Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2016 OPE N I N S PI R I T T O G OD (BUKÁS -L O Ó B S A D IYÓS ) Community St. Francis Xavier Parish, Mississauga, ON From the July 26 Facebook posting of Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Los Angeles https://www.facebook.com/BishopRobertBarron/ Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2016 FAITHFUL ARE THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST COMMUNITY WORD FOR AUGUST 2016 WORDS, THEMES AND PROMISES WORD: True followers of Christ remain faithful, vigilant, persevering and humble servants in build- ing God’s Kingdom. ORDER: “…be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” (Lk 12:40) PROPHESIES: 1. Be humble that you may truly know My presence. 2. Seek security in the treasures I give you, not in the realities of this world. DIRECTIONS: 1. Remain vigilant through prayers. READINGS: August 7 Wis 187:6-9/Ps 33:1,12,18-19,20-22/Heb 11:1-2,8-19/Lk 12:32-48 August 14 Jer 38:4-6,8-10/Ps 40:2,3,4,18/Heb 12:1-4/Lk 12:49-53 August 21 Is 66:18-21/Ps 117:1,2/Heb 12:5-7,11-13/Lk 13:22-30 August 28 Sir 3:17-18,20,28-29/Ps 68:4-5,6-7,10-11/Heb 12:18-19,22-24/Lk 14:1,7-14 THEMES AND PROMISES: Week#1(19thSunday in Ordinary Time) Theme: We build God’s Kingdom when we persevere as faithful and prudent servants. Promise: “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant….” (Lk 12:37a) Week#2 (20th Sunday in Ordinary Time) Theme: We build God’s Kingdom when we rid ourselves of every sin and fix our eyes on Jesus. Promise:“…you will not grow weary and lose heart.”(Heb 12:3b) Week#3 (21stSunday in Ordinary Time) Theme: We build God’s Kingdom when we endure trials and suffering in following Christ. Promise: “…the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.” (Ps 117:2) Week#4 (22ndSunday in Ordinary Time) Theme: We build God’s Kingdom when we leave our comfort zone and serve the needy and the less fortunate. Promise: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but one who humbles himself will be exalt- ed.” (Lk 14:11) Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2016 REFLECTION The liturgical readings for the month of August remind us to remain faithful in living for God’s glory and to build His kingdom with vigilance, perseverance and humility. As Christ’s followers we are exhorted to be dedicated stewards in His service, especially in our service to the poor. Our theme for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time is: We build God’s Kingdom when we persevere as faithful and prudent servants. Jesus tells His disciples, “You must be pre- pared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come,” (Lk 12:40). As His true followers, we are also exhorted to be watchful and ready. Jesus defines what a watchful and ready attitude is while awaiting for His coming because He will come at a time when we least expect Him. To be ready is to remain faithful in Christ and to all his teachings, and to be faithful in His service at all times. If we are faithful servants, we should not worry about when He is going to return. For whenever He comes, we are always ready for Him. “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant…” (Lk 12:3a) is God’s promise for us this week. For the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our theme is: We build God’s Kingdom when we rid ourselves of every sin and fix our eyes on Jesus. Jesus gave us His Truth. But receiving God’s truth carries with it a responsibility. As His true followers, we are responsible to be Christ’s ambassador in building His Kingdom on earth thru our way of life and witness- ing. Along the way, the devil will always tempt us with a critical spirit, bitterness, anger, desire to hurt and get revenge, and other forms of brokenness and sinfulness, even discour- agement and disbelief in God. If we turn away from sin, “hate” the things of this world and serve God and not mammon, we demonstrate that our soul is more important than our body and we have absolute confidence in our redemption in Christ Jesus. And as we jour- ney in faith in building God’s kingdom, we are consoled by this week’s promise: “…you will not grow weary and lose heart,” (Heb 12:3b). Jesus is our leader and perfecter of our faith while we keep our eyes fixed on Him. We build God’s Kingdom when we endure trials and suffering in following Christ. This is our theme for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. As true followers of Christ, we deal with trials and sufferings caused by sin. Sin and suffering are not God’s doing, but God allows evil to continue even though it is not His will. He allows trials to train or discipline us, “for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines,” (Heb 12:6). God allows suffering for restoration and formation of character, for our personal growth, to bring us closer to Him. St. Paul, who suffered more than any other apostle and who did extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God, declares: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing com- 3 Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2016 Hawaiian Fiesta Richard’s Park, Mississauga July 16 Thank you …. ME #1, #2 & #3 4 Photos by: - Rey Perlas - Gilbert Villapando - Mars Ramos Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2016 6 Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2016 (Continued from page 3) pared with the glory to be revealed for us. For the earnest expectation of the creation ea- gerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God,” (Rom 8:18). Like Paul, we too can claim God’s promise: “…the fidelity of the Lord endures forever,” (Ps 117:2). Our theme for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time is: We build God’s kingdom when we leave our comfort zone and serve the needy and the less fortunate. Our comfort zone is an artificial mental boundary that gives us a feeling of safety, security and comfort. However, pushing or leaving our boundaries will provide us with new experiences, skills and proficien- cies that will lead us to look at problems or issues in new creative ways and solutions. Leaving our comfort zone is finding God in those people who are suffering and marginalized by the economic, political and social oppressions of today. What should convict us is that, we cannot truly praise and worship God unless we worship Him in the broken bodies and spirits of those whom modern society has ignored and disregarded. Figuratively, Jesus says to us: “when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, (the homeless, the prejudiced,) the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous,” (Lk 14:13-14). Then, we become true followers of that Man hanging on the cross, deserving to build His Kingdom for His great- er glory. God has given us this promise of reward: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but one who humbles himself will be exalted,” (Lk 14:11). Father Jacques Hamel: 'A good priest … who did his job to the very end' Thousands attended the funeral in Rouen cathedral in Normandy of French priest Father Jacques Hamel, who was murdered in his church by Islamist extremists last week. The citizens of Rouen came to the cathedral to mourn the priest killed at his altar. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and senior Roman Catholic clerics attended the service. Father Hamel had his throat cut when two men stormed his church during Mass. At the service his sister, Roselyne, told the congregation that her brother, who was 85, had been a man of "mercy and love". She said Father Hamel's message to everyone would be: "Let us learn to live together. Let us be the workers and artisans of peace, each one in his own way." In the homily, Rouen Archbishop Dominique Lebrun said: "As brutal and unfair and horrible as Jacques' death was, we have to look deep into our hearts to find the light." He called for forgiveness, quoting the New Testament command to love your neighbours. Muslims and Jews attended the ceremony in a show of solidarity. "It was a duty," Hassan Houays, a Muslim maths teacher from Saint-Etienne, told AFP. "We are here so that we can get along together." BBC News August 2, 2016 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36950521 7 Vol. 4 No. 8 August 2016 GOOD NEWS Let us share the good news and give thanks for the glory of Our Lord 1. Congratulations to Mars & Maria Fe Ramos (ME#2) on the graduation of their daughter Shaina Ramos from High School and admission to University of Toronto Mississauga. Shaina is the Keyboardist of our Praise Ministry. 2. The SFX pastoral team has a recent addition, Fr. Ravi Babu Kakuman, who joined the team as Associate Pastor on July 3rd. A warm welcome to Fr. Ravi from the OSG/BLD SFX Community! 3. We will be blessed with a visit from His Excellency, The Most Rev.