preparing to hear god’s word€¦ · 01/01/2018 · up, prepare, and bake. please give an hour...

FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

Preparing to Hear God’s Word “Therefore, Consider Carefully HOW you LISTEN. “ (Luke 8:18)

http://www.Bible. org

Primary Focus: Our primary focus

in this short study is on how God

communicates to us through the

Word and the Holy Spirit and

especially in relation to our times of

worship together.

Question: What does this mean

then in terms of how we listen to

God? Two things:

(1) As already pointed out, listening

to God must involve God’s Word and

the Holy Spirit working together in

the mind and heart of the believer.

Even when God uses people and

circumstances, we must always

consider what God is saying to us in

the light of His infallible Word. God

never contradicts His Word. We

must learn to examine everything in

the light of the Holy Scripture.

Further, this means I need to

recognize that since the Spirit

communicates to me through the

Word of God, I need to expose

myself to the Word privately, and

corporately, as often as I can.

(2) But listening to God also means

something else. Listening to God,

really hearing what He is seeking to

say, demands SPIRITUAL

PREPARATION and ACTIVE

PARTICIPATION on the part of the

listener. In order to listen to God,

one must be prepared to listen.

Listening to the Lord is a spiritual

matter. But any kind of learning

involves preparation and active

participation or concentration.

Because of this, God is very

concerned about HOW we listen

and worship. He is concerned about

our mental attitudes and our

spiritual state when we come to

worship or sit down with the Bible

either privately or corporately.

The Problem: We can simply go

through the motions of religious

activity and deceive ourselves as

James warns us in James 1. We can

play church and do a kind of “nod to

God” routine putting in our

appearance physically while we are

in essence absent spiritually.

Result? We don’t even come close to

truly hearing the voice of God. Why?

Because we have removed our

hearts from the Lord. We have

become passive listeners because

we aren’t really prepared physically,

mentally, and spiritually to hear the

Word of the Lord. Church

attendance is often simply a part of

our plan to pursue life on our own

terms. We attend church not to

really meet with God or listen in

order to know, love, and serve Him,

but to feel good, have an

experience, to hear beautiful music,

to hear an eloquent speaker, to see

people or even to be seen by

people. We attend church to soothe

our consciences and maybe earn a

little of God’s favor. In this case,

one’s religious activity is a kind of

insurance policy—a protection we

think. But we are dead wrong if we

think this way because such reasons

do not line up with what God says to

us in His Word.

Let’s look at a few verses:

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 Guard your steps

as you go to the house of God, and

draw near to listen rather than to

offer the sacrifice of fools; for they

do not know they are doing evil. 2

Do not be hasty in word or

impulsive in thought to bring up a

matter in the presence of God. For

God is in heaven and you are on the

earth; therefore let your words be

few.

Isaiah 29:1, 13 Woe, O Ariel, Ariel

the city where David once camped!

Add year to year, observe your

feasts on schedule. 13 Then the

Lord said, “Because this people

draw near with their words And

honor Me with their lip service, But

they remove their hearts far from

Me, And their reverence for Me

consists of tradition learned by rote,

…”

Ezekiel 33:30-32 But as for you, son

of man, your fellow citizens who talk

about you by the walls and in the

doorways of the houses, speak to

one another, each to his brother,

saying, ‘Come now, and hear what

the message is which comes forth

from the LORD.’ 31 And they come

to you as people come, and sit

before you as My people, and hear

your words, but they do not do

them, for they do the lustful desires

expressed by their mouth, and their

heart goes after their gain. 32 And

behold, you are to them like a

sensual song by one who has a

beautiful voice and plays well on an

instrument; for they hear your

words, but they do not practice

them.

So, the Key Question: What is

needed for us to be able to

effectively listen to God? What can

we do to prepare our hearts so we

are in a position where we can hear

what the Lord is seeking to reveal or

communicate to us, i.e.,

understand the message and

respond with faith and

obedience whether the message

comes through a hymn, or a

testimony, or through the

teaching of the Word?

January 28, 2018 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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IN THE PARISH

Helpful Information

Join the Parish

Anyone wishing to register for membership in the parish is asked to fill out a registration form and drop it in the collection basket.

Request Prayers

Our INTERCESSORY PRAYER MINISTRY provides prayer for anyone in need throughout the parish. Contact MARY ANN MAGDA at 570-655-1218 or make your intention known on our parish website at www.standrebessettewb.com

Remember your Parish

Your parish serves you faithfully throughout your life. Please remember your parish with a memorial gift or a Bequest in your will. Make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for you.

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATIONS

Anointing of the Sick

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may take place at any time, but, sadly, too many families wait until the last minute to call the priest to anoint their loved ones. If someone in your family is seriously ill, preparing for surgery, or suffering a prolonged illness, please contact the parish office to arrange a time for Fr. Ken to visit. IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY—or if Fr. Ken is unavailable to visit immediately, we will contact the first available priest to celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing with your loved one.

Funeral Preparations

We collaborate with the local funeral directors in arranging the times of the funerals. Please be aware that

there is an additional fee for funerals on Saturdays imposed by most cemeteries in the area.

Baptismal Preparations

Parents of newly born infants may call the parish office to arrange a time for the Baptism of their child. Baptisms are celebrated, for the most part, on any Sunday, with the exception of the season of Lent.

