Saint Mary Parish F S O T E 1865 F 3, 2019 Celebrating Catholic Schools Week at Saint Mary Parish with the students, families and teachers of Pope John XXIII School Catholic Schools Week Closing Mass Sunday, February 3 at 9:30 a.m. Saint Mary Parish 1012 Lake Street Evanston, Illinois stmaryevanston.org REFLECTION REV. KEVIN MCCRAY, PASTOR The writer Mark Twain was once heard to say, “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” In the readings today, we hear about a people who think they know all about Jesus---who he is, and who he isn’t. They refuse to recognize him as a prophet, as the Son of God, and as the Messiah. As we began last week to hear this story, Jesus, the hometown boy, is in the synagogue. He proclaims the word of God, he expounds upon it, and the people are amazed. But then in a short time, they began to question both him and his teachings. Amazement turns into fury when these people try to cut Jesus down to their size, as they try to diminish him by his family lineage and the message that he preaches. Rev. Kevin McCray “Isn’t this the son of Joseph….Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary?” The people in the synagogue are all thinking, “Look, we know him, we know his family, we have seen him grow from a small child in these last thirty years---a nice guy--- but he is nothing special---look, he hasn’t healed a single leper since he came back home. For all the stories about his ministry and his healings---what has he done for us lately?” So these people do what we all do to others in our lives: we build people up...to tear them down. We like to put people on a pedestal, and when they fail us, or when we recognize they have feet of clay---then we like even more to tear them down. We do this to our parents, our siblings, our spouses, our children, our neighbors, our co-workers, our fellow parishioners, and our friends. This is what the people of Nazareth do to Jesus. They build him up, and when he then proclaims God’s love for all people, Jews and Gentiles, they go berserk. His message doesn’t fit into their worldview. So what is getting them into trouble, and endangering the life of Jesus, is exactly what Mark Twain expressed in his words, “It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” The townspeople know that God is only for them. Jesus’ neighbors know that God is only here to save his people, the Jews. That is what they know for sure. But Jesus is trying to show them the true message of God, and he is trying to show them that the extent of his love and his care for his creatures goes beyond the boundaries of the Promised Land, that it goes out to all peoples. God’s bounty, his forgiveness, his love, and his mercy are for the entire world---it cannot be contained, boxed up, or compartmentalized. God’s gifts for us continue to flow from his loving heart, and they flow through our lives to heal us of our feet of clay, where we are called to allow these gifts we receive, to be given away---so they flow outward to all those in our lives to receive the healing touch God—so their clay feet may also be healed. This week, let us ask of God to open our eyes, open our ears, and open our hearts to experience the boundary-shattering love of the Father, whose love knows no limits, whose mercy knows no bounds, and whose forgiveness is there for each and every one of us. As we receive this Good News, let us give it to others. Happy Catholic Schools Week! As we continue to celebrate this week in our parish and at Pope John XXIII School, let us give thanks for this gift that blesses both St. Nicholas and St. Mary parishes. As we celebrate 32 years of educating, nurturing, catechizing, and helping our children grow into young adults, it continues to be our mission to proclaim the Good News to our children through a good Catholic Education. This is a week to recognize all that our children receive by a quality Catholic Education. Our children leave well-prepared to enter high school, with most testing far beyond 9th grade expectations. Our children are confident, open to recognizing their many gifts and talents, and are eager to explore all that God has given them. Our children are faith- filled, where they are poised to go even deeper into their faith, asking questions, and stepping up to spread the Gospel to their fellow students. This week reminds us of our blessings at St. Mary Parish, where we have educated and raised up children since 1874. Our children have impacted many fields of public