Sunday, August 29, 2010

Friday, August 27, 2010

TWENTY SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR

MONDAY OF THE TWENTY SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR (Luke 4:16-30) About whom is the Lord speaking? Quite obviously it is Himself. Does it stop there? I think not. He is reminding us all that the Spirit has come upon each and every one of us. The same Spirit which called Jesus is calling us to proclaim the Good News to the poor, to the captives, to the blind. This passage has so far to go before it is fulfilled. The Church does not seem to attract the poor, but rather the middle class. There seems to be a wall of comfort that so many of our parishes have built. They are more than willing to give money and even time to help the poor but the “not in my neighborhood” mentality is still there. Until that goes we are working against the Spirit which the Lord has given us.

TUESDAY OF THE TWENTY SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR(Luke 4:31-37) The Word of the Lord does marvelous things. We come into contact with this same Word every time we read Scripture but especially the Gospels. This Word is not limited by time or space. It is not hindered by any human structures or cause and effect. To be open to it is one of the great opportunities we have. The Word will come into our lives in many different ways, it will speak to us in the business of the day, or the quiet of the night. All we have to do is listen and say “yes.”

WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR(Luke 4:38-44) Gifts from the Lord, in today’s Gospel a physical healing, are not only for the individual but for the community. They are an invitation to service. Spiritual healings, the forgiveness of a sin, should remain only in the heart of the forgiven. The gift should go out and give to others what you yourself have received. They are meant to open up ones heart so that the world may enter in a new way and that the one healed may respond to the world in the light of the new wholeness.

THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR (Luke 5:1-11) Sometimes the Lord asks us to do things that we can find many reasons not to do. There seems to be something inside of us which will find the reasons not to do something much easier than to find the reasons to do something. People standing around us will either say: good common sense or what a fool. Peter was faced with such a decision. The common sense thing to do was not to cast the nets, the faith thing to do was to cast the nets. God has given us common sense to use but it must always be covered with the mantle of faith and trust in the Lord. In this way we enter into a new “common sense”, one that the world will be amazed at.

FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR (Luke 5:33-39) Under the beautiful images of bridegroom and new wine lies a message of hope. New wine is the symbol of life. It comes from the crushed inedible grapes of life’s disappointments, sadness. It seems that two paths open when something sad happens. The one path is self-pity. It is the path in which we become captured and life is clouded. It is the path of no hope. The other path is the one of hope. Not the hope that things will become better, that may not happen, the hope that there is a meaning to the things which happen in life. This hope will not take away the human suffering, but it will do something far more important, it will give it meaning.

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR (Luke 6:1-5) The human heart is such an anomaly. It is capable of reaching heroic acts which amaze those observing, it can love to a degree which only baffles those without the same love. It can be so open as to embrace the whole world. At the same time, the heart can be self centered, cowardly, unforgiving. The contradictions that we experience inside of ourselves are the signs of the continuing call to have the Spirit take more and more possession of us.
THIS WEEK
The table of contents for this week:
sermon on this Sunday's gospel
God Rocks (scripture put to modern music)
Love at work (the Franciscans of Holy Name Province
Daily Scripture reflections

ENJOY!!!!!

God Rocks! - Living Stones - Lyrics

Love at Work

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14

Friday, August 20, 2010

THIS WEEK



There are some very good thoughts on the video for this week's Gospel. St.Paul's Minisstry is doing a great service. The story of David and Goliath is very well done. The kids should enjoy it. There is an old saying that if children find it ineresting so will the adults...give it a shot.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

David & Goliath - Children's Bible Stories

Decision Regarding Arizona SB 1070, Urges Comprehensive Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON— As chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration, Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City applauded the July 28 decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton to halt some of the most controversial provisions of Arizona SB 1070 from going into effect the next day. Bishop Wester lamented the status quo on immigration as “unacceptable” and called for the Federal government to act immediately on immigration reform.

Bible Lesson
A Sunday School teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem.

A small child replied: "They couldn't get a baby sitter."

Luke 13 22-30 The Narrow Gate Of Faithfulness.wmv







TWENTY FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR



MONDAY OF THE TWENTY FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR(Matt.23:13-22) It is so easy to be awed by the large Churches, majestic liturgies. The libraries that have stored our cultural heritage throughout the years, the museums in which is the history of the western world, are all jewels of which the Church should be proud. It is so easy to identify these with the Church. The Church lies somewhere else. It is in the hearts of the lonely, the forgotten, those who acknowledge their need for God. We should be awed these as the presence of God among us.

