Silence at Mass as chalice with Precious Blood is offered (St. Padre Pio)​

Best Parish Practices
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START A MEN'S GROUP (Faith Sharing, Encouragement, Challenge)

Men and fatherhood is under attack today.  Being men of faith and good example to others is critical for ourselves and others.  Bring together a group of men in your parish or church to learn more about Christ, support one another, and help them to be the best version of themselves to their loved ones and one another.

BENEFITS:

Parishes are only as strong as their families and their marriages.  Strengthening one part strengthens all.  And men who know how to follow Christ, love those around them, and are strengthened in faith are tremendous blessings to their homes, parishes, and the world.

HOW?

Ask your Parish Priest for guidance and permission, especially if this will be held on parish grounds.  Gather two or more men once a week or as often as you are able or would like.  You might have food or drink for the gathering which allows fellowship and sharing a meal (have one participant provide it each week, or buy from local restaurant and ask for donations).  And then go to:

http://www.crossingthegoal.com

​And let 4 Catholic men who have been in sports and lived their faith to this day share their story in free video or audio format as the basis of the group.  Print off free booklets from under the Resources tab: 'Workout Group Questions'.  Video, audio clips are broken into 5 sections which can lead your group and men present into discussion.  Questions are also in workbooks if you need them.  Witness of the Catholic men in the clips are inspiring, and great jumping off places for men to discuss who gather in the group.  You can do one of their series; take a break for a month or two, and start another series, or go from series to series.  ALL FREE!

GOD AND THE MEN OF YOUR PARISH NEED YOU TO DO THIS TODAY!

Diocesan News AND BEYOND
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The story of the “Family von Trapp” has enchanted people of all faiths since it was put to music by Rodgers and Hammerstein in the Broadway and Hollywood hit musical The Sound of Music, and although the popular portrayal of Fraulein Maria and all those children has taken on fairy-tale status across the world, it has a solid foundation in reality.
Around the Year With the von Trapp Family — published in 1955 and now reprinted for a new generation of Catholic families — confirms what the musical portrays: Maria really was a postulant at a Benedictine convent in Salzburg, Austria, and she really did become governess in the employ of World War I Navy veteran and widower Georg von Trapp. Maria and Georg really did fall in love, get married, and sing with the family at festivals all over Europe, and they really did flee Austria after the Nazi takeover.
The musical ended there, and the credits rolled — but the real-life story of the von Trapps was far from over. As Maria relates in her memoirs, by 1939, Maria and Georg had had two children of their own and had another on the way. Just as war was breaking out all over the Continent, the von Trapps emigrated to America, where they continued to perform as a family. In 1942 they purchased an old farm in Stowe, Vermont.
For more than 20 years, they delighted audiences all over the world with their music. The old farm in Stowe has been converted into a world-class resort that is still operating to this day, with some of Maria and Georg’s grandchildren at the helm.
Meg Marlett, a home-schooling mother from Livermore, California, had heard of Maria’s second memoir years ago but never found a copy of her own because it was out of print.

However, when the new edition of Around the Year with the von Trapp Family came out, she snapped it up immediately. Even though she and her husband, Mark, are seasoned parents — they have eight children and four grandchildren — Maria’s book provides much-needed inspiration for the “home stretch” of their parenting journey.
“The book is beautifully laid out,” Marlett said.
But what she appreciates most is the theme of family unity that runs like an unbreakable cord through the entire book.
“We segregate by age so much in the world, and even in the Church. Maria’s main point, though, is to integrate the whole family into all the traditions and activities, so that all ages can celebrate the high times and low times together.”
As their youngest children enter their late teens, the Marletts are determined to continue providing the same rich and solidly Catholic upbringing as their older children enjoyed. Mrs. von Trapp offers plenty of inspiration.
The book begins with Advent, Christmas and the winter feasts, including a charming pre-Lenten season called Carnival. Lent, Holy Week and the Easter season follow. The great swath of Ordinary Time that comes after Easter gets its own lovely chapter entitled, “The Green Meadow,” so named for green liturgical vestments and for the single summer feasts that are “like isolated peaks towering above the green meadow.”
With a tone of gentle and joyful nostalgia, full of hope that many of the old traditions will be revived, Maria teaches the reader about Christkindl, the joys of feasting and fasting (“high tide and low tide”), and ways to commemorate important family days (like baptismal anniversaries). She provides handy lists of saints for various occasions, and in the chapter on celebrating the sacraments, she gives one of the best explications of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (from the prophet Isaiah) that I’ve ever read.

