"Helpful Hints of Life"
 
Things To Always Remember 

• Your presence is a present to the world.
• You're unique and one of a kind.
• Take the days just one at a time.
• Count your blessings, not your troubles.
• With God you'll make it through whatever comes along.
• Understand, have courage, be strong.
• Don't put too many limits on yourself, and none on God.
• God commanded, "Do not worry."-Matthew 6:25
• The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.
• Receive God's peace, the peace the world cannot give.
• Remember that a little love goes a long way.
• Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
• Life's treasures are people -- together.
• Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
• Have health and hope and happiness.
• And don't ever forget – God love YOU very much!

 
"Adoration is homage of the spirit to the "King of Glory," respectful silence in the presence of the "ever greater" God. Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications."  -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2628

​

Pope Francis Thanks Ukrainian Greek-Catholics for Their 'service to Christian unity'By Andrea Gagliarducci

According to a release from the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, during a meeting with the Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč on Tuesday, Pope Francis commended the Church for its witness to Christian unity.
The Pope thanked the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church for its martyrdom “as a confession of the Christian Faith and a testimony that the Successor of Peter the Apostle has a special mission of service to Christian unity,” according to a statement from the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.
The Vatican announced that Pope Francis met with Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk July 3 at the Vatican's Santa Marta guesthouse, but did not give details of their encounter.
The meeting was requested by Archbishop Shevchuk to commemorate “the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'-Ukraine.”
The event being celebrated was the 988 baptism of Vladimir (Volodymyr) the Great, Grand Prince of Kiev, which resulted in the Christianization of Kievan Rus', a state whose heritage Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus all claim.
Archbishop Shevchuk told Francis that the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church's path was a “testimony of the unity that Christ’s Church enjoyed in the First Millennium, at the time of the Baptism of Saint Volodymyr, and a particular witness of martyrs and confessors for Church unity, - in the 20th century.”
“Our Church’s path of martyrdom consists in a recognition of the particular mission of the Successors of the Apostle Peter as visible servants of the unity of Christ’s Church,” he said.
The Major Archbishop discussed the relationship of his Church to the other Churches rooted in the Christianization of Kievan Rus', including the Russian Orthodox Church and several Orthodox Churches in Ukraine.
In addition to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), there are two other Orthodox Churches which have claimed autocephaly, but are not recognized by other Orthodox Churches: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
These two latter Churches have asked the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew for recognition as autocephalous Churches, in a request forwarded by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and supported by the nation's parliament.
Archbishop Shevchuk called the division among Orthodox Churches in Ukraine a painful reality, and recounted “shameful incidents where the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments), in particular the Mystery of Holy Baptism, had been used to humiliate or deny the Christian identity of faithful belonging to certain denominations.”
He said that the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church looks “positively upon the efforts to overcome the divisions in Ukrainian Orthodoxy, according to the ancient principal salus animarum lex suprema est (the salvation of souls is the highest law). At the same time, we regard these processes as internal Orthodox matters and, - on no account, - do we ever interfere in them or take part in them. We believe that the civil authority must ensure that conditions exist that allow for the freedom of all churches, in our country. We also believe that is unacceptable for the state, - to treat any Church as an official state church.”
The overtures of the UOC-KP and UAOC to the Ecumenical Patriarch have been denounced by the Russian Orthodox. Vatican Insider has reported that Metropolitan Hilarion, spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate, told the Greek Orthodox website Romfea that “blood will be shed” if the Ukrainian Churches are granted autocephaly.
Metropolitan Hilarion claimed there are “three forces” behind the push for autocephaly in Ukraine: Ukrainian political leadership, the UOC-KP itself, and the “uniates” of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, each of which acts “for its own benefit.”
During his meeting with Pope Francis, Archbishop Shevchuk touched upon this “uniatism”, saying the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church rejects “uniatism” as a method for achieving Church unity, since it has received the Balamand declaration.
That 1993 declaration of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church said that seeking the conversion of persons from one Church to the other, which it said has been called “uniatism”, cannot be accepted as a model to follow or as a model for the unity sought by the Churches.
Archbishop Shevchuk stated to Pope Francis that “it is obvious that the ultimate act of uniatism, in the 20th century, was the 1946 Lviv pseudo-council.”
The 1946 Synod of Lviv was the means by which the Soviet Union acted to suppress the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and forcibly to absorb it into the Russian Orthodox Church.
“Accusations of uniatism directed at the UGCC, due of its active ecumenical position and its invitation to seek paths of unity with the Orthodox, are nothing less than a manipulation of the facts. The Eastern Catholic Churches, in and of themselves, are not 'some sort of method,' but are living members of Christ’s Church, which not only have the right to exist but are also called to engage in mission and in the work of evangelization.”
The release from the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church said Pope Francis assured the Church of his support and agreed that accusations of uniatism against it are groundless.
“He also thanked the UGCC for its active participation in rebuilding Ukrainian society based on the principles of Catholic Social teaching … He thanked the Church for its promotion of authentic Christian patriotism which, under no circumstances, should be used or manipulated for particular ecclesiastical or ideological goals,” according to the statement.
“The Holy Father also expressed his closeness to the Ukrainian nation which, as the victim of unjust aggression, is living through a painful period of its history.”
The statement added that Francis drew attention to the importance of Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation, and said he would also remember Ukraine during his July 7 ecumenical prayer for peace in the Middle East which will be held in Bari.


