The Online Prayer book is a gift from the Holy Family Community and friends who contribute reflections, art, music, technical assistance, and proofreading skills.

Original Music for this Prayer Book is from our own Holy Family Parishioner Ben Coria, 5:30 Mass Music Director.

If you would like to participate in this wonderful book, please contact Dawn Pon- net at dponnet@holyfamily org Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop & Dr. of the Church Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21 Psalm 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18 Matthew 13:44-46

SUMMARY The first reading is the Prophet Jeremiah complaining about the all the trouble he has met with in trying to teach others about the word of God. People were full of contempt and scorn for him and so Jeremiah laments about it would be better to not to have been born. God reminds Jeremiah that He will protect him. The Gospel reading details Jesus analogy of heaven being like the most wonderful treas- ures found here on Earth and we would give up all we have to experi- ence Heaven.

REFLECTION God tells Jeremiah that all those who believe in Him and who trust in him will be protected against their enemies, I will free you from the hand of the wicked, and rescue you from the grasp of the violent. God is always there for us, even in our darkest moments when we might feel alone, distrustful, slandered against or persecuted; God is there to rescue us from the hand of the wicked. How comforting to know that God is there accepting us, protecting us and guiding us! Too many times we lament about our lives and the impossibility of our situations, but as Jeremiah did, we must believe and have faith in our God and his ability to free us and protect us. Jesus reminds us of this in the Gospel. Heaven is like a wonderful jewel, ready for us, welcoming us and all it takes is faith and belief, we just need to give away our doubt and our life to God and in return we get the most re- markable gift in return! PRAYER Dear Heavenly Father On this wonderful feast day of Saint Alphon- sus Liguori, help us to emulate him. He gave away his care-free life and his career to heed your call and help those less fortunate. Help us to have faith in Your journey for us and have heed Your call to us. We ask this through our Lord Jesus. Amen. ______

Vicky Ryan Parishioner

Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Jeremiah 18:1-6 Psalm 146:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6AB Matthew 13:47-53

SUMMARY In the human journey, we experience great joy and devastating darkness, empowering courage and paralyzing fear, uplifting success and dejecting failure, but the hand of God, like the potter with her clay or the fisherman casting his nets, cherishes each one of us in various states of grace.

REFLECTION Shortly before we were married 15 years ago, I met a potter named Bob on the volcanic island of Ometepe in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. Bob was from Maine, and he decided in his 50s to join the Peace Corps to introduce the potters wheel to potters who had spent a lifetime making pots, pitch- ers, candlesticks and vases slowly and lovingly by hand. The bowl pictured here with the tree of life was made by Bob, a wedding gift from a mutual friend, and I have both this piece with the perfect base from a pot- ters wheel and other pieces made by hand in the Nicaraguan tradition, and all are perfectly useful and beautiful.

In both the first reading and the gospel, God breathes messages of the necessity of good and evil in every facet of life. This message is revealed to Jeremiah through the work of the potter: Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again Like- wise, in the gospel of Matthew, in the middle of a string of parables, Jesus described the kingdom of heaven being like a large net of all the fish in Gods creation, including both the old and the new, the good and the bad. In the end, the good will triumph over evil.

I distinctly remember that when I came home from Nicaragua, I realized that my world and culture had been measured largely by progress . Pro- gress was good; being stagnant was bad. This dualistic, black and white thinking has, needless to say, gotten me into a lot of trouble in my spiritual journey, and by the grace of God in the last few years, these readings have rung true for me. We need both progress andandand setbacks, and, in fact, the Lord exists as the kernel of truth in all realms of this beautiful life.

PRAYER Lord, I invite you to dwell in me, so that I may see you in the face of my community in all of its humility and glory. Your word reveals that any progress in our eyes is really the stroke of your loving hand. I pray that you will release me from my du- alistic mind so that I may realize the ne- cessity of each experience and of all creation. May the Nicaraguan fish vase below remain a symbol for me of your vast, life-giving kingdom as I pray in Je- sus name, Amen ______ERIN MALONEY Education/Formation Commission Member Memorial of St. John Vianney Jeremiah 26:11-16, 2 Psalm 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34 Matthew 14:1-12

SUMMARY At the urging of priests and prophets who spoke to princes and the people, Jeremiah was threatened with death because he had called the city to repentance and reform from evil ways and deeds. Jeremiah was rescued after the princes and the people recognized and then told the prophets and the priests that Jeremiah had spoken in the name of God. Not only the great servants of God like Jeremiah, but also, the Psalmist declares, the lowly and the poor too who seek God may be glad in and rescued by his great love. Matthew tells us that, when Herod became aware of Jesus mighty powers, he feared that Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead.

