HOLY FAMILY PARISH312 Tazewell Avenue, Tazewell, VA 24651 (276) 988-4626 • www.holyfamilyva.com

email: theword1875@verizon.net

ST. THERESA’S312 Tazewell Ave. Tazewell,VA 24651

ST. ELIZABETH’S 160 Merrick Lane

Pocahontas, VA 24635

ST. MARY’S 1122 Farmer Street

Richlands, VA 24641

ST. JOSEPH’S 1007 Independence Rd.

Grundy, VA 24614

Pastor: Fr. Eric Anokye eanokye@richmonddiocese.org (276) 385-7312

Administration: Debi Cox

Bookkeeper: Lydia St. Peter

Office Hours:Mon–Fri 9:30am – 2:30pm

Please call the parish office to make arrangements for the Sacraments of Baptism, Annointing of the Sick or Holy Matrimony as well as funerals. Reconciliation is available from 30 minutes before a scheduled Mass.

MASS TIMES:SUNDAY: 9am – St. Elizabeth’s 11:30am – St. Theresa’sWEDNESDAY: 8am – St. Theresa’s 5pm – St. Elizabeth’sTHURSDAY: 6pm – St. Mary’sFRIDAY: 12noon – St. Theresa’sSATURDAY: 4pm – St. Joseph’s 6pm – St. Mary’s

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019 – TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The Christian Soul accepts the Cross, c. 1630. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.

PASTOR’S NOTES

One fateful day, a farmer was resting in his farm house while it rained. Incidentally, the rain became so much that the entire farmland came under heavy flooding. The farmer ran outside and climbed up a tree and from a branch he prayed and asked God to save him and God assured him of assistance. Soon after a fellow farmer came along with a boat and offered to help him but the man said he should not worry, that God is going to help him soon. Feeling rather disap-pointed, the man left.Thereafter a local rescue team emerged and offered to help the man but he told them not to bother as God has assured him of more dependable help. Two other persons came to rescue the man but he preferred to wait for the heavenly assistance.Meanwhile, the magnitude of the flooding increased until the

tree was overtaken and the man drowned. He eventually found himself before God and was upset that God could not rescue him as He promised. God told him that it was His will to save him and that was why He responded immediately by sending people to him but he declined their help. The man’s will was to have God save him and it was God’s will to save him but when the will of God manifested through the people that came to his rescue, the man could not connect with it. He actually wanted it in his own way, not according to God’s irrepre-hensible will and way.

One thing we cannot easily grasp in our own time and pace is the Will of God for us. In fact, it seems so far-fetched that some people will often leave a space in their plans which says “if it is the will of God” or “if God permits.” Knowing God’s will for us gen-erally and in particular situations may be as puzzling as trying to understand the whole of God.Beyond the puzzles it seems to present to us, God’s will is not only indispensable, it also con-ditions and determines our lives. In fact, the safest place to be

when confronted by challenges and troubles in the world is in the middle of God’s will. Why? The simple answer is that God has a plan for each and every one of us (Jer 29:11).

The First Reading today (Wisdom 9:13-18b) began by asking the question: “Who can know God’s counsel or who can discern God’s will (intention)?” God’s will is not what we know by mere mental processing. God’s will is too enormous to be accommo-dated in our limited mental time-line. In fact, the passage makes us know that our reasoning and deliberations are limited, worth-less and fallible.

How then can we know or learn the will of God considering our limitations? We can do so by pur-posefully following God as He leads us into the discovery and doing of His will. This actually formed the basis of the Gospel today (Luke 14:25-33).

The Gospel scene opened with the image of a great multitude that accompanied (travelled with) our Lord Jesus Christ. The number of people that went with him was indeed so much and,

Fr. Eric Anokye

GOD’S WILL discipleshipVS

READINGS

SUNDAY 9/8WIS 9:13-18B PS 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 AND 17 PHMN 9-10, 12-17 LK 14:25-33

MONDAY–9/9Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest COL1:24–2:3 PS 62:6-7, 9 LK 6:6-11

TUESDAY–9/10COL 2:6-15PS 145:1B-2, 8-9, 10-11 LK 6:12-19

WEDNESDAY–9/11COL 3:1-11 PS 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13AB LK 6:20-26

THURSDAY–9/12COL 3:12-17 PS 150:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6 LK 6:27-38

