Last weekend was the long-awaited Holy Saturday and the beginning of the Easter Season! The pandemic had pushed and shoved us and made us suffer for two years. The pandemic is not over yet, no question about it, but we were finally able to celebrate in Church. Just the sound of the running water in the Baptismal font and the light burning bright from the Paschal candle is amazing. It just could not be better – and yet! We had thirty persons Baptized and Confirmed. Upon each, the vocation to be prophet, prince, and king.
Through the sacraments of initiation, we become part of the Church. Through these sacraments we are touched by God in a special way – God calls us his beloved sons and daughters. This expression is easily divided into two parts. The first part is that “God calls” the second, we are his “beloved sons and daughters”. To be called is another way of saying vocation. And, there is a reply to this calling, precisely because we are beloved sons and daughters of God. And, yes, please – everyone has a calling, a vocation not just priests and religious.
If we want to get a glimpse of this, consider the many, many persons that sustain our parish. Just think of these: The Nazareth workshop, all the ushers, eucharistic ministers, the lectors, the sacristan and her team, the deacons, – do we know who Rosalba is and the whole care of the altar that she and her team represent? You ask any of them, why do you do all of this – work all hours of the day and part of the night? Their answer is because of God. And, in a special way, the choirs. They sing, and play and sometimes cajole others to sing and play, why? Because of God. And, though it’s easy to be critical, many of us have no idea of all the work the parish and Faith formation offices takes care of. Why, because of God. Then there is the prayer group, the El Sembrador, the Grupos Unidos para Cristo, Grupo de Evangelización, the Knights of Columbus, the communiƟes of the Valley Mission Program, and how about the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate?
These are all, women and men – and their children, who have found a way to answer their call as beloved sons and daughters of God. We can not thank them enough for all they do! By the same token, maybe God is calling you to become more involved in the parish. Keep an eye out, on the weekends of April 30-May 1, and May 14-15, information tables will be outside of Church. Allow your own reply to be, “ because of God” .
Father Francisco Gómez, S.T.