St. Stephen Parish
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St. Stephen Parish SaintStephenSF.org | 451 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco CA 94132 | Church 415 681-2444 StStephenSchoolSF.org | 401 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco 94132 | School 415 664-8331 Weekday Mass: 8:00 a.m. Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30 p.m. or by appt. Vigil Mass Saturday 4:30 p.m., Sunday Mass 8:00, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. & 6:45 p.m. May 26 ,2019 Sixth Sunday of Easter How many of us have ever wished, in moments of indecision, that God would send us a clear sign about what we are called to do at that moment – perhaps an angel to tell us exactly what God wants? At times like these, when we’re surrounded by tur- moil and violence, it can be easy to feel that God has left us alone to fend for ourselves – that we’re left on our own with no clear direction. But the readings today, as we come ever nearer to the great Feast of Pentecost, are reassuring. We are not alone, but have God, the Church, and the people around us to give us guidance and support when we need it – as long as we’re open to the different ways the Holy Spirit operates in our daily lives. In the first reading, we see the Church, our brothers and sisters in the faith, as a support system to help us understand what is required of us. The earliest Gentile disciples in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia were misled into believing they had to follow the ancient Mosaic law if they were to be saved – if they were to be Chris- tians. But the Apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit in their discussions, realized that Gentile believers were not called to the same strict code of law that the Jewish people had been, and they sent emissaries to encourage the Gentiles, to lighten their load. Sometimes, in this case, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the word of those around us, the faithful people who listen to the voice of the Spirit and help us to understand. Jesus assures us in the Gospel that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, will be with us if we stay close to God, if we listen to God’s word and allow God to make his dwelling in us. Even though Jesus is not physical- ly with us any more (in his human form), his Spirit is with us to guide us to the truth – to remind us of the words that Jesus spoke to the Apostles and continues to speak to us through Scripture. The Holy Spirit who dwells in us speaks to us in our heart, during our prayer and when we are open to receiving his message. How do we know that the Holy Spirit is speaking to us? One way is to stay close to God through daily prayer, Scripture reading and the sacraments. One special type of prayer is the nightly Examen, in which we review the day past and see how God has been working in that day – where we received special blessings, where we were effective in our discipleship and where we might have failed. Through the daily practice of examining our lives, we can more easily see how God has spoken to us that day – through prayer, for exam- ple, or through the words or action of a family member or colleague. As we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, let us always remember that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, longs to speak God’s word to us and guide us – if we’re open. We have celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation, last week First Holy Communion, we’ve journey together during this Easter Festival – what blessings we have here at Saint Stephen Parish. Thank you, for being part of it! God Bless you all! Father Tony LITURGY AND LIFE • How does your faith calm you when you are troubled? • What does Christ’s peace offer you? • Have you considered the Holy Spirit as part of your life of faith? THOUIGHTS FROM THE SCRIPTURE Saint Francis of Assisi St. Francis of Assisi was an ardent advocate of the doctrine of the indwelling of God in man. It enabled him to love everyone equally whatever his status in life. One day he met a fellow who had no love for God. As they walked along, they met a man who was blind and paralyzed. St. Francis asked the sightless cripple: “Tell me if I were to restore your eyesight and the use of your limbs, would you love me?” “Ah,” replied the beggar, “I would not only love you, but I would be your slave for the rest of my life.” “See,” said Francis to the man who maintained that he could not love God, “this man would love me if I gave him his sight and his health. Why don’t you love God who created you with eyesight and strong limbs?” That is what Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel. If we love Jesus because of the countless blessings he has given us, and so keep his word as the center of our life, he will start dwelling within us in the company of his Father and the Holy Spirit, making us the temples of the Triune God. Helen Keller The story is told that after Helen Keller’s teacher, Annie Sullivan, had given her the names of physical objects in sign language, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain God and tapped out the symbols for the name "God." Much to Miss Sullivan’s surprise, Helen spelled back, "Thank you for telling me God’s name, Teacher, for He has touched me many times before." How could Helen Keller have known about God? Although she was blind and deaf, Helen Keller knew God, for God had shown Himself to her. That is the “revelation” of an indwelling God about whom today’s Scripture readings speak. OUR ACTIONS Let us be aware of the abiding presence of God within us: We live in the New Covenant of Jesus, daily facing uncertainty, conflict, and temptations. It is the abiding presence of God within us that enables us to face the future with undying hope and true Christian courage. The Holy Spirit, sent upon the Church by the Father at the request of the risen Lord, prompts us to turn to His Holy Scriptures for support and encouragement, enables us to learn the Divine truths, and grants us His peace at all times. However, to be able to receive these gifts, it is neces- sary for us to spend a little time each day in personal prayer, talking to God and listening to Him. We must deepen our relationship with Jesus, learn to get in touch with him, and sincerely love him. When we listen to the Holy Spirit, we will know His plan for our life and His solutions for whatever problems we face. We will be able to love our fellow human beings, and there will be a core of peace within us. The Holy Spirit teaches us through the Scriptures and preaching during the Holy Mass as well as in our prayer and our private reading of Scripture. Jesus loves us and comes to us in Communion. When the Mass is ended, we go forth in the peace of Christ -- all this under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are not alone: One of the great social and ethical problems of our time is isolation. Today ap- proximately 25% of all adults live alone. Spouses, parents and children often live as virtual strangers to one another. This is unfortunate because we never need to be alone. Jesus can always be present to us. He shares with us his joy and replaces the burden of our guilt with the freedom of forgiveness. He takes our grief and turns it into joy. We need only allow Jesus into our lives to be rid of this loneliness. Oneness with Jesus is the greatest gift we can give our children, our friends, or those who see no purpose in life. We can help to bring people to unity with Jesus, a unity that will change their lives. As we celebrate this Eucharistic meal, our Mass, let us celebrate in a special way the price Jesus paid for our redemption. May this Eucharistic celebra- tion empower us to lead a true Life in the Spirit. Monday, May 27 8:00 a.m. Adele Caunan Sp. Int. Monday, May 27 Memorial Day (By: Elvie, Mila, Belinda & Fely) Parish Office and School Closed Tuesday, May 28 Tuesday, May 28 th 8:00 a.m. † Andres & Beatriz Caunan 8:00 a.m. 8 Grade Luncheon Set-Up/Hall (By: Adele Caunan) 12:00 p.m. School Lunch/Hall Wednesday, May 29 7:00 p.m. Choir Practice/Church 8:00 a.m. St. Stephen Parishioners Sp. Int. Wednesday, May 29 th (By: Fr. Tony) 12:00 p.m. 8 Grade Luncheon/Hall Thursday, May 30 12:00 p.m. School Lunch/EC 8:00 a.m. † Thursday, May 30 12:00 p.m. School Lunch/Hall Friday, May 31 Friday, May 31 8:00 a.m. † Enrique De Leon (By: Maria Barzoloski) 7:00 p.m. GA Meeting/EC Saturday, June 1 Saturday, June 1 8:00 a.m. Graduation Dance Set-Up/Hall 8:00 a.m. † Marygrace Dunn (By: Marianne Daly) Sunday, June 2 3:30 p.m. WKICU/Church & EC 4:30 p.m. † Denis O’Connor th (By: Parishioners) 7:00 p.m. 8 Grade Graduation Dance/Hall Sunday, June 2 7:00 p.m.