathers, and the ideal saint to feature for Father’s Day. As the step-father of Jesus, the Messiah, and the husband of Mary, the Blessed Mother, Joseph stands out as the father above all other fathers in the New Testament. It was an indescribable honor for him to stand in for God the Father to bring up the Son of God. In order to respond to such a high calling, Joseph lived an exemplary life, and set the standard for every father who came after him. Fathers who want to live their vocation well should take their cues from Joseph.
I’m going to miss our 8th Graders. They each have their own little quirks which made them such a fun group of students to work with. One of the things I noticed about our 8th graders (and, in fact, most of our students) is that in everything they do, whether it is good or not so good, it’s done with a purpose. Our teachers always try to encourage our students to do something or create something that they are proud of. At times students’ behaviors can get in the way, but what we, as parents and educators, must remember is some behaviors are age appropriate. Our students take responsibility and show resourcefulness. I will miss them, but I am not worried because their character shows they will succeed and they have parents who will continue to support them.
As a counselor at St. Ann’s I have a unique job, I get to listen to all the stories the students have. The students’ thoughts and their perspectives are all so different. It is interesting to get an understanding of how the world works for them. Throughout the year I got to work with the students and teachers to find a common language in order for everyone to succeed. We really do have some amazing kids at this school. Something I observed at many of our family events, like our Ho’olaule’a, is how much love we have for each other. Parents want their kids to be happy, and kids want their parents to be happy. Believe it or not, many times when I ask a student what makes them happy, they respond if my parents/family are happy. Our children have complete trust in us. They worry about us, but of course we will talk with them and assure them everything is going to be okay. This kind of trust that they have in us, is the kind of trust we should have with Jesus.
Now your spiritually adopted baby is finished developing and is concentrating on gaining weight; she might be making her mother uncomfortable with her size. She will need a layer of fat to help her stay warm after she leaves the perfect temperature inside her mother’s womb. For some weeks now she has recognized her mother’s voice. In a short time, her baby will be born. Your baby’s mother appreciated the prayers you have said for her and her baby throughout the pregnancy. It has not been easy, but your prayers have given her the grace she needed to bring her baby to