FRIDAY–9/13Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church 1 TM 1:1-2, 12-14 PS 16:1B-2A AND 5, 7-8, 11LK 6:39-42

SATURDAY–9/14Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross NM 21:4B-9 PS 78:1BC-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 PHIL 2:6-11 JN 3:13-17

like in the case of Gideon before he went to battle with the Midianites (Judges 7:3-7), there was a need to drop in number and separate the real disciples from those who merely accompanied or travelled with him.It will be very fitting for us to make a distinction here between these verbs “to accompany” (or travel with) and “to follow”. To accompany someone means to go with someone to some place. In this situation, there is some note of inde-pendence between the individual and the person going with him or her. The person often does not have any obliga-tion towards the individual, the same way one could have co-travellers on the same flight. To follow someone, on the other hand, entails subscribing to the plans and directives of the individual in question. It means to take after some-one’s footsteps. It means to be a disciple or an adherent.From the analysis above, we understand that at that time our Lord Jesus Christ had many people accompanying him (co-travellers) but not following him and he wanted them to know that following him should not be confused with accompanying or travelling with him. He was getting closer to Jerusalem, the city he must enter before his passion and death that would bring about our salvation. He needed to enter Jerusalem with followers, not co-travellers.The next instruction was for the real followers. Just like Gideon instructed the three hundred who were eventually chosen to go against the Midianites in the way the Lord had designed the battle, our Lord gave some instructions on true discipleship.A True Disciple must “Hate”: Our Lord maintained that anyone who intends to follow him must “HATE” father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters as well as her/his life. The original Greek word for “hate” as used in the passage is miso, which means “to love less”. Hatred as used here does not entail despising one’s family and one’s life but to esteem them less than God. Within the context used by our Lord, it entails developing a greater love and attention to Jesus Christ than to one’s relations and even one’s own life. The hidden truth here is that when we love God more and deeply, it becomes easier for us to love our relations, friends and other things in the right way.True Disciples must Carry their Cross: Our Lord asked

(Continued on pg. 6)

Louise Serreno (homebound)Margie Stutso (homebound) Margaret Shawver Jeffrey Parkhurst Janet Brown Doug Vance Russell Stump Susan Joyner and family Zack CarterFrannie Minton Carolina Ferrari Elizabeth Gregory Sara Beth Wright Sue ShumateShane and Nia Sheridan Ed and Betty HodochConnor Gregory Lou Pierallini Dante Guanlao Thomas FarrellBrian HarrisonFay ChristianJohn Clark

Lois WhiteLucas OaklandRandall & Summer Crouse Christian LambertJane JonesGlenn HarrisonJohn BenishMosie & Rosalie RocchettiChristel Repp Melody DillingRex & Rachel Yabut Jim Shumate Darlene BlakewoodMary McCoy Shirley Hylton Mary Deiro Baby MasonMadelyn Palzer April Robinette Rayburn Minton II Grace Bolling Francine Horn Debbie Parkhurst

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE

Donations Received as of Aug. 31/Sept. 1 (Week 10)

CHURCH ATTENDANCE RECEIVED

St. Joseph’s 9 $156

St. Elizabeth’s 22 $960

St. Mary’s 24 $562

St. Theresa’s 44 $1,208

Total Offertory 99 $2,886

Outside Donations $985

Year to Date Received $22,444

Goal $25,385

Ahead/Behind Goal - $2,941

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

OTHER FINANCIAL NEWS

OUTSIDE DONATIONSMidlothian: $520 St. Edward’s: $465

Julia DeHaven Trust: $4,500

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Parish Council: Tonya Hylton, Frannie Minton, Ralph Shawver, Hillary Benish, Cindy Deskins, Barbara Jones, Donna Lambert

Finance Council:Kathy & Bob Buchanan, Randy Bolling, Doug Vance, Anne Danko, Jim Talbert, Jackie Shawver

Date Intention: By:

9/7 SATURDAY4pm -

6pm - Don Shawver U Shawver Family

9/8 SUNDAY9am - Anne Danko Her children

11:30am - Don Durham U Knights of Columbus

MASS INTENTIONS

PARISH NEWS & EVENTS

BIBLES AVAILABLENew Testament for Catholics bibles are on sale for in the office for a $20 donation. The Bible is printed on glossy paper and loaded with footnotes and pictures. One bible is on display at each church. Please call the office to reserve your copy.