REFLECTION In linking the mission of Jeremiah, a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:3) and the ministry of John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said, among those born of women there has been none greater (Matthew 11:11) to the life of a truly humble French parish priest, John Mary Vianney, the Church retells us how the lowly who discern and do gladly routine work as Gods work allow God to do great things.

Jeremiah and John were probably extraordinarily gifted men. But, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vianneys difficulties in making the preparatory stud- ies [for priesthood] seem to have been due to a lack of mental suppleness in dealing with theory as distinct from practice a lack accounted for by the mea- greness of his early schooling, the advanced age at which he began to study, the fact that he was not of more than average intelligence, and that he was far ad- vanced in spiritual science and in the practice of virtue long before he came to study it in the abstract.

Jeremiah publicly proclaimed reform, and John publicly preached repentance. But Vianney spent thousands of hours hearing private confessions, one soul at a time. Jeremiah and his vocation were known to God before God formed him in the womb. (Jeremiah 1:3.) In Elizabeths womb, John jumped for joy over the divine presence in Marys womb (Luke 1:41), a sign of Johns unique voca- tion to make way for the Messiah. John Vianney found the Mary within him in the womb of the confessional up to 18 hours a day during the last 10 years of his life -- where his priesthood bore extraordinary fruit, reconciling the great and the lowly who repented of their sins and resolved to reform their lives in Christ. God also revealed to John Mary his other gifts such as supernatural knowledge to see a sinners unacknowledged sins. John Marys spiritual direction came to be in great demand; in 1855, for example, the pilgrims who journeyed to see him reached 20,000.

We are always pilgrims, even in the comforting wombs of our own homes. How may I, like John Mary, humbly allow you to work more fully through me in the rou- tine responsibilities of my life? Let me, like John Vianney and Mary, the mother of Jesus, see my lowliness so that your Word. may bear fruit through me.

PRAYER We pray for all parish priests and especially for our priests at Holy Family in grati- tude for their humanity, their parents, their prayers, their many gifts to this com- munity. And, together with St. John Mary Vi- anney, we pray in gratitude for them espe- cially today as confessors, spiritual directors, and ministers of the sacrament of Recon- ciliation. ______PHIL ARGENTO , Chair Worship Commission

MEMORIAL OF SAINT DOMINIC , PRIEST

Jeremiah 31:1-7 Jerermiah:31:10, 11-12 ab, 13 Matthew 15:21-28

SUMMARY Matthews gospel recounts the unusual story of the Canaanite woman who de- sires healing for her daughter and who is initially spurned by Jesus, because as a non-Jew she is not part of his mission. Her faith is a remarkable counterpoint to the lack of faith displayed by his own people, and convinces Jesus to heal her daughter.

REFLECTION How often have we discounted someone because they were different in some way than we are? Perhaps they dont speak the way we do, or dress or behave quite like we do. Perhaps they have an accent or come from another culture which makes us uncomfortable. Perhaps they have some kind of a mental illness which puts them outside of our definition of normalcy. Perhaps you yourself have experienced someone discounting you or treating as somehow less because there is something different about you?

Jesus was human, and a product of his Jewish culture rooted in a particular time and place in history. At this point in the gospel, he believes that his mission must be focused on Gods Chosen People, the Jews. The Canaanite woman, through her faith and her love, converts Jesus to a fuller vision of Gods kingdom. She brings Jesus to a new place of enlightenment and to a new understanding that his mission is not only to lead the Jewish people to a deeper, fuller understanding of their relationship with God and the path to eternal love, but also to lead people outside Judaism into that same place of profound relationship with our loving God.

What an extraordinary thing to contemplate: even Jesus had to deepen his un- derstanding that All Are Welcome in Gods Kingdom! The lesson we can take away from his lesson is how difficult it is for all of us to be truly welcoming to those whom we might find ourselves wanting to exclude, discount or overlook in some way. Enlightenment can come from even the most unlikely source, and spiritual growth is ongoing throughout all of our lives, regardless of how spiritually mature we come to regard ourselves! Who is the Canaanite woman in our lives, who is calling us to a deeper under- standing of what it means to be inclusive and as loving as our God is of us?