--------------------
"Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection: Jesus hears the prayer of faith, expressed in words (the leper, Jairus, the Canaanite woman, the good thief) or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic, the woman with a hemorrhage who touches his clothes, the tears and ointment of the sinful woman). The urgent request of the blind men, "Have mercy on us, Son of David" or "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" has-been renewed in the traditional prayer to Jesus known as the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Healing infirmities or forgiving sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith: "Your faith has made you well; go in peace."
St. Augustine wonderfully summarizes the three dimensions of Jesus' prayer: "He prays for us as our priest, prays in us as our Head, and is prayed to by us as our God. Therefore let us acknowledge our voice in him and his in us."
. -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2616

A bit of humor…


SOME OF THE  BEST [actual] HEADLINES YOU WILL EVER READ


Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
[You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?]

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
[he probably IS the battery charge!]

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
[Pound per pound they have to match?!]

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
[Taste like chicken?] 

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
[Do you really think this will keep them in school!]

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
[Boy, are they tall!]

And the winner is....
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
[They better double check the bodies for to be absolutely sure.]

​

Homily for the
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Cycle C -February 3, 2008
 
Do you want to be happy?  Do you want to be blessed?  When I was in Catholic grade school we were taught the Beatitudes as, "Happy are those, Happy are those."  Today many people think they will be happy if they have enough money, or enough material possessions, or power, or some other things or someone other than God.  And while these may bring happiness, it is a limited and incomplete happiness.  There is nothing wrong with these things in themselves, but when we make them gods in our lives they take us away from the one true God, the only One who can make us truly happy and blessed.
 
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their ears as the kingdom of heaven.
Poor in spirit…which means poverty in spirit, not material poverty, but poor in spirit…humility, being humble.  You want patience with your kids?  Get humility.  You want to be charitable to your spouse? Get humility.  You want to stop being angry or to obtain some virtue? Get humility.  Humility is the acknowledge of the truth.  Humility is the acknowledge of the truth. Primarily of the truth of who God is and who we are in the light of God.  Humility is the acknowledgment of who God is and who we are in the light of God.  Who is God?  God is the author and founder of the cosmos God all-powerful.  Who am I in light of God?  A spec, a mere nothing.  But God loves the spec. God treasures my nothingness.  Humility is to consider these things, and to respond thereby.
 
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
This past Thursday marked the 16th anniversary of January 31, 1992…the day on which a good friend of mine, Jeremy, died.  It was our eighth grade year in Catholic grade school.  He was there one day, and the next day he was dead.  We were in class early morning when we found out.  I remember many things from that day.  We did not do much, we didn't really study, and we were with our teacher.  I remember we even tried to play a little volleyball for PE to get up and do something.  I remember the funeral a few days later as we lined up for the last time to pass by Jeremy's casket which was Oak to say our final farewell.  Jeremy's death was particularly sorrowful to me, because I had never known the death of someone so close.  I was too young when my grandparents passed away to have known them so well and my parents and brothers and sisters are still living thank the Lord.  And all the other deaths I've experienced were not as close as Jeremy.  One of the things that came out of this life event was that our class has stayed close together as an eighth-grade school class, and we've all been particularly close and stayed in contact with Debbie, Jeremy's mom.  So even in my sorrow, I have been comforted.
 
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Meekness.  Meekness is God's power working in us under God's control.  Meekness is God's power working in us under God's control.  We have God's power in us because we are made in his image and likeness.  But most of the time we tend to be in the driver's seat and if we do give everything to God we too often take it back.  But letting God's power work in you under God's control will let you inherit the land of heaven.
 
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
How many in today's world seek that injustice be corrected, or that evil be averted.  If you are among these, keep hungering, keep thirsting…you will be truly satisfied.
 
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
I want my sins forgiven, and I'm sure that most of you want your sins forgiven.  I must be merciful, you must be merciful, then we will be shown mercy, that our sins will be forgiven.
 
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
The clean of heart, the pure of heart, the chaste.  People say today, 'where is God? why isn't God working? why can't I see him today?"  Are we clean of heart?  Are we pure of intention that our eyes may behold the good God who is all cleanliness, all purity, all holiness.  You want to be clean of heart, you want to be pure of heart, be humble, acknowledged the truth of who God is and who you are in the light of God.
 
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Peacemakers know that only Jesus will bring peace.  I saw a bumper sticker a few years ago.  It said:  NO Jesus NO Peace; KNOW Jesus KNOW Peace.  Those who seek to have peace in their homes, in their families, in their communities, and in the world, they shall be the true children of God, because they bring Jesus to their homes, Jesus to their families, Jesus to their communitys, and Jesus to the world.
 
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Do people get upset because you're Catholic?  Do people not like you because you do Christians things and say Christian things?  Now I'm not saying that we should get people mad at us, or that we should be in-your-face-Catholics.  But if no one ever gets upset, or even worse if no one could tell that you are Catholic or Christian by what you say or what you do, that is not a good thing!  This world is quickly coming to a point that it will not tolerate God or those who follow him, especially in our society.  So you and I have to make the decision now or very soon, will we be blessed and happy in the sight of God, or will we accept the false happiness of the world by going with the crowd.
 
