Vol. 2, No. 1 May–June, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Editor's Introduction 2
The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost 4
— by Father Gerard Beigel
Meditations for the Sunday Mass Readings: May–June, 1998 13
Palóu's Life of Serra, Chapter Ten 23
Palóu's Life of Serra, Chapter Eleven 28
Maynard Geiger's Annotations to Palóu's Life of Serra 33
St. Francis and St. Clare 43
— by Father Thomas Weinandy, O.F.M., Cap.
God Does Answer Prayers 47 — by Dan Franke
© Mission San Jose Community, Inc.
Editor: Craig Anderson Marketing: Liz Martinez
Production: Sylvia Lobo Circulation: Anne Hashimoto
The California Mission is published bimonthly by Mission San Jose Community, Inc., a non-profit corporation organized exclusively for religious, charitable, and educational purposes. Address: The California Mission, P.O. Box. 24589, San Jose, CA 95154. Phone: (408) 371-2112.
Subscription rates: $16 per year (6 issues); $30 for two years. Cover: Rublov's Icon of the Holy Trinity. The quote is taken from paragraph 244 of The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
As the third millennium of the redemption
draws near, God is preparing a great
springtime for Christianity, and we can
already see its first signs.
Pope John Paul II, Mission of the Redeemer
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
As The California Mission enters its second year of publication, we continue our look at the Holy Spirit with the feature article, "The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost." Pope John Paul II has designated 1998 as "the year of the Holy Spirit" within the Church's three-year period of preparation for entering the third millennium of her life. The story of the Holy Spirit's descent on Pentecost in Acts 2 is a fitting place to begin our reflection on the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, the Holy Spirit is "manifested, given and communicated as a divine person…on the day of Pentecost" (para. 731). This gift of the Holy Spirit also "reveals in its fullness the mystery of the Holy Trinity" (para. 244). The icon of the Holy Trinity on the front cover is well worth meditating upon. The way into the heart of God in the communion of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the center of the painting) is opened up for us through the sacrifice of Christ and the gift of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit brings about change in our lives, as he did with St. Peter and others on Pentecost, and with multitudes of Christians throughout the ages. Are we willing to be changed by the Holy Spirit in 1998? Ask the Lord how He desires to change you this year! (As you may have noticed, this magazine has already changed some this year.)
Reflecting upon the Scriptures in the Sunday Mass readings may be one way that the Lord wants to help you grow spiritually. Slowly, prayerfully read the Scriptures and the accompanying meditations in the magazine. We think this feature, which we introduced last issue, will be a blessing to our readers.
Our serialization of The Life of Serra continues in this issue with chapters ten and eleven. Palóu gives a brief history of Blessed Junípero's activities from his home base at the College of San Fernando in Mexico City, in between his missionary activity in the Sierra Gorda region and the beginning of his missionary work in Baja and Alta California in 1767. During this time, Serra participated actively in the life of the Franciscan community at San Fernando and also engaged in the strenuous work of giving diocesan missions. In chapter eleven Palóu describes some of the striking fruit of Serra's work on the missions. The advice and concrete help that Junípero offered to the woman repenting of her sinful relationship with a man shows the personal concern for others that moved his heart during all his great pastoral labors. As we read these chapters we can pray to the Lord to raise up in our own day laborers for the harvest that have the same zeal as Blessed Junípero.
It is fitting to look at the Saints in a year we focus on the Holy Spirit and the Church. The Saints best reflect both the work of the Holy Spirit and the nature of the Church. This month, our look at the "Mission Saints" comes to us from a Franciscan friar, who reflects on St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare. After 750 years, their legacy is still a blessing to Christians around the world. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Santa Clara Valley, better known now as "Silicon Valley," Francis and Clare are still our patrons, in spite of the forgetfulness and ignorance of this fact by so many. Brother Francis and Lady Clare, pray for us!
This issue concludes with what many readers have told us is a favorite feature, the personal testimony of a contemporary Catholic. We hope that these witnesses encourage, comfort and inspire you. God is still faithful today as He was in the lives of Saints in the past.
Please let us know what you think of The California Mission. We can be reached at P.O. Box 24589, San Jose, CA 95154 or (408) 371–2112. If you'd like a call back, please allow a day or so, since we are an all-volunteer staff.
As we have completed our first year of publishing, it is appropriate to extend heart-felt thanks to all of our volunteers and contributing writers (whose rewards will be known only in heaven!).
Please pray for us. You are in our prayers. Come, Holy Spirit.
— Craig Anderson, Editor