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Support our Parish!
We are in desperate need to financial support to keep our parish going. We are working to raise $1200 to pay our liability insurance and to purchase items to hand out at August Pride. We need these funds by June 1! Please donate today using the following links or QR Codes:
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Venmo: @saintfrancisparish
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CashApp: $saintfrancisparish
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Reflections on Unity and Love
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Our reading from the Gospel of Saint John this Sunday is a part of Jesus' prayer for all believers, where He emphasizes the importance of unity and love among His followers. There’s something truly inspiring about these verses, and I think they resonate deeply with us today.
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In John 17:20-21, Jesus prays, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." This plea for unity among believers highlights the profound connection we share, not just with each other, but with Jesus and the Father.
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One of my favorite spiritual writers, Thomas Merton, once said, “The Christian is not merely ‘alone with the Alone’ in the Neoplatonic sense, but he is One with all his ‘brothers in Christ.’ His inner self is, in fact, inseparable from Christ and hence it is in a mysterious and unique way inseparable from all the other ‘I’s’ who live in Christ, so that they all form one ‘Mystical Person,’ which is ‘Christ.’”
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Merton’s words remind us that our journey towards understanding and purpose, is intertwined with the relationships we build and nurture. Just as Jesus prayed for unity, we too are called to seek connections that uplift and strengthen our faith. We Franciscans call this “the univocity of all being” (speaking of all beings with one consistent voice), “that all may be one” (John 17:21)
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Continuing in John 17:22-23, Jesus says, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Here, Jesus speaks of the glory given to us, a glory that binds us together in perfect unity. This sense of divine love and connection is something we should cherish and strive to embody in our daily lives.
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Merton also wrote, "Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another." I love this quote because it underscores the idea that love is central to our existence. When we embrace love and unity, we reflect the divine relationship between Jesus and the Father, and in doing so, we become a testament to the world of God’s love and grace.
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Lastly, in John 17:24-26, Jesus prays, "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." This final part of the prayer is a beautiful reminder of Jesus' desire for us to experience His glory and love.
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Thomas Merton’s insights complement this passage beautifully. He once said, "Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody's business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy." This powerful message challenges us to love unconditionally, just as Jesus loves us. It’s a call to action that, if embraced, can transform our lives and the world around us.
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Join us every Sunday at 3:00 PM at 557 Greene Street in Augusta Georgia in the sanctuary of the MCC of Our Redeemer.
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May 25, 2025: Sixth Sunday of Easter
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Mass Intention: For Bishop Ben William and Darlene Williams.
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June 1, 2025: Ascension Sunday
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Mass Intention: All those who are sick and suffering.
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For the St. George family; Fr. Bryan Wolf; Mary Nehls; for Kelesh’s daughter; James (Cancer); Linda (Cancer); Jacob (Cancer); James Long (Cancer); Mickey; Jacob Williams; Kelesh and family; Lindsay; Sherlock Bones; Tatum Johnson (Job); Bishop James Long; David; John; Bishop Ben and Darlene Williams; Ryn Ingells; growth for our parish family; all those in the path of the wildfires and severe weather, end of hostilities in Ukraine and the Middle East; for an end to gun violence.
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Can't make it to Mass?
You can still join us virtually, you can by using any of the following outlets:
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Our Parish Outreaches
Human First Outreach
This ministry focuses on providing food and toiletry supplies to the homeless in the Augusta, Georgia area. We provide feminine hygiene products to those that need them and food for the pets of our homeless friends and family.
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We are working to bring a human touch to this ministry as we encourage volunteers to engage with the individuals we are helping in a compassionate and loving way. We expect all volunteers to refrain from proselytizing and preaching to those we serve. Instead, take a hint from Hamilton “talk less, listen more”.
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If you would like to donate to this important ministry, you can visit our Amazon wishlist and purchase items to be sent directly to us.
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Reclaiming the Cross Outreach
Check out our newest outreach in which we work to set the record straight on what the Bible says about many of the issues facing our society today!
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Reclaiming the Cross is an outreach of our parish headed up by Subdeacon Luna Godsey.
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Podcast Outreach
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Call to action!
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Save the Date!
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Our parish co-hosts this wonderful event!
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Our Parish goes social...
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