and private endeavors---all while built on the foundation of our Catholic faith. As we celebrate this week, as we celebrate the last 32 years of passing on knowledge and faith, let us remind ourselves that we have a duty and an obligation to see it flourish. Who in our families, who in our neighborhoods, and who in our other spheres of influence would benefit from a quality Catholic education at Pope John XXIII? It is up to us to continue to value this gift and to invite others to experience its blessings. In a world that fails to recognize that we often believe in things “that just ain’t so,” Pope John XXIII can be the foundation of faith, learning and exploration of gifts and talents---because it is built on truth, it is built on love, and it is built on God. Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Saint Mary Parish · Evanston, Illinois 3 1012 Lake Street Evanston, Illinois 60201 847 864-0333 847 864-0354 fax stmaryevanston.org [email protected] MASS SCHEDULE Saturday (vigil) 5 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Haitian Mass (first Sunday of the month) Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. Holy Days 8 a.m., noon and 7 p.m. In case you missed it... PARISH CENTER Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration with You are welcome to visit our Library and Chapel during business hours. First Church of God Life Center January 19 Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Evenings: Wednesday–Thursday 6–9 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Pastor Reverend Kevin McCray, ext. 204 [email protected] Associate Pastor Reverend Antony A. Joseph, ext. 212 Resident Priest Reverend Chris LeBlanc Deacon Deacon Dennis Robak, ext. 209 [email protected] \ Business Manager Leticia Montoya, ext. 201 [email protected] Director of Faith Formation Karie Ferrell, ext. 203 [email protected] Director of Music & Liturgy Dianne Fox, ext. 210 [email protected] Bulletin Editor Linda O’Dwyer, ext. 231 [email protected] Content submission deadline is normally the Friday at 5 p.m. ten days before the Sunday of publication. Pope John XXIII School Principal, Gail Hulse Assistant Principal, Michael Sneed Admissions Director, Lindsey Tumbush 1120 Washington Street Evanston, Illinois 60202 847 475-5678 Saint Vincent de Paul Society Hotline: 847 869-6134 4 Saint Mary Parish · Evanston, Illinois February 3, 2019 ITURGICAL INISTERS February 9–10 L M 5:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11 a.m. Presider & Fr. Kevin Fr. Kevin Fr. Kevin Fr. Kevin Homilist Greeters North Ann Murray Theresa Cameron Mike Loriaux East Elaine Pollak & Jerre Michelin Peggy Loriaux Marie Cadet Joni Sowinski Lectors Janet Irons Jan Gast Teen Mass Lector 1 Kit Sullivan Ernest Irons Dan Hartnett Teen Mass Lector 2 Kathy Benn Eucharistic Teresita Hardi Marie Cadet Mike Borman Nancy Bailey Ministers Sue Kamp John Fuller Judy Carlsen Myrlende Bonhomme Dee King Nancy Fuller Jane Colleton Katrina de los Reyes Jackie Sulton Patrick Walsh Gael Day Laura Jones James Sulton Ed Zulkey Dennis O’Callahan Kathy Stohrer Melanie O’Callahan Lisa Sanchez Altar Servers Eleanor Feeney Sophia Borman Maeve McCauley Emile Sulton Harvey Newcomb Patrick McCauley TBA Clare Newcomb TBA Confessions Saturday, 4–4:30 Fr. Kevin Please remember in your prayers Pray for our military, … those who are sick, especially Yolande Vilsaint; Carolyn Buford; Ashley pray for peace Vilme; Wallace Bowling; Lisa Frederick; Victoria Amaro Pena; Anita CDR Edward Carlton, U.S. Navy, son of Kimmerle; Trevor Ellis; Jim Osburn; Don Mays; Julia Loiseau; Ruth Ann Quinn; Frank & Caroline Carlton Airman Lindsey June Reband; Clarissa Pompey; Tina Swanson; Joan Fondell; Mary Foley, U.S. Air Force, Scott AFB, niece of DuCharme; Ben Johnson; Anne Teoli; Greg Reband; Jamie Adler; Giselle Chris Foley Lt. Daniel Kozicki, U.S. Navy, Bernadel; Cleante Smith; Scott Jones; Lucy Hilaire; Mary Powers; and . Also nephew of Linda O’Dwyer Cadet Helen remember in your prayers all those who have recently died, especially Hitt, daughter of Stephanie and John Hitt. Joanice Krienke Larson, cousin of Dianne Fox; Pascual Melchor, cousin of Alejandro Abraham; and Josephine Bozza, mother-in-law of Tammy Bozza, Have a name to add or remove? Email [email protected]. grandmother of Julia and Colin. PARISH LIFE To arrange for the following, please call the Parish Office at 847 864-0333. MASS SCHEDULE. Baptisms are generally celebrated on the third Sunday of Saturday (vigil) 5 p.m.