Cornerstone Bible Study - 8/24 "The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Here is the information for this week's Bible study.

• Bible Study: Luke 10:38, Mike will lead
• Date/Time: 8/24 (Friday) 7:30pm
• Location: St. Joseph of Cupertino School. 10110 N. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino. (click on link below for map)
  http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=US&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=10110+N.+De+Anza+Blvd.&city=Cupertino&state=CA&zipcode=
• 7:30 - 8:00pm - Children sing along praise and worship session. Please arrive promptly
• Snacks: Mike will bring snacks. Please bring beverage for your child and your own needs.

In this week's Gospel passage, Jesus told his disciples: "Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened." What powerful promises! Jesus' examples also illustrates what some of the things we may ask for: A fish, an egg, loaves of bread from a son asking his father. Indeed, these are all the things that our heavenly father already knows we need and will supply according to our needs. What else should we be fearful of? But above all else, if we ask for the Holy Spirit, our heavenly father will grant that to us in abundance. The Holy Spirit is indeed a most precious gift God gives, one through which we receive all the blessings of the Lord!

God Bless,
Maria

Cornerstone Bible Study - 8/17 "Love your neighbor as yourself"

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Here is the information for this week's Bible study.

• Bible Study: Luke 10:21, Lucia will lead
• Date/Time: 8/17 (Friday) 7:30pm
• Location: St. Joseph of Cupertino School. 10110 N. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino. (click on link below for map)
• http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=US&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=10110+N.+De+Anza+Blvd.&city=Cupertino&state=CA&zipcode=
• 7:30 - 8:00pm - Children sing along praise and worship session. Please arrive promptly
• Snacks: Maria will bring snacks. Please bring beverage for your child and your own needs.
  

This week's Gospel is the very familiar story of the good Samaritan. Jesus used this story to answer the question a lawyer posed to him on what he should do to inherit eternal life. The lawyer knows that the law could be summerized as love God and love your neighbor. The challenge Jesus posed to him and to us is "Do this! and you will live". If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we often set limits/boundaries on whom we choose to love. It is impossible by our own means to love just about anyone, including people we find objectionable, and be moved to compassion by the person's needs alone, like how the good Samaritan did. It is no wonder that the law places loving God with all our heart, soul , strength and mind before that. What we can't do ourselves, in God, we can.

God Bless,
Maria

Cornerstone Bible Study - 8/3 "I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves"

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Here is the information for this week's Bible study.

• Bible Study: Luke 10:1, Angela will lead
• Date/Time: 8/3 (Friday) 7:30pm
• Location: St. Joseph of Cupertino School. 10110 N. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino. (click on link below for map)
  http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=US&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=10110+N.+De+Anza+Blvd.&city=Cupertino&state=CA&zipcode=
• 7:30 - 8:00pm - Children sing along praise and worship session. Please arrive promptly
• Snacks: Lucia will bring snacks. Please bring beverage for your child and your own needs.

Jesus sent forth his disciples and gave detailed instructions on how they should conduct themselves. In the same way, he is calling each and every one of us today. I quote the following from "A devotional commentary of Luke's Gospel":

""Mission" can mean many things. It can mean honoring and praising God right where you are, thanking him for all he has given us in Christ. It can mean bringing our children to know Jesus. If we are young, it can mean caring for the old. If we are old, it can mean praying for the young. It can mean bearing witness to the lordship of Jesus in our daily lives. Any deed performed in love and joy can be a way of fulfilling our mission here on earth."

It's great to know we do not have to be great "missionaries" who travel to far away places to perform our mission. Though some of us may be called to do that, it's where we are placed that we can start to proclaim the peace of Christ by allowing our example to infect others with the desire to love.

God Bless,

Maria