LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Today we come together as a community in celebration. Many, many thanks to the members of the Pastoral Council who have planned and prepared for the picnic...and Men’s Club who cook for us each year...and the Boy Scouts who sent in a team to set up and later take down the tables and chairs in the gym.

Many, many thanks to everyone who will come together for the afternoon...God willing the weather will cooperate...I am writing this on Tuesday...and all will be well.

It is a great afternoon of friends and fellow members taking time to visit and enjoy one another’s company. It is a great time for our young children bouncing with abandon in the Bounce House...riding the ponies and getting their faces transformed with paint and sparkles. We have music as well for one another to enjoy passing the time  together.

Today’s gospel (Tuesday) from Matthew spoke of our being a light to the world. “...your light must shine before others...” Matthew writes of Jesus instructing his disciples following the Sermon on the Mount. The Greek has a message in that phrase that does not come through in the English translation. “Your” referring to our light...is plural in the Greek text, which the English does not clearly express. Jesus is speaking there to the disciples and to the church...Jesus is speaking to us today as we gather for a time of relaxation and enjoyment. That is an essential element of community and living the gospel. It comes along with our communal call to action. As believers in Jesus, as disciples we are called...we are sent by Jesus out the doors into the world bringing the message... letting our light shine. We are naturally attracted to the light and conversely put off by the darkness. We find ourselves  avoiding dark places. Our action of service to the world is bringing the light of the gospel in action. We serve through Saint’s Place (they are always welcoming new volunteers)...we serve through the community garden feeding the hungry here in our city through the summer and fall each year...we serve through the amazing amount of food that fills the donation room week after week...taken to House of Mercy, Perinton Food Shelf and several other sites. We serve through our tithing program as a parish...we serve through Habitat building houses with other Perinton churches every two to three years. We serve in many ways personal to one another...coaching, volunteering locally and beyond...financial donation and so much more. Let your light shine and enjoy that light of one another at the Parish Picnic.

NEW MEMBERS SELECTED FOR
THE PARISH COUNCIL:
DONNA STEIN, DOUG BUFANO,
MIKE MALINOWSKI, BRIAN SIESTO
Congratulations to our new members joining the
Council at our next meeting this Tuesday for a three year term.
Many thanks to Deb Buckley, Tom Clark, Kevin Donals and Rich Ferrari

for their generous service these last three years.
Have a good week love,

~Fr Peter