FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE Promoting Hospitality As a Way of Life
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FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE August 19, 2018 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Promoting Hospitality as a Way of Life The Community Building Tool Box https://ctb.ku.edu www.charterforcompassion.org. ...CONTINUED from LAST WEEK ways to discourage activities for justice system, and your being put in a Three stories of wisdom about hospitality chaplains, and felt that they had the hostage situation by those who were have been chosen here to stimulate perfect solution to stop my persistence paid to protect you?” in attempting to bring adequate thought, expand spiritual awareness, and I gently smiled and advised him that I inspiration, spiritual, moral, and ethical illustrate a new way to process ideas. The never did count on any of them for my first story is that of Abraham, the teachings, hope, and comfort to the protection. My protection came from patriarch of three major world religions – inmates. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – who is embodying those spiritual qualities often considered the father of nations and On one of my appointed times for a belonging to hospitality – an open, the father of hospitality. The second is group service for the men, the regular receptive, and nurturing love for from Jesus, who gave us the parable of inmates were ushered into the chapel. humanity, along with drawing on the the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke. The doors were closed and locked, with inner peace that calms and comforts And the third is a contemporary story, no attending guards on the inside. This no matter the storm. He became very based on the author’s own experience as a act in itself was completely in violation pensive. This story was later circulated chaplain in today’s correctional of the rules. After a short interval, the among the guards throughout the institutions. Each of these stories provides men from the mentally challenged cell different maximum security jails. It an approach that not only touches our block were brought into the mix and even rippled into inmates’ cells across sentiments and inspires us to act, but also we were all locked inside the same county lines as news travelled out into gives us clear guidance for how to systematically cultivate hospitality through room. Again, with no attending guards. the communities, since it was observation, thoughtful questions, and An added violation, as the mentally considered a miraculous event. Having gentle experiments that test our challenged were never to mix with the been shown actual evidence of a inspiration by moving us out of our regular cell block inmates. radical and spiritually-based hospitality, this one incident blessed comfort zones. In this way, we embody Mayhem ensued, as several guards the spiritual values linked with hospitality, even those chaplains of different watched through the back wall of bullet enabling them to vivify our way of life. faiths. -proof glass, sneering and laughing. To their chagrin, I was completely unafraid as I sat in the front of the LESSONS FROM HOSPITALITY IN room. Then, one of the regular inmates THE FACE OF A HOSTAGE in the front row, a very large man SITUATION attempting intimidation in the midst of this chaos, stood up, puffed up, faced me directly, then boomed, “Well, A key lesson from this story, and from honey, are you going to save us all?” the other stories cited above, is that to My initial reaction was a giggle. I then act hospitably sometimes means humbly responded, “No sir, that is not moving out of one’s personal comfort my job. I leave that up to the Christ.” zone; and it can mean taking some He silently stood still for a moment, risk. But hospitable action is an turned to the room of yelling inmates incredibly powerful way to expand with flying debris, and with authority mind and heart. insisted that everyone sit down and be completely quiet or they would answer to him. Within moments the room was So, can you let these stories HOSPITALITY IN THE FACE OF A quiet, chairs in place with everyone become subjective? HOSTAGE SITUATION IN THE seated, and there was a tangible JUSTICE SYSTEM Can you allow them to manifest presence of respect, honor, and themselves in your home, in your gratitude. I continued the service, not business, in your thinking, in your only without any further scene but with body, and in your life – and then (A recollection from Linn Moffett, the a full complement of respectful author of this section.) to go even beyond action, as we attention. learn the art of being hospitable? As a chaplain in seven jails for over This incident completely baffled the eight years, I have seen hospitality guards and brought a renewed respect shine brightly in some very long and for the office of chaplain from that time After all, this is not only our true dark corners. forward. One of the guards inquired, nature that we are contemplating; it is As a bit of a maverick chaplain, I once “Why weren't you afraid?” “How could our true employment in the rebuilding took action to encourage a county you maintain composure through all of of our individual natures – for sheriff and guards to allow a separate that chaos?” And, “Why did you not ourselves, our communities, and our meeting time for mentally challenged seek retribution from the participating world. inmates, housed in their own cell guards, including me, in their power TO BE CONTINUED... block. The guards were ever finding play, their complete abuse of the August 19, 2018 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time IN THE PARISH Parish Prayer Intention A Message from Bishop Bambera Helpful Information That all parishioners may grow in a desire Join the Parish to know God more fully and enter into a As you may already Anyone wishing to register for deeper relationship with Him. know from media membership in the parish is asked reports, the Diocese to fill out a registration form and of Scranton has drop it in the collection basket. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION been the subject of Request Prayers a statewide Grand Every Thursday Our INTERCESSORY PRAYER Jury investigating MINISTRY provides prayer for from child sexual abuse anyone in need throughout the in six of the eight parish. Contact MARY ANN MAGDA NOON—6 pm dioceses of at 570-655-1218 or make your Pennsylvania. Public intention known on our parish Please join in honoring our Lord release of the report website at www.standrebessettewb.com in the Blessed Sacrament. is expected in the coming weeks. Remember your Parish Sign up sheet in the Vestibule I want to take this opportunity to offer my Your parish serves you faithfully deepest apologies to the victims of sexual throughout your life. Please Our Lord is waiting for YOU! remember your parish with a abuse, to their families, to the faithful of memorial gift or a Bequest in your our Church and to everyone impacted by will. Make a return to the Lord for the behaviors described in this report. all the good He has done for you. Parish Life Council While difficult to face, this is the only way for us to move forward in a more positive The Parish Life Council aims at the core SACRAMENTAL PREPARATIONS way as we learn from the past. of Parish Life by promoting the growth of our Faith through a sharing in many FUN You will be kept apprised of new Anointing of the Sick and enriching activities in the Christian developments through various channels of The Sacrament of the Anointing of Community we are. communication as more information is the Sick may take place at any The focus of the Parish Life Council will released. Once again, I am deeply sorry for time, but, sadly, too many families wait until the last minute to call the be on creating a sense of community these past actions and the pain caused by the behaviors described in this report, and priest to anoint their loved ones. If among all members and beyond. someone in your family is seriously I will continue to do all that I can to ensure ill, preparing for surgery, or We are looking for volunteers who the safety and well-being of our children. suffering a prolonged illness, please are committed to building contact the parish office to arrange community within our parish to a time for Fr. Ken to visit. Faithfully yours in Christ, serve on this integral council. If this IN THE CASE OF AN +Joseph C. Bambera EMERGENCY—or if Fr. Ken is sounds like something that would Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., unavailable to visit immediately, we interest you, please contact Fr. Ken at J.C.L. will contact the first available priest the parish office (570-823-4988). The Bishop of Scranton. to celebrate the Sacrament of first meeting is scheduled for August Anointing with your loved one. 23, 2018 at 6 pm Funeral Preparations We collaborate with the local funeral SAVE THE DATE! directors in arranging the times of Our Fall Oldies Dinner GIGUNDA the funerals. Please be aware that Dance will be held on there is an additional fee for Friday, September BASKET RAFFLE! funerals on Saturdays imposed by 14th from 6:00 - most cemeteries in the area. 10:00pm at St. Mary's Check out the baskets Byzantine Social on the back Baptismal Preparations Hall. The evening will Parents of newly born infants may table! call the parish office to arrange a feature a homemade time for the Baptism of their child. dinner and dessert Something Baptisms are celebrated, for the buffet, as well as live music by MILLENNIUM to suit most part, on any Sunday, with the for your listening and dancing exception of the season of Lent.