Wedding Preparations

Couples contemplating Marriage are asked to contact the parish office at least one year prior to the contemplated date of marriage, before making other plans.

IN PREPARING FOR LENT, please be aware that VALENTINE’s DAY is also

ASH WEDNESDAY. As such,

it is a day of FAST and ABSTINENCE! If you are planning a romantic Valentine Dinner, it must be MEATLESS (Only Surf, no

Turf!). So our suggestion is go out on Tuesday evening before Ash Wednesday, or go out on

Thursday evening, after Ash Wednesday.

PALM COLLECTION

With the Christmas

holidays barely behind us, it’s time to focus on what lies ahead. LENT begins on February 14th

In preparation for ASH WEDNESDAY, we are currently collecting old palms from last year so that they can be burned to provide the

ashes which will be imposed on our heads as a sign of our repentance. Palms may be deposited in the box provided in the vestibule.

February 2nd, Candlemas Day

Once again our parish is offering a special votive

candle for use in the home as we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

This year’s candle features Our Lady. The image of Our Lady is accompanied by a prayer which can be said everyday as part of your personal prayer ritual.

Many Countries, Dioceses and religious orders claim the Patronage of Mary the Mother of God under one of her many titles. In addition, she is considered the

patron of a great number of

occupations. You can reserve your candle by returning the form in next week’s collection. CANDLES MUST BE RESERVED IN ADVANCE!

Candles sell for $5.00 each and will be available for pickup on February 2nd and the weekend thereafter.

Our Social Justice Council is sponsoring its annual FISH

DINNER on Ash Wednesday, February 14th from 4—6 pm in

Fr. Zolcinski Hall. Tickets are

$9.00.

Dinner includes breaded haddock, baked potato, coleslaw OR applesauce, roll and butter, dessert and beverage. Tickets will be sold at all

weekend Masses on January 27-28, February 3-4, and February 10-11. As this event tends to sell out, we advise you to get your tickets earlier rather than later. Take out orders will be available

and delivery will be made to St. John’s, Bnai Brith and Washington Towers. This will be a matching funds project by Senior Branch 350 of the First Catholic Slovak Ladies

Association.

Spring Dance Tickets going FAST!!! Pick yours up today!

Music will be provided by Millennium. The $20 ticket grants admission to a buffet dinner featuring homemade food, desserts, and dancing. Responsible BYOB. Must be 21 years of

age to attend. WE ARE IN NEED OF WORKERS to set up, clean up, prepare, and bake. Please give an hour or two to help. Without your help, events like this cannot continue. A sign up sheet for workers and dessert bakers is now in the vestibule of the church. Many

hands make light work. February 9th—Basket Raffle

Thanks to our basket and gift card donors for their

generosity and creativity. Raffle tickets will be on

sale this weekend and next.


THE LITURGY

Listening At the Liturgy by Rev. Benedict Groeschel CFR

www.CatholicEducation.org

THE INTERCESSION AND PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT

If you have been drawn into the Paschal Mystery and have listened to the inexhaustible contents of the words of consecration, you may be a bit startled that they are followed by petitions of a rather down-to-earth sort: for the shepherds of the Church, for the Christian community, and for the vast number of human beings who can be said to be

seeking God. Personally, I have come to see these intercessions as a healthy jolt back to the timebound and earthly situation in which we as members of the Body of

Christ on earth participate in the Paschal Mystery. We cant stay in heaven no matter how enticing this prospect may be. Our vocation as Christians in the world binds us very much to the Church and to the whole human family.

Confronted with this reminder of our human condition, of the context of our lives in this real but passing world, we soon turn to the Holy Spirit. It is by His gifts that we are one in the unity of faith and worship, and, if we are willing to let His

gifts operate in us, in the unity of charity and mutual concern for each other.

We should pause for a moment to consider the choir of saints in adoration and loving union with the prayer of the High Priest. Don't be afraid to join with these saints at Mass.

Canonized or uncanonized saints are great friends and the best of models. At the liturgy we can join our two realities together earth and heaven. Both words fall short of expressing what they mysteriously contain. Know that Christ and His saints make intercession for us during our earthly life an existence that is trying, fascinating, and conflicted, but which has the promise of eternal life.

Finally, as we come to the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, we are reminded that there are those who have not entered our Fathers house but are on their way. Catholic Tradition calls this experience Purgatory. We ought to take this experience

seriously, because with all our best endeavors we will probably be in it. Lets simply call these loved ones those who have gone before us. They are completing earthly tasks done poorly or left undone. The saints tell us that these have one

regret, one pain: they have yet to take their final place in the Kingdom. We sometimes hunger for God; they have this experience in its totality. It can be a most moving part of the

day to be together in the reality of the Paschal Mystery with those who have gone before us, to help them and to be helped by them in the prayer of Christ.

The Eucharistic Prayer ends with a simple prayer of glory to

the Trinity through our own High Priest. If you have been attentive, it is possible sometimes to catch some of the power of this simple prayer of glory, to experience the hymns of the saints, the longings of those on their way, and the desire of those on earth who seek God.

