This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, a moment of revelation and prophecy. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple, the prophet Simeon took the child into his arms and proclaimed that He was “a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). But with this joyful proclamation came a sober truth. Simeon turned to Mary and said, “This child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted—and you yourself a sword will pierce” (Luke 2:34-35).
Mary, often called, Our Lady of Sorrows, shows us how to endure suffering in faith. It is hard enough to suffer ourselves, but watching someone we love endure pain is even harder. Mary had to witness the brutal suffering and death of her Son, yet she did not collapse in despair. At the foot of the Cross, she stood—upright, unwavering, defiant against the forces of sin and hatred that sought to break her and all of Jesus’ disciples. In her, we see the strength of love that does not retaliate with bitterness or anger but absorbs suffering and transforms it into love.
In a world filled with violence, division, and cruelty, we too are called to stand—not in hatred or vengeance, but in love and solidarity with those who suffer or are threatened. As Fr. Ron Rolheiser reminds us, we are called to take in the anger, hatred, pain, bitterness, sin and brokenness of the world, purify it within ourselves, and return only forgiveness, love, gentleness, compassion, and blessing—like a water purifier that takes in what is impure and gives back only pure water. This is the Christian way, the Marian way. In our own lives, whether we witness the suffering of a friend, a family member, immigrant, or a stranger, we are called to stand with them, to comfort, to listen, to love.
This is the gift of community. As a Catholic Church, and as a parish family at St. Simon, we stand with one another in suffering and in joy. This is the road of discipleship, and it is what every Christian community is called to walk. May we dig deep within our hearts and find the compassion to stand with those who are suffering these days and walk with them in love.
Last weekend, we witnessed the beauty of this community through the Father Murray Basketball Tournament. Boys and girls from many schools played with enthusiasm, families cheered from the bleachers, and friendships were deepened. It was a wonderful reflection of our parish’s spirit—of teamwork, encouragement, and joy. I am deeply grateful to all who helped make this possible. In a special way I want to thank Kelly and Rob Mibach and their large team of volunteers who made this possible. Thank you for walking with us and continuing this tradition.
On Wednesday, we celebrated Generations Day, during Catholic Schools Week, and we welcomed parents, grandparents, and loved ones to visit our school and share in the joy of our children’s education. What a gift it was to see families gathered together, celebrating the bonds that sustain us in both good times and challenging ones. I want to add a huge thank you to all the teachers, staff and volunteers who helped celebrate our Open House last Sunday and all the activities during Catholic Schools Week. In a special way, thank you to Ann and Vani for their leadership of the school and especially Theresa Clark who worked so hard to put on a wonderful showing our school. I know that Tina Lipscomb, Franlinda Khuon, Megan Wheeler, and many other hands helped with the preparations and clean-up of the events during the week. Thank you to the parents who volunteered to be the welcoming faces of St. Simon, helping with the tours, providing lunch for the staff and many other tasks behind the scenes. Thank you all for making this week a special celebration of who we are as a community of faith.
Thank you, St. Simon community, for being a light to the world. May we, like Christ, bring light to all nations and live our faith each day. May we, like Mary, stand firm in the face of injustice defiantly supportive of those who are suffering. And may we, as a parish family, continue to support one another in love, through every joy and every trial.
God Bless,
Fr. Brendan