There is one more Happy are those...
We hear it every time we come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  It follows the words of John the Baptist at the Jordan:  This is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world.  The priest holds up the consecrated host and continues:  Happy are those who are called to his supper.  Revelation 19:9, the book of showing, is where this part of the Mass comes from.  It translates it as: happy are those who are called to the Lamb's supper.  And this may be the translation that we are getting from the Pope in a few years as the parts of the Mass are more accurately translated for the benefit of our worship and the effect of salvation on our souls.  Happy are those who are called to the Lamb's supper.  It's the Lamb's supper because Jesus is the lamb that was slain silent before the shearers as the prophet Isaiah says.  And it's the Lamb's supper because it's the wedding feast of the lamb.  Jesus, the bridegroom, gives his life, his very body, for his beloved bride, the Church, you and I. 
I remember hearing some priests say, 'happy are we too are called to his supper,' or 'happy are you who are called to the supper.'  Now I'm sure that it is an honest mistake that these priests are saying the words this way, for Vatican II says that no one, not even a priest, can change the Mass for any reason.  The Mass is of God given as a gift to His Church for you, and you as Roman Catholics have the right to the Mass as it is given by God Himself through His Church.  But I think what has sadly crept in is perhaps a self focus a single to view an NT orientation.  But as this Sacred Scripture say happy are those for the Mass is not just about you and me, it's not just about our parishes, it is about all who were called.  And ALL are called to the Lamb's supper.  However, God depends on you and I to sometimes extend the invitation explicitly to those who do not yet join us on Sunday, those who do not know the joy and the intimacy of the Lamb's supper, maybe it's you and I, ourselves, who have not read and realize that true happiness lies only in Jesus Christ, fully made present to us in the Mass and only will be made clearer when He is unveiled in heaven, that that is what the Mass is.  Happy are those who are called to his supper.
 
You want to be happy? You one of the blessed?  Don't pursue happiness as the world counts it as Saint Paul noted, count it as the Lord shows it to us as He Himself made it visible.  Do the things of heaven!
 
 


 
 
"Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil." -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2628




+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 15th, 2018
The First Reading- Amos 7:12-15
Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos, “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
Reflection 
You just never know to what God is going to call you. Have you ever been minding your own business, going through your life pretty smoothly and then, BAM! Something changes drastically, taking you completely off guard? It could be a good thing, it could be something that appears, or even something bad. But all of a sudden, you’re different. That’s what happened to Amos. He was a pretty successful businessman. The first readings says that he was a “dresser of sycamores.” That means he tended these little mini fig trees, pruning them to make sure they didn’t have bugs and that they would grow fruit. He also kept herds. Then, one day, God told him to go to the nations of the world and tell them that they were doing everything wrong. He had to go and accuse all of the rich people (remember, he was one of them) of abusing the poor, and getting rich on the backs of the vulnerable. Like most of the prophets, that meant trouble for Amos. He had to leave his business and get into everyone else’s business. Generally speaking, people don’t like that. So, he had a really hard time of it; and it was never what he had planned for his life.
Adults -Have you ever had a shake-up moment like Amos did? What difficult thing did God call you to? Did you go without hesitation? Did you meet a lot of trouble along the way? How did you get through it?
Teens - Do you think it’s easy to follow God’s will? How do you discern whether something is being asked of you by God?
Kids - Try five minutes of silent prayer this week and listen for God to speak in your heart.
Responsorial- Psalm 85: 9-10, 11-12, 13-14
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD —for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reflection 
-Be extra aware of God’s kindness this week.
The Second Reading- Ephesians 1: 3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us. 
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth. In him we were also chosen,destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.
Reflection
The second reading tells us that our being chosen in ways like Amos experienced, and the Apostles experienced in today’s Gospel, is the first installment of our inheritance from Jesus. We receive the Holy Spirit, and then we’re sent out to tell people all about God. Sometimes you might want to tell God to keep that inheritance, but when it comes down to it, that’s why we were baptized. We were baptized not for comfort and ease of life, but for the discomfort of the Gospel.
Consider ways that God might ultimately use the struggles in your life for good in the long run.
The Holy Gospel according to Mark 6: 7-13
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick— no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Reflection
We’re not in it alone! Jesus sent the Apostles out two by two for a reason. We’re meant to have companions for our journey, to help us be accountable and not get discouraged. Jesus told them not to take lots of provisions for the journey, but to trust that God will care for them as they go. It’s the same with us. We get the call to go out (which could be comforting someone who needs it, visiting a lonely person, telling the truth in a difficult situation, giving material goods to someone in need … ) and we go. We should not worry about how we will have what we need to accomplish it, but know that if God called us to it, he’ll give us what we need to get through it.
Adults -Take some time this week to thank the person you are going two by two with through this life. They are a gift from a loving God. 
Teens -Who are your companions on your journey — with whom has God sent you “two by two”? How do you help one another?
Kids - What is your favorite way to help people?
 



​

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
On the subject of Lent, the Pope indicated that "it should also be a time to abstain from words and images, because we have need of a little silence. We need to create a space free from the constant bombardment of images, ... a silent space for ourselves, without images, in order to open our hearts to the true image, the true Word".
 
We live in such a noisy world: car radio; music while on hold; talking here and there; our own minds racing with worries, deadlines, and more…it is no wonder people wonder where God is or even if He exists at all.
 
"In the eternal silences of the Holy Trinity, God spoke one Word, and He had nothing more to say."
 
