Towards the end of Luke’s account of the Emmaus story, Jesus said: “You are witnesses to all of these,” – God’s love for all of humanity.  Easter reminds us of God’s faithfulness, commitment, and love for all of us.  But should we just be a passive witness to Christ resurrection in our present days?

The early Christian community’s response was one moved by gratitude upon realizing what His resurrection meant for them and their immediate community, which I think we should continue until today and forever and ever – bearing witness to the Risen Christ by making Him present in our world today.

One of the many ways of showing our gratitude is by responding to the needs of the Church. Our Parish of Holy Spirit is known to be a community driven by the Spirit always ready to help those who are in need.  We have shown that not only locally, but also globally.  Our mission is not only supporting the needs of our community, but also caring for our neighboring parishes.  We also continue to help other places like Texas and Nicaragua.  Many have benefited from the generosity of our Parish, such as the disenfranchised individuals and families within our immediate vicinity: the poor, the homeless, the incarcerated, the sick, and many more.  I am very grateful for your continued support and generosity to our communal efforts, and without a doubt, the recipient of them feel the same way, too.

I would like to thank you for pledging to this year’s Annual Diocesan Appeal.  We have met our diocesan goal.  Thank you!  As of today, any pledge we receive will go towards our parish. So, I am encouraging those who have not yet made their pledges to do so.  As I have said in the beginning of the campaign, all the monies that will be rebated will allow us to begin saving for the much needed capital reserves.  This will help us save for future parish needs and projects.

As your pastor, I want you to know that your example of stewardship gives me confidence that we will continue to journey in hope and faith and grow in our understanding of what it means to be a Witnesses of God’s Love.

Thank you again for joining me and our fellow parishioners in this special diocesan-wide effort to serve the faithful of San Clara County, and the important ministries of the Local Church of San Jose.  May the Lord continue to bless you and your family with His abundant blessings.