But she also writes with candor and concern about the shocking differences between Austria and America, which serve as stand-ins for the Old World and the New World — or, even more broadly, for Christendom and secularism. A chapter called “The Land Without a Sunday” is particularly timely.
She writes that “the Christian Sunday is threatened more and more both from without and from within — from without, through the systematic efforts of the enemies of Christianity, and from within through the mediocrity and superficiality of the Christians themselves who are making of Sunday merely a day of rest, relaxing from work only by seeking entertainment.”
She then quotes Pope Pius XII’s encyclical Mediator Dei: “The results of the struggle between belief and unbelief will depend to a great extent on the use that each of the opposing fronts will make of Sunday.”


But Maria doesn’t merely lament. She’s practical and positive. To combat a pernicious secular problem, she writes, “There is no use in just talking against it. Something better has to be substituted.”
And for that, Maria’s book is full of ideas. Even though it was published more than a decade before Vatican II, modern Catholic parents will still gain much wisdom and practical help from this book. The new 2018 edition is a keepsake-quality, hardcover book featuring illustrations by Georg and Maria’s daughter Rosemary.
Naturally, a book about the musical von Trapps will include music, and this book is filled with seasonal songs, many with lines for harmonizing with the melody. Some of the songs include piano staves, but it would have been much improved and accessible to more families if all the songs had been arranged for piano and included guitar chords.
Another minor fault of the book is that numerous pre-Vatican II references received no editorial comment to provide context for the benefit of modern readers. Some of the recipes also should have been updated if present-day Catholics are expected to use them.
Nevertheless, with the combination of practical “how-to” advice and inspiring, relevant essays, this book is a welcome addition to every Catholic family library. Parents searching for a way to build a distinctive Catholic family culture that is intentionally different from the culture “out there” will find this book especially helpful. Parish priests would also benefit from this book because they could use it to reinstate worthy traditions and practices from the past, such as having a special service on Candlemas Day and giving every family a blessed candle, or ceremoniously veiling an “Alleluia” plaque at the beginning of Lent. It also makes an excellent wedding present or gift for a young family at their first child’s baptism.
Lent is here, so picking up this book now will give you time to peruse it and make some plans for “The Great Fast.” As Maria exhorts her readers, “Let us not be so soft anymore!”
Maria also writes, “When Hitler’s troops invaded Austria in 1938, my husband and I felt bound by conscience to save our children from yielding to the religion and philosophy of this neo-paganism. … Only the Church throws light onto the gloomy prospects of modern man — Holy Mother Church — for she belongs, herself, to a realm that has its past and present in time, but its future in the World Without End. ... With every passing year, I [realize] more deeply how joyful our religion is. The more one penetrates into what it means to be Catholic, the fuller life becomes.”
Joe and Joannie Kuefler live in suburban Boston with their eight children, ranging in age from 4 to 25.
Joannie advises Catholic parents to study Maria’s book (and books like it) to gain whatever inspiration they can, but “choose what will work for your family and your own family culture.”
“The whole of Western civilization is suffering from Modernism and secularism,” Joannie told the Register, “but books like Maria von Trapp’s help reassure us that a lot of the worldly seasonal practices actually come from Catholicism. It’s a simple matter to add meaning and richness to them by explaining the religious significance to children.”
Clare Walker writes from
Westmont, Illinoi
READ
The book is available online via sophiainstitute.com or by calling (800) 888-9344.




Fruits of Family Traditions
A little goes a long way in family life, as the von Trapps can attest. When parents deliberately incorporate Catholic traditions and practices into their daily life, even small ones, they often “stick,” staying with our children into their adulthood.
For example, Kat Millard, a 2009 college graduate, vividly remembers her parents’ emphasis on daily prayer. “Every morning the family gathered around the table to pray with Dad before he left for work and before the school day started. Then, in the evening, we read aloud together and then prayed, either the Rosary or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.” She and her husband, John, now try to make prayer a cornerstone of their day with their four children in their home in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
And Andrew Kelly, an actor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, remembers family travel, Catholic-style: “Saying a quick prayer for passing emergency vehicles is a fairly ingrained behavior for me,” he said.
Brothers Noah and Josh Billing, both college students in Illinois, have strong memories of many Catholic family traditions growing up, such as going on retreats and to daily Mass as a family, kneeling down and praying at the Christmas crèche before opening presents, and making dinner together a priority. At these family dinners, the conversation often turned to the Catholic faith, which had a big impact on both of them. Their friend Jake Bartley, also an Illinois college student, had a similar experience of dialogue with his parents about the faith and about life: “Open discussion about faith and morals was encouraged and fostered in my family.”
— Clare Walker