Following the Eucharistic Prayer, the faithful are invited to

continue their prayer to the Father, using the words of His Son. It is as if the heavenly choir pauses in its endless praise

and those who have gone before us in their journey, and we, the noisy,

conflicted, confused, sinning, and repenting Church, have our moment, our prayer. It has been given to us by the

Lord when He

walked the earth, and its content, unlike the prayers of glory, is only relevant to this life.

There are no other words so simple and solemn that sum up our needs as well. Because of their simplicity we can put into them

all that we are and experience. In the liturgy, we offer a single childlike petition for all humanity: for present and future generations.

The prayer, Deliver us, O Lord, called the embolism of the

Lords Prayer, reminds us that the Church on earth is always in travail. Finally, in the peace of Christ, we pray for each other, trying to lay aside our negative feelings and emotions before we receive the Lord in Holy Communion. This prayer for peace should never be said lightly. Symbols of peace which are not true or genuine inject a note of conflict or superficiality into what is most solemn.

We now come to the prayers that prepare us for the sacramental meeting with Christ. These prayers the Lamb of God and the prayer before Communion are powerful and deeply personal acts of humility and expressions of

dependence on divine mercy. Since the day I thought my

death was near, they have taken on a new and heightened meaning: The Agnus Dei has come to express my only hope. At the breaking of the bread, we may meditate on the mystery of Christs broken Body being the source of unity, as we, the members of Christ, are joined and nourished as one.

If one takes the sacramental Communion with Christ seriously, it is especially important to live through these prayers and savor every emotion they stir up. I often wish that a longer pause were permitted at this point in the Mass, so that we might prepare ourselves with greater recollection. In the words of the great Hymn of Preparation prior to the

great entrance in the Byzantine Liturgy, we should lay aside all earthly care as we prepare to welcome the King of All. If one ponders seriously what is about to take place in Holy Communion, the only sentiments that are mentally healthy

and help us adjust to this reality are humility and confidence in Gods mercy.


The Finance Council will meet on

Thursday, February 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. All members of the Finance Council are asked to plan to attend.

The Liturgical Council will meet on

Wednesday, February 7th at 6:30 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room.

The Parish Social Justice Council

will meet Thursday, February 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room

The Pastoral Council will meet on

Thursday, February 15 at 6:30 pm in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room.

Food for January

Non-Dairy Creamers

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS

PARISH MINISTRIES

PARISH COMMITTEES

The Development Committee

will meet on Monday, February 5th at 6:00 pm in the Lower Meeting Room of the Parish

Office.

The Young at Heart Committee

will meet for their next monthly meeting on February 21st at 1 pm in the Fr. Murgas conference Room.

FAITH SHARING

St. Andre’s Faith Seekers with

Michael Boris will meet at 6 pm

on Monday February 5 in the Fr. Murgas Meeting Room of the Parish Office.

Disciples of the Spirit of Jesus

with Sr. Madonna will meet on Saturday, February 17 at 10:30 am in the Fr. Murgas Meeting Room of the Parish office. There is still room in this group for anyone who might be interested.

Sharers on the Journey with

Christ with Rosemary Shedlock will meet on Sunday, February

18th at 2:00 pm in the home of Elaine Snyder.

Loaves & Fishes

Winter Ordinary Time

Weekend of January 27-28

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 9:15 Faith Formation HUMAN DEVELOPMENT COLLECTION Orders for Candlemas Candles Fish Dinner, Dance, and Basket Raffle Tickets on sale. Palm Collection CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

Tuesday January 30

5:30 pm Choir

Thursday, February 1

St, Bridget of Kildare 8:00 am Mass 10:00 am Admin Staff Noon Exposition 5 pm Vespers

Friday February 2

PRESENTATION of the LORD 8 am Mass/ Blessing of Candles 6:00 pm Confessions 6:30 pm Sacred Heart Devortion 7:00 pm Mass

Weekend of February 3-4

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 9:15 Faith Formation CLERGY COLLECTION PICKUP BLESSED CANDLES Fish Dinner, Dance, and Basket Raffle Tickets on sale. Palm Collection

LITURGICAL MINISTRY SCHEDULE

February 3-4, 2018 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

4:00 pm Maggie Benish Ann Bergold Maggie Benish

5:30 pm Michael Boris Pat Baran William Klukoske

8:00 am Nicholas Kreidler Mary Ann Slavinski John Benz

11:00 am Patrice Rembish Sandy Snyder Elaine Snyder

WHO? ME? MINISTER?

Many Christians believe that because they do not have a seminary degree or the title of ‘recognized clergy’ they do not have much to offer in the building of the church and the expansion of God’s kingdom.

“How can I minister to those in my

church? I’m a 'nobody'.”

“How can God use me to bring salvation

and healing to my friends and neighbors?”

“Why would God use an untrained

individual like me to help folks learn about the Lord?"

“What do I have to offer the world? I’m

not as educated as he is. I’m not as gifted as she is.”

Today the question may be, “Can anything good come out of me, since I have not had any theological training and I am not a cell group facilitator?” Perhaps someone may even ask you, "How can you minister? You are not a 'church leader.' You don’t hold a Bible degree."

The answer to these questions, whether internally pondered or externally received, should be, “'Come and see' what God can do through me! I can minister in the church! I can reach the lost with the gospel!”

