On my way into the office each day, I drive with the radio on. I don’t listen to the news, it hurts my heart too much and besides, I still read a newspaper. I don’t listen to Catholic Radio either, as it doesn’t come in very well in this area. (I have a FM radio, no satellite radio.) Given the circumstances, I’ve chosen to listen to a local Christian Station that has very little interruption to the music. No traffic updates, no news, no ads and very little talking from radio hosts. Primarily just music. A week ago, on Thursday morning, a song came on the station and it’s one that I’ve heard for several years and I found myself singing along. Some of you may know the song, “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me. The premise of the lyrics wondering what it would be like to be in the presence of Jesus. The lyrics include: “Surrounded by Your glory, what would my heart feel? Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees, will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine.” The words got me thinking, and I realized how fortunate I feel to be Catholic. I really don’t have to imagine what I would do if I was in the presence of Jesus, so much as I need to realize that I am in the presence of Jesus. One of my heroes, Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, often quoted Matthew 25: 40, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ As Catholics we are given the corporal works of mercy—feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned,shelter the homeless, visit the sick, and bury the dead. We know that by performing these works, we recognize Jesus in our brothers and sisters. We know that every time we participate in a Sacrament, we have an encounter with Jesus. We are in the presence of Jesus. Jesus is all around us all the time, we need to have the eyes to see, to recognize and to realize his presence. So, I asked myself, what do I do when I realize the presence of Jesus in my life? Often, I speak a word of gratitude. I will smile. I’ll laugh or cry from delight or tenderness or sorrow. My heart will feel like it’s going to burst, or sometimes my heart just breaks for the other. Sometimes it’s just a quiet moment. The recognition of Jesus brings me to the moment, to the other, to myself, and to God. If I could just realize it more often. How about you? How does your heart feel when you recognize you are in the presence of Jesus? Do you dance? Do you stand? Do you kneel? Or can you only imagine?

4 th. Sunday of Easter (Year A). April,30,2023. Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Ps. 23: 1-3a, 3b4, 5, 6. John 10:1-10. “I Came That They May Have Life… Abundantly”. Introduction: On this Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the Church reminds us of our call to become good shepherds of God’s flock and good sheep of His parishes and invites us to pray for vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate, and the consecrated life. Both the Old and New Testaments use the image of a Shepherd and His flock to describe the unique relationship of God with Israel and of the Christ with Christians. So, for instance, the Old Testament speaks of God as shepherd of his people, Israel: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). The Messiah is also pictured as the shepherd of God's people: “He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms” (Isaiah 40:11). In the New Testament, Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd who will risk his life to seek out and save the stray sheep” (Matt.18:12, Luke 15:4). Indeed, he is “the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls” (1 Pet. 2:25). Life Message: What can shepherding teach us about God and our relationship with him? In today’s Gospel, two brief parables show us Jesus, the first, as a selfless, caring “shepherd” who provides for his sheep protection and life itself, and the second, as our unique gateway ("sheep gate"), to eternal salvation. In other words, besides guiding his flock to Eternal Life as the Good Shepherd, Jesus is himself the gateway to Eternal Life. At the end of each day the shepherd brought his sheep into shelter. They knew the voice of their shepherd and came at his beckoning. So familiar was the shepherd and his sheep, that each was called by a distinct name. Thus, today, Jesus is sharing some basic earthly truths that have a heavenly meaning, by making connections between sheep, shepherds, thieves, and robbers, and applying these earthly observations, as guides to our spiritual lives. Conclusion: In fact, the Bible compares us to sheep in many places. Ps. 119:176 says, "I have strayed like a lost sheep." The prophet Isaiah in chapter 53:6, said, " We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” In fact, if you consult anyone who raises sheep, they will tell you that if you give sheep an opportunity to make trouble, they will take it and can be very destructive. We, like sheep, know that it is simply impossible for us to stay perfect. But our Shepherd provides the gate and the path, hence the assurance that, “I Came That They May Have Life, and have it more Abundantly” (Jn10:10). Therefore, we need to become good sheep in the fold of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. We Pray: Good and gracious Lord, we thank you for your role as gate and shepherd. We are blessed to be your lambs led on the path of everlasting life in You. Through Your death we have eternal life, free from the grasp of robbers and thieves. Thank you for being our “GPS” to get us to our desired destination. AMEN!

