Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

The human eye has an incredible ability to adapt to darkness or light. In the darkness, it is deficient without light. In a sense, the eye is straining for something it now lacks. The eye can adapt to see in darkness, but the vision is imperfect and can damage the eye. When the eye returns to full daylight, it takes only a short time to adapt again to the light. Being in a dark place and looking out into broad daylight can be painful to the eyes until you step out again into the sunlight.

In our Mass readings this weekend, we hear, “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light” (Is. 9:1 & Mt. 4:16).  Who were these people sitting in darkness?  It was the people of the tribes of Zebulun & Naphtali, which is the region of Galilee.  They were the first tribes of Israel to suffer death at the hands of the Assyrians (733BC). 

As the first tribes of Israel to see death and darkness, they will be the first to see the light of life, Jesus Christ!

Today, we Americans are sitting in darkness in a land overshadowed by death.  The darkness of our day is the myth that some human lives don’t count.  Since the legalization of abortion in 1973, almost 80,000 million babies have suffered death.  This is eleven times as much as the Nazi Holocaust. 

Like the people of Zebulan & Nephtali, we too have been overtaken by a culture of death and now we sit in darkness.  But only in darkness can one’s light shine more brightly.  The light of Jesus Christ has broken through the darkness to illuminate the path of life toward eternal life.  Today, may our eyes be open to receive the light of Christ so that the defenseless baby in the dark womb, the condemned on death row in a dark cell, and the vulnerable ill in the dim room may see the light of Christ in us for “those who sit in darkness may see a great light!”   May the light of Christ, the light of life, shine through us.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,       

In our Gospel this weekend, we hear St. John the Baptist say that he did not know Jesus.  Wait, didn’t he know him? He knew him personally. He was his cousin.  For John, after this experience of baptizing Jesus, he came to realize not who Jesus was, but what Jesus was.  Jesus was, is, and forever will be the Lamb of God.   

Why a lamb? Lambs were used as temple sacrifices.  The temple priest would offer up two sacrificial lambs each day for his sins and the sins of the people.  Jesus is both the high priest and the sacrificial lamb.  So, the lamb symbolized the price to be paid for sin.  Thus, the Passover lamb signified God's merciful and saving love.

Why does this matter?   Jesus is not the Lamb of God only for the Jewish Passover or 1^st century Christianity. Today, Jesus is the Lamb of God for you at every sacrifice of the Mass.  At each Mass, the priest echoes the words of John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God.”  

If a Catholic receives Jesus in Holy Communion each week but does not realize they are consuming the Lord of the universe, who sets their lives in a wonderful new direction. Then sadly they have succumbed to nothing more than a ‘Parish Pavlov dog’ which are well trained but not authentic disciples. To be His disciple means being willing to change our schedules, our desires, and our lives to conform to His life. This is why I wanted the announcement read on Christmas regarding those planning to leave early from Mass to not receive Holy Communion. In this new year may we follow the Lamb of God to be His disciple and let our lives be changed.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor 

PS – I will be gone this weekend giving a retreat on Divine Mercy at the retreat house. 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,        

We Americans love following stars.  Katy Perry has 71 million followers on Twitter and Justin Bieber has over 64 million.   Who are the stars that you follow?  Do they show you where to find Christ Jesus?

This weekend is Epiphany Sunday.  It is the day on which we celebrate when the star pointed the Wise Men where to find baby Jesus.

What was this star?  Scientists believe it was the planet Jupiter that intersected with the star Regulus in the Leo consolation and Virgo consolation.  The Magi determined by looking at the cosmos that the King of Judah was born from a virgin! Christ or Messiah translated in equivalent English today is King. The wise men’s journey of 1000 miles westwards from Persia, which could have taken three months, is a symbol of the inward journey they made in their hearts, a journey from paganism to belief in Jesus as the King of Kings, Savior of the world, and God of the universe.

Indeed, not just the wise men but all of us are on a journey to get closer to Jesus our King and Savior.

