It always appears exciting when someone seems to be able to read minds. In today’s Gospel, Jesus, in addition to reading a mind, reads a heart. The mind belongs to Simon, a proud Pharisee who thinks he knows the heart of the woman who wipes the feet of Jesus with her tears. Simon, in fact, marvels that Jesus himself came to see this woman for who she obviously is. But Jesus has read the heart of the woman much better than the presumptuous Simon. So Jesus offers Simon and his guests a parable that bears directly on the scene unfolding before Simons own table. Of two debtors forgiven different amounts, he asks, who will love the creditor more? The one forgiven more, says Simon.

Now Jesus sets the spotlight on the woman, noting how she, a sinner and an outcast, has shown him all the expected gestures of hospitality that Simon failed to provide. Her many sins have been forgiven and in response, she shows Jesus such great love. Just like the debtors of Jesus parable, she is forgiven, and then shows through her act of washing Jesus feet, her great love. Jesus has not only seen her many sins, he has already forgiven them and the woman can’t help but weep and perfume his feet in gratitude. Jesus’ point is that those forgiven much will love much and those forgiven little will love but little. That’s not an invitation to sin mightily, but to realize that no matter what our sins or state of life, we all have been forgiven much!

We are good at enumerating our sinfulness; perhaps the challenge of today’s readings is to enumerate all the good in our lives. And then take some time to utter a prayer of loving thanks to God who is so merciful and gracious to us. To God who loves us even when we sin.

Fr. Henry SAC

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

The devotion consists in the divine worship of the human heart of Christ, which is united to His divinity and which is a symbol of His love for us. The aim of the devotion is to make our Lord king over our hearts by prompting them to return love to Him (especially through an act of consecration by which we offer to the Heart of Jesus both ourselves and all that belongs to us) and to make reparation for our ingratitude to God.

An Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 Most sweet Jesus, humbly kneeling at Thy feet, we renew the consecration of our family to Thy Divine Heart. Be Thou our King forever! In Thee we have full and entire confidence. May Thy spirit penetrate our thoughts, our desires, our words and our deeds. Bless our undertakings, share in our joys, in our trials, and in our labors. Grant us to know Thee better, to love Thee more, to serve Thee without faltering.

 Prayer: O Heart of love, I put all my trust in Thee; for I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

Divine Mercy Vestment from Rzeszow, Poland

  On Sunday, May 22 at the 12 noon Mass St. Valentine Parish was presented with a Divine Mercy Vestment. This beautiful vestment comes all the way from Rzeszow, Poland and is a gift from Adam and Anna Kurdziel of Rzeszow who were in Redford visiting their cousins, Bob and Eleanor Bielenda. We thank the Kurdziel Family for thinking of our parish and for their most generous gift. We look forward to wearing this new vestment on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Congratulations!

At the 12 noon Mass today we are  honoring those who have graduated from high school and college. We congratulate you on your accomplishments. Congratulations to the graduates of 2016!

On May 28/29 weekend we will be celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – This year on this solemn feast we will be having a procession with the Eucharist after the 12:00 noon Mass. I would like to encourage as many as possible to take part in this celebration. This is a time when we as faithful Catholics can show our love for Christ in the Real Presence by honoring Him in a very public way. It is also a wonderful way in which we can show our love for our neighbors by bringing Our Lord and Savior closer to them. So many conversions are a result of Eucharistic Adoration experienced from inside the Church. How many more there would be if we could reach those who only drive by the church by demonstrating our love for the Eucharist, by devoutly taking part in this procession. Children who have received their First Communion this year are encouraged to attend in their suits and dresses. It will be even nice to have as many altar servers dress up in their altar servers robes. Please join me in making this solemn procession a very important occasion for our parish.

Ordination Congratulations

On May 14 ordination took place at a liturgy at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, 9844 Woodward Avenue, Detroit. Those being ordained were greeted by family and friends following the ordination Mass. Following are details about the men ordained:

Deacon Paul Graney, 31, is the son of Paul and Judy Graney. He entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary from his home parish of St. Joseph the Worker in Lake Orion. He will begin his priestly ministry at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Farmington.

Deacon Dominic Macioce, 30, is the son of Ronald and Dina Macioce. He entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary from his home parish of St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Sterling Heights. He will begin his priestly ministry at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Allen Park.

Deacon Kevin Roelant, 26, is the son of Paul and Amy Roelant. He entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary from his home parish of St. Anne in Monroe. He will begin his priestly ministry at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica Parish in Royal Oak.

Deacon David Tomaszycki, 30, is the son of Art and Joan Tomaszycki. He entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary from his home parish of Immaculate Conception in Anchorville, and has been in formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Following ordination he will continue his studies in Rome.

Deacon Timothy Wezner, 35, is the son of Diane and the late Christopher Wezner. He entered the seminary from his home parish of SS. Cyril and Methodius Slovak Parish in Sterling Heights. He will begin his priestly ministry at St. Hugo of the Hills Parish in Bloomfield Hills.

Today we are celebrating the Feast of Pentecost, one of the ancient feasts. It is celebrated early enough to be mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles 20:16 and St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 16:8. If we count both Easter and Pentecost, it is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter, and it succeeds the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which took place 50 days after the Passover.

History

 The Acts of the Apostles recounts the story of the original Pentecost (Acts 2). Jews from all over were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feast. On that Sunday, ten days after the Ascension of Our Lord, the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary were gathered in the Upper Room, where they had seen Christ after His Resurrection: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

 The Birthday of the Church

That is why Pentecost is often called “the birthday of the Church.” On this day, with the descent of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s mission is completed, and the New Covenant is inaugurated. It’s interesting to note that St. Peter, the first pope, was already the leader and spokesman for the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday (see Acts 2:14ff).

In years past, Pentecost was celebrated with greater solemnity than it is today. In fact, the entire period between Easter and Pentecost Sunday was known as Pentecost (and it still is called Pentecost in the Eastern churches, both Catholic and Orthodox). During those 50 days, both fasting and kneeling were strictly forbidden, because this period was supposed to give us a foretaste of the life of Heaven. In more recent times, parishes celebrated the approach of Pentecost with the public recitation of the Novena to the Holy Ghost.

To end this, let us pause for a while and pray this prayer to the Holy Spirit: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.”

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

On May 28/29 weekend we will be celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – This year on this solemn feast we will be having a procession with the Eucharist after the 12:00 noon Mass. I would like to encourage as many as possible to take part in this celebration. This is a time when we as faithful Catholics can show our love for Christ in the Real Presence by honoring Him in a very public way. It is also a wonderful way in which we can show our love for our neighbors by bringing Our Lord and Savior closer to them. So many conversions are a result of Eucharistic Adoration experienced from inside the Church. How many more there would be if we could reach those who only drive by the church by demonstrating our love for the Eucharist, by devoutly taking part in this procession. Children who have received their First Communion this year are encouraged to attend in their suits and dresses. It will be even nice to have as many altar servers dress up in their altar servers robes. Please join me in making this solemn procession a very important occasion for our parish.