PRAYER Lord, help us to enlarge our hearts so that we are able to see how each person we encounter is made in your image and likeness. Transform our hearts so that we never count the cost of what it means to love one another as you love us. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

______CAMBRIA SMITH Parish Life Director

The Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 Psalm Ps 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9, John 12:24-26

SUMMARY Jesus talks about how a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die and whoever serves me must follow me.

REFLECTION In this Gospel, Jesus, tells us what we must do to follow Him as well as be a servant Whoever serves me must follow me, and I where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

There are many people that are honored by the Church. Some are called Saints and some are called Blessed. They all have something in common, being a servant of the Lord.

Today, as the feast of St. Lawrence is remembered, the people of God are reminded that, being of service to the Lord may come with a price. Would any of us be willing to care for the sick, poor or the abandoned and risk their own lives in the process?

The ability to bring some peanut butter, a can of soup, or beans for the Giving Bank is not life threatening. Would all who read this re- flection, and in honor of St. Lawrence, be willing to help the poor by bringing an item or two for the Giving Bank? While shopping will you remember those who are less fortunate, hearing the Lord calling out gently to follow Jesuss example and follow the Father, placing one extra item in the basket and bringing it to the giving bank or dropping it into the Giving Bank collection drawers at the church on your way into Mass.

PRAYER Creator God, as we remember St. Lawrence on this day, we ask that all will be inspired by his life and the call of your Son to be servants. Help us to always be reminded of those in our community who are in need.

As we go through this week, help us to be closer to you as your ser- vants. Help us to be your hands and to reach out to others. May we be reminded, as we visit the market this week, which we are not only shopping for our families, but for those who hunger as well. That we may pick up an additional item and remember to bring it with us on Sunday and to honor you as we do thy will as true servants.

We ask this and all things in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen ______CANDY & J AY KRUEGER Deacon Couple Aspirants Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Habakkuk 1:12-2:4 Psalm 9:8-13 Matthew 17:14-20

SUMMARY Our first reading describes the reality of our world. This is a world where the wicked devour the weak and just, alike, and the prophet asks and demands of God: "Why, then, do you gaze on the faith- less...? This is a world filled with the works of death. The prophet will 'stand at his guardpost to await an answer to his complaint. The Lord responds, commanding him to pass on for human memory, this promise: "For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint.....it will not be late".

The psalmist, too, "sings" of this paradox of waiting, of trusting, say- ing that "he has not forgotten the cry of the poor".

In the Gospel, a cry comes that every parent understands all too well: 'Lord, have pity on my child'. This is so profoundly personal and par- ticular, addressing The One who engages us in the present and par- ticular agonies of our lives. Jesus, before directly responding, judges (sees into the truth of) the faithlessness, the wanting of trust in his ministers, the disciples (that is us, by the way). He promises to them that "nothing will be impossible for you" if you but trust.

REFLECTION This is real life that we all are surrounded by, filled by, and Habakkuk states this in terms we cannot miss, try as we might want to. For who wants to look into the darkness of this world, both inside of us and outside of us? We would be put to the "test" by so doing. And then it gets deeply urgent for those of us who care for the young. Try as we may, we cannot look away from their suffering unless we choose to look away from the suffering that is stirred in us by their agony.

But there is more to this "real life" scenario. It is God's promise that he, through Jesus Christ has been through these depths before and that New Life came to him and is promised to us. As disciples of Christ, we can only minister to the hurts in our lives if we trust that this is so.

PRAYER Oh, Lord Jesus, this trusting in your presence right now, and in your promises, is so hard at times!

Give me the grace today, just this day, To trust in the gift that you have given us. To trust in your loving, healing presence; to trust that "nothing will be impossible for you".

______DAVID LYMAN Parishioner

Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Hosea 11:1-4, 8C-9, 12-13, 14 and 17 Matthew 10:7-15

SUMMARY If we trust God we can be assured that He will give us all we need to bring harmony into our lives, our families, our country, and our world.

