Houck Catholic Church

Houck Catholic Church Saint Anselm Mission in Houck, AZ
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

01/04/2025

Padre Portion Houck
Holy Family Sunday - Dec 29th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Luke 2:41-52... Do you ever doubt? I do not think that we have a serious practice of doubt. What I think happens is an experience of degrees of attention. How often do we finally notice a radio playing in the background, or maybe the Shopping Music coming from the ceiling speakers? This is why going to Church is so important. While there, we can re-notice the Teachings of our Faith. We believe in the truth of many things, but can only focus our attention on the reality on a few things at a time. The reality of Christmas is ALWAYS true. Even though the demands of our daily life can even push out our Faith to an almost un-hearable background hum. So maybe for our 2025 action item, let us be at Church as much as possible, so that we can focus more on the that divine background hum of the Angels!

01/01/2025

Padre Portion Houck
4th Sunday of Advent - Dec 22nd, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Luke 1:39-45... I am posting this a little late, due to my own busy schedule during this time. Since it is now after Christmas, let us look back at the journey and the longing that Zechariah and Elisabeth experienced in their lives leading up to the birth of Jesus. We know from the Gospel of Luke that Zachariah and Elisabeth were very faithful Jews of their time. They were humble and quiet, and did not seem to command a large social following. Zechariah was one of the regular support priests in the Temple. They had never had any children. In our modern amateur Medical knowledge, we know that it is not always the woman who cannot produce a child. But, interestingly, we see in the Scripture that it clearly tells us that Elisabeth was barren. And, that they were both up in age now. Pushing aside the biology discussion, we see that the Angel tells Zechariah that his prayers have been answered. How long had they been married? How long had they been aware of the barrenness? How much anxiety had they experienced because of the social understanding of their childless situation. Most of us have experienced the great contrast found in the feelings of a long experience with a sudden change of events. Maybe on a more lighter side, we can think of that displaced feeling of no longer needing to show up at the High School after leaving. But, the reality is that it has happened. Jesus' birth has happened !!!

12/17/2024

Padre Portion Houck
Rose Sunday, 3rd Sunday of Advent - Dec 15th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Luke 3:10-18... You might be aware that we alll have a pre-made feeling of who God is. We get these usually from what kind of person our father or grandfather is. Are they a strong disciple kind of parent? Are they a non-aggressive kind of person. Did they show feelings of affection, or were they emotionally firm? And sadly, were they absent from your home-life? Was there a death or a divorce? The Readings for this Rose Sunday (The priest wears Rose colored vestments as a sign of brightness and joy) show clearly God's heart filled with Fatherly affection for us. Did you catch the reference to the "Star of Christmas" at the end of the First Reading? This Fatherly Joy of God is the power of the Gospel. As you enter in to the Christmas Season, looking at our Gospel Reading, may you be brought again to the Joy of the often quoted (but true!) expression, "It is better to give than to receive", Acts 20:35)

12/10/2024

Padre Portion Houck
2nd Sunday of Advent - Dec 8th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Luke 3:1-6... Have you ever had a deep time of thinking about who John the Baptist was? Have you ever wondered what that 30 years was like for John the Baptist (and Jesus) as they grew up in the Land of Israel? Because of the three annual pilgrimages, they both were familiar with Jerusalem. John even grew up in a suburb of Jerusalem. Remember that his father, Zecharia was a priest who served at the Temple. One point of curiosity for me was, "Did Jesus and John interact as youth, as did Elizabeth and Mary when Elizabeth was pregnant with John?" One very important aspect of their lives was that it was still Old Testament life. It is said of John that he was the final Old Testament prophet. As you hopefully feel in your heart, that the Lord knows you personally, notice how much detail is given in Luke 1 - 2, about how much interaction the Lord expresses with the Lives of John, Zecharia, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary. As we travel through Advent, let remember to take notice of the life of John the Baptist, and his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth!!!

12/06/2024

Padre Portion Houck
1st Sunday of Advent - Dec 1st, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Luke 21:25-36... We have lived in the knowledge of the Savior for the last 2000 years. For us, Advent has become the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is my opinion that there has always been a great understanding of Advent to reflect more anticipation of the Birth of our Savior. The Savior that will rescue us from the Sinfulness of the World. We will see a lot of Isaiah during Advent in the First Readings. The Prophet Isaiah has been called the Voice of the Savior. To use an expression from my mother... "let us not throw out the baby with the bathwater". Let us rejoice at every opportunity to experience the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ: In the promises of the Old Testament Prophets like Isaiah, in the Christmas Saga as told to us in the Gospel of Luke, in the arrival of the Holy Spirit in our Hearts at our Baptism, and the final appearance of Christ as our King of the Universe !!!

12/05/2024

Padre Portion Houck
Last Sunday Ordinary Time - Jesus Christ the King !!!
Nov 24th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - John 18:33-37... I have written a fair bit already on the Jesus Christ King of the Universe : ) Let me keep reminding you that God is not reached the bottom of His bag of plans for us. The Lord keeps sending us signs of His constant work. Coming soon, beginning on December 1st, we will enter the Octave of Darkness. Do not take alarm, it is a good thing. You know that in Winter, we have the sun setting early. It is a natural thing of God created Order. This year, for those that love the evening, we will have our darkest evenings (sunset being the earliest) from December 1st to December 8th. Each evening the sun sets at 501pm. Then, a wonderful thing happens for us. Right at the time of our Feast Day of the Blessed Mother, we begin to escape from the darkness. On December 9th, the sun will set a minute later (5:02), and thus starts it journey back to those long light filled evenings of the Summer. I like to think of it as Mary is coming to lead us out of darkness into the approaching birth of her Son !!!

