The beginning of the school year and the arrival of September hit me hard this week. Life just sped up radically. How are you feeling? Are you feeling the same? I found myself with very full days and I felt like I had more going on than ever and not enough time to fit it all in! It has all been great stuff but just a little too crammed in. That is not a good thing for me as I know that it is a spiritual attack. When I don’t slow down enough to listen to God or others, then I am not my best self! Ultimately it is a sin for me—to turn away from God even while I do the work of God. I know it is a contradiction but much of life is a contradiction.

 

Many years ago, I learnt that when this happens, I have to turn back to God in prayer and slow down. To pause and contemplate my smallness, to contemplate the vastness and beauty of the world and accept that my being “busy” is a movement of the evil spirits and not from God. It is time for me to “be still.”

 

It seems ironic for me to learn this lesson yet again at the beginning of the school year as we decided as a staff before we broke for the summer to follow the theme for our 2024-2025 year of ministry, “Be still and know that I am God” and teach each other how to slow down and be present to God in the present moment.

 

That phrase “Be still and know that I am God” is one of my favorite prayers and in moments like this I pray it like this. I repeat the sentence five times, but I drop one word or two from the sentence each time. Here is the prayer in its fullest:

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know

Be still

Be

 

This prayer is profound as it slows me down and enables me to see and hear as God hears. I love to pray it outside in nature or pray it inside at my prayer desk. It does not matter where I pray it, it only matters that I put myself before the Lord.

 

My hope this year is that we make and find the time to “Be still”, and that you will  join us on this journey. In today’s Gospel, we encounter the story of Jesus healing the deaf man with a speech impediment. Jesus looks up to heaven and, with a deep sigh, says, “Ephphatha,” which means “Be opened!” Immediately, the man’s ears are opened, and his speech is restored. This moment is about more than just physical healing—it is about being open to God’s presence and call in our lives.

 

We all need to “Be opened!”. It is a reminder that God wants to heal us, not only from our ailments but from anything that keeps us from fully experiencing the freedom He desires for us. He wants us to be free from our busyness and be present to one another. Just as Jesus touched and healed the man, He calls us to be open to others and to touch their lives through our service and love.

 

Next weekend, we will host our annual Stewardship Ministry Fair after all Masses. This is an invitation for each of us to open our hearts and listen to how God might be calling us to serve. Stewardship is not just about volunteering time; it’s about giving a portion of ourselves in service to others, just as Jesus did.

 

We encourage every parishioner to choose one to two ministries to get involved in – a liturgical ministry and another area of service (Outreach, Hospitality, Faith Formation, Spirituality, Parish Life Group, or Leadership). Did you know that for our Sunday Masses alone, it takes over 20 people per Mass to help with the liturgy? That totals over 100 people needed each weekend for our Masses. Please consider signing up for some ministry during the Mass or something behind the scenes. We have a need in every single ministry – Art & Environment, Lector, Music, AV Tech, Altar Server and especially Eucharistic Ministers. We have something for everyone and you can express your interest here.

 

We invite you to visit the ministry tables, ask questions, and prayerfully consider how you can offer your time and talents. By participating in the life of the parish, we can bring God’s healing and joy to others, just as Jesus did for the deaf man.

 

In addition to our call to serve others, Pope Francis invites us to embrace the Season of Creation, which is celebrated throughout the month of September. This is a time to reflect on the beauty and fragility of our common home. As part of this, our parish’s Green Team is hosting the Gospel of Water series, where we will explore the importance of water in both Scripture and our world today. Fr. Chris will be giving a special presentation as part of this series as well as guest speakers from the Bay Area. Dinner is included, please RSVP here.

 

This week, I invite you to  see the gifts of creation around you, take the time to simply admire one plant, a single insect or bird, or gaze up at the night sky. Allow yourself to be moved by the intricate beauty and delicate balance that God has placed in nature. Just as a single drop of water can nourish a seed and bring forth life, so too can our attention to the small wonders of creation which opens our hearts to the greater whole. When we recognize the preciousness of life in all its forms, we open our eyes to the responsibility we share in caring for the Earth and each other. Let this Season of Creation be a time of renewal and commitment to protect and cherish the world God has entrusted to us.

 

Let us hear God’s call to “be opened” and respond generously, becoming instruments of His love and healing in the world. Take time to recognize God’s gift to us with the earth and all its beauty, and let’s share of ourselves in two ministries here at St. Simon to help make our common home a place of love and healing.

 

God Bless,

 

Fr. Brendan