In the first reading Elijah, the one true prophet, fears for his life after slaying all of the false prophets. When his life is threatened by Jeze- bel, wife of the most evil of all the kings, Elijah is depressed, frus- trated, and angry. In desperation he flees, taking with him neither companions or supplies. He pities himself, and wants to die. God sends him an angel who refreshes him and renews his spirit, giving him the strength and spirit to renew his covenant with God.

Our Psalm reminds us that if we look to the Lord, He will be there to save us.

In the second reading Paul calls us to be imitators of Christ in love, compassion, and forgiveness. When we coddle bitterness, anger, and malice we frustrate Gods desire to empower us through His Spirit.

REFLECTION These two readings show that God has the power and willingness to renew our spirit and bless us with the gifts we need to live like Christ. One of the greatest gifts we receive is Christs body and blood in the Eucharist. In Johns Gospel Jesus establishes Himself as the son of God and gives Himself to us in the Eucharist.

Jesus gives us the Eucharist to keep us growing. God desires to feed and take care of us. We need Him to heal our wounds and change our lives. If our treasure and our hearts lie with Jesus we will begin to see what He sees and to want what He wants. He comes to make us whole people, and to challenge us to refuel our lives. Jesus is our soul food.

PRAYER Dear Jesus, help me to understand the significance of your sacrifice on the cross and the gift of your body and blood. Because I am in- vited to receive you in this most blessed sacrament, help me to re- ceive my brothers and sisters with the same understanding, forgive- ness, and love that you offer to me. I pray that through this most precious gift I may be transformed and fulfill the purpose you have created me for. Amen.

______CHARLENE SELEY RCIA Team Member Lector

Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28 Psalm 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14 Matthew 17:22-27

SUMMARY AND REFLECTION The Vision: God on the Cherubim . On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year, the word of the Lord came to the priest Eze- kiel, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar There the hand of the Lord came upon me. Above the firmament over their heads something like a throne could be seen looking like sapphire. Upon it was seated, one who had the appearance of a man he was surrounded with splendor. Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. The Word of the Lord

Jesus said to them, The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day. And they were overwhelmed with grief.

If we believe that God is in control, we can die in the faith that God will raise us up. We can forgive those who hurt us and betray us be- lieving that God is going to make things right. We can sacrifice our rights with the faith in Gods justice. I pray that when we make our daily decision, we should remember that God is in control!

PRAYER Good and Gracious God. Thank you for your son Jesus who went to the cross for us all. I believe that You are in control each and every day of my life and I ask forgiveness for any wrong that I may have done to anyone and also ask forgiveness for those who have done wrong to me. I believe the vision which Ezekiel had is one we can have if we just look beyond the surface and look heavenward to You. Thank you Father for your love and your grace and mercy. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen. ______

DORYCE BOHANA Parishioner Evangelization Team Member The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Revelation 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 Luke 1:39-56

SUMMARY Todays gospel tells of Marys journey to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, and includes the well-known prayer, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. It also includes the beautiful prayer of Mary, The Magnificat My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.

REFLECTION I love todays gospel and its strong images both ordinary and ex- traordinary. I envision the journey of Mary, a pregnant young woman traveling on a long and treacherous road from Nazareth for two or three days to be with her cousin in Judea. I can only imagine that she may have needed to take refuge far from Nazareth in a safe place where she could reflect on all that had happened to her -- a young woman carrying a child that was not the child of her betrothed, a young woman who knew she had been chosen by God and whose spirit rejoices in God my Savior, despite the predicament in which she obviously found herself. With some knowledge of what has tran- spired, Elizabeth, the older family member, welcomed her and em- braced her. In this gospel, we are also given the lovely image of John the Baptist the infant who leaped for joy in Elizabeths womb the infant who later would prepare the way for the public ministry of Jesus.

The Mary we meet in this gospel is a strong woman, a woman of deep faith, whose Magnificat succinctly teaches us about the goodness and greatness of our God. I believe she was prophet, priest and rabbi all rolled into one. I have read and have listened to this gospel many times over many years, and each time I reflect on it, I am struck by an image of a woman very different from the saccharin sweet Mary often portrayed. This young woman was an active partici- pant in the will of God, and it is no surprise that, as she predicted, generations have called her blessed.