The body of Christ will only function as God designed it to function when we each do what we are gifted and called to do. The Holy Spirit is our companion in ministry - He will reveal to us what part we have to play in the church, and He will show us how to use our gifts and callings. We just have to allow Him to.

LITURGICAL MINISTERS: Be Aware that Fr. Ken will be preparing the schedule for Lent, the Paschal Triduum and the Easter Season (February 14—June 3) next week. If you will not be available for any weekend during that time, or for the services of the Paschal Triduum, please let the Parish Office know THIS WEEK.

Services for Palm Sunday will require 2 lectors for each Mass. The Services for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil will also require several lectors at each service, plus servers and EMOCs. If you have a preference, please let us know and we will try to honor it (but no promises!). If you will be away, also let us know so that you don’t get scheduled during these hectic days!


FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Pope Francis’ Catechesis on Christian Hope January 4, 2017

www.vatican.va

In today’s catechesis, I would like to reflect with you on the figure of a woman who speaks to us about hope lived in tears. Hope lived in tears. This is Rachel, wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin: she who, as the Book of Genesis tells us, dies while giving birth to her second-born son, which is Benjamin.

The Prophet Jeremiah refers to Rachel as he addresses the Israelites in exile, trying to console them with words full of emotion and poetry; that is, he takes up Rachel’s lament, but gives hope:

“Thus says the Lord: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, / lamentation and bitter weeping. / Rachel is weeping for her children; / she refuses to be comforted for her children, / because they are not’” (Jer 31:15).

In these verses, Jeremiah presents this woman of his people, the great matriarch of the tribe, in a situation of suffering and tears, but along with an unexpected outlook on life. Rachel, who in the Genesis account had died in childbirth and had accepted that death so that her son might live, is now instead represented by the Prophet as alive in Ramah, where the deportees gathered, weeping for the children who in a certain sense died going into exile; children who, as she herself says, ‘are no more’, they are lost forever.

For this reason Rachel does not want to be consoled. This refusal of hers expresses the depth of her pain and the bitterness of her tears. Before the tragedy of the loss of her children, a mother cannot accept words or gestures of consolation, which are always inadequate, never capable of alleviating the pain of a wound that cannot and does not want to be healed, a pain proportionate to love.

Every mother knows all of this; and today too, there are many mothers who weep, who do not accept the loss of a child, inconsolable before a death that is impossible to accept. Rachel holds within her the pain of all the mothers of the world, of all time, and the tears of every

human being who suffers irreparable loss.

This refusal of Rachel, who does not want to be consoled, also teaches us how much sensitivity is asked of us before other people’s suffering. In order to speak of hope to those who are desperate, it is essential to share their desperation. In order to dry the tears from the faces of those who are suffering, it is necessary to join our tears with theirs. Only in this way can our words be really capable of giving a little hope. If I cannot speak words in this way, with tears, with suffering, then silence is better: a caress, a gesture and no words.

God, with his sensitivity and his love, responds to Rachel’s tears with true words, not contrived; in fact Jeremiah’s text continues in this way:

“Thus says the Lord:” — he responds to those tears — “‘Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; / for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, / and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. / There is hope for your future, says the Lord, / and your children shall come back to their own country’” (Jer 31:16-17).

Precisely through the mother’s tears, there is still hope for the children, who will return to life. This woman, who had accepted death at the moment of childbirth, so that the child might live, is, with her tears, the beginning of new life for the children who are exiled, prisoners, far from their homeland. To the suffering and bitter tears of Rachel the Lord responds with a promise that can now be the source of true consolation for her: the people will be able to return from exile and freely experience in faith their own relationship with God. The tears generated hope. This is not easy to understand, but it is true. So often, in our life, tears sow hope; they are seeds of hope.

As we know, this text of Jeremiah is later taken up by the Evangelist Matthew and applied to the massacre of the innocents (cf. 2:16-18). A text which places before us

the tragedy of the killing of defenceless human beings, the horror of power which scorns and terminates life. The children of Bethlehem die because of Jesus. And he, the innocent Lamb, would then die, in turn, for all of us. The Son of God entered the suffering of mankind. This must not be forgotten. When someone addresses me and asks me difficult questions, for example: ‘Tell me, Father: why do children suffer?’, truly, I do not know how to respond. I say only: ‘Look at the Crucifix: God gave us his Son, he suffered, and perhaps you will find an answer there’. But there are no answers here [pointing to his head]. Just looking at the love of God who gives his Son who offers his life for us can indicate some path of consolation. For this reason we say that the Son of God entered the pain of mankind; he shared it and embraced death; his Word is definitively the word of consolation, because it is born of suffering.

And on the Cross it will be He, the dying Son, to give new fertility to his mother, entrusting to her the disciple John and making her mother of the people of faith. Death is conquered, and thus Jeremiah’s Prophecy is fulfilled. Mary’s tears, too, like those of Rachel, generated hope and new life.


“In Ramah is heard weeping and loud lamentation:

It is Rachel, weeping for her children. She will not

be consoled, for her children are no more.”

Jer 31:35)

Preparing for Lent

2018

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and

was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn

apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ And the Spirit immediately

drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was

with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time

is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;

repent, and believe in the good news.’ [from Mark 1]

Every religion has ways of talking about transformation: repentance, conversion, being

illuminated. We all feel the stirrings within us of the need for change, but it is so hard to do.