What are the ‘real’ stars in your life that lead you to Christ Jesus?  We frequently look for the things of this world and fail to recognize the greatness of the next. Too often we have our heads down.  If we have our heads down in our phones, tv, papers, etc. we may miss Christ Jesus who wants to come into our lives.  So maybe a good New Year’s resolution would be to spend time in adoration with Jesus in the Eucharist.  The pagan Magi were truly wise since they saw only a baby, but they acknowledged him as God.  This is why they prostrated before him in adoration. Are you ready to let Jesus be King of your life?

Like the Magi, we too must always follow our star with faith, promptness, and self-generosity.      

O Come let us adore Him! 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

This Christmas, my family took a family photo.  It was difficult to coordinate colors since all I own is black.  I guess that makes me the black sheep of the family.  

Today is the Feast Day of the Holy Family.  Did you ever wonder why God bothered to invent family life?  He could have just made us like ferns - self-sufficient and self-propagating.  But he didn't. He created human persons, not machines, which share in His image and likeness.  Just as God is a Trinity, a communion of three Persons sharing the divine nature. He made each of us dependent on others and others dependent on us.  To be created in the image of God is to be created for family life.

But since we are human beings, our family life isn’t ready-made. The perfect family is not prefabricated somewhere and available for purchase on a wedding register.  Family life is a task, a calling we have received from God.  By creating us in his image, God has made us like a coloring book - the outline of what we are meant to be is provided, and the crayons, but it's up to us to color it in.

And how do we do that? How do we fulfill this central mission of our lives, sharing God’s life through living a truly Christian family life?  Three crayons are all we need to color in that portrait.

The first we can do to live a healthy Christian family life is to respect family roles. Children shouldn't act like parents, and parents shouldn't act like children.  It's like a triangle. Mom is one side, dad is one side, and the kids are one side.  If selfishness breaks one of those sides, the whole triangle falls.

The second crayon can be summed up in two simple words: I'm sorry.  If we know how to say, "I'm sorry," our family relationships can endure and grow even through very, very difficult times. The best gift we can give our families is to commit to being the first to say "I'm sorry" whenever there is the slightest need.

Finally, the third crayon is we have to expect trouble and rely on God’s help to remedy it.

The Holy Family was a family on the run, suffering, and struggling to survive.  If that's what happened to the holiest family in history, surely, we should expect some of the same for our families.  God permits hardships because he knows that hardships can bring us closer to him.

Family life truly is the school where we learn to color in the outline of the image of God in which we were created.

Our families are called to make a beautiful portrait of the love of God.  In summary, we can do that by; 1^st – respecting the natural order and roles in the family. 2^nd – forgiving and asking for forgiveness from our family members. 3^rd- enduring the hardships together.  If we do these three things, the portrait of our family will look more like the Holy Family.   

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Yesterday I reflected on the day’s readings for Mass, and anticipating Christmas, a new word came to me. As I compared Hannah and Mary to examples of parenting I see today, I put a name to the latter, paidiism.  The word for child in Greek is paidi. The word paidiism is the worship of a child.  The word does not exist since this is a new sense of false worship in our modern culture. 

A few years ago, I read a story about a mother who created an Instagram post for her cute toddler.  The infant has over a thousand ‘followers’ and the mother tries to capture every moment of the child’s life.  This child is the center of the universe for the parents, capturing the best moments but not the real moments of human life. We can see other examples of a disordered parent-child relationship when the parents try to be friends more than mom and dad.  When parents spend time, money, and resources to live out their dreams vicariously through their children, and when parents fail to nurture their own spousal and social relationships at the expense of their child’s relationship.

It is easy to love children since they are innocent and the hope of our future. As beautiful as God’s creation of little children is, they are not God.  They are gifts from our loving Father. We live in a culture that rejects the gift of children through contraception, abortion, or sterilization.  The other extreme is to love the gift of children more than the Giver.   This is evident when families prioritize a child’s activities over the Sunday Mass obligation.  Failing to place God first in the family, followed by the spousal love of the parents that integrates children into family life, is the exact role reversal the devil intended for Adam and Eve.