PRAYER God of all Goodness, you sustained Mary, the mother of your Son, during times of turmoil and stress. May we pray the Magnificat, the prayer of Mary that gives us the example of her courage and her faith. May we proclaim with her the greatness of the Lord, particularly when it may be very difficult to do so. Amen

______Jane Argento Parishioner

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ezekiel 34:1-11 Psalm 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6 Matthew 20:1-16

SUMMARY One by one, our Lord is gathering all his people. It doesnt matter who comes first and who comes last. All will be welcomed into his Kingdom.

REFLECTION I used to have a difficult time accepting the teachings of the Parables of the Laborers. It is true that the wages were negotiated and ac- cepted by the first group of laborers. It is also the landowners money and he could be generous to the last group of laborers if he so pleased. However, the first laborers did put in a lot more effort. This is not fair! Same theory as I used to think that the best deal would be for one who get baptized as late as one could be in order to gain access to heaven without sinning or having to work too much at it.

Of course as I matured I realized I was totally wrong. Faith is about our relationship with God the Father. The sooner we know Him, the more we can enjoy Him. He guides our daily lives with His teachings. We find support from our faith and church as we face our difficulties and challenges. We find meaning in serving God. The peace and joy that come as a result enhance the quality of our life and our relation- ship with the people around us. It has nothing to do with work at all!

Furthermore, it is easy for us to be lenient to ourselves and harsh on others. We like to demand a proportional return for the things we have done. At the same time, we can easily forget the occasions when others cut us some slack. We feel privileged when we pull connections to cut in line in a restaurant, school admission, job op- portunities, doctors appointment However, we hiss at others who do the same when we are the one who has to wait patiently like eve- rybody else.

Luckily, there is no first and last in the eyes of our Lord. We do not have to worry about what we have or have not done. There is no line to queue, no numbers in hand, no front or end position to be con- cerned. Everything is in our heart, and God knows our heart. All we need to do is love love God and love our neighbors.

PRAYER Dear God, Enlighten me when my mind is closed; Calm me when I am anxious; Open my heart when I am selfish; Grant me peace and joy in sharing my life with you. I ask this in the name of Je- sus Christ our Lord. Amen

______Amy Yeung Parishioner

Thursday of the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Ezekiel 36:23-28 Psalm 51:13-13, 14-15, 18-19 Matthew 22:1-14

SUMMARY Sprinkle clean water on you symbolizes cleansing from sin. This is Gods forgiveness. God would not only restore the people physically to the land, but would restore them spiritually, by giving them a new heart and new spirit to help them follow Him and do His will. We shall live in His land, we shall be his people and He will be our God.

REFLECTION The Kingdom of heaven indicates that the story contains principles or truths that relate to the Kingdom of God. Marriage refers to a wed- ding feast. God is sending us an invitation to celebrate in Christs Kingdom. God sent out an invitation and some people refused to come. Two invitations were sent out. The first was sent long before the celebration so that people would have plenty of time to prepare themselves for the feast. Some made light of the invitation because they did not care about it. They were so preoccupied with the here and now that they had no concern for Gods Kingdom. Both bad and good refers to Jews and Gentiles. Both groups include some who are morally evil and others who are morally good. Whatever the condi- tion, people need to respond to the gospel. Did not have a wedding garment he was supposed to wear clean clothes. To come to a wedding banquet unprepared or in soiled clothing would have been insulting. In this parable, the garment may refer to the righteousness of Christ graciously provided for us through His death. To refuse to put it on would mean refusal of Christs sacrifice or arrogance in be- lieving that the garment was somehow not needed. If we want to enter Christs banquet, we must put on the righteousness He gives us. Not all those invited will be among the chosen of God, for not all will believe.

PRAYER I have a need to trust you Lord completely. I do not want to be a per- son who simply says 'I trust God' but I want to believe in you, to place all my hopes in you, and a trust that brings me a peace like no other ever experienced on this earth. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

______Lela Bissner Parishioner

Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle Revelation 21:9B-14 Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18 John 1:45-51

SUMMARY Jesus is introduced to future-apostle Nathaniel by Philip. Nathaniel asks Jesus, Can anything good come from Nazareth? Philip invites Nathaniel to come and see. Jesus responds with a gentle appraisal of Nathaniel calling him a true child of Israel. Nathaniel doesnt understand how Christ knows who he is and Jesus responds, Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree. With this Nathaniel is convinced that this man in front of him is in fact the Son of God, but Jesus exhorts him that this is nothing compared with what he will see if he follows Him.