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A PRAYER IN A COUNTRY CEMETERY

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"Contemplative prayer is the simple expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gaze of faith fixed on Jesus, an attentiveness to the Word of God, a silent love. It achieves real union with the prayer of Christ to the extent that it makes us share in his mystery."
 -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2724

+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
8th Sunday of Ordinary Time - March 3rd, 2019


The First Reading- Sirach 27: 4-7
When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one's faults when one speaks. As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just. The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one's speech disclose the bent of one's mind. Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.
Reflection 
The first reading invites us to reflect on how the words we used make known what is in our heart. The way we respond in difficult situations can tell others about what kind of shape we are in on the inside - in our hearts and minds. Do you speak words and react in a way that shows others that you are a follower of Christ?
Adults -What is one way you can strive to respond better in difficult situations? 
Teens - Do you pause and think before you speak, especially in a difficult situation?
Kids - What do you do when it’s hard to speak kindly to others?

Responsorial- Psalm 92: 2-3, 13-14, 15-16
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praise to your name, Most High,
To proclaim your kindness at dawn
and your faithfulness throughout the night.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
The just one shall flourish like the palm tree,
like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow.
They that are planted in the house of the LORD
shall flourish in the courts of our God.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
They shall bear fruit even in old age;
vigorous and sturdy shall they be,
Declaring how just is the LORD,
my rock, in whom there is no wrong.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you. 
Reflection 
-Give thanks in an intentional way for something different every day this week.


The Second Reading- 1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Brothers and sisters: When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Reflection
Saint Paul reminds us to stay dedicated to the work of the Lord, even when it may seem to be in vain. He is in control, and will guide and assist us in all ways if we simply show up to do His work. He didn’t promise that it would be easy - but He promised us the reward of life eternal, and God always keeps His promises. 
How do you find encouragement when things get difficult?


The Holy Gospel according to Luke 6: 39-45
Jesus told his disciples a parable, "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's eye. "A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thorn bushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks."
Reflection
It’s very easy to see, acknowledge, and even spread the word about what we perceive to be the faults of others. How often do we turn such probing eyes upon ourselves, to look and see where we may need work in our own lives? Jesus has strong words here for those who are quick to judge the actions of others, but who avoid such thorough examinations of their own lives. It is good to remember that we often don’t know the whole story of things we hear, or even things we see, and that God expects us to be be, foremost, loving, merciful, and to help each other to Heaven.
Adults -Can you think of a time you judged someone unjustly? Can you make amends? Sometimes it’s possible and sometimes it isn’t. Talk to God about it in prayer.
Teens - Have you formed opinions of someone based on the words of others instead of getting facts straight from the source themselves. What can you do to change that?
Kids - How can you show kindness to someone who has been treated poorly?
 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Lenten Regulations for Catholics
(from Church Law and US Bishops)
Lent - The Christian faithful are to do penance through prayer, fasting, abstinence and by exercising works of piety and charity.   All Fridays through the year, and especially during Lent, are penitential days. (“Piety” is the moral virtue by which a person is disposed to render to God the worship and service He deserves.)
Abstinence from meat:  All who 14 years of age or older are to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, on all Fridays during Lent and on Good Friday. (On other Fridays of the years, Catholics may substitute a work of penance or charity (i.e. extra prayers said for those in need; visiting or assisting the sick, poor, or needy; etc.) or abstain from meat.
Fasting:  All those who are 18 years of age and older, until their 59th birthday, are to fast on Ash Wednesday (March 6) and Good Friday (April 19).   Only one full meatless meal is allowed on days of fast.   Light sustenance on two other occasions, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one's needs.   But together, these two occasions are not to equal a full meal.   Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed.
The obligation does not apply to those whose health or ability to work would be seriously affected.   People in doubt about fast or abstinence should consult a parish priest.   The obligation does not apply to military personnel in deployed or hostile environments in which they have no control over meals.
To conscientiously disregard or purposely fail to observe the regulations of fasting and abstinence is seriously sinful (that is, an area of mortal sin).
CONFESSION/PENANCE/RECONCILIATION:  Catholics are bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year (Canon 989).  Lent is an appropriate time to fulfill this obligation.
EASTER DUTY:  After having received their First Holy Communion, all the faithful (all Catholics) are bound by the obligation of receiving Holy Communion at least once a year. This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season, unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during the year. This obligation may be fulfilled between March 10 (First Sunday in Lent) and June 16 (Most Holy Trinity Sunday).

