The Good Samaritan story is probably one of the most famous passages in the Bible. We think it’s a story of being kind to one another, which it is in a way, but it goes way deeper than that. This story is really saying that we are the man who fell victim to robbers, by our sin, and that Jesus is the Good Samaritan who comes and saves us and takes us to the Church and pays the price for our healing and care.
This embodies kindness to one another in that we are called to be another Christ in this world. It is not just kindness we are called to, but self-sacrificial love. We are rescued and we bring others to Christ and His Church to be rescued.
I want to thank Linda Zanger and family who re-upholstered the insides of the two niches for the relics in the side altars. They had not been done in a very long time, most likely original, and the fabric was not only falling down and apart but was turning to red dust and making a mess.
I also want to thank Rob Gengenbacher and family at Glass One for replacing the glass on the front of the niches so we can display the relics. For many years these relics remained covered to protect them from the sunlight. The glass that Glass One put in is called Museum Glass, which is protective against the UV rays of the sun. It also is so clear and perfect that it almost seems there is no glass. Wow.
Please make sure you take the opportunity to come venerate those relics now that they are cleaned up and visible, and say a prayer of thanks for these parishioners for making this possible. St. Victor and St. Vitalis, pray for us.
July 14 is a very special day for our parish! It is the feast day of St. Francis Solanus (although in Hispanic countries it is July 24, and for the Franciscans in the USA it is July 17). We celebrate our saint’s feast day this weekend, as the feast day of the parish can be moved to the nearest weekend as it is a Solemnity for our parish.
This isn’t the only exciting celebration for our parish, as it is also Fr. Ken Ahanonu’s ordination anniversary. He is celebrating 13 years a priest, being ordained July 14, 2012, for the Diocese of Nnewi, Nigeria. We are so grateful for his ministry here at St. Francis Solanus. Ad multos annos! To many more years! Please keep him in your prayers as we celebrate this wonderful gift to us.
St. Francis Solanus, pray for him.
St. Francis Solanus, pray for us all.
Happy Namesake Feast Day to you all!
Fr. Arisman