In every age O Lord, you are our refuge”.
 
Friends,

     The above quote taken from Psalm 99 is very encouraging.  It reminds us that now during these pandemic times and times of violence and upset, the Lord is there with us to comfort and console and give us all we need to withstand all of this.  These are extremely difficult times; no doubt about it.  But through it all, Jesus is with us.  

     Yesterday we celebrated Pentecost, the sending of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles; you and I are recipients of the many gifts God’s Spirit bestows. We receive all we need to live peacefully as His sons and daughters. 

     Let us continue to be brave and pray for peace among us all!

God Bless,
Father John
 
     Please pray for a very important woman in my life, my mother, Jean Lauri, whose Birthday would have been today.  May she rest in peace!


     The Pharisees and others like them never give Jesus a moment’s rest and they try to ensnare Him, try to trap Him in His speech. 

     They start off by giving Christ false praise.  They say: we know that you are a truthful man  and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.  Then they come in for the kill and question Jesus.  Is it lawful to pay the census tax or not? 

     Jesus realizes their hypocrisy and asks for a coin and turns the tables on them.  Christ asks; Whose image is on the coin and of course they say: Caesar’s.  Christ eloquently answers.  Give what is rightful to Caesar and to God what rightfully belongs to Him. 

     These people are trying their best to trap the Lord in the age old controversy of Church and State.  What the Lord so skillfully says is that we are a part of both.  We obviously are a member of society and need to abide by the rules and regulations of our city, state and nation.  But we are also people whose citizenship is in heaven and must abide by the rules of God.

     Often enough, we are very good at adhering to what the laws of the land are but when it comes to God, that is a different story.  At times, we may not be as kind as we should.  We may not be as forgiving of others as the Lord is of us.  We may not be as attentive to the needs of others as we are to our own. 

     Our God is an all loving and merciful God but He also is a just God.  He demands that we be upright citizens with regard to our faith-not only preaching it to others but also living good upright Catholic lives. 

     May we give to Caesar what is Caesar’s but also give to God what rightfully belongs to Him.