In Mark’s simple way, we hear in a few short verses how Jesus came from obscurity, was baptized, spent time alone with God in the wilderness, and, when John’s ministry was over,

emerged to start his own.

Lent is our wilderness time. If we are hoping to turn our hearts toward God this Lenten season,

we must start with transformation. The need, the desire.

Honestly, I think that’s what people are after when they set out to lose 20 pounds by giving up

sweets during Lent. It’s the idea of being transformed into some better version of ourselves.

We want to be thinner, nicer, more humble, more spiritual.

Jesus talked about repentance, which means to turn. To stop what we’re doing and do

something different, or do the same thing in a different way. It requires change.

We get into habits, even spiritual habits, that become rote. Change is good for the mind, good for the soul. Doing something different during Lent can make us rethink, re-establish, who we

are with God, who we are with others, who we are within ourselves.

We never stop developing. Yes, it gets harder to change old habits when they’ve been

ingrained in us for decades. But that certainly doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Habits like not looking for God’s presence in the world, no longer hearing the rustling of the Spirit,

sleepwalking through life.

Transformation may be huge. But it may also be small, incremental. I would never be so bold as to tell you what type of change or transformation you should attempt, but here are a few

thoughts: 1) One minute of silence each morning. 2) One page of reading something deep and important. 3) Opening and ending the day in the presence of God. 4) Giving thanks throughout the day. 4) Writing one sentence or a paragraph in a journal—just thoughts and hopes, or

fears, or emotions—positive or negative. Honestly, God cares about all of it.

Here we are, every morning, with the opportunity to make that day a new one.

How will you be transformed?

Lenten Transformation by Mellissa Bane Sevier

www.melissabanesevier.wordpress.com

The point of Lent is not denial.

But for a long time I thought it was. Everything I heard about Lent revolved around acts of self-denial. It was all about what object or habit one would give up and how hard it was to deny oneself

of that thing. Of course that denial was meant to help one think about God and Christ's sacrifice, but in truth the focus was always on the act of denial itself. The question always is, "what are you giving

up for Lent?" as if that is what the season is about.

On one hand it's understandable that we miss the point of Lent. In our religious traditions rituals and legalism are far easier to promote, understand, and implement than spirituality and faith. We can

grasp rules. It is far easier to tell kids to obey rules than to explain to them why they should desire to act rightly. They then end up following the rules simply because the rules exist. When it comes to Lent we often do the same, denying ourselves something for the sake of denial. We give up

chocolate or Facebook, thinking the act of denial is the purpose of Lent. And we end up missing the

point.

But Lent isn't about denial; it is about transformation. It is the season in which we prepare to encounter Christ's sacrifice by endeavoring to become more Christ like ourselves. Transformation is about letting ourselves be filled with God's presence so that we can be shaped by God's grace. Our

acts of kenosis -- denying ourselves in order to empty ourselves enough to allow God to fill us -- are means to an end. They are disciplines that prepare us to be transformed. We deny ourselves so that

we can be reborn as new creations -- to live more fully as the kingdom citizens God desires us to be.

So I am very tentative in choosing what disciplines I will follow during Lent to open myself up to

God's transforming power. I've discovered that for me personally, legalistic denial for the sake of denial often achieves the opposite purpose. Giving up coffee doesn't make me a better follower of Christ, it just makes me more irritable. Giving up Facebook doesn't help me build community in the

body of Christ; it simply helps me as a detached introverted person creep further into my shell. Those disciplines don't assist me in emptying myself in order to let God in; they simply fill me with

more of me.

I've come to learn that in order to become more fully the person God wants me to be, I instead need to make

sacrifices that actually allow me to achieve those ends. Often those sacrifices are less about personal denial,

and more about following disciplines that encourage me to love others more. In the past I've attempted to eat more ethically or shop fairly -- which of course required

discipline and sacrifice on my part (and a bit of denial as well), but the outcome of these outwardly focused

changes was far more personally transformative than if I had just eliminated something from my life for forty

days.

So for me the question for Lent is not "what am I giving up?" but instead "what can I do to allow God to

transform me this season?" The answers to those questions might be the same for some people; for me, changing the question shifted how I observed Lent.

Whatever the case, I think it is important to understand what the ultimate purpose is behind why we engage in

certain disciplines unless we miss their very point.

Lent Isn’t About Denial—It’s About Transformation by Judy Clawson

www.sojo.net

Loving Father,

I invite you into my life today and make myself available to you. Help me to become the-best-version-of-myself by seeking your will and becoming a living example of your love in the world. Open my heart to the areas of my life that need to change in order for me to carry out the mission and experience the joy you have imagined for my life. Inspire me to live the Catholic faith in ways that are dynamic and engaging. Show me how to best get involved in the life of my parish. Make our community hungry for best practices and continuous learning. Give me courage when I am afraid, hope when I am discouraged, and clarity in times of decision. Teach me to enjoy uncertainty and lead your Church to become all you imagined it would be for the people of our times.

Amen.

Most people have never prayed a prayer of transformation. Too often when we pray, we pray for

tweaking. We want God to tweak this and tweak that.

