From Our Deacon
We are just one week away from Holy Week when we celebrate God’s love for us in Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. We look at the meaning of what Jesus did for us. Jesus is the fulfillment of the New Covenant that Jeremiah prophesied about.
To see Jesus is not just to look at him. To see Jesus is to enter totally into his way of thinking, to understand why he had to suffer, die, and rise again. Jesus told his disciples, “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
Of course, the grain does not actually die but is totally transformed into something completely new: roots, leaves, and fruit. Similarly, a caterpillar lets go of being a caterpillar to become transformed into something altogether different and often much more beautiful—a moth or butterfly.
Like the grain of wheat, Jesus has to let go of everything, including his own life, to bring new life to himself and those who believe in him. In the process, both he and we will be transformed. If we cannot see this as the core of Jesus’ life, we have not seen him.
But Jesus says we must have the same way of thinking: Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. This, for some, is very difficult to understand. If I love my life, and I’m not talking about my Catholic life, my focus is on me and all that which is external. I must lose “me” parts by being more Christ-like. The second part talks about hating my life and having to keep it for eternity. To sum it all up, it brings to mind what Jesus said when he gave Peter his authority before leaving when he said, “…whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth you loosed in heaven.”
If we want to be close to Jesus, we have to walk his Way, meaning walking with Jesus and with Mary to Calvary, wherever that happens to be for each of us. Amen.
Peace, Deacon Lyle Blackmon
Sign up to Join the Flock!
Do you want to stay updated with text and/or email notifications about upcoming events, Mass times, and more? Would you like to get your weekly pastor’s letter or bulletin by email or connect with one of our ministries? We have you covered! This is the best way to get the latest information from Mission San Luis Rey Parish during the ever-changing pandemic rules and unpredictable weather.
There are two easy ways to sign up for our Parish Text Message and Email system:
- Simply send a TEXT message with the words “MSLRP” to the number 84576.
- Use your computer to signup. Just visit: sanluisreyparish.flocknote.com
*Please note. We will not send spam messages. We will not sell or send your data to any third party. Your information stays in our parish system, and it is safe and secure with us! Welcome to the MSLRP flock at Flocknote!
then select "Add to Home Screen" and click "Add."