I believe a great model for the proper love of children is Hannah in the Old Testament.  She was advanced in age and barren but desired to have a child.  She eventually gave birth to Samuel.  Once she weaned him, she brought the future prophet to the temple to leave him there and said, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request.  Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord…” (1 Sam. 1:27ff).  We encounter the ultimate example of giving back to God in Jesus, who says to the Father, “Behold I come to do your will.”

This Christmas weekend, we have the opportunity to have true worship of a baby, namely God, who became an infant in the person of Jesus.  Let this child be the center of our universe.  O come, let us worship Him! 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Please join us for Christmas Masses: Christmas Eve Saturday 4pm, 6pm, 10pm; Christmas Day Sunday 8am, 9:30am, & 11am.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Human parents are careful about naming their children. They want the name to mean something, to signify how important this new life is to them.  God the Father was also careful about naming his Son.  He didn't leave it up to chance or to Mary and Joseph's creativity.  He chose it himself and sent an angel to announce the choice to Mary and Joseph. “She (Mary) will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1:21).

In the Old Testament, God often changed people's names, mostly when someone was given a special mission in salvation history - like Abram and Jacob.  When God changed their names to Abraham and Israel, the meaning of the name signified their role in God's plan.  But when the Father instructs Joseph to call Mary's son "Jesus" even before he has been born, he shows that Jesus is not just another prophet. He shows that Jesus is his Son in an entirely unique way - so much so that God the Father has the right to choose his name from the very beginning of his human existence.

And what does that name mean? In Hebrew, Jesus means "God saves."  This name reveals Christ's mission. Unlike the Old Testament prophets, Jesus didn't come to earth only to announce God's plan of saving mankind from sin and evil; he came in order to enact that plan, to win that salvation.

The early Church writer, Origin (+253AD) once wrote, “Christians are seen to draw their courage not from incantations but from the name of Jesus…. The name of Jesus heals the afflicted in mind, puts to flight the spirits of darkness, and to the sick is an ever present remedy.” I encourage you to invoke the name of Jesus often. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Please take time to make a good confession before Christmas. Confession times this week are:

Saturday 3-4PM
Monday 7-8AM
Tuesday 6PM – 7PM
Wednesday 7-8AM, 4:30-5:30PM & 6PM -7PM
Thursday 6-7PM
Friday 7-8AM
No confessions on Christmas Day

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,         

A poor little girl took sick on a street in London one Christmas Eve. Some good people found her shivering on the sidewalk and took her to a hospital.  There she heard, for the very first time, the story of Jesus.  The Lord and Savior of history, coming into the world as a little baby.

One morning, Little Broomstick, because she was so thin, whispered to her nurse.  She asked her nurse if she had heard the story of Jesus being born. “I have,” the nurse stated.

The little girl looked up at the nurse with surprise and said, “You do know about Jesus? You look as if you never heard about him before, and I was going to tell you.”

The nurse’s curiosity was piqued. She said, “Why? How did I look?”

“Oh,” answered Little Broomstick, “Just like most people, sort of sad. And I thought you would never look sad if you knew about Jesus being born.” 

Our theme for Mass this weekend is joy and the color is pink (actually, the term is liturgical rose).  The 3^rd Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday.  Gaudete is taken from the Entrance Antiphon: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near” (paraphrase, Phil 4:4-5). Advent is a time of joyful expectation and eager preparation for the Solemnity of Christmas.