2 nd.Sunday of Easter (Year A) (April 16, 2023) Acts 2:42-47, I Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31. (Divine Mercy Sunday) “Jesus, I trust in you” Introduction: The readings for this Sunday show us our need for God’s Divine Mercy, through the celebration of the Sacraments (especially the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist) when we receive them in trusting Faith. Origin: St. Faustina Kowalska and the Image of Divine Mercy: St. Faustina of Poland is the wellknown apostle of Divine Mercy. On the 30th of April, 2000, on the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday, the Feast requested by Jesus in His communications with St. Faustina), Pope St. John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist in Saint Peter’s Square and proceeded to the canonization of Blessed Sister Faustina Kowalska. And she invites us by the witness of her life to keep our Faith and Hope fixed on God the Father, rich in mercy, who saved us by the precious Blood of His Son. During her short life, the Lord Jesus assigned to St. Faustina three basic tasks: 1. to pray for souls, entrusting them to God's incomprehensible Mercy; 2. to tell the world about God's generous Mercy; 3. to start a new movement in the Church focusing on God's Mercy. At the canonization of St. Faustina, Pope St. John Paul II said: “The cross, even after the Resurrection of the Son of God, speaks, and never ceases to speak, of God the Father, Who is absolutely faithful to His eternal love for man. ... Believing in this love means believing in mercy." “The Lord of Divine Mercy,” a drawing of Jesus based on the vision given to St. Faustina, shows Jesus raising his right hand in a gesture of blessing, with His left hand on his heart from which gush forth two rays, one red and one white. The picture contains the message, "Jesus, I trust in You!" The rays streaming out have symbolic meaning: red for the Blood of Jesus, which is the life of souls, and white for the water of Baptism which justifies souls. The whole image is symbolic of the mercy, forgiveness and love of God. Life message: We need to accept God's invitation to celebrate and practice mercy in our Christian lives: One major way the Church celebrates God’s mercy throughout the year is through the Holy Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Finding time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another good way to receive and give thanks for Divine Mercy. But it is mainly through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we practice the Mercy we have received, in our daily lives and become eligible for God’s merciful judgment. Conclusion: Therefore, as Christians, we must endeavor to share in the Divine Life of Jesus by frequenting the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) presents it this way: “If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve. Only then we put our love of God into action.”

Beginning Ash Wednesday, the Knights of Columbus will be collecting can goods in the Narthex. Thank you for your donations.

Continue your Lenten journey with Stations of the Cross Every Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Church. February 24th, March 3rd, 10th, 24th & 31st Special Children's Station of the Cross March 17th at 5:00 p.m. in the Main Church Children are welcome to learn about the stations of the cross during thisspecial event geared specifically toward our parish youth. Potluck meal to follow in the Parish Hall. Please Contact Allison Ramirez allison@stbarbarachurch.org for questions

Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl Collection This Lent, commit to our global human family through daily prayer, weekly fasting and almsgiving. Rice Bowls can be found in the Narthex all through Lent. Thank you for your donation.

We are now officially in the Easter season, and the first Sunday after every Easter is known as Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy image has become an iconic reminder of the unfathomable mercy that Jesus desires to lavish upon any and all who ask. This image was the result of a vision of Jesus that Sister Maria Faustina experienced in 1931. In her vision, Jesus appeared to her wearing a white robe, his hand raised in blessing. His other hand touched his robe at the level of his heart from which two rays flowed out. The red ray represents his love which is life for souls, and the white ray represents water to cleanse souls. Under his image he asked for the words: Jesus I trust in you, to be placed. He instructed Sister Faustina to have an artist paint the image of him as she had seen it, and that the first Sunday following Easter be dedicated to particular devotion to the mercy of Jesus. This weekend, we also celebrate our five Confirmation youth who have been preparing for and are now receiving the sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. What is a sacrament? The Catechism in article 1131 defines sacraments as“efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.” In other words, the sacraments are visible signs of an invisible grace –the divine life of God—who is there to meet us in each of the sacraments. The Holy Spirit descended as of tongues of fire upon the heads of the apostles at Pentecost, a Jewish feast celebrated fifty days after Jesus resurrection, equipping them with the courage and conviction to bravely and boldly share the gospel and defend the faith. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, counselor, encourager, and cultivator of the fruits and gifts that enable us to grow in virtue. In Confirmation, specifically, we are anointed as priest, prophet, and king to confidently serve others, proclaim the gospel, and build up Christ’s kingdom here on earth using our gifts and talents to the benefit of all God’s people under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Those newly confirmed are called to go forth into the world, always with the words Jesus trust in you’ on their lips, faithful dispensers of Christ’s unfathomable mercy which we celebrate today. As taken from St. Maria Faustina’s diary, “Oh Savior of the world. I unite myself with your mercy. My Jesus, I join all my sufferings to yours and deposit them in the treasury of the Church for the benefit of souls” (Dairy, 295). “Suddenly, I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, Be at peace, my child. See, you are not alone. My heart watches over you” (Diary, 316).

