LEARNING to LET GO and FORGIVE from the HEART. ELAINE LINDIA, Pastoral Associate
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ST. BENEDICT PARISH AND PREPARATORY SCHOOL TheSEPTEMBER 17, 2017 I TWENTY-FOURTHSteward SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. -- Sirach 28:2 LEARNING TO LET GO AND FORGIVE FROM THE HEART. ELAINE LINDIA, Pastoral Associate In the Gospel reading, Peter is asking just how with resentment. far forgiveness should extend. We can relate to In his Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, Peter’s desire to put limits on forgiving someone (The Joy of Love,) Pope Francis shares that that has hurt us. Forgiveness, according to Jesus, “The opposite of resentment is forgiveness, has no bounds. Jesus helps us to understand how which is rooted in a positive attitude that seeks we need to exercise the same mercy to others in our to understand other people’s weaknesses and lives as God extends to us. to excuse them” (75). He also shares that “we Being a Disney fan, I will never forget when recognize that being able to forgive others implies the song “Let it Go” from the movie Frozen the liberating experience of understanding and became popular. People seemed to be singing forgiving ourselves…We need to learn to pray over it everywhere…and the love of singing it still our past history, to accept ourselves, to learn continues today. Why is that? I believe it is how to live with our limitations, and even to because we have a difficult time in letting go forgive ourselves, in order to have the same of past hurts, and really forgiving from the attitude towards others” (76). heart when someone has hurt us. We can The process of learning to accept tend to hang on to the hurt and fill up ourselves reminds me of my experience of ST. BENEDICT PARISH & PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2215 W. IRVING PARK ROAD CHICAGO, IL 60618 WWW.STBENEDICT.COM MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: 5 PM Sunday: 7:30 AM, 9 AM, 10:30 AM, 12 Noon & 6:30 PM RECONCILIATION Saturdays: 11 AM the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. The First if we learn to accept them as gifts in the human Week of the Exercises is all about God’s loving experience, we can begin to work with them in forgiveness for ungrateful sinners. In realizing spiritually healthy ways. and accepting that we are “loved sinners” we are Whether or not one chooses to do the Spiritual filled with gratitude for God’s mercy. When we Exercises, the important realization we need accept the love and mercy of God, our hearts can to make is that we cannot make the movement be transformed and we can learn to extend this toward true spiritual freedom alone. We need to mercy to others – even to those that have hurt us develop a deep relationship with Jesus who can in the past. walk with us and give us the grace and strength Learning to forgive and let go of past hurts we need to make this journey of faith. Stay close is truly liberating. When we are free, we have to Jesus and ask Him to help you forgive others freedom to love, freedom for service, and freedom and also not be critical of others. We need to to be in an intimate relationship and dialogue with keep in mind that people are often the way they the God who leads each of us toward life. God are because of how life has shaped them. It has desires inner freedom for us. When we hold on to do with remembering that God is the only to the past, our hearts can turn away from God One who knows the whole story and therefore and we can become trapped in desolation. The we never have the right to judge. Being chained Spiritual Exercises help us to focus on how to in unforgiveness keeps you from the healing, achieve spiritual freedom. Freedom asks that joy, and restoration that are there for you. Being we learn how to discern our personal interior released into everything God has for you today movements of soul. If we want to be truly free, we and tomorrow means letting go of all that’s will have to acknowledge our emotions, receive happened in the past. Allow yourself the chance them, feel them, and reflect on them. Emotions to be released into a life of freedom through Jesus are powerful tools in the spiritual life; they are Christ! indicators of what is happening within us. And Senior Ministry TODAY! St. Benedict Parish has provided a ministry of spiritual events for our seniors this past year. This ministry seemed to take off strongly and as a committee, we would like to continue to serve our seniors with spirituality and fellowship. With this being said, the Senior Leadership Committee is asking you, the seniors or anyone who attended our events last year, to help us decide what it was that you enjoyed. Is there something more you