Pope Francis said, “A Christian is a man, or a woman, of joy: a man and a woman with joy in their heart. There is no Christian without joy!”  You may be told that there are many such Christians, the Pope warned, but “they are not Christians! They say they are, but they are not! They are missing something…The Christian identity card is joy, the Gospel’s joy, the joy of having been chosen by Jesus, saved by Jesus, regenerated by Jesus; the joy of that hope that Jesus is waiting for us…”

Brothers and sisters, to rejoice is to rediscover joy. A joy that can be rediscovered even in the midst of suffering and chaos, a joy this world cannot give nor contain.  This joy can only be found in giving your heart to Jesus Christ.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – I look forward to seeing your Christian joy in your Sunday best ‘pink’ this weekend! 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

One of my favorite movies of all time is Elf.  I love Buddy the Elf’s childlike joy and excitement.  There is a scene in which he gets animated when he learns Santa is coming to the store.  He exclaims, “Saaaaaaanta!! I know him! I know him!”

This weekend ol’ Saint Nicholas is coming to visit after each Mass in anticipation of his feast day, December 6^th.  While I am excited as a kid on Christmas day to have a visit from our friend up north, I hope we all know that Jesus is better than Santa.  Here are the reasons why:

• Santa lives at the North Pole… Jesus is everywhere.
• Santa rides in a sleigh… Jesus rides on the wind and walks on water.
• Santa comes only once a year… Jesus is an ever-present help.
• Santa fills your stockings with goodies… Jesus supplies all your needs.
• Santa comes down your chimney… Jesus stands at your door and knocks.
• You have to wait in line to see Santa… Jesus is as close as the mention of His name.
• Santa lets you sit on his lap… Jesus lets you rest on His heart.
• Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly… Jesus has a heart full of love.
• Santa says, “You’d better not cry” … Jesus says, “Cast all your cares on me.”
• Santa’s little helpers make toys… Jesus makes new life; mends wounded hearts and builds mansions.
• Santa may make you chuckle but… Jesus gives you joy that is your strength.
• Santa puts gifts under your tree… Jesus became our gift and died on a tree.

It’s obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season. Yes, JESUS is better, He is even better than Santa Claus.

So when Jesus comes again to us this weekend during communion at Mass, I hope you are excited like Buddy the Elf and proclaim, “I know Him! I know Him!” 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Please join us for a St. Nicholas celebration and open house in our school after each weekend Mass. 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,       

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving. Many gather in their homes, have a big turkey dinner, and share what they’re thankful for. But here’s how a certain television character described Thanksgiving. “To commemorate a past event you eat and kill an animal. It’s a ritual sacrifice… With pie.” Thanksgiving, in North America, is associated with the Mayflower pilgrims and their attempt to have a positive connection with the native people of the land, through the sharing of a meal. This commemorative meal usually includes a roasted animal and, yes, pie.

Biblically the concept of thanksgiving has nothing to do with pilgrims but is associated with sacrifice. The Hebrew word todah is the thanksgiving sacrifice done to show how thankful you are. For example, in one of David’s Psalms, he writes, “I wash my hands in innocence that I may come near Your altar, O YHWH, to raise my voice in thanksgiving [todah] and declare all Your wonderful works.” David offers his voice in thanksgiving. It’s what he has to give to show his thankfulness.

I offer my thankfulness to God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us at St. Peter Church.  How shall I return thanks for all the good the Lord has done for me?  “I will lift up the chalice of salvation and call upon the Lord” (Psalm 116:13).  

Please join us this weekend to give thanks to God for all the good He has done for us. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,       

In 1908, the famous English historian and writer, Hilaire Belloc ran for the British Parliament. His opponents tried to scare off his supporters by claiming that Belloc's faithfulness to the Catholic Church would inhibit him from being objective and a good leader.

"Gentlemen, I am a Catholic. As far as possible, I go to Mass every day. This [taking his beads out of his pocket] is a rosary. As far as possible, I kneel down and tell these beads every day. If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God for having spared me the indignity of being your representative."

The crowd was shocked for a minute and then burst out in applause.  Belloc went on to win that election and many more.  He continued to write many excellent Church history books, which I encourage you to read. 

If Catholics cannot bring Christ's wisdom, goodness, and grace into our society, what do we have to offer?  If Christ truly is King, which He is, we should not be afraid to spread his Kingdom. 

