6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioners,

Today’s Gospel is very familiar to us. It is taken from Saint Luke’s account of the “Sermon on the Plain.” While it is similar to Saint Matthew’s, “Sermon on the Mount,” there are obvious differences. Jesus had gone to a mountain to pray, which Luke tells us He does before important moments in His life. After Jesus prays, He choses the 12 Apostles. Then He comes down from the mountain with the 12 to level ground, where there is a large crowd of His disciples and other people waiting for Him. In Saint Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, Jesus, in St. Luke’s Gospel, is very straightforward and focused on what is important and what is not. We might reflect on, “where do I see Blessings or woes in my life? If I am experiencing “woes,” how can it be changed?

The second collection this weekend is for Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Monday, February 14th is Valentine’s Day. Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love. Believers say God worked through his life to perform miracles and teach people how to recognize and experience true love. This famous saint, and Italian doctor who later became a priest, inspired the creation of the holiday of Valentine’s Day. He was sent to jail for performing weddings for couples during a time when new marriages were outlawed in ancient Rome. Be he was executed for refusing to renounce his faith, Valentine sent a loving note to a child he had been helping to teach, the daughter of his jailer, and that note eventually led to the tradition of sending Valentine cards. Happy Valentine's Day to all parishioners of St. Peter Parish.

Have a Blessed Week and Happy Valentine’s Day!!