11/27/2024

Padre Portion Houck
33rd Sunday Ordinary Time - Nov 17th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 13:24-32.... Did you know that the Sin of Man has already appeared? The Son of Man has appeared in you heart when you were baptized. Because of Sin, there are many things that can only come from God. When we respond with the Things of God, it is because He moved us to respond. We must be lifted up from above. When we were baptized, we were given the three Virtues called: Faith, Hope, and Charity (Love). These three are called the Theological Virtues because they have a divine origin. We can easily recognize that manufactured counterfeits of these Virtues. Scripture says that even an Evil person will love those who love them. When we live in the Divine Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity - we experience the Appearance of Christ in our Heart. Let aspire to increase these Divine Virtues through our daily life as a Christian !!!

11/14/2024

Padre Portion Houck
32nd Sunday Ordinary Time - Nov 10th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 12:38-44... Are you already making plans for Thanksgiving? Well, let me remind you of the best Thanksgiving of all. The Lord never beckons us to something that we have no idea what it is about. So please, enjoy your own Thanksgiving. As we get closer to our destination, we often times think of our own joy. We look forward to our own experience of entering into God. Let us go back to that passage, "I am yours and you are mine." In a relationship there are two sides; not just 'me'. Jesus has feelings, too. He looks forward to his blessing upon us. He knows with a heart of justice and righteousness that the judgements that are a part of His Coming as King of the Universe. He understands that it is the divine next step in the Body of Christ. Just as Jesus understood that after the crucifixion, he would bring salvation, and a return to His Heavenly Father - so also, he longs to be a part of those beautiful words (Isaiah 43) I am yours and you are mine."

11/12/2024

Padre Portion Houck
31st Sunday Ordinary Time - Nov 3rd, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 12:28-34... Be not afraid ! Have you noticed how this time of the year has so many things happening with great confusion? When I was a kid, I watched a Charlie Brown Special about Thanksgiving. In it one of the characters remarked, "Thanksgiving?? I have not even eaten all my Halloween candy!" AND, have you noticed already (before Thanksgiving) all the Christmas items in the stores? Fear not! The Lord is not made nervous or confused by the World's hectic pace in these final weeks. I believe that it is not a coincidence that we have Thanksgiving during this time near the End. We have been given two Hopes that can lift our hearts. The first is the looking forward to Jesus as King of the Universe. This completes our journey through the Church Year. Secondly, we can look forward again to starting again with the Joy of the World as we learn again about the Angels' proclaiming of the Birth of our Savior. Rejoice! Again I say Rejoice!!! I see in this time of the year three great blessings: Christ the King, Thanksgiving, and Advent. Thanks be to God !

11/02/2024

Padre Portion Houck
30th Sunday Ordinary Time - Oct 27th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 10:46-52... We have been busy preparing for Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day. Soon, we will be busy with an Election. Have you been noticing the Fridays before Christ the King Sunday? It is true that we have a giant wheel of a Calendar in the Church. We begin with 1st Sunday of Advent, and then complete the journey with Christ the King Sunday. It reminds me of the Weekly adventure of starting with Sunday and ending with Saturday. But, beginning again on the Sunday of next day. How long did the Church celebrate the week before Easter Sunday finally happened? This special Sunday changed our understanding of the week. How long will we celebrate the yearly cycle, until we truly see Christ as King of the Universe? Join me with some special prayers of your choice that will restore our anticipation of Christ as King of the Universe. Just as we anticipate Christ's Death and Resurrection during Lent on Fridays, let us look forward to History being changed on a Christ the King of the Universe Sunday with special Fridays!

11/01/2024

Padre Portion Houck
29th Sunday Ordinary Time - Oct 20th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 10:35-45... For my thoughts this week, I recall the sarcastic remark about, "do not send out a boy to do a man's job." Certainly, this is a put down for the boy. But, on the positive side it reflects on the ability of the man to carry out the work. We are all 'boys' as we are all 'sheep'. The Lord is faithful to complete in us the work he has begun. Coming up will be the feast day of All Saints. This was ordinally the feast day of All Martyrs. If we look through the memories of God, we can see the Saints as a one-time baby or youth, in Faith and in Body. Like the fruit on the tree or vine, God is ripening us. Mothers are amazing. We see them holding up their families through their love and strength. Yet, they were just like those Little Ones that they care for. The Saints remind us of the Hope of Heaven that is our destination. This World is not our home. Let us continue to give Christ an AMEN for his continued work in us to complete our maturing as His child !!!

10/23/2024

Padre Portion Houck
28th Sunday Ordinary Time - Oct 13th, 2024
Brothers and Sisters - Mark 10:17-30... It is about six weeks until Jesus Christ King of the Universe Sunday. This is the final Sunday of the Church Year. We usually spend a good time preparing for Easter with about six weeks of Lent. Would you enter into with me in giving a gift to Jesus the King of the Universe? During Lent, we have the Friday prayers of the Stations of the Cross. Would you join with me to spend time in Prayer on these Fridays before the end of the Year? We understand that Jesus had Love for the Father and us to go to the Cross to purchase our Salvation. Can we not also give to God our hearts in looking forward to the Day that Jesus will reveal Himself as the The King of the Universe? Remember that Catholics use to make special prayers around their Fish dinner on Fridays. Is it too much to be asked to make six weeks of a Fridays special to welcome the King of the Universe? Pray from what is in your heart: the Rosary, an Our Father, the Angelus, sing a hymn, fast from meat, whatever is in your heart : )

Address

Houck, AZ
86506

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Houck Catholic Church posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Place Of Worship

Send a message to Houck Catholic Church:

Shortcuts

Share

Category