What is the secret to sharing in God’s power to overcome our difficulties? Mary teaches us this in the prophecy of her pierced heart. This Sunday, the old man Simeon prophecies that when her son faces opposition, Mary’s soul will be pierced by a sword. The seemingly pointless agony of a mother helplessly watching her son be mocked, tortured, killed and then cruelly desecrated in death by a spear — somehow this piercing of her heart releases a power by which “the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35). What to make of this?
Whatever problems we currently face, the deepest threat is finally that evil thoughts are hidden in the human heart: hatred, envy, pride, lust, greed and so on. Behind every tyrant’s injustice, for example, is a heart unpierced by love. Evil hides in our hearts. Mary’s pierced heart, and its suffering love for her son, reveals and scatters these evil thoughts, and replaces them with love, forgiveness, generosity and peace.
This week, I invite us to ponder Mary’s pierced heart. Her heart is quietly at work for us in the Church and world, exposing our evil thoughts and making a path for her son’s divine love. This is how she gently cooperates in our salvation. Closed hearts are our biggest problem; love-pierced hearts are the ultimate power to overcome every difficulty. — Father John Muir ©LPi
General Mass Notes
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Welcome
Welcome to our Eucharistic Celebration on this Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and...
Please stand for our procession.
Mass Intentions
Saturday, February 1
5:00 PM
David Wallin • †
Conception Velasquez • †
Andres Cablan • †
Felicia Fernando • †
Patrick & Pauline Arirguzo • Health
Celia Herrera De Monroy • Health
Sunday, February 2
6:00 AM
Rosa Maria Jimenez • †
Bernardo Hernandez • †
Maria Elena Hernandez • †
Pilar Maldonado • †
Celia Herrera De Monroy • Health
Jose Valles Muñoz • Health
Guillermo & Concepcion Vazquez • Health
10:45 AM
Juan Antonio Godinez • †
Nestor A. Crispin • †
Patrick & Pauline Arirguzo • Health
Celia Herrera De Monroy • Health
12:30 PM
Esther Arranda • †
Cecilio Zamora • †
Miguel Loza Cortez • †
Felitas Cortez • †
Celia Herrera De Monroy • Health
Sergio Gomez • Birthday
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that we may continue to testify to the saving presence of the Lord to all those who long for forgiveness and redemption, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For widows and widowers, that they may find no shortage of compassion and companionship as they grow older, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For men and women who have consecrated their lives to the Lord, that their work and their devotion may set examples for generations to come, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For those who have trouble finding hope, that during this Jubilee Year of Hope we may discover in our Savior the source of ultimate hope, let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
1. Thanks to you, we have exceeded our Called to Renew goal and currently have $384,000 in donations. We received 11,000 dollars in donations during the month of January. Half of all donations are sent to the Archdiocese where they will invest in lower income Parishes. We are thankful for your generosity.
2. This year, as we celebrate the Jubilee Year of the Catholic Church, we invite you to make a special gift to Together in Mission to mark this sacred time of renewal and hope. Together in Mission 2025 “Gifts of the Heart” Annual Appeal will take place next week during all of our Sunday liturgies.
5. We thank Cruz Aqua Water & Ice for sponsoring our bulletin; their information can be found on the last page of our bulletin. If you have a business and would like to sponsor our weekly bulletin, you can call the phone number at the bottom of the last page.