REFLECTION I have always found this to be a strange gospel. Why is Nathaniel so impressed that Christ saw him under a fig tree? How does that reveal Christs divinity to him? Was it a hidden fig tree or perhaps it was a fig tree in a dream? Maybe Nathaniel dreamt of meeting the Savior in just this way or is it some kind of code? Fig trees certainly figure prominently in Jesus Israel and parables.

And I get a kick out of the way Nathaniel (aka Bartholomew, apparently- Son of Ptolemy thus todays feast day), when he is first introduced to Jesus, says, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Fr. Jim Martin, S.J. assures us that this was considered hysterical at the time. I can almost hear Nathaniel saying it in a Groucho-Marx- cigar- in-mouth sort of way. Jesus must have had a good sense of humor. I guess he still does.

This is, at least, the story of a person being called to follow Christ and called in a way that resonates deeply with him in a way that perhaps only has significance to him. And, I believe, this is the way God calls each of us. He calls each of us in the way that He knows will make sense to us. To St. Paul He gives a vision of Himself , to Blessed Mother He sends an angel, to Simon Peter He calls him in, on and through water and to me He sent supreme assurance of eternal love. Some of us will be tapped gently, some of us will be called to God through oth- ers, some through a miracle, some through pain. Others will be called but will not respond, like the rich man in the Gospel. I know God is real. I know that Je- sus Christ walks with me every day. But I did not always have this awareness, nor do I always trust that my experience is real.

Jesus Christ walked the earth in a world that knew agriculture and stayed near the Sea of Galilee so he spoke in parables of wheat, vineyards, sheep and fishing. If He lived in the jungle, perhaps He would have talked about parrots, monkeys, rain and trees. If He was around today He might speak in parables having to do with traffic, single parent families and television. He calls us through what we know, perhaps, when we finally hear His call in our life at whatever point this may be - we are really just responding to what has been stamped on our hearts before time. How is God calling you?

PRAYER From St. Ignatius the Spiritual Exercises.

God's Love shines down upon me like the light rays from the sun; his love is poured forth lavishly like a fountain spilling forth its waters into an unending stream. Just as I see the sun in its rays, and the fountain in its waters, so God pours forth himself in all the gifts which he showers upon me. His de- light and his joy is to be with me. He cannot do enough to speak out his love for me - ever calling me to a fuller and a better life. "Come" he says, "come to me. Open your hearts to me. Put your trust in me. I will give you everlasting peace. I will flood your souls with the living water of eternal life. I will never leave you or forsake you. Lo, I will be with you until the end of the age.

______MARY SCHIMMOLLER , Volunteer Coordinator Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Ezekiel 43:1-7B Psalm 85:9AB & 10, 11-12, 13-14 Matthew 23:1-12

SUMMARY Jesus spoke to the crowd and to his disciples, saying the scribes and the Pharisees have taken their place of authority and everyone must do and observe all things they tell you, but do not follow their example; for they preach but they do not practice. Their works are performed to be seen. They love the places of honor and greetings by title. As for you: whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be ex- alted.

REFLECTION This is a familiar gospel each of us has heard a number of times and we all acknowledge the meaning, but how many of us Talk the Talk, but dont Walk the Walk? I can say that in my lifetime I have had many positions of authority and have been in the situation of whatever I did would be mim- icked by others. So if I did something that was cool others might do the same thing and if I did something that circumvented the rules it provided others the permission to do the same. I suppose that many of you have had the same experience in your life and had to face the consequences, as I have, of telling someone that what they did, even though I had done the same thing, was not the right thing to do.

But this gospel is about much more than this type of event, it is about each of us being good examples of what Jesus is asking us to do. We attend church, partake of communion and then as we leave the parking lot we honk our horn because someone is tuning in ahead of us, or we go off to breakfast and we are irritated for having to wait for service, or we are at the grocery store and we are upset that someone in the express line has more than 15 items.

These seem like insignificant events but in the way Jesus asks us to be his disciples and to be his example of servant leadership we must ask for hu- mility in whatever we do. When we go through each day we have many op- portunities to take actions that will either add or detract from the situation at hand. We need to be aware of what we do affects others and in turn re- flects on us. We need to remember that each action we take enables us to do Gods work and to be of service to our neighbors.