Easter Sunday Mass: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Col 3:1-4; Jn 20:1-9. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Ps 118:24). Alleluia!! Significance of Easter: Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. It marks the birthday of our eternal hope. "Easter" literally means "the feast of fresh flowers." We Catholics throughout the whole world, celebrate it with pride and jubilation for three major reasons that Pope Francis proffered: “The first Easter message that I would offer you: it is always possible to begin anew, because there is always a new life that God can awaken in us in spite of all our failures. The second message of Easter: faith is not an album of past memories; Jesus is not outdated. He is alive here and now. The third message of Easter: Jesus, the Risen Lord, loves us without limits and is there at every moment of our lives.” Life message: We are to be Resurrection people: Easter, the feast of the Resurrection, gives us the joyful message that we are a “Resurrection people.” There is a Shrine of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, and pilgrims from all over the world visit a tomb there which is empty with a note at its entrance which says, “He is not here.” It is famous because Jesus Christ, who was once buried there, rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb, as He had told his disciples he would. Thus, Jesus worked the most important miracle in His life, defying the laws of nature and proving that He is God. We rejoice at this great and unique event by celebrating Easter. Conclusion: This means that we are not supposed to lie buried in the tomb of our sins, evil habits, and dangerous addictions. It gives us the Good News that no tombs can hold us down any longer - not the tombs of despair, discouragement, doubt, or death itself. Instead, we are expected to live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly experiencing the real Presence of the Risen Lord in all the events of our lives. In short, our conviction about the presence of the Risen Lord in our neighbors, and in all those with whom we come into contact, should encourage us to respect them, and to render them loving, humble, selfless service. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Ps 118:24).

Saturday Evening (April 8, 2023): Vigil Mass: Rom 6: 3-11; Mt 28:1-10; “Jesus is Lord; He is risen!” The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian Faith, for it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your Faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, then your Faith is a delusion, and you are still lost in your sins… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Cor 15:14, 17, 20). In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our Faith in Christ, a Faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross..." (CCC # 638). Life Message: If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, then the Church is a fraud and Faith is a sham. But if Jesus really did rise from the dead, his message is true! Without the Resurrection, Jesus would have remained forever a good person who had met a tragic end. People would remember some of his teachings, and a handful of people might try to live according to them. All the basic doctrines of Christianity are founded on the truth of the Resurrection. “Jesus is Lord; He is risen!” (Rom 10:9) was the central theme of the kerygma (or "preaching"), of the apostles. There is a story of two women who stood before Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. One asked, "Why can't we build structures like this anymore?" Her friend answered, "The people who built this had Faith. Today we have only opinions. And you can't build a cathedral with opinions." Conclusion: Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in Me will live even though he die” (Jn 11:25-26). In fact, the founder of no other religion has an empty tomb as Jesus does. We see the fulfillment of Christ's promise on the empty cross and in the empty tomb. Hence the angel said to the women at Jesus’ tomb: “Why are you looking among the dead for One Who is alive? He is not here but has risen” (Lk 24:5-6). Consequently, Christ will raise us up on the last day, but it is also true, in a sense, that we have already risen with Christ. By virtue of the Holy Spirit, our Christian life is already a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ.

