Dear Friends in Christ,

The summer months are upon us and hopefully summer is a time when we can take things a bit slower allowing us time to relax and reflect. St. Paul, in speaking to the Corinthians, tells us that, "The love of Christ impels us" to "no longer live" for ourselves "but for him who" "died" for our sake. Therefore, we must be convinced of the power of God who not only tells the wind and the sea to "Be still," but also reminds us that being His people will require a stillness in us. Each of us are called to attain a certain clarity in our daily life. That clarity will enable us to know, believe, and experience God's presence wherever we are and in whatever we are doing. Whether we are on vacation, summer school or at home, God is always with us and we are always His people.

The "love of Christ impels us" to respond to the presence of God and to the numerous opportunities to spread His love to those whom we encounter. The art of "loving" always begins at home. If we cannot somehow see our way clear to love those we see and encounter everyday, how will we have the courage to love those who are more distant in our circle of encounters? If it is difficult to love those whom we say we love, how much more difficult it will be to love those individuals that we consider enemies.

Many of us live complicated and difficult lives that are filled with so many obligations. In the Gospel, we hear the words of Jesus telling the wind and the sea to be "Quiet! Be Still!" I would suggest that these words would be good for each of us to listen to. Asking God for the grace to be more quiet and still from within could only result in something positive for each of us. If the love of Christ is going to motivate us to actually and actively love others throughout the course of our daily life, then we must strive to have more clarity in our lives that will help us focus on our mission in being disciples of Christ.

My friends, I once again invite you to pray with me for the grace to respond. Ask God to help you to "Be still," calm down, and allow God to be more in charge of your life.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. James Tarantino,
Pastor