5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER AND MY 23rd ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS CHRIST ..........

Aswe open the month of May and the 5th Week of the Easter, our Sunday Scriptures today speak to us of fidelity, fullfillment, and love. In the Acts of the Apostles 14:21-27; Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey of evangelization to the Gentiles proclaimed the Good News of Jesus the Christ, and won many followers to the Risen Jesus. They did not keep their success evangelizing and converting the Gentiles they were sent to minister to, to themselves but returned to the other Apostles and Disciples to share the story with the Community of Believers from whence they came. Paul and Barnabas showed fidelity to their responsibility of spreading the Good News of Salvation attained for us by the Paschal Mystery, - the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of God's Risen and Redeeming Son, Jesus the Christ. Thus they fulfilled their share in the ministry and mission of being Church. We are the modern day Disciples of Jesus the Christ. We too, share in the ministry and mission of fidelity to proclaiming our Lord and Savior, by the faithful witnessing we do to others of the Paschal Nystery and Gospel Values in Jesus the Lord of Life and Love. John's Gospel Proclamation Chapter 13: 31-33a, 34-35; speaks of the glorification of God by the Love of God for humankind and our Love for God, made complete by and with, our Love for others. God's Spirit of Love must permeate our very beings, to make us Catholic-Christian Disciples of Jesus, who truly and fully live lives of ever increasing Love for All.....Today I am also celebrating the 23rd Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood, with my Sacramento seminary classmates, Reverend Father Eduino Silveira and Reverend Father Paul Schloeder, at the hands of Bishop Emeritus Francis Anthony Quinn. I am grateful to Bishop Quinn and the Diocese of Sacramento for ordaing us for service to the People of God in these 20 counties of our Catholic-Christian Church Community. And for the parishioners, priests, religious, deacons, and lay friends, who have been a presence to me through these years, as I have pastorally, sacramentally, catechetically, spiritually, and socially, participated in your lives. Especially in the past eight years during the health struggles I have endured as my personal cross..........May the Lord God Bless You And Keep You In Fiedilty, Fulfillment, And Love, Reverend Father Troy David Powers