 
The one Word is JESUS CHRIST!  Yet God still communicates with us through the silence.  Yet, we must bring about silence inside and outside ourselves that we might be able to listen.  St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta offers:
 
"If we really want to pray, we must first learn to listen, for in the silence of the heart, God speaks. Jesus spent thirty years out of thirty-three in silence, began His public life by spending forty days in silence, and often retired alone to spend the night on a mountain in silence.  He who spoke with authority, now spends His earthly life in silence. Let us adore Jesus in His Eucharistic silence!
Yes, Jesus is always waiting for us in silence.  In that silence He will listen to us, there He will speak to our soul, and there we will hear His voice.  Interior silence is very difficult, but we must make the effort.  In silence we will find new energy and true unity. The energy of God will be ours to do all things well.  We will find the true unity of our thoughts with His thoughts, the unity of our prayers with His prayers, the unity of our actions with His actions, and the unity of our life with His life."
 
Why wait until the next time you go to Adoration, enter the inner silence of prayer now to find true unity with HIM!
 
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert

​

Below is a reflection of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, entitled ‘Celebrating the Vocation of Fatherhood’ published on June 17, 2018, on Cardinal Wuerl’s blog:
***
The celebration of Father’s Day offers us an opportunity to reflect on the irreplaceable role fathers play in the life of the family, in society and in the Church.

In the creation story, we learn that the Lord intends for a man called to the vocation of fatherhood and made in God’s image and likeness to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:26-28). Here we find the origin of the family.

Scripture is filled with stories of the importance of fathers, and in their importance in handing on the faith in our heavenly Father. As Pope Francis points out in quoting from Psalm 78, God “‘established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children.’ The family is thus the place where parents become their children’s first teachers in the faith” (Amoris Laetitia, 16). More recently, in his exhortation on holiness, he urges fathers and grandfathers: “Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus” (Gaudete et Exsultate, 14).

Pope Francis invites us in a particular way to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of “those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families” (Id., 7). What he then adds about the holiness of mothers growing in small gestures applies also to fathers – such as in sitting down with their children and listening and engaging with them after a long day of work even though they are tired (cf. Id., 16).
In families, “men play an equally decisive role in family life, particularly with regard to the protection and support of their wives and children,” the Pope affirms. “Many men are conscious of the importance of their role in the family and live their masculinity accordingly” (Amoris Laetitia, 55). More specifically, fathers teach what nurturing, compassion, and mercy look like in an explicitly masculine expression. Children, through the experience of the love of their earthly father, more easily recognize and trust as well the unconditional love and mercy of their heavenly Father.

Today is a day to give thanks to all of the fathers and grandfathers in our families and communities who strive to care for their children to the best of their ability. We express our heartfelt gratitude for the time spent working to provide for the material needs of the family and the time spent patiently with a child struggling to complete a homework assignment or recovering from a nightmare or making a big decision. For all the gifts of these good men who are living, and in memory of these who have died, we give thanks to God our Father.
​
***
On the NET:
To the original post on Cardinal Wuerl’s blog:  http://cardinalsblog.adw.org/2018/06/celebrating-vocation-fatherhood/


--------------------
The home of Nazareth is the school where we begin to understand the life of Jesus - the school of the Gospel. First, then, a lesson of silence. May esteem for silence, that admirable and indispensable condition of mind, revive in us. . . A lesson on family life. -Catechism of the Catholic Church #533

A Prayer for Silence
​

Lady, Queen of Heaven,
pray me into solitude and silence and unity,
that all my ways may be immaculate in God.
Let me be content with whatever darkness surrounds me,
finding Him always by me, in His mercy.
Let me keep silence in this world,
except in so far as God wills and in the way he wills it.
Amen.


 -Thomas Merton
 
 
[This is a weekly electronic newsletter from Father Robert, the Pastor of St. Mary Parish and St. Sebastian Parish. This will be sent out weekly. Please recommend this to individuals you think might be interested. Any suggestions or comments are welcomed, or if you wish to no longer receive this please e-mail: Roman.Catholic.Good.News@gmail.com]
 
 
 
Homily from Ash Wednesday


 
[SILENT PAUSE FOR ABOUT 15-20 SECONDS]
 
In the eternal silences of the Trinity God spoke one Word and He had nothing more to  say.
 
Silence…it can be a scary place.  Whether it's in an elevator with someone else you're wondering if you need to say something to break the silence, or you're at the stoplight and you have time before it changes, the silence of a car trip, or whether it's at Mass at some point before or after, there is silence in our lives.  
 
However, most of us are uncomfortable with silence.  We think we have to fill it say with some words, turn on the radio, or think of something to occupy the time as if it is wasted in silence.  Even the short silence that I had before this I heard somebody whispering I saw people looking around.  We don't know what to do with silence, but it is to the silence that we must go to during this Lenten season.  We must find that which is to be found therein, more importantly Who is to be found in the silence.
 
In the silence in the eternal silences of the Trinity God spoke one Word and He had nothing more to say.
 
That one Word is Jesus…Jesus…Jesus.  He who spends Himself in silence…The silence of the Eucharist…The silence of the 40 days in the desert.  The silence of the one who does not speak in the Sacred Scriptures, who is silent until someone speaks them in a word of proclamation.
 
Silence is where you and I must go these 40 days.  Silence must be the place that we strive to penetrate.  It will take courage; it will take faith, but if we do, dear brothers and sisters, we will find Jesus; we will find conversion; we will leave our selfish selves to become the generous givers to God and neighbor and then we will no longer fear the silence, (or any one or anything.)
 