would like to have provided to you in this spiritual ministry? Knights of Columbus Annual Tootsie Roll Drive Suggestions are welcomed and will be The Knights of Columbus at St Benedict will conduct our annual helpful for us as we continue to plan “Tootsie Roll Drive” for intellectual disabilities after Masses on our events for you to enjoy. Please send Sept 16th and 17th. Your donations fund the operating budget for an email to kathy-minneci@sbcglobal. the local chapter of SPRED – a charity which ministers to Catholics net or a phone call 773-307-8013. Each with intellectual disabilities. Last year, we raised $1,500 and suggestion will be reviewed and discussed we thank you for your continued generosity. Visit our website at by the Senior Leadership Committee so http://www.saintbensknights.com/ or call (773) 789-7699 to learn we can continue to support you on this more about how you can support one of our upcoming events. spiritual journey that we so gratefully share together. SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 PARISH.STBENEDICT.COM PAGE 2 MUSIC FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Entrance 962 Come You Sinners, Poor Offertory: Deliver Us, O Lord of Truth and Needy 967 Forgive Our Sins (Sunday 6:30pm) Gloria Missalette p.9 Daily Readings 1177 Responsorial Psalm 80 The Lord Is Kind and Merciful Offertory 641 What Wondrous Love Is This Right Deliver Us, O Lord of Truth (Sunday 6:30pm) Holy, Holy, Holy 358 Land of Rest Memorial Acclamation 359 Land of Rest Great Amen right Land of rest The Lord’s Prayer Great Amen 219 Chanted Lamb of God 381 Holy Cross Mass Communion Antiphon (right) Chanted Communion 950 I am the Bread of Life Communion Antiphon Choral Anthem (9am Sunday) The Prayer of Saint Patrick – Bernard Sexton Recessional Antiphon Text: © 2010 ICEL 642 Love Divine, All Loves Music: Entrance Offertory and Communion Chants Excelling © 2012 Peter R. Johnson 799 We are Called (Sunday 6:30pm) This week, FORWARD IN OUR FAITH will be included in second collection, immediately following Communion. Next week, there will be a second collection for SEMINARIAN EDUCATION. Thank you for your generosity. SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 PARISH.STBENEDICT.COM PAGE 3 Formed.org 3 4 Are you Looking for a new resource to help you to be more prayerful this Lent? Formed.org is the resource. During the Lenten season a free trial subscription is available for our parishioners. Go to www.formed.org. On the website you can access videos (children bible stories, movies about the lives of Saints and so much more), access podcasts, access downloadable books, download the Journal guide, to help you prepare for the Sunday Liturgy. There is a meditation designed specifically for Lent. This Lent, you are invited to be more intentional about prayer. Visit www.formed.org. Use this email address for trial subscription: [email protected]. Use this password: formed17 MINISTRIES Young Adult Youth Ministry Senior Ministry Ministry November of 2017 September 24th, 7:30pm Wednesday, September 27th The National Catholic September Wine & Senior Breakfast Youth Conference Cheese Social at Dappers The National Catholic Youth Our monthly Wine and Cheese The Senior Breakfast at Dappers will Conference (NCYC) is a powerful, Social will continue on September take place on September 27th, at biennial, three-day experience of 24th immediately after the 6:30pm Dappers on Addison. The bus, driven prayer community, and empowerment Mass. Join us, and bring a friend as by Jeremy, will leave after the 8:30 for Catholic teenagers (of high-school we informally gather outside in the Mass or you can meet us there around age) and their adult chaperones. Every Rectory garden courtyard to enjoy 9:30. All are welcome and we look other year, Catholic young people and snacks, drinks, and fellowship. forward to seeing you there! their chaperones—youth ministers, September 30th campus ministers, parents, catechists, October 10th priests, coaches, and scout leaders— Scripture Study come together to pray, learn, and The Archdiocese of Chicago is Luncheon/Rosary Honoring Mary during the month of grow in their faith. Experiences such hosting a Scripture Study (6 weeks) October, our seniors will gather in as this, help to engage young people for Young Adults beginning on the church basement for lunch and in their faith and provide them with Saturday afternoons, September 30th celebrate Mary with the recitation of the fortitude to live their faith boldly. and running through November 4th the Rosary. All are welcome. Lunch Parents are welcome to attend~ would at Independence Park. Join young begins at 12:30 PM. There will be you like to attend with your young adults from this area and spend a free will offering for lunch.