Let’s be honest. We don’t necessarily want our lives transformed. Transformation may seem attractive

in a moment of blissfully holy idealistic exuberance or at a moment of crisis, but the everyday reality is

we like to distance ourselves from the inner work required to bring about such a transformation.

Sure, we want some tweaking, but not transformation. This desire for tweaking is selective and

selfish, while transformation is total and selfless.

We pray for tweaking—and then we wonder why God doesn’t answer our prayers. The reason is simple:

God is not interested in tweaking. God is in the business of transformation. He wants to turn your life

upside down, which as it turns out is right side up. If you want to see something incredible, start

praying for transformation. That’s a prayer God will answer.

Lenten Prayer for Transformation

IN THE DIOCESE

Do You Want to Know More About the Annulment Process?:

In the Diocese of Scranton, the annulment process is now more “user friendly” than you might expect, and there is no longer a processing fee. Please contact your pastor or the

Diocesan Tribunal Office (570-207-2246) to begin a conversation.

It is possible to get clear answers to these questions and to renew

your connection with the Church.

Notice Regarding the Sexual

Abuse of A Minor

It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24 hour Child Abuse Hotline (ChildLine) at 1-800-932-0313 or electronically at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis. It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. To this end, the Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Mary Beth Pacuska at 570-862-7551 or to Diocesan Officials, including the Vicar General, Msgr. Thomas M. Muldowney, V.G. at 570-207-2269.

To Commemorate the Founding of the Diocese of Scranton on March 3rd, 1868, a year-long series of

special liturgies, celebration and events will begin next month on the First Sunday of Advent (Dec. 3, 2017) and

conclude on the Feast of Christ the King (November 25, 2018). The Primary Commemoration of our Sesquicentennial Year

will be marked with a major liturgical celebration in Scranton at the Cathedral of St. Peter and also at every parish throughout the

Diocese on the Weekend of March 4th, 2018. Other events have been scheduled throughout the 11 counties of the Diocese to highlight

various churches, institutions, and sites of historical significance.

Celebrating a Significant Wedding Anniversary in 2018?

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, and the Office for Parish Life wish to invite

couples celebrating their 25th or 50th wedding anniversary in 2018 to a diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass on Sunday, June 10. The event includes a 2:30 PM mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral followed by a reception. Requests for an

invitation, with a mailing address, should be made through the Parish Office (570-823-4988) before March 12.

Catch Our Spirit… Celebrate Catholic Schools Week January 28 – February 3, 2018 Celebrate Catholic Schools Week by attending one of our Catholic School Open Houses! You are invited to come experience our communities of faith and academic excellence. From Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, our students live their faith, challenge their minds, serve their communities, and

build lifelong friendships. For specifics about the Open Houses or for more information about our Diocesan Catholic Schools, including tuition assistance opportunities, please visit www.DioceseofScranton.org/CatholicSchools. As families register their students for the upcoming school year, consider becoming an Academic Angel! Your contribution is an investment in a child’s future…the outcomes speak for themselves. Our schools offer an instructional environment that challenges the mind, while inspiring and strengthening the spirit. Please consider supporting our students for the 2018-19 school year. You can designate the gift as a memorial or as an honor for someone special; you can also select a particular school to receive your gift, or allow us to allocate it to the area with the greatest need. Contributions can be sent to the Diocese of Scranton Scholarship Foundation, 300 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton PA 18503.

Grade 8 Placement/ Scholarship Test

Result Night and Registration Night for incoming Freshmen will be held January 24 at 7:00 PM in the Auditorium. (snow date Jan. 25)

Appointments for class scheduling for

new students for the 2018-2019 school year will be held on February 8, 12 and 13 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Call today for an appointment or to arrange for a day to shadow a student.

Call Holy Redeemer High School’s

Guidance Department at 570-829-2424 to set an appointment.

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal will be celebrating a Regional Prayer Meeting on Monday, January 29th, at 7:30 pm, and ALL ARE WELCOME to attend. The meeting will be held at Queen of Apostles Hall, 715 Hawthorne St., Avoca. There will be praise and worship with our combined music ministry, a witness by Tom Gentry, and a teaching by Karen McLain. The evening is being hosted by Burning Bush Prayer Group of Scranton, and refreshments will be served. Please come and join in the celebration of the Love of

God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit!!


http://www.DioceseofScranton.org/CatholicSchools

STEWARDSHIP

To say that St. Francis loved God intimately is an understatement. He loved God with the fullness of his being. Everything he said or did corresponded

with that love. It arose out of that love and returned to it. The Love that burned in Francis was an unquenchable fire. It longed to be consumed in God. From this love arose Francis’ love of poverty. This poverty is an outgrowth of

the Simplicity he longed to live. He did

not want to be encumbered by earthly concerns. Clothing, riches, homes, security, hopes, dreams, plans, a future—these were seen as vanities to Francis who wanted only one thing: To

love God and to love Him more and more each day. Whatever Francis received, he gave away. Now, let us not fool ourselves into thinking that living poverty was a bed of roses for Francis. It certainly was

not! Having come from the nouveau riche, Francis understood what it was like to live in luxury. His father fawned

on him and gave him whatever his heart desired. So it was a great shock to this father to see his son prefer to go naked in the streets of Assisi rather

