There was a glitch at the beginning of the homily, but only a few seconds are missing. Sorry about that!

Living for Others - that's the life that St. Monica presents to us this week. To live outside ourselves. To live for people. Live in a generous heart and be gracious. Care for those who are gripped by violence and who need our love and support. As we sing during the Preparation of the Gifts, "Oh St. Monica, pray for us, your family of love."

Check out the New York Times article mentioned here:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/what-our-genes-reveal-about-true-happiness/

Msgr. Torgerson asks us to find our "fire" so that we can passionately worship and serve God through our lives.

Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson encourages us to explore what it means to spend quality time in our lives and reminds us that each moment we have is a precious gift from God.

Using old African lore, Msgr. Togerson reminds us that we are all children of The King and therefore have no need for fear in our day-to-day lives.

"I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy."
― Rabindranath Tagore

Often our daily stress and anxiety is born out of fear. Msgr. Torgerson offers us a strategy to overcome our fear: that it is not faced alone, but rather alongside our God.

Check out the book he mentions:
'Hour of the Tiger: Facing Our Fears' by Megan McKenna available in the St. Monica Bookstore.

Here are some video highlights from Pentecost Sunday Mass!

"Glory, Glory Hallelujah" - words & music by Grayson Warren Brown

"Homily by Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson"

"We Are Many Parts" - words & music by Marty Haugen

Serigraph mentioned in homily by John August Swanson. Please visit his website!
www.johnaugustswanson.com

Camaldolese Benedictine Monks retreat center
http://www.contemplation.com/

Click "download" link above to play from your mobile device or save the .mp3 file. Below is the video link from this same liturgy, our weekly Sunday 530pm Livestream of the Mass.

We encourage you to visit our website for more information:
http://www.stmonica.net

Presider: Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson
Soloists: Helena Buscema & Harrison Crenshaw
"I Can Only Imagine" by Bart Millard
© 2001, 2002 Simpleville Music

Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson gives a fresh look at The Prodigal Son story, followed by "And Now My Lifesong Sings" (written by Casting Crowns, sung by Patrick Lundquist)

Fr. Peter Banks from St. Lawrence Brindisi in Watts, California, shares with us the importance of Together-In-Mission.

Words of comfort, healing, and wisdom from Fr. David about recent news in the media about the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Click here for a link to the Archbishop's letter.

Today in Mark's gospel, Jesus begins by predicting that even though he has many followers - that he's winning the race, that things are going well - still, he will suffer his passion, his death and his resurrection. His followers don't get it! Here they are giving up their lives for someone who says he's going to die up on the cross? But Jesus quickly reminds them that ultimate victory ALWAYS surrounds the cross.

Fast forward to 2012: what is our view of what it REALLY means to succeed; what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ; what it means to live life to its fullest?? It's not necessarily great success, continued success and then great victory. In fact, Jesus reminds us that its the very opposite: its about our struggles - the pain in our lives - those crosses we must endure.

As Psalm 116 says: "In the land of the living, I will walk with God all my days." The key is to recognize that WE ARE ALL on the same journey to ultimate victory, and to see a common-ness that says: I'm you, and you're me.

"The Church Downstairs" story link

©Commonweal Magazine, July 13, 2012 issue