Religious Sisters quieting assisting at the Holy Mass

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"The best and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart." 
~ Helen Keller ~

​BEST PARISH PRACTICES


MAKE AVAILABLE DAILY MEDITATIONS AND MASS PRAYER BOOKLETS

From The Word Among Us to The Magnificat to the Give Us This Day, there are wonderful resources that contain daily meditations to the full Mass Readings, parts of the Liturgy of the Hours and more.  When the Catholic faithful take time to spend with the Lord, or pray closely with the Church, all are blessed and benefit.  

BENEFITS:

Couples especially can pray them together, families can hear the meditation after or before a time of prayer.  Parishioners pray with the Church and get closer to Christ and one another.

HOW?

Ask your Parish Priest if this is something the parish can do.  A parish can purchase these for groups in the parish or make them available in the back of church.  Or they can take orders from parishioners and place bulk orders that might help for those who may not otherwise afford it.  Or if you are part of a prayer group or Men's or Women's Group ask if they would like to get it individually or bulk subscriptions.

Diocesan News AND BEYOND

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VOICES FEB. 7, 2019


Young people are not the future of the Church – they are the present.
Pope Francis delivered that message to an estimated crowd of 600,000 young Catholics who packed a park outside Panama City for an all-night vigil and early morning Mass that closed World Youth Day on Jan. 27.
Indeed, much of the current discourse around the Church centres on youth. The news is often unpleasant, from endless stories of young people dismissing Church teaching in favour of secular values to disheartening accounts of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups that have ruined thousands of young lives.
But every three years World Youth Day is an opportunity to celebrate Catholic youth and the joy and hope they represent for a Church desperately needing an infusion of both. 
World Youth Day lets young people command the stage as living examples of faith in action. Watching them interact with each other and with their faith is so unlike watching the institutional Church and a hierarchy that is widely depicted as closed, humourless, bureaucratic and political. By the hundreds of thousands, young people descend every three years on WYD and portray a Church that is happy, alive, engaged and faithful.
Typically, the event is all but ignored by the world’s secular media. That’s a shame. Few events can bring together like-minded people from all parts of the world in peaceful assembly like WYD does time after time. If it were a rock concert with half-a-million ticket-goers it would be front-page news. But because Panama is a magnet for pilgrims, not fans, it barely registers beyond Catholic circles.
Also, at a time when much of the population self identifies as spiritual but not religious, WYD shouts “not so fast!” Young people flocked to Panama for an encounter firmly rooted in Catholic faith. They arrived with little evident shyness about proclaiming that Catholic values are fundamental to who they are and how they will live their lives.
All Catholics could learn from the confident, active way these young people express their faith. Of course they are horrified by abuse scandals that, for them, hit so close to home. Most victims of the clergy crimes are teenagers and young adults. But, to their credit, the pilgrims refused to let those nightmares stop their pursuit of what Pope Francis described to them as a “dream called Jesus.” 
In many ways, WYD models the Gospel in how it gives life to Christ-like virtues in a joyful and hopeful faith-filled environment. At a time in its history when the Church spends considerable energy on matters that divide Catholics, WYD puts the focus on what unites us. It is a model that should instruct all Catholics. 
The Pope is right. Rather than regard this as the future Church, it should be the Church of today.
From The Catholic Register.

Some Thoughts:  
- My mom's favorite part of my birthday is describing my birth in detail to an 18 year old waitress who is just there to get our food order.  
- I asked my mother where I have been born when she told me in a hospital. I responded: "Mom was I ill?"  
- Me: "How much for the baby dragon?" Pet store clerk: "Sir, that's a lizard." Me: *not listening* "When do they start breathing fire?"  
- *Puts down phone* OH MY GOODNESS, I HAVE ANOTHER HAND!

