August 21, 2011
Readings for The Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time: 

 Is: 22:19-23; Rm. 11:33-36; Mt. 16:13-20

By the Grace of God as you read this we will be home.  However, I am writing this as we leave Zardar on the way to Plitvice Lakes.  We have spent time in Split, Vis, Komiza, Dubrovnik, Medugorje, and we will celebrate Mass at Marija  Bistrica then depart from Zagrev.  This has been a wonderful trip discovering the roots of the Croatians who live in San Pedro.  I can now understand better why so many leave San Pedro every year to summer in Croatia, as I have discovered it to be a beautiful Country.

While we were in the ancient city of Dubrovnik we learned that it remained an independent city state throughout most of its History through the strength of its high walls.  Visitors were required to bring rocks to the city as price of admission in order to help maintain and build the city walls. The city was under constant threat from the Turks, Venetians and others and only kept safe through the strength of its walls and citizens.  Every night the Rector (Mayor) of the city had the great responsibility of locking the gates of the city.  The Rector held the key and no one entered or left the city after the gates were closed without his consent.  Eventually the city would be conquered by Napoleon, but the city’s fortification would again defend it during the Croatian war of independence in 1991.

Today’s Gospel has Jesus beginning the foundation of the City of God, the Church on an even stronger foundation.  Jesus tells Peter, “Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”  While the walls of all of our human cities have crumbled and fallen, the Church has survived over two thousand years.  Some of the successors of Peter have not been saints; however, the Holy Spirit has worked to maintain the integrity of the Church.  Many evil forces, external and internal, have attacked the Church, but the foundation established by Christ and built on the Apostles has prevailed.  As Catholics we are blessed that we remain united in our faith throughout the world through the gift of the Rock of Peter, the Papacy.

The beauty of our faith is that God gave us a tangible sign of his love through the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus left us His Church established on the rock of Peter as an outward sign of His Divine presence in our world.  We have visited many beautiful Church buildings during this pilgrimage, but more beautiful than the buildings has been our encounter with the living Church, the faithful who daily live out their faith.  We are all living stones and we bring ourselves to the walls of the Church to help maintain God’s presence in the world.  

Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is always going to be the builder and the cornerstone of our Church.  But, Christ is building the Church through our lives of faith, love and charity.  As individual stones we may be weak, but united with the love of God and sharing in the grace of the sacramental life of the Church, the forces of hell shall never prevail against us.

Leaving Zadar, Msgr. John Segariech gave his blessing to the people of San Pedro and Mary Star.  Msgr. John Segaric served the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for Forty years and was one of the founders of the Croatian Mass at Mary Star.  Fr. Vlatko Poljicak also joined us in Zadar and will join us at Mary Star in November.  These great men labored long among us building the kingdom of God.  Now there is still much work for us to do to establish God’s kingdom.  As living stones, let us bring our lives to the Church to build up God’s Kingdom.  For those who have relatives in Croatia that we met during our travel, please extend our appreciation for their kindness.

God bless,

Rev. John F. Provenza

Pastor