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ACT OF LOVE TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

Reveal Thy Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus, and show me Its attractions. Unite me to It for ever. Grant that all my aspirations and all the beats of my heart, which cease not even while I sleep, may be a testimonial to Thee of my love for Thee and may say to Thee: Yes, Lord, I am all Thine; the pledge of my allegiance to Thee rests ever in my heart and will never cease to be there. Do Thou accept the slight amount of good that I do and be graciously pleased to repair all my wrongdoing; so that I may be able to bless Thee in time and in eternity. Amen.

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CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to all the re-elected Executive Officers of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Board of the Archdiocese of San Francisco for the year 2023-2026 led by Bro. Danny Garza (Chairman), Sis. Sally Yeo (Vice Chair), Sis. Tess Garza (Secretary), Bro. Jose dela Torre (Finance) and Bro. Romy Arellano (Treasurer).

We also would like to acknowledge and compliment all new members of the CCR Board as well. More work to do in the vineyard of our Lord Jesus Christ!

To God be the glory and praise.

Fruitful Corner

REFLECTION FOR WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2023

By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA

THE SCRUPULOSITY AND RIGIDITY OF THE SADDUCEES

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If someone's brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers…" Mk. 12:18-20

Our gospel reference today formed part of the question posed by the Sadducees to Jesus in an effort to deny and negate His teaching on Resurrection. The Sadducees were a primarily wealthy class of Jews who made the temple and its administration their primary concern.

Though they were few they exerted a powerful influence on the people. Today these Sadducees presented Jesus with a long and unlikely hypothetical scenario of a woman married to seven brothers to reduce to absurdity any belief in the resurrection and to humiliate Jesus.

Just like the Pharisees, the Sadducees hypothetical scenario was an occasion for Jesus to reveal the hope of the gospel. The difference between the Sadducees and the Pharisees seems to be that the Sadducees had more sincerity in their pursuit of the truth whereas the Pharisees were more obsessed with their own authority and power.

So, Jesus meeting the Sadducees at their own terms explained how the resurrection is foreshadowed even in the Pentateuch. God reveals Himself to Moses as the God of his ancestors and yet as a God who is still alive and active. Jesus explained that even the Pentateuch speaks of the hope of resurrection and this hope rests upon the character of God who graciously overcome death and gives life to His people, no matter how desperate their condition may be.

The issue with the Sadducees seems to be scrupulosity and rigidity in their approach to the faith. They clearly relied upon human reason, and they applied their human reason to the Pentateuch. And though human reason and logical deduction are helpful and necessary in life, they attempted to solve every matter of faith by their own effort by narrowly and rigidly interpreting the Pentateuch.

In our own lives, we can also become greatly misled when we use the gift of our human reason in a rigid and narrow way. We must never overly simplify the faith, and we must never think that we will easily be able to arrive at all the answers by our own effort.

As Christians, our constant goal must be to allow our minds to become fully immersed in the deepest wisdom of God and all that He has revealed.

The teachings of the Church will guide us, keeping us on the straight path, but it will be the voice of God, speaking to our minds in a real and personal way, that will help us to understand the depth and breadth of God's Will, His Truth, and Wisdom.

Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have to be like these Sadducees. Are you rigid? Or narrow minded? Do you allow yourself to be misled into thinking you have all the answers? If so, seek humility. Humble yourself before the awesome mysteries of Heaven. Use your mind to probe the truths that God has revealed and be ready to be drawn deeper and deeper into the life of God Himself.

Lord Jesus, You are Truth Itself and You continually reveal Yourself to us. Give me the humility I need to always be open to all divine Truth in my life so that I will come to know You and Your holy will as You desire. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Mission Statement

As a lay organization, the mission of the Charismatic Renewal is:

1. To help all people come to know the love of God in their lives as demonstrated through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
2. To help our brothers and sisters respond to God's love by loving God in return through a commitment to serve Christ and His Church.
3. To assist them to listen and follow the movement of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.
4. To help our brothers and sisters recognize the ministry that God has called them to, and accept the gifts that God desires to bestow upon them for His work in our Church and in our world.
5. To lead them to a New Life offered to us by the Holy Spirit.

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