This weekend is the final Sunday of the liturgical year.  It is known as Christ the King Sunday.  As Christ comes once again at Mass to encourage, enlighten, and strengthen us in the Holy Eucharist, let's renew our faith in this great and eternal King and let's renew our commitment to spread His Kingdom.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Thanksgiving Mass is at 8:15AM

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

As the liturgical year draws to an end, our weekend readings highlight our call to true excellence, to be holy. The first reading reminds us our lives don’t last forever; this world doesn’t last forever.  It should cause us to reflect on Jesus in prayer, “My king, Jesus, is what I’m pursuing worthy in your eyes?”

The psalm continues this theme: The Lord is coming, get ready to meet Him! When we live in friendship with Him, this announcement is joyful. It’s a call to shake off any drowsiness that might have invaded our hearts and to think about the greatness to which we’re called. 

Then in the Gospel, Jesus warns us this pursuit won’t be easy. We’ll hear Jesus encourage us to persevere in our journey with Him. He says: “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.” It calls to mind Pope Benedict XVI’s famous exhortation, “We are not created for comfort.  We are created for greatness.” 

There can be no greatness, no holiness, and no sainthood without perseverance.  We all have storms to face. Sometimes they can be external. We could lose our jobs, we could fail epically in a relationship, or someone we love could get cancer. Sometimes these storms will be internal. We could be tormented by anxiety or self-doubt. Maybe we experience intense loneliness or feel nothing ever works out. Jesus Christ wants us to recognize these weaknesses aren’t an obstacle to our holiness but opportunities to be instruments for our holiness. God is walking with us, and He asks us not to run from Him. As St. Paul says, “when I am weak, I am made strong in Him (cf 2 Cor 12;10).”

We’re all called to holiness. And God, through our readings this weekend, reminds us that our part is to keep trying to love. A saint, after all, is simply a sinner who keeps on trying. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Should you, one day, be counted among the Blessed, you will spend the rest of eternity as buff as Michelangelo depicts in the Sistine Chapel. Won’t it be great? You will be in peak physical condition and at the prime of your life. How old will you be? What if you died an infant – or at an old age? It doesn’t matter. You will get resurrected in the prime physical age. That is to say, all the men will be about 33.  This is why I worked out extra hard when I was 33, getting my body ready for eternity.   And all the women will be… of a youthful and prime physical age (St. Thomas Aquinas is smart enough not to give an exact number for the ladies; speculating publicly on this is a bad idea). I once told this to a woman who was pregnant with twins at age 33…take it up with God.

Besides being eternally ripped, St. Thomas assigns four primary characteristics to the bodies of the Blessed. Drawing from St. Paul (1 Cor. 15: 42-44), he lists them as follows:

First, Impassibility (“It is sown in corruption, it rises in incorruption…”). Not only will you live forever in heaven but the gift of impassibility means the glorified body can suffer no corruption or pain, and it will not be subject to carnal passions. You won’t need any physical food and you won’t age.

Next, the blessed will have subtlety. (“It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body…”). Our bodies will not be subject to any laws of material nature, nothing will stand in our way. The prime example of subtlety in Scripture is John 20:19 when Jesus walks through the walls of a locked room to get to the disciples. By the gift of subtlety, our bodies shall be able to freely enter other bodies (walk through walls). Interestingly, our bodies will even be subtle with respect to one another. Totally sharable, we will be able to completely communicate, through our bodies, our joys to our neighbor.  This is why Jesus in the Gospel this weekend says that “in heaven there is no marriage, but that we become like that of the angels.” Just a note, we do not become angels.  Angels are a different creation and we do not cease to be human to become an angel.

