Lent marks a distinct change of pace in our liturgical life. The tone of our Mass becomes introspective instead of our usual exuberant style, which will return at Eastertide. In Lent, we add a spoken confession and those parts which are sung are quieter and often in a minor key. While Advent in our parish is nota penitential season, Lent is. For us, Advent is a time of expectation of the Incarnation, while Lent is a time of preparation for…

Epiphany Sunday – January 07, 2017 – 10:30 AM Saint Cecilia Catholic Community Rev. David Justin Lynch Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2;7-8;10-13 Ephesians 3:2-3A;5-6 Matthew 2:1-12        + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. My mother was an actress. She tried, but failed, to get me to follow in her footsteps. But I loved the theater, so I worked behind the scenes as a lighting technician, designing the lighting for productions,…

Christmas Eve 2017 – Sung Mass 7:00 PM Saint Cecilia Catholic Community, Palm Springs CA Rev. David Justin Lynch Isaiah 9:1-6 Titus 2:11-24 Luke 2:1-14        + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.        Over the past few weeks, the world around us has been going through its annual drill getting ready for Christmas. We’ve been decorating, baking, partying, and of course, shopping. We here at church have been spiritually…

First Sunday in Advent – Year B December 03, 2017 10:30 AM Saint Cecilia Catholic Community, Palm Springs CA Rev. David Justin Lynch Isaiah 63:16B-17;64:2-7  Psalm 80:2-3;15-16;18-19 I Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13:33-37        + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN. In the secular world, Advent invites us to decorate our homes and buy gifts. There is nothing wrong with that, but for Christians, Advent is different. We will be preparing…

Authorship – Unknown Like the other three canonical gospels, the author of Mark is anonymous. However, tradition, as transmitted by bishop and apostolic father Papias who lived around 60-130 AD, holds that he was “John Mark”, a companion of the apostle Peter. “John Mark” is mentioned in Acts 12:12-14, which indicates John Mark’s mother’s house was a regular enough stop for Peter that the servants recognized him by voice alone. There are other mentions of John Mark in Acts 12:24…

Saint Cecilia Catholic Community Thanksgiving Day November 23, 2017 10:30 AM Rev. David Justin Lynch Sirach 50:22-24 Psalm 45:2-11 I Corinthians 1:3-9 Luke 17:11-19        + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.        Secular authority in our country designated today to give thanks, to show our gratitude for all the blessings of life. For most people, that includes family, friends, and perhaps economic success. Those prone to American Exceptionalism give…

Saint Cecilia Catholic Community, Palm Springs California All Saints & All Souls Sunday November 05, 2017 10:30 AM Rev. David Justin Lynch Sirach 45:1-10;14-15   Revelation 7:2-4;9-14 Matthew 5:1-12A        + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.        I look forward to All Saints Day every year because I get to sing “I Sing A Song of the Saints of God.” The words are by Lesbia Scott, and the tune was…

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time / Feast of Saint Francis October 01 2017 10:30 AM Saint Cecilia Catholic Community Rev. David Justin Lynch Ezekiel 18:25-28 Psalm 25:4-9 Philippians 2:1-11 Matthew 21:28-31        + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.        Humility. That’s a very, very, difficult, extremely difficult, concept for humanity generally, particularly in the United States of America. Our culture communicates a message that sounds like this. “Be a…