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY RESUMESThe HFP Prayer Shawl ministry will resume weekly meetings this coming Wednesday, September 11 at 11am at St. Mary’s. Come and join the “ladies of the yarn” and craft items of comfort for those in need!

DAILY READINGS?Do you use the list of daily readings printed weekly in the bulletin? With the readings readily available on various apps, online, and in traditional publications such as The Magnificat and others, we wonder if printing them in our bulletin is necessary. If you use the bulletin list, find it helpful, and want it to continue, please either let the office know or drop an email to rshawver01@gmail.com.

ST. THERESA’S NEWS: A Child Shall Lead Them food pantry is in need of soap and canned corn. Thank you for your generous donations.

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

September 8: Anne Danko, Nikolas Ryan September 10: Kim Lewis, Sierra Ryan, Karl and Kim Lewis (Anniversary)

(Pastor’s Notes, cont. from p. 3)those who are ready to become his followers (not co-travellers) to come along with their cross. Often we are afraid of the cross because it reminds us of suffering and thus appears unpalatable; the truth, however, is that without the cross the crown will be far-fetched (James 1:12). St. Paul would tell us that the message of the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing but for those who are saved it is the power of God (1 Cor.1:18). The cross is our identity as Christian and whoever is not proud to carry the cross cannot claim to be proud of Jesus Christ who saved us through the cross. If you take a very reflective look at the cross you will discover a lot of amazing features:• It is a PLUS (+) sign so it adds to our lives.• It is a LADDER that one can use to climb over

any obstacle or barrier.• It is a WEAPON to fight sin and the devil. In fact,

if you position the cross horizontally it appears like a gun or sword.

• It points to and leads us to HEAVEN.

A True Disciple must Build: Our Lord used the imagery of a building project and warfare engage-ment to describe what discipleship entails. Build-ing a house is generally costly and whoever wants to undertake that should be sure of the finances. Every building project entails a beginning and a finishing. There are instances where buildings are abandoned halfway and very often it happens as a result of improper planning. Significantly, the pro-cess of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is like build-ing an edifice. The beginning of this project entails making Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone (Eph.2 20-21). Each time we are involved in doing good we are building for the Lord just as evil destroys what-ever we build. The building is completed when we eventually make heaven. That is why Paul writing to the Philippians (1:6) said: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.”

A True Disciple must Battle: The Christian life is like warfare and that was the instruction of the book of Sirach (2:1). St. Paul made it more lucid in his letter to the Ephesian (6:13-17) where he dressed the Christian with all the necessary war parapherna-lia. And in 2 Timothy:3-4 he called the followers of Christ soldiers who must be formidable in combat. To be combat ready as a Christian one has to make a choice to fight consistently on the side of Jesus Christ. This a dependable way of being a disciple as well as doing the will of God. The irony that is con-nected with Christain warfare is that God actually fights the battle (Ex.14:14). One needs only to be ready and available.A True Disciple must Renounce All: Our Lord ended by giving us the step towards the realization of the preceding instructions. Simply put, he sug-gested that we should renounce ALL we have. This is another challenge in a world that is too material-istic. To renounce is to give up or abandon what one has. In this regard we are called upon to renounce attachment and attraction to those things that will hinder us from carrying the cross, building well, fighting well and ultimately being true followers in accordance with God’s will.For us to be true disciples of Jesus Christ we need to walk with him and follow him wherever he leads us. We need to pay apt attention in order to discover his will for us and operate on the insight our Lord Jesus Christ gave us when he said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and other things will be added unto you” (Matt 6:33). We shall end with the first stanza of this traditional hymn:When we walk with the Lord in the light of his WordWhat a glory he sheds on our way!While we do his good will, he abides with us still,And with all who will trust and obey.REFRAIN: Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Have a great Sunday and a joyful week.

Just stay put.The Kiss of Peace is not social hour. It is a somber moment designed to ensure our hearts are adequately prepared to receive the Lord in Holy Communion. It makes real the injunction, “if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Mt 5:24)

The rubrics tell us that it is “appropriate that each person offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a somber manner.”

We all love you, but stay where you are.

“J esus tells us that in order to follow him,

to be his disciples, one must deny oneself—that is, the claims of one’s own selfish pride—and take up one’s very cross. Then he gives everyone a fundamental rule. And what is this rule? ‘Whoever wants to save his life will lose it.’” – Pope Francis

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