Pastor's Note from Fr. Szparagowski 📝 - [June 14th Bulletin]

Dear St. Philip Neri Family and Friends,

We give praise and thanks to God for His graces and blessings He has given us!

Today’s readings reveal to us the heart of God. They show us that God is not distant, cold, or indifferent.

Rather, He is the loving, merciful, faithful, and caring Shepherd who is always present to His flock. Throughout salvation history, God continually reminds His people that they are precious in His eyes. Of all creation, we are His beloved sons and daughters. He knows us, loves us, cares for us, and desires to draw us close to Himself.

In the first reading, God speaks tenderly to His people. He reminds them that He has cared for them and carried them as a loving parent carries a child. He tells them that they belong to Him. This is one of the most beautiful truths of our faith: we are not abandoned, forgotten, or alone. We belong to God. He has claimed us as His own, and His love for us never fails.

This same love is revealed even more fully in the Gospel.

St. Matthew tells us that when Jesus saw the crowds,

“His heart was moved with pity for them.”

The people were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus did not look upon them with judgment or frustration. He looked upon them with compassion. He saw their wounds, their struggles, their fears, and their longing for God.

What moved the heart of Jesus then continues to move His heart today. He sees each one of us. He knows our names. He knows our joys and our sorrows, our victories and our failures. He knows the burdens we carry and the struggles hidden deep within our hearts.

Jesus response is always love. Jesus is not a distant God. He is the Good Shepherd who seeks out His lost sheep. He desires to give us the graces and blessings we need to live holy and faithful lives. He wants to heal our wounds, strengthen our weakness, forgive our sins, and lead us back into a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father.

In the Gospel, Jesus goes even further. He shares His divine authority and power with the Apostles. He sends them out to the lost sheep of Israel to proclaim the Kingdom of God, heal the sick, cast out demons, and bring God’s mercy to those who had wandered away.

Through the ministry of the Apostles and the Church, Jesus continues His mission today. He continues to seek out those who are lost, hurting, discouraged, and distant from God. His desire is always the same: to bring His children home.

This message is especially meaningful during the month of June, traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Just this past Friday, the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Sacred Heart devotion has been one of the most beloved devotions in the history of the Church because it reveals the depth of Christ’s love for humanity. This year, the bishops of the United States have consecrated our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, reminding us that our hope is found not in worldly power but in the loving Heart of our Savior.

The Sacred Heart is a refuge for all who seek Him. It is a place of peace for the anxious, healing for the wounded, strength for the weak, hope for the discouraged, and mercy for sinners. The Heart of Jesus remains open to every beloved son and daughter of God.

How often we search for peace in the wrong places. How often we try to carry our burdens alone.

Yet Jesus invites us to come to Him. He invites us to rest within His Sacred Heart. He reminds us that we never have to be afraid of the One who loves us most.

The Good Shepherd is calling each of us today. He is inviting us to enter more deeply into His Heart, to trust Him more completely, and to allow His love to transform our lives.

Whatever burdens you carry, whatever struggles you face, whatever wounds you bear, bring them to Jesus. Place them within His Sacred Heart. Do not hesitate. Do not be afraid. Come to the One who created you, redeemed you, and desires to remain united with you forever.

May we always find our home in the Heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd who never ceases to seek His flock and never ceases to love His people.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Amen.

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