Censings

Third Sunday of Easter – Year C May 05 2019 – 10:30 AM Rev. David Justin Lynch Saint Cecilia Catholic Community, Palm Springs, CA Acts 5:27-32; 40b-41 | Psalm 30:2;4-6;11-13 Revelation 5:11-14 | John 21:1-19        +In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN:        On Easter Sunday, terrorists killed over 250 people worshiping at Mass and celebrating Easter in Sri Lanka. They were killed because they were Christians by people who intended to murder Christians. They were killed while practicing Christianity in the most quintessential way: rejoicing in the Risen Lord on the Feast of the Resurrection. By classic definition, those facts make them undisputedly martyrs. Trust me, one day the Church Kalendar will include a Feast of the Martyrs of Sri Lanka.     As I have preached on many previous occasions, existing as a Christian is not easy. How Christians think, and...

Easter Sunday Saint Cecilia Catholic Community Rev. David Justin Lynch April 21, 2019 10:30 AM Acts 10:34A;37-42 | Psalm 118:1-2;16-17;22-23 Colossians 3:1-4 | John 20:1-9 + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.          When I was a kid, Easter was an important holiday for me. It always comes in the spring, sometimes early, sometimes late, (this year, it’s almost as late as it can be), and spring, of course, means warmer weather is on the way. Anyone who knows me knows that I really prefer hot weather to cold weather, which is one of the reasons I live here in Palm Springs. The warm weather brings new life. Flowers bloom, baby animals are born, and in much of the country, barren trees sprout green leaves. In the tradition of the church, Easter is traditionally a time to celebrate baptism, when we die to sin and arise to new life in Christ Jesus.         Here at Saint Cecilia’s, we ha...

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Saint Cecilia Catholic Community March 03, 2019 – 10:30 AM Rev. David Justin Lynch Sirach 27:4-7 | Psalm 92:2-3; 13-16 I Corinthians 15:54-58 | Luke 6:39-45             + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.             Many of you have heard the saying, “that’s the pot calling the kettle black.” That’s what’s known as an “aphorism.” An “aphorism” is a short, compact observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” Another example might be, “the child is the father of the man.” Today’s Gospel is full of aphorisms. We hear Jesus tell us things like, "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit,” and, “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.” What the writer of today’s Gospel has done is to stri...

ASH WEDNESDAY – YEAR C March 06, 2019 7:00 PM Sung Mass Saint Cecilia Catholic Community Rev. David Justin Lynch Joel 2:12-18 Psalm 51:3-6; 12-14; 17 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18 + In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN. Last Sunday, I talked about how Jesus dislikes hypocrisy and hypocrites.  I mentioned how Jesus doesn’t like us to find fault with someone else when we ourselves are not without fault, and how bad trees cannot bear good fruit, a metaphor for the idea that you cannot get away with faking who you are. In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues his campaign against hypocrisy as he talks about the three traditional forms of Lenten observance: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. First, almsgiving. Ostensibly, Jesus implores us not to make a big deal out of our philanthropic endeavors. What Jesus condemns would be a donor using the media to announce how much is being donated to a particular charity....

LENT will soon be upon us. It begins with Ash Wednesday on March 06, because this year, we have a “late” Easter, which will be April 21. Lent is 40 days over 6 weeks. Sundays in Lent are not part of Lent. Sundays are celebrations of the death and resurrection of Jesus, thus automatically days of joy, and by definition, cannot be considered days of fasting. The English word Lent is a shortened form of the Old English word  lencten, meaning "Spring season." The first day of Spring, March 21, always occurs during Lent, no matter what day Easter is. As Christians, every year we celebrate the dying and rising of Jesus.  From March 21 onward, known as the “vernal equinox,” the hours of daylight start exceeding the hours of darkness. It is a time when, in many climates, plants and animals begin awakening from their winter hibernation, in the same pattern as the dying and rising of Jesus. This natural cycle reminds us of our immortality: if we die, we ar...

Feast of the Holy Family - Year C Saint Cecilia Catholic Community December 30, 2018 – 10:30 AM I Samuel 1:20-22;24-28 | Psalm 84:2-3;5-6;9-10 Colossians 3:12-17 | Luke 2:41-52             + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN. A missing family member is a source of great anxiety, whether we’re talking about a child, a spouse, and of course, the canine and feline members of our families as well.  When someone to whom we are emotionally attached goes missing, we often fear the worst, just like Mary and Joseph did when they couldn’t find Jesus after they left Jerusalem to go home. The psychological profession might refer to that state of affairs as “separation anxiety.” I’ve experienced that myself. Before we got our Tesla, which is equipped with a GPS tracking system, I would really stress out when I didn’t know where Deacon Sharon was and could not reach her on her cell phone. Now I can simply o...

Epiphany Sunday – January 06, 2019 – 10:30 AM Saint Cecilia Catholic Community Rev. David Justin Lynch Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2;7-8;10-13 Ephesians 3:2-3A;5-6 Matthew 2:1-12        +In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN. One of the advantages of living in the Desert is that when the sky is free of clouds, we can see thousands of stars as we are relatively smog-free compared to urban areas. Long before telescopes and computers, people named the stars and charted their long journeys through the heavens. These early stargazers noticed patterns and consistency in their movements. Early books of the Bible testify to the power of stars in the life of ancient people. The Book of Job, which some scholars say is the oldest book in the Bible, mentions three constellations: the Bear, Pleiades, and Orion, and Stars are said to “Sing together” and “shout for joy” in Job. In Genesis, Abraham goes out at night and hears a ...