 
"Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. . . He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve. . . "I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. . . I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead."   -Catechism of the Catholic Church #635




+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 8th, 2018


The First Reading- Ezekiel 2:2-5
As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD! And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house—they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

Reflection 
Do you ever feel like you’re talking to a wall? Like nobody’s listening? In our first reading, the Prophet Ezekiel is going to be sent to speak to Israel on behalf of God. But, before he goes, God gives him a warning: they are “hard of face and obstinate of heart”. They are “a rebellious house.” Sound familiar? Sure—we’ve all been there. And we’ve all been them. But, God says that even if they don’t change, they will know that a prophet has been there. It wasn’t Ezekiel’s job to make them do what God wanted—only to bring the message and plant the seeds. It’s not our job to make people do what we think is right—only to bring God’s message and plant the seeds.

Adults -Do you ever feel like your efforts to spread the Gospel are in vain? How does knowing that this has been going on since the beginning of time make you feel?

Teens - It’s often hard to feel like we are being rejected, and continue to reach out in spite of it. How does the first reading encourage you to continue to spread God’s love?

Kids - Do you ever feel like people don’t listen to you? How does it make you feel? What can you do about it?


Responsorial- Psalm 123: 1-2, 2, 3-4
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
To you I lift up my eyes
who are enthroned in heaven --
As the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
As the eyes of a maid
are on the hands of her mistress,
So are our eyes on the LORD, our God,
till he have pity on us.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
Have pity on us, O LORD, have pity on us,
for we are more than sated with contempt;
our souls are more than sated
with the mockery of the arrogant,
with the contempt of the proud.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
Reflection 
-Offer one of the Works of Mercy this week.


The Second Reading- 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10
Brothers and sisters: That I, Paul, might not become too elated, because of the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Reflection
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul has a condition that he’s asked God to take from him a number of times. God didn’t heal him. Instead, Paul feels that God wants him to be content with the spiritual comfort that God offers, but he will not be healed. Paul says, “when I am weak, I am strong” because he has to rely on God for his strength in that illness. That’s not an easy attitude to take. God didn’t give him that affliction, God didn’t cure it, but God holds him up in the midst of it.

Say a special prayer this week for all those afflicted with physical or mental illness.


The Holy Gospel according to Mark 6: 1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Reflection
The Gospel is reminiscent of one from a couple of weeks ago—Jesus is home and being rejected. They knew him when he was a kid, and they don’t feel that there was anything particularly remarkable about him then—why should he be such a big shot now? They don’t want to hear his message or have him perform any miracles. They want him to be normal or leave. So, he does. Just like as the first reading, we hear that God will send us what we need, but God won’t require us to be open to receiving it.

Adults -Is there someone in your life that you have written off as unimportant? How can you reach out to them, and maybe help them use their gifts for the Kingdom of God?

Teens -Why do you think Jesus was unable to perform many miracles in his hometown? Are you surprised at the reaction of his neighbors?
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Kids - Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t teach people about Jesus because you’re too small. This reading shows us that people often don’t know as much about others as they think that they do!

Catholic Website of the Week
 
Catechism of the Catholic Church
 
http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
 
See what the Church teaches by reading here. 
There is also a very good search engine to search
the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  



Quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church can be found every week
​in green throughout the Roman Catholic Good News e-weekly.

 
[For those traveling and needing to get to the Holy Mass.]
MASS TIMES AND CATHOLIC CHURCHES throughout the US
http://www.masstimes.org/
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Patriarch Sako Will be Chaldean Catholics' First Voting Cardinal
By Hannah Brockhaus
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Referencing being nominated a cardinal, sometimes called “princes of the Church,” Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako of Babylon said he thinks of himself only as a father, pastor, and servant.

“I say to the [Iraqi] people: I am a father, a pastor – not a prince,” the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church said to journalists June 27, one day ahead of the ordinary consistory which will create 14 new cardinals, including the patriarch.

“As the Father asks us: we are servants, we should serve… with the joy of the people,” he said, noting in an earlier interview with EWTN News Nightly that patriarchs, like cardinals, also wear a red cassock, which symbolizes a willingness to die for the faith.

It can also symbolize the martyrs of the Chaldean Church, he continued. “Even now we [still have] martyrs. And I do hope that the blood of the martyrs will be fertile, will bring us a future, will bring us a new situation [in Iraq].”

He said patriarchs of the Eastern Churches feel strongly that they are called to serve their people, to be close to them, and to help them in their need, not to seek “prestige or privileges.”

“This is the call of my nomination as a cardinal. It is not a prize or a personal reward. [It is] to be sent anew for my mission, a new vocation.”

Sako was born July 4, 1948 in Zakho, Iraq. He was ordained a priest of the Chaldean Archeparchy of Mosul in 1974.

In 2002 he was selected as Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk, and was confirmed and consecrated bishop in 2003. 

While Archbishop of Kirkuk, he served, from 2010, as the last apostolic administrator of the Chaldrean Eparchy of Sulaimaniya, until the see was suppressed in 2013.

He was selected and confirmed as Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon and Archbishop of Baghdad in 2013.

In 2008 and 2010 he was awarded the Defensor Fidei and international Pax Christi awards.

He has been vocal about the importance of disestablishing Islam in Iraq, to create an equal ground for all Iraqi citizens, especially Christians and other minorities, and has preached the need for mutual respect and cooperation between Muslims and Christians in the country.

The patriarch has also expressed concern at the exodus of Christians from Iraq since 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.

Speaking to journalists Wednesday, Patriarch Sako said he believes Pope Francis’ decision to make him a cardinal is a comment “on the universality of the Church – not dividing the [Eastern] Churches from other Churches.”

It shows the pope’s spiritual fatherhood and special care for the Middle East, he said. Being made cardinal shows Francis’ support for the Iraqi people “much more than money [would].”