than accept the warmth and embrace of family. For Francis, this warmth and this embrace came with a price that he was unwilling to pay. It came with responsibility for the family business. It came with the expectation that Francis

would settle down and build a family. It came with the understanding that Francis would not deviate in any way from the life his father had prepared for him. Others may have jumped at the

opportunity this life afforded, but not Francis. He heard the call of a different

drummer, and he was about to follow its tune. When Francis turned away from his family’s wealth, he also turned away from his childhood friends. He was no longer the “happy-go-lucky” reveler and

partymaker. There was a serious edge to Francis now. He sought companions who wanted a different kind of life than that offered by Assisi’s merchant class. He fled from the revelries of his youth and sought solitude and out of the way

places where he could hone his

relationship with God. At first glance, we may think that Francis became a

kind of austere “wet-blanket” who eschewed joy at all cost. What we find, instead, is a Francis who is alive with joy. It pervades every cell in his body.

It exudes from every pore. It is a deep seated joy that comes from his encounter with the living God. What Francis discovered as he tried to live this life of simplicity and poverty was an inner humility. He began to see

himself as God sees him. There was no

pretense and there was no guile. What you saw is what you got. Francis was the genuine article. What he had discovered is that wealth

brought a sort of pride with it. His father was a proud man who believed that he worked hard for everything he had. It was this pride that was ultimately his undoing. He was not about to allow his son to squander his hard-earned wealth on useless projects

for the refuse of Assisi. In the face of his son’s repudiation, Pietro was left speechless. How could this boy walk

away from all that he had worked so hard to build for him? Pietro never spoke to Francis again. He could not forgive him.

There was none of this pride in Francis. He was as he was. He recognized the gifts that God had given him. He saw that “his sun rises on the just and the unjust—He rains on the righteous and

the sinner.” Francis was going to use those gifts to serve His God in any way he could. As Francis began to gather followers to

his way, he would impress on them this sense of humility. In the eyes of God,

they were nothing, but even the lilies of the field are clothed by God. How much more would he do for those who left all things to follow Him? This humility beckoned Francis to see himself as a servant to others—especially the sick and the leprous. Francis went out of his

way to provide for their spiritual and physical needs, even if it meant depriving himself or his brothers. What can we learn from Francis in this regard? How will it help our parish to

grow and be renewed? transformed?

First, a spirit of poverty. For Francis,

poverty was paramount. He owned nothing and he wanted nothing. Too often, we get caught up in the material side of life. We want nice things, good

music, great homilies and a Sunday Mass that is only a half-hour long! The spirit of poverty teaches us to accept what God has given us, even as we work to improve what we have been given. That is the essence of Francis’

poverty. He accepted what he had been

given but was never content with it. He always sought to improve his life. Now this doesn’t mean he lined his sackcloth habit with silk or ermine. Rather, he accepted the gifts he received from God

and used them to better the world around him. In our parish, we have many great gifts that, so often, go unnoticed because we long for something better. So we grumble and complain about what we

have and wonder why God doesn’t give us something else. Why would he? We have not yet begun to appreciate small

things, how can we expect greater? The spirit of poverty teaches us to look at the small gifts that surround us. Did you wake up and get out of bed

today? Were you able to sit up and take nourishment? Do you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food on your table?

Are you in relatively good health? Do you have a support system of family and friends? Do you have a purpose or reason for living?

If you can answer yes to most or all of these questions, then thank God. He

has given you the basic necessities to sustain you. Receive them with gratitude and stop taking them for granted. They may not always be there. It is through simple means like this that Francis began the reform of the Church.

What great things will our parish be capable of if we adopt his practices and learn to be grateful for what we have received from God?

St. Francis of Assisi and Church Renewal


FINANCES

INCOME

EXPENSES

January 20-21, 2018 January 18, 2018 — January 24, 2018

PARISH COLLECTION Administration 3,370.01

In Church Mailed In Clergy Residence 74.47

Loose 182.40 -0- Liturgy 272.62

Offering 4,500.00 376.00 Religious Education -0-

Holy Days 235.00 10.00 Social Justice -0-

Initial 281.00 50.00 Maintenance 3,939.06

Dues 334.00 74.00 Deposit to Savings -0-

Debt Reduction 387.00 -0- Insurance -0-

Holiday Flowers -0- -0- Taxes -0-

TOTAL PARISH COLLECTION

$5,919.40 $510.00 Capital Outlay -0-

DIOCESAN COLLECTIONS Diocesan Collections -0-

Diocesan Collection

54.00 5.00 Debt Service

(Principal + Interest) 3,000.00

TOTAL DIOCESAN

54.00 5.00 School Subsidy -0-

OTHER INCOME TOTAL EXPENSES $10,656.16

Candles 35.00

Perquisites -0- GENERAL FUND RECAPITULATION

Rental -0- Previous Balance $22,037.80

Donation -0- + Income +6,523.40

Miscellaneous -0- - Expenses -10,656.16

TOTAL OTHER INCOME

35.00 BALANCE FORWARD

$17,905.04

TOTAL INCOME $6,523.40 Your Gift to God

January 20-21, 2018

Over $100.00 0 $20 46

$100.00 0 $16-19 0

$76-99 3 $15 20

$75 1 $11-14 9

$51-74 2 $10 131

$50 10 $6-9 9

$26-49 17 $5 41

$25 17 under $5 19

$21-24 0 Total Envelopes used

325

Is your gift to the parish each week an honest reflection of God’s goodness to you?

