SJE 20-Somethings

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE TRULY IS RISEN! ALLELUIA!

2011-04-25T13:58:00.006-05:00

Do you ever get so lost in your life that you can't see things any differently? We do things we regret that change us from the person we would like to be. We say things to people that hurt them and damage our relationships. We wake up one morning and wonder if the person that we think of as "ourself" in our head ever really existed at all or if we were just kidding ourself. There seems to be a point of no return when we figure "what the heck, it's too late now."

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE! Jesus promises that each morning is a new day - a day to come to him and let him show you the way to be who God created you to be! All the deaths we experience are overcome by our life in Christ Jesus! Let him take you by the hand and help you!

Always remember... it doesn't end with Good Friday because there's always Easter! Blessings and renewed life to all! Also don't forget your home at St. John - we're always here for you!

What does it mean to have it all?

2011-03-30T19:45:00.005-05:00

At the age of 19 can you imagine winning American Idol, being on all the magazine covers, having thousands of adoring fans, having a doll on the market that looks like you, and having people name their children after you? There are those teen idols in our country who fit that profile and sadly, we know what happens to most of them. The world promises a lot, but often delivers little.

Tatiana (Tajci) Cameron grew up up in another country - what is now Croatia - but she did have it all by the age of 19. By the time she was 21 she realized she was lonely and empty and she left it all - her country, her career, her fame - and came to the United States. Her story is truly inspiring and you can read more of it here: http://idobelieve.com/tatiana_story_08.shtml

Today she sings songs of faith and inspiration to help us all believe again. This Sunday she comes to St. John the Evangelist as part of her Lenten Tour. If you're in the area, come to hear the music she writes, the story she tells, the voice that will blow you away.

Come away and rest... but don't forget: the mission needs a Church!

2009-07-17T14:54:00.005-05:00

Wow. It's been a serious while since we posted. The summer started in June, but things in the parish don't really stop happening (great problem to have!). Even during his sabbatical, the staff have been updating Fr. Maletta on what has been going on. Reminds me of this Sunday's gospel (Mark 6:30-34): "The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all that they had done and taught. He said to them: 'Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.'" They do, but people need Jesus, so they follow them. "Jesus' heart was moved with pity for them for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things."

We all need some down time to rest and be renewed, but there is so much need in the world. We have to take a few minutes to catch our breath and be re-centered in Christ so we can hear the Holy Spirit, but then just like Jesus we have to get back to what we're supposed to be about. I once heard it said: "The Church doesn't need a mission, the mission needs a Church!"

Lots of Church has been happening... 57 of our teens just got back a week ago from helping those in need through the Catholic Heart Work Camp... a solid foundation was (literally) built last week for Melissa Buggs as our parish sponsored the first day of the Habitat for Humanity Diocesan build... the Disaster Response Team is going out again this Saturday to clean away 10-month old flood debris from a home in Gary... and our parish is providing the ministers for the Migrant Ministry Mass at the John Little farm in Lowell on August 2nd.

But don't think the job is done!!!!! YOU are needed to be the hands, the feet, the heart of Jesus Christ. Whether out in the local community, in the midst of your own family, or even as we gather at Eucharist on Sunday - there is SOME WAY you can be Jesus to this world in need. Look around, listen with your heart, then give in love! Here's a song to send you out:

2009-05-06T22:27:00.001-05:00

Thanks, Ali, for blogging in! Two things you said really struck me... First, you said "We have so much room for knowledge and faith in us..." I find that is amazingly true if I am open to God, which usually only happens if I am not full of myself! Our keyboardist at the parish, John, wrote and just recorded a song called "Wide Open" in which he sings about being open to God's Word, Truth, Light and Love. It's a great prayer song that we're going to be praying with before Mass on the weekend of May 30-31. Hope it helps everyone get closer to God... Secondly, you talk about having "...many years of serving our Lord and bringing others to more of an understanding of the faith." WOW! If we all could always remember that's our job given to us at Baptism! Thanks for being a great evangelizer!

2009-04-29T10:26:00.003-05:00

Hey - hi ....
For this first post, I wanted to draw your attention to the scripture quote in the logo of this blog. Proverbs 15:14 says: "The heart of him that has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness." Isn't that so true???? I have to get this off my chest, because it's really been bugging me... I have heard several people on talk shows lately that say they were raised Catholic, then go on to trash the Church and the truths of the faith. They have no clue of, nor do they try to understand, the beauty of our faith and the wisdom of the Church's teachings. They haven't had any education in the faith since grade school, but they claim to be educated and enlightened in what they are saying. In what other area of our lives can we get by on just what we learned in grade school? We have to keep seeking the truth -- and in the case of our faith, that's Truth with a capital "T," not our individual truths with a small "t" (our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI warns us about this which is called "relativism"). Have you had experiences of this, too? How have you responded? I know I have to keep reminding myself, even in my frustration, "in all things, charity" -- even in how I respond to these folks attacking our faith!