Patriarch Sako will be the first Chaldean patriarch who may be able to vote in a papal conclave. His predecessor, Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, was not elevated to cardinal until shortly after his 80th birthday.

He said that following his nomination, which was a “surprise” to him, there was “a feast, a big celebration, among Iraqis. Because for them this is really a sign of hope… a big support internationally.”

Sako also noted that he received calls and visits of congratulation upon the publication of the news, not only from Christians, but from many Muslims and many of the country’s leaders, including President Fuad Masum and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Though many believe the future of Christians in Iraq is bleak, the patriarch was confident things will improve, saying he is “convinced that the future will be much better than now” and that someday there will be complete freedom of conscience.

“Christians should also have patience and hope. We don't have to think that we are persecuted... We have to be patient,” he said. “I am sure our Church will grow, that Christianity will grow."

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The Vatican's Helicopter: Transporting Popes, Saving Kid's Lives
 
Vatican City (EWTN News/CNA) - One of Europe's best pediatric hospitals, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome, can now use the Vatican’s helicopter to transport patients, personnel and medical equipment in emergencies. 
 
The agreement was announced July 17th by the hospital and the Governatorate of the Vatican City State, and is part of a bigger initiative to use the helicopter within a regional network for emergency management. 

“We are grateful to the Holy See, the Secretary of State and the Governatorate in particular, in the person of the SCV's Secretary General, Bishop Fernando Vergez Alzaga, for this opportunity, which is given to the Bambino Gesù hospital, and especially to the many young patients from all over Italy, who unfortunately need urgently to reach our hospital,” Bambino Gesu President Mariella Enoc said Friday, according to Vatican Radio.  

“It is an important gesture of charity that responds to a basic health need: the physical proximity between the Vatican City State and our seat on the Janiculum Hill, in fact, will significantly shorten transport times, contributing in many cases to saving the lives of children,” she added. 

The helicopter, also known as the Vatican City Heliport, is kept on a small, rectangular landing pad in the Vatican Gardens and is sometimes used to transport the Pope and other heads of state on short trips away from the Vatican, and to Castle Gandolfo, the pope’s summer residence. It was first used in 1976 by Pope Paul VI.  

Bambino Gesu (which translates to the child Jesus) is the largest pediatric hospital and research center in Europe. It has a child-centered, welcoming approach and operates on the moral and ethical principles of the Catholic faith.

The hospital was built in 1869 and is the oldest pediatric hospital in Italy. Owned by the Holy See and known as the Pope’s hospital, Bambino Gesu also serves children from all over the world. The Holy 
Father is a popular figure at the hospital, where children write him letters and know many details of his life, including words from his homilies and facts about his home country and favorite soccer team. 

In December 2013, Pope Francis visited the hospital for Christmas, after receiving drawings from the children at the hospital asking for a visit. Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI were all known to visit the hospital. During his first visit in September 2005, during the first three months of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI said he came in order “to bear witness to the love of Jesus for children.”

In 2010, Bambino Gesu doctors performed the world’s first transplant of a permanent artificial heart into a 15-year old boy, and since 2013 has been conducting research on a rare heart condition known as Long QT syndrome. 

 
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POPE FRANCIS WRITES LETTER TO FAMILIES

CWN - Pope Francis has written a letter to families asking them to pray for the upcoming Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be devoted to “pa...storal challenges to the family in the context of evangelization.” 

“In our day the Church is called to proclaim the Gospel by confronting the new and urgent pastoral needs facing the family,” the Pope said in his four-paragraph letter, which was dated February 2 and released on February 25. 

“This Synodal Assembly is dedicated in a special way to you, to your vocation and mission in the Church and in society; to the challenges of marriage, of family life, of the education of children; and the role of the family in the life of the Church,” he continued. “I ask you, therefore, to pray intensely to the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit may illumine the Synodal Fathers and guide them in their important task.” 

“In your journey as a family, you share so many beautiful moments: meals, rest, housework, leisure, prayer, trips and pilgrimages, and times of mutual support,” Pope Francis added. “Nevertheless, if there is no love then there is no joy, and authentic love comes to us from Jesus.” 

At a press conference presenting the document, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, noted that Christianity spread during the early centuries through families. 

“The Pope calls on Christian families to feel the responsibility of their mission in our time, so confused and restless,” he said. “The Pope suggests that the beautiful testimony of believing families” can “deeply touch the hearts of many.”


 
Here is a translation of Pope Francis' letter to families released today by the Pontifical Council for the Families.

* * *
Dear families,
 
With this letter, I wish, as it were, to come into your homes to speak about an event which will take place at the Vatican this coming October. It is the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which is being convened to discuss the theme of "pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization". Indeed, in our day the Church is called to proclaim the Gospel by confronting the new and urgent pastoral needs facing the family.
 
This important meeting will involve all the People of God – bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful of the particular Churches of the entire world – all of whom are actively participating in preparations for the meeting through practical suggestions and the crucial support of prayer. Such support on your part, dear families, is especially significant and more necessary than ever. This Synodal Assembly is dedicated in a special way to you, to your vocation and mission in the Church and in society; to the challenges of marriage, of family life, of the education of children; and the role of the family in the life of the Church. I ask you, therefore, to pray intensely to the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit may illumine the Synodal Fathers and guide them in their important task. As you know, this Extraordinary Synodal Assembly will be followed a year later by the Ordinary Assembly, which will also have the family as its theme. In that context, there will also be the World Meeting of Families due to take place in Philadelphia in September 2015. May we all, then, pray together so that through these events the Church will undertake a true journey of discernment and adopt the necessary pastoral means to help families face their present challenges with the light and strength that comes from the Gospel.
 