Thirdly, your bodies will have what St. Thomas calls agility. (“It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power…”). This is a good one. Because, in Heaven, your body will be so unified and obedient to your soul, it will do whatever you can think of. Think about how incredible this is: if you can think it, your body can do it. Yes, I will be able to dunk. This explains why every human longs to do things like fly and have super speed. So the Blessed, with their agile bodies will be able to fly, float, have super strength, and be able to move faster than a speeding bullet. 

Lastly, our resurrected bodies will possess the gift of clarity. (“It is sown in dishonor, it rises in glory…”). This clarity, or “brightness,” will be the glory of the blessed soul that overflows through the head and the rest of the body. It is the light of glory which Jesus gives us a glimpse of at the transfiguration.  “Light from light.” And yes, we will actually have halos - these will be a sign of our kingly reign with Christ. The means by which our glory was accomplished will also be visible to all. There is a story St. Augustine tells of a man who was burdened by uncontrollable farting - in Heaven, he was blessed with the gift of making wondrous music with the body. 

The fool says there is no resurrection of the dead.  But our hope lies in the fact that Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life.  If we believe in Him, even though we die, we will live!  It is our hope that one day Jesus will open our graves & have us rise.  But today, we live out the Christian resurrection as we leave behind us the death of our own sins.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Have you ever met someone famous? Was it a chance encounter, or did you make an effort to meet this person? In the Gospel this weekend, we hear about Zacchaeus, who made an effort, against many obstacles, to see the most famous person ever, our Lord Jesus. 

First, he was small in stature.  Second, he could have had the paralysis of shame for climbing a tree since grown men do not climb trees.  Third, he had to fight the grumbling of the crowd.  The Jews hated tax collectors since they were traitors who worked for the pagan Romans. 

What were the rewards of Zacchaeus for overcoming these obstacles?  The world looked down on Zacchaeus but Jesus looked up at him with eyes of mercy, then called him by his name and invited Zacchaeus to open his home to Jesus.    

Every Mass is an encounter with the most famous person to walk the earth, Jesus Christ.  He makes it a point to come our way each week and every moment.

What efforts do we make to see Jesus each Sunday?  If we overcome all the obstacles that try to prevent us from seeing Him, our reward will be His loving gaze, His calling us by name, and His desire to enter the homes of our soul. I look forward to seeing the Lord Jesus with you this Sunday.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor 

PS – Please join us for All Saints Masses:  Monday 5:30pm; Tuesday 6:30am, 8:15am, and 5:30pm

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 My name is Zachary Kane, and my wife and I, along with our three children, have been parishioners of St. Peter for seven years.

 I was once told by a good friend that “places have purpose.” When we walk into many places, we can almost instantaneously know their purpose.

Consider, for instance, Memorial Stadium. Everyone knows its purpose is a place to play football (and more recently – despair). A grocery store is a place for food and sustenance.

Places have purpose, and it is for this reason that I am so excited for the new vision of our church through the At the Feet of Peter campaign. Whether it’s the heavenly stars above the rafters, the beautiful jeweled-tiled aisles, or the magnificent altar where we celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass, we will be reminded of the purpose of our sanctuary. It is a place that draws us closer to Christ, brings our minds and hearts to heaven, and inspires us to build His kingdom here on earth.

But we cannot achieve this vision without generosity. In order for At the Feet of Peter to be successful, we need your prayers and your financial support. I am thrilled to announce that we have raised $7 million out of the $8.5 million goal; however, we still need $1.5 million to launch.

St. Peter is a stewardship parish, which means this campaign and the future of our parish is not for the few, but for every parishioner. We are a vibrant parish family, and we are building a place to inspire our current community, as well as the future families and generations to come. We need everyone’s support to make this possible.

We ask that each family prayerfully consider what sacrificial gift they can support the campaign with and submit your pledge by this upcoming Sunday, October 23rd. Pledges can either be dropped off at the parish office, mailed, or submitted online here.

In His Mercy, 

Zachary Kane
Co-Chair of At the Feet of Peter Campaign

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

There is something that stirs in our hearts while watching action movies.  It is good versus evil, villain versus hero.  Maybe it is because good always wins and the hero never dies. 