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.]

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta's Prayer for the Family
Teach us to see Jesus in the members of our family especially in their distressing disguise. May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus make our hearts meek and humble like His and help us to carry out our family duties in a holy way. May we love one another as God loves each one of us more and more each day, and forgive each other's faults as You forgive our sins. Help us, O loving Father, to take whatever You give and to give whatever You take with a big smile. Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. Holy Guardian Angels, be always with us, guide and protect us. Amen
 
  
 
 
 
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?
 



+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
7th Sunday of Ordinary Time - February 24th, 2019
The First Reading- 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23
In those days, Saul went down to the desert of Ziph with three thousand picked men of Israel, to search for David in the desert of Ziph. So David and Abishai went among Saul’s soldiers by night and found Saul lying asleep within the barricade, with his spear thrust into the ground at his head and Abner and his men sleeping around him. Abishai whispered to David: “God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day. Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I will not need a second thrust!” But David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?” So David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head, and they got away without anyone’s seeing or knowing or awakening. All remained asleep, because the LORD had put them into a deep slumber. Going across to an opposite slope, David stood on a remote hilltop at a great distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops. He said: “Here is the king’s spear. Let an attendant come over to get it. The LORD will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness. Today, though the LORD delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm the LORD’s anointed.”
Reflection 
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. These are difficult words. Sometimes they seem impossible. But our readings today offer us an example (besides Jesus) who was able to do that, and a reminder that we aren’t just human—we have the divine presence of God in us to help us do the difficult. David, the boy who would someday be king, was being hunted down by the current king, Saul. They were enemies. Saul would kill David if he caught him. God gave David an opportunity to kill Saul, but David didn’t because he acknowledged Saul as still being God’s chosen one (the chosen King of Israel).
Adults -Is it difficult for you be charitable to those you don’t agree with? Ask God to help you!
Teens - If you were in David’s position, to be able to easily dispatch an enemy (and think broader than killing—it could be wounding with words, harming their reputation, etc) would you have taken it?
Kids - Do you find it difficult to be nice to people who are mean to you? Do you think it’s important to try?
Responsorial- Psalm 103: 1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
R.The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Reflection 
-In what ways has the Lord been kind and merciful to you?
The Second Reading- 1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Brothers and sisters: It is written, The first man, Adam, became a living being, the last Adam a life-giving spirit. But the spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.
Reflection
Paul reinforces the theme by reminding us that we aren’t just flesh. We’re not animals functioning purely on instinct. We are made in God’s image and likeness with God’s spirit breathing within us. We always have access to the help we want or need to accomplish even the seemingly impossible things that God asks of us—like loving our enemies.
What tasks are you struggling with this week that you need God’s help with?
The Holy Gospel according to Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
Reflection
The Gospel tells us of a type of love that every Christian is called to—agape. Agape is the type of love that has nothing to do with feelings, and can even operate in opposition of our feelings. Fr. Michael Himes defined it as, “the effective willing of the good of another,” which means that we use our will to do good for another. It is the love we can have for our enemies even when we’re “not feeling it.” Why would Jesus want us to love our enemies? Because God does. Because God’s not done with them yet. Because God’s not done with us yet. Because when we choose love in the face of hatred, change is possible. And only love can drive out hate.
Adults -When you’re at your worst; your angriest or most hurt, would remembering that God’s breath breathes in you (and in the other) help you to choose your response more carefully, rather than reacting?
Teens - Meditate on the fact that God loves everyone, and what that means for how you are expected to treat others?
Kids - How do you show love to others?

Man listening in the prayerful silence before Jesus

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Diocesan News AND BEYOND​

​McCarrick Laicized by Pope Francis

By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Feb 16, 2019 / 03:41am

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

 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
6th Sunday of Ordinary Time - February 17th, 2019


The First Reading- Jeremiah 17: 5-8
Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.
Reflection 
In the first reading, Jeremiah, who really has a way with words, shows us the difference between what happens when you put expectations on people versus when you put your trust in God. One leaves us desolate and burnt out, the other is life giving and nurturing. Our Psalm echoes that theme, singing, “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.”
Adults -Why is God more trustworthy than human beings?
Teens - Do you bring your daily cares to the Lord in prayer?
Kids - What do you talk to God about?


