Posted on July 18, 2025 View all Pastor's Letter
Dear Parishioners,
In today’s Gospel, Jesus visits His friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in Bethany. I imagine He goes to them to rest and to share time. From that encounter emerges a beautiful catechesis that should help every person grow in their relationship with Him.
In the attitude of these two sisters, we often see reflected two ways of living the Christian vocation: the active life and the contemplative life. Mary, “seated at the feet of the Lord,” while Martha is busy with many tasks and occupations—always serving, joyful, but tired (Lk 10:39-40, 42). Both these aspects of Christian life are equally important and should inspire us to live a balanced and fulfilling faith journey. “Calm down,” says Jesus, “what you do is important, but you must rest—and even more important—that you rest while being with me, looking at me, and listening to me.”
These are two models of Christian life that we must coordinate and integrate: to live both the life of Martha and the life of Mary. We must be attentive to the Word of the Lord and vigilant, because the noise and busyness of daily life often hide the presence of God. The life and strength of a Christian can only remain firm and grow if he stays united to the true vine, from which come life, love, and the desire to keep moving forward… without looking back. Most of us are called by God to be like “Martha.” But we must not forget that the Lord also wants us to be more and more like “Mary.” Jesus Christ has also called us to “choose the better part,” and not allow anyone to take it away from us.
I want to take this opportunity to raise awareness about the respect and reverence we must show during the celebration of the Mass. The Eucharist is the greatest treasure of our faith: it is Christ Himself who offers Himself for us, who nourishes us with His Body and Blood, and who remains truly present among us. Therefore, participating in the Holy Mass should never become something routine or superficial. It is a sacred act that demands our respect, attention, and reverence.
Every gesture, every word, every moment of silence in the liturgy has deep meaning. Our clothing, our punctuality, and our inner disposition should all reflect that we are in the presence of God. The church is not just any place—it is the house of the Lord. We come to worship Him, to listen to Him, and to receive Him with both soul and body prepared. Receiving Communion is a sacred moment. We must not approach it if we are not in a state of grace, without proper recollection, or as if it were something automatic. It is necessary to have confessed any grave sins, to observe the Eucharistic fast, and to come forward with living faith. We should also take care in how we dress and avoid distractions or conversation during this intimate moment with the Lord. With respect and affection, I would also like to kindly remind all the faithful that, out of love for the Lord and respect for the community, we should avoid any behaviors that may distract others or show a lack of reverence in the holy place—such as talking unnecessarily, using cell phones, dressing inappropriately, or receiving Communion without proper preparation. Your commitment to living the Mass with deeper awareness, love, and reverence is a testament to your faith. The Lord deserves the best from us. Let us never become indifferent to the sacred.
Finally, a few weeks ago, you received the raffle tickets for the parish festival, along with the letter explaining how to return them. Your participation in this event is crucial, as the raffle is what brings the most income to the parish. Please send back the tickets as soon as possible, so that the staff and volunteers can begin the work and organize everything accordingly. If you need more tickets to sell, please do not hesitate to call or come by the parish office. Your active involvement is greatly appreciated and makes a significant difference to our community.
With my prayers, Fr. Diaz
