Scripture:
Reflection:
The message from the Letter of Jude is somewhat of a mystery. We know almost nothing about who wrote it, to whom it was written, when it was written, and what it is really addressing. It seems the author is reminding us, the faithful, of the importance of staying faithful to the message preached by the apostles of the mercy and love of God. We are cautioned to be wary of false prophets who stir up angst and unrest and work against the message of love and mercy proclaimed by our Lord, Jesus Christ.
At times it seems like our lives are inundated with false prophets, broken promises, untruths and unrealistic messages.
What is a person of faith to do!!!!
As people of faith, we are called to stay true to our belief that the love of God and mercy of our Lord, Jesus Christ will overshadow this dark cloud of fear, mistrust, arrogance, bullying and meanness that seems to pervade our very existence at times. It is at times like these that we are called to stand up for our values and beliefs that make us the people God created us to be.
Our parish community of Saint Agnes is aflame with the excitement of the new Pentecost as witnessed in the Acts of the Apostles. There is no place for the unrest and angst that pervades the world around us. With excitement and determination we continue to preach gospel values and try to live them out in these ways…. We are about a capital campaign that will enable us to better serve our parish community as well as the broader community around us. We are following the admonition of Pope Francis in settling a refugee family later this summer and we are making room in our school to meet the growing needs of pre-school children in our area.
In all of this we take hope in the closing doxology of the Letter of Jude.
“To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished and exultant, in the presence of this glory, to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come.” Amen.
Down with false prophets! Up with dreamers and visionaries! Hope in the Lord!
ALWAYS!!!!
Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.