AUGUST 15, 2021/ 15 de AGOSTO, 2021 WELCOME PARISH OFFICE HOURS Monday -Thursday 9:00 AM -4:00 PM closed for lunch 12 -1:00 PM MASSES TIMES Saturday: 4:00 PM Sunday: 8:00 & 11:00 AM Spanish Mass at 1:00 PM DAILY MASS 9:00 AM Monday -Saturday MISSION The Mission of St. Joan of Arc Parish is to put Jesus first in our lives by seeking to know Him in Scripture, Encountering Him in Prayer, Celebrating His Presence among us in praise and worship and uniting with one another in loving service . NOTE WEEKEND ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. MASKS ARE OPTIONAL IF YOU HAVE HAD YOUR VACCINATION. 13485 Spring Hill Drive | Spring Hill, FL 34609 | (352) 688 -0663 | sjoa [email protected] FROM OUR PASTOR, FR, PATRICK REBEL In the first reading from last week, Elijah won a victory on Mt. Carmel. He just defeated the 400 prophets of the false god Baal. Elijah invoked the Lord God. With the help of the Lord, Elijah defeated his opponents. God sent down fire and consumed the sacrificed bulls, wood, stone and dust and lapped up the water. In this contest between the true God of Israel and the false god Baal, the false god was unable to make the fire. The God or Israel was the clear victor. When Queen Jezebel heard of Elijah’s victory over her false god Baal and his 400 prophets, she threatened to kill Elijah. Elijah then becomes afraid and flees for his life. He hides in the wilderness. He tells the Lord to take his life. Up to this point, Elijah was listening to God but now Elijah is now acting on his own. The prophet decides that his service to God has come to an end. After praying that God should take his life, Elijah lies down to sleep under the shade of a tree. Then an angel from God touches him. The angel orders Elijah to get up and eat the food and drink what is prepared for him. Elijah then follows directions by eating and drinking what the angel gives him. Elijah then waits for God to answer his prayer for death. He then lies down anticipating God’s response. God’s angel returns and once again orders Elijah to eat and drink. The angel tells him that he will need the strength for the long journey that lies ahead. Nourished by the food from heaven, Elijah walks 40 days and 40 nights to the mountain where Moses encountered God in the days of the Exodus. God did in fact answer Elijah’s prayer, but that response was “no”. That answer was different than what the prophet had anticipated. Elijah’s life is not over; he will not die at the time he asked God to take him. God has other plans for Elijah. In the Gospel from last week, the Jewish people complain against Jesus because Our Lord stated that He is the bread from heaven. This bread that Jesus gives them is superior than the Manna, or bread falling from heaven that their ancestors ate when they were in the desert. The people ask, how can this be; we know his father and mother? Jesus is one of us. Jesus then tells them to stop murmuring among themselves as He moves to the issue at a deeper level. Jesus then talks about the intimate relationship He has with His Heavenly Father. He also tells them that access to the Father can only come through Him. There is also a reference to the divine mutuality seen in the Prologue of John 1:1 -18. In that Prologue, it is written that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh; Jesus dwells among us. Jesus then states “amen, amen , I say to you”. Biblical scholars state that these are truly the Words of Jesus. When Jesus states “amen, amen , I say to you”, He is telling us to listen to what He says. He is the bread of life. Whoever eats this bread will live forever and never die spiritually. This is because He has come down from heaven. Jesus’ Body is the bread of life for the entire world. This bread from heaven satisfies all our spiritual needs. This bread is the Eucharist. Hunger can be pervasive and life -threatening when food is scarce. But for most of us, it is usually an inconvenience. We are truly blessed. For some it can be a daily struggle to find food. For many of us hunger sneaks up on us because we were too busy to eat a meal. Once again we are reminded of the power of the Eucharist. It is our spiritual food and nourishment. It is the gift that leads to eternal life. It is our daily and heavenly bread. It is the hope and promise to us In the Second Reading to the Ephesians, St Paul also tells us that salvation