St. Clement Keeping the Faith

  Jesus is with Us Confrontation is challenging.   I do not enjoy confronting another person.   This especially true if I do not trust their support and care for me.   Yet, my experience tells me that confrontation done with love and concern and building relationships is in fact good.   I pray that through Jesus in my heart and the wisdom of the scriptures I may take up the challenge to engage in necessary confrontation to build up needed relationships in my faith community as well as my family.   Please pray for me and I will pray for you.   Jesús está con nosotros La confrontación es un reto.   No disfruto confrontar a otra persona.   Esto es especialmente cierto si no confío en su apoyo y cuidado por mí.   Sin embargo, mi experiencia me dice que la confrontación hecha con amor y preocupación y la construcción de relaciones es de hecho buena.   Ruego que por medio de Jesús en mi corazón y la sabiduría de las Escrituras aso...

  Mourning and Celebrating Life This past week Deacon John and I celebrated the death and life of Hugo Jhovanny Ahumada.   He was born with a rare blood disorder and died at age 16. I can only imagine the pain of loosing your child.   Children are supposed to outlive their parents.   We are filled with hopes and dreams for our children.   I wanted to share with you the beautiful traditions for mourning and celebrating life that I witnessed.             At the funeral home the night before celebrating the funeral Mass, family were gathered all dressed in black.   They were all seated.   All was very still and there was a deep silence.   Hugo Jhovanny was dressed in the clothing of his favorite saint.   He wore a white satin like garment trimmed in gold with a large crucifix on his chest. Everyone is still as the words of prayer for a funeral were prayed.     ...

  Jesus is Fulfilled in Relationship (Matthew 16:13-20), Why is the question posed to the disciples, But who do you say that I am, so important?   To know Jesus is to be in relationship with Jesus.   In last week’s Gospel, the Canaanite Woman’s daughter was healed due to the mother’s faith.   It was her relationship with Jesus, new yet strong that made the difference.   It is our relationship with Jesus that will make the difference in our lives.   Who is Jesus?   Do you have hope in his ability to save?   Heal?   Renew?   How often do you talk with him?   Do you do all the talking (praying)?   Do you take time to listen?   Does your relationship with Jesus make all the difference in your daily life?   We need our relationship with Jesus to be strong right now if the midst of COVID, civil unrest, unemployment or under employment, death, and to have hope as the media tries to inspire fear.   Jesús se cumple ...

Belonging Th is Sunday’s reading is challenging (Mt. 15:21-28).  We might wonder why Jesus departed from his usual ready welcome and acceptance.  Maybe he was checking to see if Canaanite woman was serious.  But she did use some key phrases indicating she had experienced some level of conversion in believin g in Jesus.  She called him “Lord, Son of David .”  As a Canaanite woman, she would have not known him as the “Son of  David”.   As an unbeliever, she would not have called him “Lord.”  Maybe Jesus was testing her level of believe.  I imagine that Jesus must have given a hearty laugh to her quick  wit when she rep lied, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”   He rewarded her tenacity by quickly healing her daughter.   Who do I welcome?   Who do I truly listen to?   How do I respond to the hunger for welcome, belonging, and curiosities about faith when...

Walking on Water  *  Caminar sobre el agua Have you ever walked on water?  Have you ever heard God in the quiet whisper?  This is our challenge.  When in trouble, we look to God as a grand savior who lifts us magically out of our mess to what we decide is good.  We desire to hear and see God with our eyes and ears telling what we must do.  But where is God most of the time?  God is in the quiet nagging disquiet of our heart calling us to turn all our worries over to God’s loving care.  For we have the gift of free will and we must make the effort to listen to God in the quiet and respond.  In turbulence, we must make the heroic effort to move out of our comfort zones and be the voice of Jesus in our world.  God is in the surprising courage we find when we use our voice and sacrifice our security to uphold the dignity of others.   ¿Alguna vez has caminado sobre el agua? ...