Homily: Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Year A. (April 7,2023). Is. 52:13—53:12; Heb. 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1—19:42. being a “laughingstock to my neighbors, a dread to my friends”, one “forgotten like the unremembered dead”. Good Friday readings bring us to the pinnacle of the holy days in the Christian calendar. While we have heard the story of the passion of our Lord many times, it can still impact us in new ways, opening new insights for us to contemplate in our journey of faith. Isaiah’s prophesy of the suffering servant maps so perfectly with today’s Gospel. Isaiah connects us with the unjust treatment of the sinless servant of God. Who would recognize one as highly exalted whose image was “marred beyond human semblance” so much that it would “startle many nations” and cause kings to “stand speechless”. We recall our earlier Lenten readings from the prophet Samuel’s choosing of David to be king, which were based on not on external appearances but on internal qualities known only to God. Today’s psalm likewise meditates on our Lord’s passion, focusing on the abandonment of the one unjustly accused- being a “laughingstock to my neighbors, a dread to my friends”, one “forgotten like the unremembered dead”. The passage in Hebrews makes it clear that our Lord is the true high priest, who suffered even more than we could suffer, becoming the source of salvation for all. Hence, he calls us to follow him in his victory, trusting Him in faith, leading us to the mercy we need. Today’s gospel takes us through events in our Lord’s passion that verify Isaiah’s prophesy. Our Lord leads his disciples throughout his earthly ministry, but here he journeys alone. We are not able to follow our Lord everywhere he must go, for he must go to prepare a place for us where we can then follow after him. Life message: Let us welcome our crosses as Jesus did for the atonement of our sins and those of others: We may have been crucified several times and betrayed by our dear ones. We may have been misunderstood in the most calculated and deliberate of ways by those whom we trusted and loved. We may have been forced to take up the cross for others several times. We may have felt forsaken and abandoned on several occasions. Yet, his willingness to suffer in our place balanced the Divine "scales of justice." The debt was now paid. His love paid the price. His passion and death atoned for our sins and redeemed us, making possible our salvation. Conclusion: In a nutshell, the question we should ask ourselves on Good Friday is whether we have accepted these painful experiences gracefully from a loving God and offered all these painful occasions as atonement for our sins and for the sins of our dear ones. By dying on the cross Jesus embraced human suffering. So, when we are troubled and in distress, we can turn to him in confidence that he will be with us. This means we are to bear one another’s burdens, just as Christ has carried our burdens. That's one way we can show that we have accepted Christ's precious gift.

Lenten Reconciliation, March 22nd at 7pm Palm Sunday Vigil, April 1st at 5 pm, Palm Sunday, April 2nd at 8 & 10 am Holy Thursday, April 6th 7 pm Good Friday, April 7th 7 pm Easter Vigil, April 8th 8pm Easter Sunday, April 9th 8 am & 10 am

How can we quench our thirst for God? Saying yes to opportunities to learn more about Jesus Christ is one way we can “seek a well of living water”. By collaborating with fellow parishioners, we can build a stronger church and help our community. How can we pass this message on to our children? Today, many churches face challenges in attracting youth participation. Encouraging our children to contribute to their faith community is more crucial then ever. Last weekend the Youth choir was thrilled to sing for the 2nd Sunday of Lent. It is such a blessing to have youth in our parish that enjoy participating in mass. St. Barbara Catholic Church is fortunate enough to have many ways for our youth to get involved and serve Christ. Our Youth Choir is just one of the many ways children can support the mass and learn more about the liturgy. Youth choir runs during the school year from September to May. The choir sings for four masses during the year spanning 4 different liturgical seasons. The youth prepare for singing at mass by rehearsing twice a month with instruments. We are always welcoming more participants to share their love of music and grow with Christ. Singing during mass is a great way for children to learn the order of the mass and how music plays an integral part. Youth Choir is not the only avenue for children to participate during the mass. St. Barbara Parish is blessed to have several students volunteer as altar servers. Altar servers help facilitate the mass along with Father and other volunteer adults. To become an alter server you must receive the sacrament of communion. Altar servers just starting out will have the opportunity to shadow and learn how to support Father during mass. Volunteering as an altar server is a wonderful way for youth to get a front seat perspective of what happens during the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the eucharist. When youth play an active role during mass their focus is on the word of God, and they are more motivated to take part in other aspects of the church. If your child is not interested in participating in mass there are other ways to get involved in the church. Our community has faith formation classes for students of all ages. Children can foster relationships with other children and learn how to be disciples of Jesus Christ. As Catholics we are called to spread God’s word, by attending faith formation classes children can learn about the Lord’s messages on their own terms. St. Barbara Catholic Church offers Sunday School for preschool aged children and students that have yet to receive their first eucharist. If you are old enough to complete the sacrament of communion you can prepare with classes each Sunday to achieve this important milestone. Students that have already received First Communion may take faith formation classes and expand on their knowledge. Lastly, older students in middle school and high school can gather with like minded youth in Youth Group. These opportunities are excellent in helping children create friendships with in their church. St. Barbara Catholic Church strives to create multiple chances for youth to gather and celebrate God. On March 17th the parish will be hosting a Stations of the Cross event for youth. Following this Stations of the Cross event geared for our youth their will be a potluck for families. If you are new to the parish or a long-time parishioner this is the perfect time to come and meet other families and children that attend St. Barbara Parish. Building relationships in the church help us to build a stronger Catholic community. - Katie Baker