can be found in The Sacrament of Baptism. In Baptism, we are “sealed for the day of redemption.” We must not give into the darkness of sin and ignorance. At the same time we must live as Children of God. We must imitate the selfless love of the Lord. Let us end with a prayer: God our Father You have given us so much. Forgive us if we are asking you for anything more. Give us faith to recognize the presence of your Son in the heart of our brothers and sisters in this Church right now. Give us the faith to recognize the voice of your Son in the Sacred Scripture. Above all, give us the faith to recognize the Body of your Son in the bread that we now prepare to bless, break, and share Ignatian Contemplative Prayer Group Thursday evenings from 6 -7, except on First Thursdays. We will meet in the Church and all are welcome. “… a time to die …” To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under Heaven. Please pray for all of the deceased of our parish, - especially for those who recently passed away: Ecclesiastes 3:1 Irma Nidia Morales AUGUST 15, 2021/ 15 de AGOSTO, 2021 2 DEACON FRED LAPIANA NOTITAS DEL DIÁCONO JOSE CRUZ Thanks Mom! María no fue la única persona que el ángel Gabriel visitó. Seis meses antes este ángel fue enviado a Just before I started writing this article, I was Zacarías, el esposo de Isabel, para anunciarle que ella driving home from an errand and there were two of the most stunning and colorful rainbows rising to the concebiría pronto un hijo. Zacarías no le creyó al ángel heavens. I couldn’t help but think how beautiful God’s y como consecuencia quedó mudó hasta que la promise is. In the midst of dark clouds the beauty of promesa de Dios a él y a Isabel se cumplió. María, por His promise shattered the darkness. el contrario, creyó y dio su consentimiento a una How beautiful Mary is. How beautiful is the proposición inusual y preocupante. Todos los días, woman who carried the promise of God, our aunque no de forma tan dramática, nosotros decidimos Theotokos -the God -bearer. Amid the darkness of the acatar o no la voluntad de Dios. passion and death of her Son, the light of Christ No sabemos cómo hubiese reaccionado Zacarías a shattered the darkness. The sword that pierced her heart la visita de María si hubiera podido hablar, pero sí turned to joy at the resurrection of her Son. Death ruled sabemos lo que dijo una vez que su hijo nació y no more. She who witnessed the death of her Son would not taste death again. Her Son called to her and recuperó el habla: “irás delante del Señor a preparar sus she was assumed into heaven. Can we imagine the caminos” (Lucas 1, 76). Se necesitaron nueve meses, escort she had as she returned to her Son? The hosts of pero él también sintió la conmoción del Espíritu Santo heaven, including Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, all of the y por eso llegó a consentir gustosa y libremente a la Cherubim and Seraphim must have escorted her, our voluntad de Dios. Todos estamos agradecidos por Queen and Mother, from this world into heaven. segundas oportunidades. Para cualquiera de las dos Imagine... Cristo ha vencido el pecado y la muerte. Por el Many of us have experienced our mother’s Bautismo hemos recibido la promesa de compartir la passing from this world. Some at a very early age. The victoria de Cristo, una victoria que está más allá de sacrifices they made for us and the love they gave to us nuestras propias posibilidades. Esta fiesta celebra la are never forgotten, but cherished. It is with loving hearts we look upon the times with our moms, which asunción al cielo, en cuerpo y alma, de la gave us strength, knowing that their love for us Bienaventurada Virgen María. María nos ha mostrado continues even to this day. el camino. Ella confió en Dios desde el principio, So much more does our Blessed Mother look consintió a la voluntad de Dios, fue la primera down upon us, her children, with a loving Immaculate discípula de su Hijo y lo lloró al pie de la cruz. Que su heart. Her assumption into heaven has not separated us recompensa del cielo sea también nuestra. En la from her. She reminds us just how much she and her asunción de María atisbamos algo de la recompensa Son love us by visiting us here on earth. Just as a eterna que Dios ha reservado para todos los que tienen mother would, she also reminds us to live the right way, a Cristo en su corazón.