This past week, one of my heroes died.  His name is Fr. Frederick Miller (76) from Newark, NJ.  He was a spiritual director, theologian, and friend to many seminarians for over fifty years.  I had the privilege of being his student and disciple at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD. 

Fr. Miller was best known for his love of the priesthood and devotion to the Blessed Virgin.  He was an outstanding preacher, confessor, and retreat master.  He gave many retreats to priests and nuns.  He was even sought out by Mother Theresa to give a retreat to her and her Missionaries of Charity. 

The 20^th-century essayist William Arthur Ward once wrote, “The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates.  The best teacher inspires.”   Fr. Miller inspired many men in the Church to become priests after the heart of Jesus Christ.  Fr. Miller did this because he was inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit to conform his life to the Lord. 

Although my hero has died a natural death, I know that good always wins and heroes never die.  Fr. Miller lives on in eternity for the Lord anointed him on the day of his ordination, “You are a priest forever……” (Psalm 110:4).

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Please consider making a sacrificial gift to the At the Feet of Peter capital campaign by picking up your campaign folder this weekend or by clicking here. 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

We all have weaknesses.  One of my weaknesses is the horsepower found under a car hood.  Recently my old car broke down and I was in the market for another used vehicle.  I could not decide between the car I really wanted (with its 340hp turbo engine) and the car I needed with half as much horsepower.  It was in prayer that the Lord spoke to me saying, “Some put trust in chariots, others in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 20:8).  With that advice from on High, I purchased a vehicle that I needed for half the price of the car I wanted. 

I learned from the Lord to sacrifice my wants for what I truly needed.  I am grateful to our Lord for showing me to see this and to trust in Him. This lesson allowed me to make a more generous gift towards our new parish capital campaign. 

Last weekend, we launched At the Feet of Peter capital campaign.  This campaign is essential for several reasons.  First, it will address our deferred maintenance.  Second, the campaign will add life and beauty to our current church.  Next, it will increase security.  Finally, we hope to use the campaign to start an endowment for the future benefits of the parish. 

Today, I give thanks to God and to our many parishioners who have contributed to the future of St. Peter Church by making a pledge to this campaign.  With your prayers and support, we have over $6 million pledged towards our $8.5 million goal. 

Will you join me in giving thanks to God for all that He has given us and make a pledge to your parish campaign?  After all, the Church is the vehicle that takes us pilgrims on our journey to heaven. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Please consider making a sacrificial gift to the At the Feet of Peter capital campaign by picking up your campaign folder this weekend or by clicking here. 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

When we were young and learned to read, it opened up a whole new world for us.  Reading expands our minds and inflames our hearts.  A wise man once said, ‘show me your books and I will tell you what kind of person you are.’ 

Today is the feast day of St. Jerome, doctor of the Church.  He was born to rich pagan parents.  In his youth, he lived a pleasure-seeking life.  However, he began to read and study the scriptures and converted in 365AD.  He famously wrote, “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.” 

I encourage you to read the Bible each day.  But maybe you find yourself like the Ethiopian eunuch in the Acts of the Apostles.  He was reading from the Prophet Isaiah when St. Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading.  The eunuch responded, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31) 

We are so blessed here in the city of Lincoln, and particularly at St. Peter Church, to have biblical scholars in our midst with the Emmaus Institute.  I encourage you to sign up for a Bible course or seminar through the Emmaus Institute.  These modern-day rabbis will guide you to understanding scripture just as Philip did for the Ethiopian. 

The Bible is God’s love letter to you. If you immerse yourself in it, He will open up a new world for you! 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – I encourage you to sign up for an Emmaus Institute’s scripture study by clicking here.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

One of the phrases I remember my parish priest saying the most while growing up in rural Nebraska was, ‘read the lives of the saint.’   These words have still inspired me today, and every night I read a life of a saint.  Currently I am reading the life of the Venerable Francis Xavier Nguyen, who was a witness to hope in the midst of suffering. 

