Pastor's Note from Fr. Szparagowski 📝 - [June 21st Bulletin]

Dear St. Philip Neri Family and Friends,

We give praise and thanks to God for His graces and blessings.

One of the greatest struggles we face in life is fear. We worry about our families, our health, our finances, our future, and the challenges that seem to come unexpectedly into our lives. At times, the burdens we carry can feel overwhelming, and fear can begin to take hold of our hearts.

That is why today’s Gospel is so comforting. Jesus repeatedly tells His disciples, and He tells us as well:

“Do not be afraid.”

Three times in this Gospel, Jesus reminds His followers not to fear. Why? Because He knows that fear can weaken our faith, rob us of our peace, and make us forget that God is always with us.

Jesus never promised that life would be free from difficulties and challenges. In fact, Jesus tells His disciples that they will face opposition, persecution, and rejection. Yet even in the midst of those struggles, He assures them that they are never alone.

The same God who watches over the sparrows watches over each one of us. The same God who knows the number of hairs on our heads knows every detail of our lives. What a beautiful reminder that no matter what is happening in our lives, we are precious in God’s eyes. We are loved by Him. We belong to Him. He walks with us through every joy, every sorrow, every success, and every cross.

The prophet Jeremiah in our first reading experienced fear, rejection, and suffering. People plotted against him and sought to silence him. Yet Jeremiah placed his trust in God. He believed that God would remain faithful, even when others abandoned him.

The same is true for us. There will be moments when our faith is tested. There will be times when society pressures us to remain silent about our beliefs.

Increasingly, the world tells us that faith should be private, that we should keep Jesus hidden, and that we should be embarrassed to speak about Him.

But Jesus tells us today:

“Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.”

As Christians, we are called to live our faith openly and courageously. This does not mean being harsh or argumentative. Rather, it means allowing our love for Jesus to shine through our words, actions, and decisions.

It means standing for what is right. It means defending the dignity of every human life. It means not to be ashamed of praying publicly when appropriate. It means bringing Christ into our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

The reality is that we should never be ashamed of Jesus, because Jesus has never been ashamed of us. Think about all that He has done for us. He entered our world, took on our humanity, suffered for us, died for us, and rose for us. He forgives us when we sin. He strengthens us when we are weak. He heals us when we are wounded. He comforts us when we are hurting. He feeds us with His Body and Blood. He pours out His mercy upon us again and again.

Jesus never turns His back on us. He never abandons us. He never becomes embarrassed by our weaknesses or failures. Instead, He continues to love us with a faithful and unconditional love.

Therefore, when challenges arise, when society pressures us, or when fear creeps into our hearts, let us remember His words:

“Do not be afraid.”

Keep your faith. Keep your hope. Keep your trust in the Lord who is always with you and always faithful to you.

Today, we also celebrate Father’s Day. On this special day, we give thanks to God for the gift of fathers.

Fathers have a unique and sacred vocation. In many ways, they reflect the image of God the Father here on earth. A good father loves, protects, guides, encourages, and sacrifices for his family. He provides strength when his children are weak, wisdom when they are confused, and support when they face challenges. His presence gives security and confidence.

These qualities reflect what God the Father does for each one of us. God the Father loves us unconditionally. He protects us. He guides us. He provides for us. He forgives us. He remains faithful to us throughout our lives.

Today we thank all fathers, grandfathers, godfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, and spiritual fathers who have been instruments of God’s love in our lives. We are grateful for their sacrifices, their guidance, their faithful witness and their love.

We also remember those fathers who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. May they rest in the peace of Christ.

We pray for those who find this day difficult because they have lost a father, are separated from a father, or carry wounds in that relationship. May God the Father surround them with His healing love.

I pray for you every day, especially at Mass.

Please pray for me. Please invite someone to Mass today.

St. Philip Neri, pray for us. Have a blessed week,

Fr. Szparagowski