Satan, the accuser and father of lies, wants us to believe that God doesn’t really love us; that God can’t really be trusted and doesn’t want the best for us. That He’s just waiting for us to mess up, so He can punish us. Those are all lies, and we have to reject them and live in the truth that God does love us. He is trustworthy. He does want good for us. And coming to know Him and these truths is the path of healing, freedom, and a life of abundance.

With Fr. Bill on vacation, we had Fr. Jim Rigert, C.S.C., from the University of Portland preside at our 9:30am Mass this past weekend. He spoke of how we are meant to participate in the life of the Risen Christ through our faith, our hope, and our love when we love one another in the Lord.

Life on our beautiful but broken planet has always been threatened by dangerous natural forces, by chance, by sin, and by those mysterious dark powers at war with God and with life. Our mission as children of God is to "sparkle with self-forgetfulness": to stand in the breach, to intercede, and even sometimes to risk our lives out of love for our neighbor. So this week, as you’re offering your day to God each morning, insert this little petition - “Lord Jesus, give me an opportunity today to sparkle with self-forgetfulness.” - and see how He answers you.

Make an extra effort this week to be more attentive and hospitable to others - to welcome your neighbor and show them the love and care that recognizes their inherent dignity as a child of God.

We are called to love our neighbor regardless of our differences, which means we do not avoid, reject, or cancel others. Is this easy? No - but the most important things rarely are.

It's sometimes necessary to say 'goodbye' in order to say 'hello'. Last week, we said 'goodbye' to Fr. Dave and Fr. Tony; this week, we say 'hello' to our new Pastor, Fr. Bill Holtzinger!

For his final homily at Holy Trinity, Fr. Dave reviews the three major themes that developed and drove his ministry these past 15 years: Invite God into everything in your life. When we put Him first, all else falls into place. This is not heaven. Expect and accept difficulties, questions, and the cross. Learn to carry a dynamic tension, knowing that in real life with real people most issues are not simply black and white. Jesus calls us to meet people where they are and walk with them.

Sometimes we think we need to present a sanitized version of ourselves or of our lives to God, and then we wonder why we’re not healed. Why do we do that? Jesus ate with sinners, willingly. He touched the sick, physically. He sought out the lost, intentionally. He’s comfortable with our weakness, our brokenness, our foolishness. And in the Eucharist, he waits for us, like a parent waiting for their hurt child to move their hands so they can treat their owie.