We must be aware of the self-seeking pride in what we do and in what po- sitions we find ourselves. It is easy to be seduced by this authority and self -importance. But we must reflect on: Whoever exalts himself will be hum- bled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. The path to being a blessed disciple and doing Gods work begins with the little things we en- counter day to day. Lets all Walk the Walk of Jesus.

PRAYER "Lord Jesus, teach me your way of humility and servanthood that I may walk in love as you have loved me. Fill me with the joy of servanthood that I may know the true free- dom of selfless love and generous service for my neighbor." dailyscripture.net

______Henry Provencio Parishioner

Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time Joshua 24:1-2A, 15-17, 18B Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2A, 25-32 John 6:60-69

SUMMARY In Joshua, we are reminded of the monarchical and polytheistic world of the Israelites and how God delivered His people from slavery. Psalm 34 proclaims Gods deliverance of those who are brokenhearted or crushed. And, our reading from Ephesians reflects on Christs union with the Churchwhich parallels the Gospel of John which proclaims that faith is a gift from God.

AND REFLECTION Perhaps there is a reason why todays readings fall in the summer months when parishes are frequently supported by visiting preachers. For many in our age, the themes of todays readings are both uncomfortable and chal- lenging. I recall many times attending Mass with my parents and when this Epistle was proclaimed, my father would jab my mother playfully. The chiding back and forth throughout the reading seemed harmless at the time, but as I matured, this ordering made me uncomfortable. This Epistle expresses a vertical ordering of relationships and authority. Attempting to reconcile this cognitive dissonance with my contemporary perspective, I was encouraged by wise spiritual guides to study the 1st Century world in which these writings were originally intended.

Thus, let us journey back in time to the early days of our Churchbetween the years 80 and 100 CEto view the world our early disciples and follow- ers of Christ lived in. Culturally, the Graeco-Roman world was governed by strict household codes. It is hypothesized by many Biblical scholars that by the time this Epistle and Johns Gospel were written, the Christian community had needed to adopt these codes to preserve the integrity of the community and avoid condemnation. Today, many would express that the ordering described in our readings remains necessary to provide struc- ture for our billion person Catholic Church. Others argue that it is not relevant today to compare the love of Christ and his church to the love of husband and wife. Regardless, we must caution judging the 1 st Century Church and its writings through the lenses of our 21 st Century glasses. The important thing is that we appreciate the courage it took for our Early Christian brothers and sisters to remain faithful as they accepted Gods gift of faith through Jesus Christ. The polytheistic, monarchical world of their age was eager to persecute and ridicule those adhering to the Christian faith. It is from this legacy of perseverance that we enjoy our Catholic communion of faith today. For the courage and witness of these early be- lievers, we must truly give thanks.

PRAYER Lord, we know that Your mission is self-revealing, creative and salvific. May we always appreciate the traditions and roots of our faith and give thanks for the examples of the faithful throughout Christian history. And, may we always recognize the treasure of Your precious gift of faith. Amen.

______ANGELA HOWELL Parishioner

Memorial of St. Monica 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 Psalm 96:1-2A, 2B-3, 4-5 Matthew 23:13-22

SUMMARY In 2 Thessalonians, Christians are commended for their faith toward God and love for their neighbor. As well, we hear how their suffering is a sign of God’s love, not His anger. Then, in the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus is furious with the leaders of the church and calls them “hypocrites”. Their ways have been ex- clusionary to the Kingdom of God, even for themselves.

REFLECTION “You lock the Kingdom of Heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves,” Jesus tells the crowds and his disciples. He is very angry with religious leaders for leading people away from God’s word. Is it possible the church leaders got so wrapped up in religious practice that they lost sight of the goal, the Kingdom of God? So wrapped up that they shut their own hearts and minds to God’s King- dom?

What’s most amazing to me is that the religious leaders actually shut themselves out from God’s Kingdom! Was it a case of “I’m not going so you’re not going ei- ther”? Or were they so blinded that they forgot their goal? I reflect back on times in my life when I “shut the door”, closed my eyes and ears, to God’s Kingdom. I never suffered at the hands of church leaders leading me astray; I could manage that all on my own. I guess the more important question is why did I, or why do we, close off our best option? How foolish and arrogant I was to think other things mattered more or I could fly solo in some situations.