I am writing this letter to you on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. The evangelist Luke tells us that the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, in keeping with the Law of Moses, took the Baby Jesus to the temple to offer him to the Lord, and that an elderly man and woman, Simeon and Anna, moved by the Holy Spirit, went to meet them and acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah (cf. Lk 2:22-38). Simeon took him in his arms and thanked God that he had finally "seen" salvation. Anna, despite her advanced age, found new vigour and began to speak to everyone about the Baby. It is a beautiful image: two young parents and two elderly people, brought together by Jesus. He is the one who brings together and unites generations! He is the inexhaustible font of that love which overcomes every occasion of self-absorption, solitude, and sadness. In your journey as a family, you share so many beautiful moments: meals, rest, housework, leisure, prayer, trips and pilgrimages, and times of mutual support… Nevertheless, if there is no love then there is no joy, and authentic love comes to us from Jesus. He offers us his word, which illuminates our path; he gives us the Bread of life which sustains us on our journey.
 
Dear families, your prayer for the Synod of Bishops will be a precious treasure which enriches the Church. I thank you, and I ask you to pray also for me, so that I may serve the People of God in truth and in love. May the protection of the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph always accompany all of you and help you to walk united in love and in caring for one another. I willingly invoke on every family the blessing of the Lord.
 
From the Vatican, 2 February 2014
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
 
FRANCISCUS
 
 

 
POPE FRANCIS'S WORDS TO THE NEW CARDINALS AND YOU AND ME

“May all of us avoid, and help others to avoid, habits and ways of acting typical of a court: intrigue, gossip, cliques, favoritism, and partiality,” the Pope said as he calle...d upon all the faithful, and especially the cardinals, to be holy. “Christian holiness is not first and foremost our own work, but the fruit of docility-- willed and cultivated-- to the Spirit of God thrice holy.” 

“My brother cardinals, Jesus did not come to teach us good manners, how to behave well at the table,” he continued. “To do that, he would not have had to come down from heaven and die on the Cross. Christ came to save us, to show us the way, the only way out of the quicksand of sin, and this way of holiness is mercy, that mercy which he has shown, and daily continues to show, to us. To be a saint is not a luxury. It is necessary for the salvation of the world. This is what the Lord is asking of us.” 

“Whenever the least of our brothers and sisters finds a place in our hearts, it is God himself who finds a place there,” Pope Francis added. “When that brother or sister is shut out, it is God himself who is not being welcomed. A heart without love is like a deconsecrated church, a building withdrawn from God’s service and given over to another use.”See More 


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"By his obedience to Mary and Joseph, as well as by his humble work during the long years in Nazareth, Jesus gives us the example of holiness in the daily life of family and work."  -Catechism of the Catholic Church #564

A bit of humor…

A Sunday School  teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys  and girls, what do we know about God?"
A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy.
"Really? How do you know?"  the teacher asked.
"You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "
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People want the  front of the bus, the back of the church, and the center of attention.
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Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died.   He quickly phoned his best friend, Finney. 
'Did you see the paper?' asked Gallagher. 'They say I died!!'
'Yes, I saw it!' replied Finney.   'Where are ye callin' from?'
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Susan was always cold and could never get warm.  Finally, when she was called up yonder, she goes to the gates of heaven and meets St. Peter.

St. Peter starts apologizing, "You won't believe this and I am so sorry, but we do not have any rooms ready at this time."

Susan says, "What, how can this happen, this is heaven!  First its cold up here, and now you do not have a rooms?!"  St. Peter said, "Don't worry, I have someone who owes me a favor you can stay with for a few days, and we will have your room ready in no time."

Two weeks later St. Peter was walking around heaven and thought, O my, I forgot about Susan.  So St. Peter went down to hell to get her.  St. Peter opened the door, and Susan's voice calls from the inside, "Whoever just walked in, get in and close the door, and quit letting that cold draft in.
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Morning Offering Prayer
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O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father.  Amen.


 
 
 
[This is a weekly electronic newsletter from Father Robert, the Pastor of St. Mary and St. Sebastian Parishs. This will be sent out weekly. Please recommend this to individuals you think might be interested. Any suggestions or comments are welcomed, or if you wish to no longer receive this please e-mail: Roman.Catholic.Good.News@gmail.com