Today is the feast day of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, aka - Saint Padre Pio.  Many people have developed an admiration for this Italian Capuchin charismatic saint.  He was known for his powerful preaching, physical suffering of the stigmata, and a confessor who had the spiritual insight into reading souls. 

There is a newly released movie entitled Padre Pio which is a biography of the 20^th-century saint.  This epic film stars Shia LaBeouf, who plays Padre Pio.  Shia, who grew up an agnostic, led a life of debauchery for the past few years. He said, “I was living in the fires of Hell and I created suffering for myself and others around me.”  It was not until he read the life of Padre Pio in order to prepare for his role in the film that he understood the meaning of redemptive suffering.  Studying the life of the saint led to his conversion and eventually joining the Catholic Church.

We should all inspire to be saints!  Pope Benedict XVI wrote, "The example of the Saints encourages us to follow in their same footsteps and to experience the joy of those who trust in God, for the one true cause of sorrow and unhappiness for men and women is to live far from him."

Like my old parish pastor, I encourage you to read the life of the saints.  After St. Augustine read the life of the early saints he said, “If all these people have achieved sanctity, then why not I?” 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – One way to help us become a saint is to commit ourselves to the Lord by participation in our  stewardship renewal. http://sgiz.mobi/s3/St-Peter-Lincoln

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

What would you do for a million dollars? Would you hug a porcupine; shave a hairy man’s back; drive Florida to Alaska at 35mph? A man who once saw Mother Teresa cleaning the wounds of a leper and said, "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars." Mother replied, "Neither would I. But I would gladly do it to serve Christ."

The parable of the unjust steward in the Gospel (Luke 16) this weekend is a symbol of our life.  Everything we have is a gift from God, and we are his stewards, who sooner or later will have to render an account to Him.

Possessions are not in themselves a sin, but they are a great responsibility for us.  The rabbis at the time of Jesus had a saying, “the rich help the poor in this world, but the poor help the rich in the world to come.”  One’s true wealth consists not in what we keep or store up, but in what is given.  St. Peter Chrysologus, the great preacher from Ravenna, once wrote, “Gold takes you to the dark depths of hell by greed or to the heights of heaven by charitable giving.” 

We are all servants to something, but what?  You cannot serve two masters.  God is the most exclusive of masters.  We either belong to Him totally or not at all.  Today may we resolve to serve Christ by being good stewards and belonging totally to Him.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Thank you to all who have signed up for our Stewardship Renewal.  Here is the link if you have not done so yet.  http://sgiz.mobi/s3/St-Peter-Lincoln

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

This weekend, we will hear our Lord Jesus share the joy of three things that are lost and found; the coin, the sheep, and the prodigal son. These three images correspond to three different evangelical missions. The coin, to those who haven’t heard the Gospel yet. The sheep, to those who by life’s distractions have slowly wandered away. The prodigal son, to those who have willfully chosen to leave the Church.

The Church is God’s ‘lost and found.’ The mission of Christ was to seek what has been lost because every sinner, every person, has value worth dying for.  More than an image of Caesar on a coin, the image of God is stamped on you.  Every person needs the community of believers to protect them. And every person desires to have dignity and the embrace of our loving Father in Heaven. 

I invite you to invite others who are non-Catholic to join us for The Way (RCIA) formation series on Thursdays from 7pm-8:15pm.  Think of the great joy you could bring by inviting a family waiting for their loved ones to be Catholic by reaching out to non-Catholic friends and inviting them to The Way or the joy you’d experience if someone did that for you.  Can you invite one person? 

My hope and prayer is that we, as the community of St. Peter Church, will rejoice with those who will join the Church this Easter.  “Rejoice!  For those who have been dead, have come to life again.  Those who are lost, have been found” (Luke 15:32).

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Please complete your Stewardship Renewal if you have not done so. http://sgiz.mobi/s3/St-Peter-Lincoln