The message that resonates for me in this reading is “Don’t shut the door!” Whenever we fall from grace, find ourselves indifferent to God or flat out rebel against Him, we are shutting ourselves off from His love. We have daily opportu- nity to live in God’s Kingdom. God offers each of us an open door to Heaven, but we can shut ourselves out if we reject his offer. Jesus is the door. He makes it possible for us to enter and have access to heaven and God our Father. John 14:6 says: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Our God is loving, compassionate and forgiving. Let us follow Him and live for- ever in His Kingdom.

PRAYER God in Heaven, help us to live as you taught us to live, so that we may one day walk through the door and enter Your Kingdom! Keep us on the path that leads to you and your promise for life everlasting. Make us worthy of this in your name. Amen.

______KARLA STEPHEN Confirmation Visioning Team Member Thursday of the Twenty First Week in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Matthew 24:42-51

SUMMARY God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. They publish the fame of your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your jus- tice. What are the steward's choices and consequences when the master is not pre- sent.

REFLECTION Paul's observes in this letter that God's activity is chiefly comprised of bestowing sanctifying spiritual gifts and issuing a series of "calls," to both the teacher, Paul, and to the community in Corinth. Unlike the call-to-arms of a warrior king, who might promise gifts in the form of freedom, favor, or plunder after the work is done and the battles are won, Paul promotes the image of a Divine Leader who showers His extraordinary bless- ings even before He calls His subjects together to respond to their marvelous good for- tune. God is not transactional; He is overwhelmingly generous and calls us to notice that attitude and employ it ourselves as we "wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ" while we live as we "were called to fellowship with" that same Jesus. This is not an ex- change of services between a regent and subjects, this is an open festival provided freely for all by the King of Creation.

The Psalm with its refrain, "I will praise your name for ever, Lord," is exactly the sort of response Paul might hope for from the people he is greeting in Corinth. It links the joy and wonder in the Lord's goodness and power through endless generations, assuring the people of the current hour that they have every reason to expect more of the same when it comes to the blessings of God. The psalmist makes a point that the people "praise," "speak," and "discourse," amongst themselves of the mighty works and majesty of the Lord. This leads them to "publish the fame of Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your justice."

To publish something in biblical times was a serious matter. There was no casual Face- book banter written on the papyri or carved into the stone of obelisks. The sorts of things that were preserved in "publication" then, would have been serious legal matters and accounts of the mightiest deeds (many of them written as self-serving reminders to the general population of which king could inflict the most pain). In the Psalm we have the people themselves publishing their joy for a Lord who bestows upon them "abundant goodness" and "justice." There is no sense of fear here--only a feeling of ecstatic gratitude.

The Gospel can have a different tone depending on how it is read. In a traditional read- ing, perhaps using a slow, deliberate, James Earl Jones bass voice, it can be seen as a serious, ominous, almost scolding, admonition by Jesus to his friends and to us. It can have the feeling that the house is about to cave in, and that we live on the edge of doom. It seems to indicate that the situation is so dicey that it requires some kind of su- perhero to stay on top of things. If you read it with the voice of my old friend's New York Jewish mother, it can have a much more cutting and acerbic, "you-make-your-own-bed -and-then-you-sleep-in-it" sense to it. Personally, I find the second version more en- ergizing because it implies there is plenty you can do to make your life head one direc- tion or another. I think Jesus had this sense when he indicates that on his return, the returning master's response to the wicked servant will be "to assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." This is the land populated by the fraudulent who live in painful regret for poor choices. This land exists on the op- posite side of the universe from the land of joyful justice that is portrayed in the first two readings.

I often associate this reading with the legend of the outlaw-hero Robin Hood. In King Richard's absence, Robin Hood preserves the King's moral authority against his usurper brother and his lackeys, principally the Sheriff, by adapting an outlaw posture while actu- ally behaving as a highly moral community leader. When the King returns, he views the corrupt officials with censure and disdain while he embraces Robin Hood for preserving the moral order even though he needed to violate the laws of the "officials" who ran the land in the King's absence. The key was that Robin Hood stood firmly for the presumed values of the absent benevolent leader, while the Sheriff assumed his temporal position of high authority gave him free license to abandon the moral foundation which brought him to power in the first place. He ignored the warning that when you make your own bed, sooner or later you have to sleep in it.

PRAYER Lord, make me a channel of your peace. ______DON MILICI Parishioner