The Virgin Mary most perfectly embodies the obedience of faith. By faith Mary welcomes the tidings and promise brought by the angel Gabriel, believing that "with God nothing will be impossible" and so giving her assent: "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be [done] to me according to your word." Elizabeth greeted her: "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." It is for this faith that all generations have called Mary blessed.  -Catechism of the Catholic Church #148
+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 1st, 2018
The First Reading- Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24
God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the netherworld on earth, for justice is undying. For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong to his company experience it.
Reflection 
It is mentioned several times in Scripture that death is the enemy of God. In today’s first reading, we hear that death is not part of the created order — that God did not create it, but that we invited it into the world through our cooperation with the devil, and that “they who belong to his company experience it.” Of course, we all experience it because we all sin at times in our life.
Adults -How can you actively fight against sin in your life?
Teens - What do you think the Wisdom reading means when it says, “they who belong to his [the devil’s] company experience it [death]”? If we are Christians and we reject the devil, why do we still suffer?
Kids - What does it mean to have eternal life?
Responsorial- Psalm 30: 2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Reflection 
-Get to know the book of Psalms a little better this week, and recite a Psalm of praise as a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings in your life.
The Second Reading- 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Brothers and sisters: As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. As it is written: Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.
Reflection
The second reading speaks to Jesus’ great charity in becoming poor like us; vulnerable like us, so that we can be rich in grace and the Spirit. Jesus also looks to our material needs, and through our charitable efforts, continues to minister to the poor. We are called to share what we have so that no one should be without.
Try to increase your charitable giving this week - donate clothes or food to a local shelter.
The Holy Gospel according to Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. 
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to Jesus, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
Reflection
The Gospel invites us to experience healings on several different levels through two stories sandwiched together. First we meet Jairus whose young daughter had died. He was very worried, and his household was grieving as only people who have lost a child can. While Jesus was on his way to their house, a woman who had become desperate in her suffering, touches his cloak fully expecting to be healed. She was! When Jesus questioned her, she fessed up, and he commended her for her faith. Jesus got to Jairus’ house and healed the young girl. From these two events, a woman with chronic illness was healed, a little girl was healed from death, her parents and their community were healed from grief. Wherever Jesus is, death has no power. He took death on himself and conquered it in the resurrection so that when that enemy shows up on our door, Jesus stands right with us to take our hands and say, “Arise.”
Adults -What has been your experience of death? What has been your experience of the Resurrection in times of suffering, illness, or grief?
Teens -The woman who had been ill for a long time had the gumption to touch Jesus — which was absolutely against the Jewish law — because she couldn’t take the pain anymore. What do you feel so strongly about that it makes you take action, even if you’re afraid to do it?
Kids - How does Jesus help us make the right choices in our lives?

"Helpful Hints of Life"

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Diocesan News AND BEYOND
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A bit of humor…
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Prayer to the Sacred Heart
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0 Jesus!  divine Savior, from whose Heart comes forth this bitter complaint, "I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found none," graciously accept the feeble consolation we offer You, and aid us so powerfully by your grace, that we may, for the time to come, shun more and more all that can displease You, and prove ourselves in everything, and everywhere, and forever Your most faithful and devoted servants.  We ask it through Your Sacred Heart, O Lord, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit  one God, world without end.  Amen. 
 
 
 
"Christ is the light of humanity; and it is, accordingly, the heart-felt desire of this sacred Council, being gathered together in the Holy Spirit, that, by proclaiming his Gospel to every creature, it may bring to all men that light of Christ which shines out visibly from the Church." These words open the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. By choosing this starting point, the Council demonstrates that the article of faith about the Church depends entirely on the articles concerning Christ Jesus. The Church has no other light than Christ's; according to a favorite image of the Church Fathers, the Church is like the moon, all its light reflected from the sun."  -Catechism of the Catholic Church #748


SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
-June 24, 2018-
The First Reading- Isaiah 49: 1-6
Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Reflection 
In the first reading, we hear the second portion of the “servant song” of Isaiah. Centuries before the Birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied that all nations would be included in the blessings of his New Covenant. Everyone is called to a life in Christ through the grace of the Sacraments and the desire and determination to live the Gospel message.
Adults -Jesus came as a servant. How do you serve others in His name?
Teens - What does it mean to you that Jesus came to serve? What does that say about what God asks of us?
Kids - What are some ways that you can be kind to others?
Responsorial- Psalm 139: 1B-3, 13-14AB, 14C-15
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
O LORD, you have probed me, you know me:
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. I praise you for I am wonderfully made.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
Reflection 
-What helps you recognize that you are wonderfully made?
The Second Reading- Acts 13: 22-26
In those days, Paul said: "God raised up David as king; of him God testified, I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish. From this man's descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.' "My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent."
Reflection
Here we see Saint Paul reflecting on how Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecies of old, and on the ministry of John the Baptist. John the Baptist never took honor for himself, he simply spread the message he was given, and always pointed toward Christ. 
How does your life point to Christ?
The Holy Gospel according to Luke 1: 57-66, 80
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
Reflection
The Church celebrates as solemnities only three people’s birthdays; Jesus, Mary and John the Baptist. When we look at the scriptures related to John, we see why he’s celebrated with the heavy hitters. The Jewish scriptures prophesied his coming, he had a miraculous birth, was able to recognize Jesus before either of them were born, and laid the groundwork for people to be ready to hear Jesus’ message. 
When John was born, the whole countryside wondered what he would become, expecting God to do something amazing with him, because of the strange circumstances of this birth. Luke tells us, in similar words to describe Jesus’ growing up, “The child grew and became strong in spirit.” He and Jesus were akin in family relation and in spirit.
John was a wild character—he lived in the desert, wore deliberately itchy clothes, ate bugs and yelled at people. He had a very different approach than Jesus, but it was exactly what was needed to prepare people to hear Jesus and see him for what he was. He was brave and principled, willing to speak the truth even when it meant that he’d be killed for it. He’s important because of his participation in salvation history, and because he’s a reminder to our Church that it takes all kinds to preach the Gospel effectively.
Adults -Does following your faith make you stand out? How do you use that to teach people about the faith?
Teens -What can you learn about your role in the Church by reflecting on the person of John the Baptist? What characteristics do you have that would make you a good evangelist?
Kids - John was a miracle baby for his parents. People couldn’t wait to see what he would be when he grew up. What do you want to be when you grow up?