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BulletinsJanuary 22, 2012A NEW DAY DAWNS Today we hear how Jonah, sent by God to warn the people, storms through the streets of Nineveh, scaring the citizens out of their wits. And it works! God has a change of heart, seeing “by their actions” how the people turn from evil (Jonah 3:10). A new day dawns. Next we hear Paul telling the Corinthians, “The world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). He calls for a change of heart. Stopping short of telling them to stop carrying out their everyday activities, he urges them—rather mysteriously—to live “as though” they aren’t doing the things they are doing. A new day has dawned. [...] January 15, 2012SPEAK, LORD, WE ARE LISTENING In today’s first reading God keeps calling out in the night to a sleeping boy. Neither the boy, Samuel, nor his teacher, Eli, understands who is calling. But God’s persistence convinces them. Samuel is then ready—not ready yet to do anything, but ready to listen. “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). In the Gospel Jesus is out teaching. Various people notice him and begin to gather around. They soon become disciples and, like the young Samuel, are ready—not ready yet to do anything, but ready to listen. “Speak,” they say, “we are listening.” God’s voice is always with us, awake or asleep. [...]
January 8, 2012PROMISE FULFILLED Isaiah reminds the people of God that the land shall be restored to their possession, they shall rejoice to see their people return from the bondage of exile, and they shall be a light to the nations. In other words, through the people of Israel, the Savior shall come to all people who seek God with a sincere heart. This brings joy and the radiance of God’s glory to all the world and to all people everywhere. Through the fidelity of the people of God, and through God’s fidelity to them, all people shall become God’s children and rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel. [...] January 1, 2012THE BLESSING WE RECEIVE The blessing we experience in Christ Jesus is proclaimed in Numbers as the special blessing for the people of Israel. They and we are to be blessed by the invocation of God’s loving kindness, the shining glory of God’s face turned toward us in love, not away from us in anger. We are blessed by God’s own peace! Our wish and our hope are fulfilled in this blessing, which is made visible in the coming of Jesus. [...]
December 25, 2011THE GIFT OF GOD’S WORD On this day of gifts and gift-giving, it seems appropriate that we take a moment to reflect on the great gift of God’s Word. Because it is creative, God’s Word always points to its author, always calls us to respond. Because it is powerful, God’s Word can link the sublime with the ridiculous, the transcendent with the immanent, the divine with the human. Because it is graceful, God’s Word establishes a relationship of deep intimacy between us and God. At the heart of God’s Word lies a tantalizing tension between the mysterious and the mundane. In our liturgical celebration, this unresolved tension both reveals the meaning of life for us and calls us to respond, to act upon that meaning.
December 18, 2011Dear Parishioners, Every year we wish for the Light of Christ to bless our families, our friends and our parish. This past year has been one filled with good times (the arrival of Fr. Ignacio, Fr. Roy and Fr. Manny)… and sad times (Fr. Mike’s departure). There have been two very significant financial changes … the reduction of the Cislini Center loan balance and closing our fiscal year in the black. And … there have been wonderful improvements in our Church worship space — the new lights were installed. [...] December 11, 2011CHURCH PAINTING Dear Friends in Christ, In the near future, I will be asking parishioners with an interest to be part of a church renovation committee. This committee, assisted by professional consultation, will be responsible for developing an interior renovation plan. Included in this task will be an analysis of the scope of interior improvements, projected costs and time frame to complete, as well as developing a plan to pay for the renovation. I assure you that the project will not commence until funds are available. It is my prayer that we will see this renovation become reality within the next 2-3 years or sooner. [...]
December 4, 2011CHURCH PAINTING I am very pleased with the recently installed church lighting that the parish lighting consultant and Fr Mike chose. The hanging pendants are very attractive, have greatly improved the lighting quality, and are much more energy efficient than our old fixtures. With the completion of many improvements in the last three years to the exterior of the church, I want to move our efforts to interior church improvements. [...]
November 27, 2011MARK’S JESUS Mark’s Gospel is the shortest and tersest of all four. The discourses of Jesus tend to be terser as well. Mark’s portrayal of Jesus has none of the poetry of the Sermon on the Mount or the Sermon on the Plain as in Matthew or Luke, nor the extensive, reflective “I Am” discourses as in John. Mark’s Jesus “cuts to the chase,” we would say today. This is reflected quite well in today’s passage.
November 20, 2011THE SHEPHERD KING The job of shepherd and the job of king couldn’t be more different from each other. Shepherds are on the lowest rung of society, kings are at the top. But God says, through the prophet Ezekiel, that the Messiah will lead in a way very different from earthly authorities who lord it over their people and cause harm with their poor leadership. [...]
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