Mass Attendance

January 20-21, 2018

People In-Church Collection

Average Offering

per person

4:00 p.m. 132 2,303.25 17.45

5:30 p.m. 50 862.00 17.24

8:00 a.m. 78 1,250.15 16.03

11:00a.m. 106 1,504.00 14.19

Total 366 5,919.40 16.18

REMINDER: In order for our parish to remain solvent, the average weekly offering per person MUST equal or be greater than $15.00 consistently.

Votive Offerings

Bread and Wine

Intention Mary Jones

Offered by Evans Family

Sanctuary Candle

Intention John Ondrick

Offered by Sobocinski Family

DIOCESAN ASSESSMENTS (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018)

Diocesan

Assessment

School

Assessment

BALANCE

Prior

Balance 0.00 34,646.02 34,646.02

Current

Assessment 81,965.72 59,142.00 141,107.72

Amount

Paid -21,056.00 0.00 -21,056.00

BALANCE DUE

60,909.72 93,788.02 154,697.74

PLEASE NOTE:

We owe $82,075.84 toward the Assessments by February 25th.

PARISH DEBT SERVICE

Parish Loan Amount

Paid

BALANCE

Due

PRINCIPAL 400,000.00 40,314.14 359,685.86

INTEREST 12,000.00 11,688.30 311.70

BALANCE 412,000.00 52,002.44 359,997.56

Please Note: The Parish Debt service has been paid

to date. This Account is current.


LOCAL EVENTS

Calvin and Hobbes

by Bill Waterson

The Howard Gospel Choir of

Howard University will be

performing at the F.M. Kirby

Center on Saturday, February

17th,.

The show begins at 7PM.

Tickets are only $10 and half of

the proceeds will benefit St.

Vincent de Paul Kitchen.


International

Student Leadership

Institute

A Faith and Leadership Retreat for High School Students

“Faith

Unsinkable”

is our theme

for our

upcoming

retreat

where we

will meditate

on the

Gospel of

Matthew

when Jesus

calls Peter to walk on water. The

beauty of our faith is that we too are

all called to get out of the boat as

Peter did, and to walk on water!

Over the course of the weekend,

students will come to discover more

deeply and more fully who they are,

and who they are called to be. They

will be given the tools they need to

more confidently be followers of

Christ, and to get out of their

‘boats’ !

February 16-18, 2018

Camp Ladore Waymart, PA

Register online at dioceseofscranton.org

or by calling 570-207-2213

The Office for Parish Life is hosting a Youth Mental Health First

Aid Training facilitated by the Northeast Region Area Health

Education Center on Saturday, February 24, 2018 from 9 am—

5:30 pm at the Diocesan Pastoral Center.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour certification course

that introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning

signs of mental health problems in adolescents, builds an

understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches

how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health

or substance use challenge. Youth Mental Health First Aid is listed in

SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidenced Based Programs and

Practices and is approved as one of the curriculums that meet the

professional development requirement of Act 71. Professionals and

educators may be eligible for CEU’s.

To register, e-mail [email protected] or call 610-379-2001

Course fee: $10 (make check payable to: The Diocese of Scranton)

(Fee includes all course materials and lunch!)

mailto:[email protected]

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Fourth Week in Ordinary Time January 29—February 4, 2018

Day and Date Time Intention Offered by Events

Monday, January 29 Weekday

8 am No Morning Mass Scheduled

Tuesday, January 30 Weekday

8 am Mary Albowicz Robert Napkori

5:30 pm Choir

Wednesday, January 31 St. John Bosco 8 am Michael Hogan David Alusick

Thursday, February 1 St. Bridget of Kildare 8 am John L Blizman

Tom, Maureen and Megan Marie Gdovin

10 am Administrative Staff

Noon Exposition

5 pm Vespers

Friday, February 2 PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

First Friday

8 am Special Intentions Anonymous FIRST FRIDAY

8 am Mass/ Candle blessing

6 pm Confessions

6;30 Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus 7:00 pm Mass 7 pm Men of the Sacred Heart MOTSH

Saturday, February 3 St. Blasé

St. Ansgar No Morning Mass Scheduled

3:00 pm Confessions

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

VIGIL 4:00 pm Daniel Owca Owca Family

9:15 am Faith Formation

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT COLLECTION

Dance Tickets for Sale

Basket Raffle Tickets for Sale

Fish Dinner Tickets for Sale

ORDERS for CANDLEMAS CANDLES due.

VIGIL 5:30 pm Michael Gavazzi Mr. & Mrs. AJ Drier

SUNDAY 8:00 am Parishioners Pastor

SUNDAY 11:00 am Cecelia Knappman Eleanor Blazejewski

and Irene Keil

AG

NU

S D

AY

b

y P

asto

r Ji

m W

eit

zman


Having a

VISION

enables you

to live in

HOPE

and not

out of your

fears.

Steadman Graham.

preparing to hear god’s word€¦ · 01/01/2018 · up, prepare, and bake. please give an hour...

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