TUESDAY OF THE TWENTY FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.23:23-26) Complacency is a constant threat to our relationship with the Lord. It is the mind set that does not see the possibilities of growth. Or worse, does not want to grow. This attitude is a threat in any relationship. We get too comfortable, it becomes too easy. Complacency does not see the incompleteness within, it has set limits on the working of God. Complacency is a denial of happiness

WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.23:27-32) Our relationship to the Lord is not a question of “how much we do” but rather of “who are we.” To put it another way, it is a question of being rather than doing. Our actions should be based on a God centeredness. This meeting with the Lord is what fills up the inside. We may do many good things, and I am sure the Lord will be happy with them, but to have them based on Him being the center is the fullness of all we do.

THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.24:42-51) We spend so much time waiting. We wait in the super markets, doctors’ offices, toll booths…we wait for good things to happen, we wait hopefully that bad things will not happen. There seems to be always something for which we are waiting. We can use that “waiting time” or let it go to waste. Waiting is not passive but active. We look to the future and in doing so in some small way make that future present. In looking to our future, the coming of the Lord, we should be the agents of making that future a now thing.

FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR
(Matt.25:1-13) The oil of good works, but more importantly it is the oil of seeing the bridegroom now. We can focus too much on the future and not see the present. Conversely we can live in the present to such an extent that there is no future. We live the future today, we live today in the light of the future. The Lord will come again, the future, we must greet Him today.

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.25:14-30) We have to let go of some things in order to grow. One basic reality of life is that things do not stay the same.
As Native Americans say: we never put our feet into the same river. The Church of the 1950’s is both the same and not the same as the one we are living in. It is the same because the Creed is the same, the foundation of our faith, it is different because we are being asked to live the Creed in a different way. The great gift of faith is alive, not dead. We can never go back to the “way things used to be”. To try to do that is denying the working of God in His
Church.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Friday, August 13, 2010

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Catholic News ServiceFilm & BroadcastingMedia RelationsNews Releases • Current
• Archived
Publishing
USCCB News Release

10-145
August 4, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE




Cardinal George Decries Court Decision Striking Down California Marriage Law

Archbishop Kurtz Joins Cardinal George in Criticism
Notes That Voters Have Upheld Traditional Marriage at Every Turn
Calls Marriage Essential to Well Being of Society

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, decried the August 4 decision of a federal judge to overturn California voters' 2008 initiative that protected marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

“Marriage between a man and a woman is the bedrock of any society. The misuse of law to change the nature of marriage undermines the common good,” Cardinal George said. “It is tragic that a federal judge would overturn the clear and expressed will of the people in their support for the institution of marriage. No court of civil law has the authority to reach into areas of human experience that nature itself has defined.”

Joining Cardinal George in his criticism of the court decision was Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage. Archbishop Kurtz noted that “Citizens of this nation have uniformly voted to uphold the understanding of marriage as a union of one man and one woman in every jurisdiction where the issue has been on the ballot. This understanding is neither irrational nor unlawful,” he said. “Marriage is more fundamental and essential to the well being of society than perhaps any other institution. It is simply unimaginable that the court could now claim a conflict between marriage and the Constitution.”
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Keywords: Cardinal Francis George, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, gay marriage, same-sex marriage, religious liberty, Proposition

Awesome God

Luke 1 39-56.wmv



TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE YEAR

MONDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE YEAR(Matt.19:16-22) make our material lives comfortable and secure, take priority. Letting them go is so difficult. We do not let go for the sake of letting go. In many cases we realize that possessions hold us back. There is a paradox. The very things which we think will make our lives full are the very things which prevent us from being who we are.

TUESDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE YEAR(Matt.19:23-30) Money is a two edged sword. It can do so much good. It can alleviate suffering, lift peoples’ lives. It can build schools, hospitals, feed people. It permits the ordinary person to enjoy the security which is necessary to lead a happy life. On the other hand, it can be a demon. Its green eyes can direct the lives of people to such an extent that their hearts become closed to the world around them. Just looking at the newspapers over the last year, we see what the desire for money has done. As money can do so much good, so the desire for money can do so much evil.

WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE YEAR(Matt.20:1-16) This is not a Gospel concerning justice. As a matter of fact the reverse can be said: it is a Gospel of injustice. Ordinarily speaking the way the landowner acted is just not right. So there must be another message. It comes down to the absolute freedom and unlimited generosity of God. He is not restricted by human ways of thinking. His justice goes far beyond what our limited way of thinking about justice is. God’s ways are not ours, and today’s Gospel calls us to a humility to accept that fact.

THURSDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.22:1-14) The man with the dirty garment reminds us of the obligations we have if we are to live in the Kingdom. It is not a matter of being perfect, surely the poor and those by the wayside were not perfect. Perhaps their garments were even dirty. Why was this man singled out? It seems as though there was an expectation that he did not reach. This is a lesson for us. The Lord does have expectations of us. He is not indifferent to us. These expectations are achievable because they are done with the Lord. The garment of our lives becomes dirty, not because we fail, but because we stop trying. Stop, in our own weak ways, saying yes.

FRIDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt. 22: 34-40) He once again turns things upside down. They were looking for the “quick fix:” the summary of the law that would make things simple. For them the world hung on the Torah, the law. What Jesus does is to say the Torah hangs on love. He goes to the center. We can get bogged down by little things and miss the message of love. We get involved in “doing” without ever taking the time to come into contact with the person within and ask the question: are all these things which I do hanging on love?

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.23:1-12) How do we serve one another? This seems to be a fairly important question in the light of Jesus’ saying about being a servant. There are many ways we are called to serve. To take care of someone who is sick, to volunteer at a ministry for the poor, these are all good. We get another viewpoint of service by looking at the sick who cannot do anything. We come to learn that being who we are is the greatest act of service. God has gifted each and every one of us: to realize that our lives are not for ourselves but for others, to serve people by sharing that life, to serve people that perhaps we do not know. To be a servant invites us to that most freeing of experiences. I do not live only for myself but for othersPossessions can become the possessor if we are not careful. It is so easy to get things out of balance. The things we see and touch, the things which.















Wednesday, August 4, 2010

THIS WEEK

The reason we are very early this week is because I am getting a new computer. the one I am using now will be handed over to the "geek squad" so they can do their thing. Hopefully the curve is not going to be too steep. Enjoy


Church Announcement
There is the story of a preacher who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."

Lk. 12 32-48 No Regrets.wmv



NINETEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR

MONDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.17-22-27) Scholars are not sure what tax is intended. There are many possibilities. No matter which one what does come out is just the plain old common sense which Jesus exhibits. Throughout the Gospels this comes out time and time again, faith inspired common sense. Faith inspired because it lifts us up to the realm of God. It is looking at reality through the eyes of God and trying to the best of our ability to come to a wise decision. This is why praying for the gift of wisdom is so important. “common sense” can not be based simply on the practical but on the will of God.

TUESDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.18:1-5,10,12-14) The 18th Chapter of Matthew concerns itself with relationships within the community. It answers the question: how are we to deal with one another? Becoming like a child puts self imposed limitations on our way of acting. Inside the community, this attitude prevents us from being ambitious for authority, and prevents us from misusing any authority we may have. To go after the stray sometimes demands a great deal of trust in the “99.” We have to trust them enough to take care of themselves for a short period of time. This has implications in forming a mature Christian community.

WEDNESDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.18:15-20) “Do not be judgmental” is a two edged statement. On the one hand, to judge the state of someone’s soul is only the work of God. However, we can judge acts. There is a right and a wrong, good and bad. We are being asked not to be afraid to make these judgments. But they must be made in love. They should be healing and they must be made with reconciliation in mind. We are our brother and sister’s keepers. This should not be done without prayerful discerning. And only in those matters which are important to the life of the community.

THURSDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.18:21-19:1) Reflection on the gift given should compel us to give the gift. Forgiveness is the free gift which God gives to all. It has a responsibility. It cannot be held onto; it must be shared. Without forgiveness the fabric of society would fall apart. We are too weak and fragile and we all make mistakes. Without forgiveness, all we would have would be brokenness. Forgiveness makes things well again. To forgive is not a one shot thing, it is a path which must be walked. We must walk it not once but many times.

FRIDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.9:3-12) Marriage is sacred because it is created by God. In this day when TV, movies and the way people mistreat this great gift, the followers of Christ are called to be true witnesses of how holy marriage is.
A sense of mutual trust, the need for forgiveness, and the desire to share a life dream are all essential to live marriage. Each one of these demands is a dying to self, so that we can live for the other. The “I” must be used less and less, the “we” more and more.

SATURDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK OF THE YEAR (Matt.19:13-15) Jesus was unique among ancient teachers in receiving children. They were considered insignificant, and were legally not even persons. Truly, they were the marginalized. The action of the disciples was predictable, they were acting as men of their times. It was only in listening to the voice of the Lord that the insignificant became important. We see the “children” all around us. The poor, the handicapped, those without talents. We see them in the faces of those whom society has forgotten. We have to listen to the voice of the Lord, or they will always remain non-important.