As we approach the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, I find myself reflecting on the profound message in this week’s Gospel reading. In it, Jesus calls His first disciples with a simple, yet transformative command: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” This invitation, extended to ordinary fishermen, reminds us that each of us is called to spread the Good News in our daily lives. Not just to come to Mass on Sunday but to become the living witness of Christ to others by our lives and thus spreading the good news of God’s love for us no matter what.
Last weekend, Joan Mibach, Devon Eder (a young adult from our parish living in San Diego), several other leaders from the BASICS team and myself embarked on a scouting trip to Tijuana for our upcoming summer mission trip. The experience was a stark reminder of the power of service and the impact it has on both the giver and receiver. This mission is an open invitation for you to step out in faith, become a ‘fishers of people,’ and serve those in need. Your participation can truly make a difference in the lives of others, and we encourage you to join us in this life-changing mission. I especially call you to invite your teenagers and young adults to join us on this Tijuana Ministry Mission Trip scheduled for July 6-12, 2024.
Last year we built three homes in the week, and it was so powerful to see the gratitude and joy in the hearts of those receiving these homes. They are such hard working and faith-filled people. They live in such difficult conditions and yet are full of smiles, laughter, and joy. They have so little and are so happy; we have so much and often are so unhappy. It is a reminder for us to receive as much as we give and together we will come and follow Jesus together.
This summer we plan to build another three homes with the crew we travel with but also commission another home as we could not decline the 4th family we visited as they are in such need. Please consider traveling with us. No experience of building is necessary. Just a willing heart open to serve those in need. We will teach all the skills you need. Just come as you are. Sign up here.
Speaking of service, I am delighted that so many of our St. Simon Parish and School volunteers are joining us for the Volunteer Appreciation Mass & Dinner on Saturday. We have over 250 attendees signed up to come to celebrate the dedication and hard work of our volunteers. It is our opportunity to thank those that serve in our community and a heartwarming reminder of how essential volunteering is, not only within our church community but also in the wider community. Your commitment to living out your faith through service is what helps build a better world and promotes the common good of humanity.
Speaking of volunteers, we are deeply in need of new volunteers for the ministry of technology at Masses. As you all know, we just invested in a new Audio/Visual (AV) System with new screens, projectors, and sound system. We now sound and look better in person and online. Our system is easier to use and we are ready for you to join the team! You may not know it but our AV and livestreaming have become a mission critical component of our community services of Masses and other events. Each weekend we have over 600 people who still join us for Mass via livestream and 60-100 on weekdays. Many are homebound, some are traveling, others live out of town, and still others struggle with coming to Church for a multitude of reasons. I do not judge them but am so grateful that they join us each week.
Even more importantly, the livestream and AV is a vital component of the offering to those celebrating funerals of their loved ones. It is so powerful to be able to offer their friends and family from across the world an opportunity to join them for the funeral as many cannot travel on short notice. Some time ago, we had a funeral for a person and there were 100 people in person but another 75 watching via livestream from across the globe. The families are deeply grateful for enabling them to grief as an extended family together. It is truly an amazing ministry supported by just a few and we need your help to continue to provide this service.
Since the pandemic, we have also live streamed retreats, concerts, Confirmation celebrations and First Holy Communion. Families love that they can join in on these celebrations when they are unable to travel, it truly is a gift. The challenge is that we do not have enough ministers in technology to be able to offer this service every time. I am so grateful to Jurgen Krehnke, Tim Peterson, Attracta Lee, Simon Jelley, and so many others who keep this ministry going. We currently only have three people fully trained for funeral Masses. So, I plead with you to consider getting trained and offering to take up this ministry to serve those in need when they have lost a loved one. Please know that the ministry we do in our funerals is powerful and very fulfilling. We will train you and accompany you as you learn the system. Please consider becoming part of this ministry team for funerals, weekday, or weekend Masses. It is mission critical for us to stay online and be fishers of people in the online world too. If you are interested in learning more, email here.
As we gather this Sunday, let us remember the importance of answering God’s call, just like the first disciples. Whether it’s through our mission trips, local community service, or involvement in church activities, every act of service is a step closer to fulfilling our mission as Christians. Let us embrace the spirit of volunteerism and continue to be beacons of hope and light in our community and beyond. You can learn more about ways to serve at St. Simon here.
God bless,
Fr. Brendan