Responsorial- Psalm 1: 1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R.Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked,
nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
that yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. 
Reflection 
-What strengthens your hope in the Lord?


The Second Reading- 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20
Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Reflection
The second reading takes us to the crux of the First Letter to the Corinthians—chapter 15. Paul calls out those who don’t believe in the resurrection saying that if Jesus didn’t raise from the dead, and if we don’t, then our faith would be pointless. But, if we do believe in the resurrection, then we have to listen closely to the Gospel because our lives depend on it.
The Resurrection is key to our faith. Take some time to meditate on the Resurrection and what it means to our faith.


The Holy Gospel according to Luke 6:17, 20-26
Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”
Reflection
That Gospel is Luke’s account of the Beatitudes. While Matthew focuses more on the spiritual side of things, Luke brings them home in a very material way. Jesus comes and stands on “level ground” with us. Blessed are the poor…blessed are the mourning…blessed are the uncomfortable. And the flip side is a warning to the comfortable, for we will be afflicted. Those who have, if they don’t use their goods and their gifts to bring comfort to those who do not have, will lose everything.
Adults -Today’s readings make a connection between our hope in the resurrection and our charitable response to those in need. How does your belief in the resurrection challenge you to respond to those who are in need?
Teens - Read over the Beatitudes. Which one stands out the most to you?
Kids - What does it mean to you to be blessed?

Saint Valentine secretly performing Marriage when forbidden by government ​

​Saint Valentine of Rome
​
saints.sqpn.com
​
CatholicSaints.Info profile of Saint Valentine of Rome

Catholic Website of the Week
 
The Domestic Church
Families become what you are!
 
http://www.domestic-church.com/
​

Dear Saint and glorious martyr, teach us to love unselfishly and to find great joy in giving.
Enable all true lovers to bring out the best in each other in God and in God, in each other. Amen.




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+JMJ+
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
5th Sunday of Ordinary Time - February 10th, 2019


The First Reading- Isaiah 6:1-2A, 3-8
In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above. They cried one to the other, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!" At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said, "Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it, and said, "See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am," I said; "send me!"


Reflection 
Although we are still about a month away from Ash Wednesday, the Scriptures for this week put us in the Lenten mindset, preparing us for what we are about to do. In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah receives his call to be a prophet. His response, in my opinion, is very natural. He doesn’t feel worthy to speak God’s word—he is aware of his sinfulness. But God reaches out and touches his mouth with a coal to purify it. Then he’s ready.
Adults -What do you feel like God is calling you to in your life?
Teens - Where can you bring more of your faith into other areas of your life?
Kids - What special gifts has God given you?


Responsorial- Psalm 138: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
R.In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
when they hear the words of your mouth;
and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD:
"Great is the glory of the LORD."
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord. 
Reflection 
-How can you praise the Lord this week?


The Second Reading- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, Christ appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Reflection
In the second reading, Paul recounts his call to be an apostle; how Jesus appeared to him and his unworthiness of the mission offered to him. He feels the conviction of having persecuted the Church. But, God works through him and makes him effective.
If you are struggling with a sin in your life, take it to the Lord in confession and let Him work through the grace of the Sacrament.


The Holy Gospel according to Luke 5:1-11
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.


Reflection
The Gospel tells us of the call of St. Peter. God reached out to Peter through the work that he had been doing—fishing. When Jesus tells him to put his net into the lake after he had a totally unsuccessful night of work, his nets are so full of fish they can’t even handle the load. Peter feels the call to discipleship through this, asking Jesus to “depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Jesus responds as God always does, “Do not be afraid.” Each story is the story of a call to follow God and bring him to others. Each story expresses how many of us feel when faced with our call to do as Isaiah, Paul and Peter did. Each story shares the same response of God—to make us able when we think we aren’t.
Adults -Are there one or two qualities about you that make you feel inadequate for fulfilling the call that you have received? Remember, God doesn’t ever call the qualified; he qualifies the called.
Teens - Read over the spiritual works of mercy. See if there’s a way that you can incorporate one of them into your life, and consider how it will make you more like you want to be.
Kids - Have you ever felt afraid and asked God for help? What happened that made you know he was there to keep you safe and give you courage?

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