January 31, 2021 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus Teaches and Heals In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man whom others reject. Through this miracle, Jesus also teaches a powerful lesson about God’s love. What can you tell others about the healing power of the Holy Spirit? Complete the project, and then share how you teach others about Jesus. In the blank space, create a sticker that teaches about something important to you. Examples: taking care of the earth and its creatures, respect for life, being a good friend, choosing joy. You may draw a symbol or share a quote or a verse from the Bible—whatever best expresses your important teaching. Take a picture of your sticker and post it. PFLAUM GOSPEL WEEKLIES Faith Formation Program driver told all the Black riders to stand up so the white riders could sit. While other Black passengers gave up their seats for white riders, Claudette refused. The bus driver drove straight into town and called a The policeman to board the bus and arrest her. Women The police took her, kicking and screaming, Who and kept her in jail until her pastor bailed her out. Later Claudette was found Who started the famous guilty of breaking the Montgomery, Alabama, STOPPED segregation law and placed bus boycott? Was it Rosa the on probation. Parks, who refused to give her seat to a white bus rider? Dr. Mary Fair Burks, chair Buses of the English department Was it the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., who preached at Alabama State College every night to the boycotters? Or and founder of the WPC, was was it women whose names no members repeated the news to disgusted and angry. “Could this one remembers? neighbors and friends across the be the time for the bus boycott?” In 1955, the buses in city. Ministers then told these she asked the women of the Montgomery were segregated stories from their pulpits on WPC. Leaders of other black by state law. Black passengers Sunday mornings. groups were hesitant. “Do we could not sit in the first ten rows The Women’s Political have the support of every black of seats. They were reserved for Council heard these stories, person in Montgomery?” they white passengers. When white too. This group of women asked. “Is Claudette too young people filled these rows, Black had organized in 1946 to help to be the central figure of this riders who occupied the seats improve the status and living boycott?” The women’s group behind them had to give their conditions of all Black people decided not to boycott yet. seats to white passengers. Old in Montgomery. They had In October 1955, police Black men and women had talked for years about how a arrested eighteen-year-old Mary to give up their seats so white bus boycott could force white Louise Smith, and a court found schoolchildren could sit down. people to treat Black people her guilty of failing to give up Bus drivers enforced fairly and equally on buses. her seat to a white person. these rules. They sometimes By 1955, the women of the The women of the WPC knew humiliated, abused, and beat WPC were ready to boycott. They that support was growing for a up Black people who disobeyed had a plan to print and distribute boycott. Then, on December 1, these laws or didn’t obey them 50,000 fliers announcing a Rosa Parks, the local secretary quickly enough. boycott. All they needed to add for the National Association for was the date and time. the Advancement of Colored Every time a bus driver kicked People (NAACP), was arrested a Black person off a city bus Fifteen-year-old Claudette for refusing to give her seat to a for refusing to stand so a white Colvin didn’t board a white man. person could sit down, every Montgomery bus on March 2, Black family in Montgomery 1955, intending to make news. News of Rosa Parks’ protest heard about it. A victim would The straight-A student paid her and arrest traveled fast. Word tell family members about it fare and sat in the back. As the got out to the 50,000 Black at the supper table. Family bus became more crowded, the Montgomery citizens that Parks 2 would have to appear before a African judge on Monday, December 5. Americans in That day, they secretly decided, would be the first day of the Montgomery walk bus boycott. to work during “Now is the time,” the women the 13-month of the WPC agreed. “We’ll stop boycott. this abusive treatment of blacks once and for all.” newspapers published stories Jo Ann Gibson Robinson, and cooks left their houses long in the Sunday editions about WPC president, told the before sunrise to arrive at their the threatened boycott. All of members of her organization, white employers’ houses in time Montgomery waited to see what “On Friday, December 2, 1955, to make and serve breakfast. would happen. the women of Montgomery will Sometimes white women secretly December 5 was a cold and call for a boycott to take place drove their Black maids to and cloudy Monday morning, but on Monday, December 5.” from work so they wouldn’t lose hardly any Black people rode Robinson quickly mobilized their help. the city buses. Many white other members. They added the The boycott lasted thirteen people showed support for the date December 5 to their flier months. It ended when the boycott by staying off the buses and went to the mimeograph U.S. Supreme Court ruled that too. Montgomery police officers department of Alabama State Montgomery buses must be riding motorcycles followed College in the middle of the integrated. The women of the empty bus after empty bus. night to make copies. By WPC succeeded in uniting Black The WPC knew the boycott 4:00 a.m. Friday, 50,000 notices Montgomery citizens around a was off to a successful start. The were ready for WPC members to common cause and inspiring years of planning and gathering distribute throughout the city. Black people everywhere to hold support had paid off. Their work The women mapped out a their heads high and not rest now complete, they turned over route, called drivers, and stuffed until justice was theirs. the leadership of the boycott their cars with the leaflets. to the Reverend Martin Luther Members of the WPC waited King Jr. “ k at street corners to receive the TTAALLk ” bundles of leaflets and to start King and other leaders passing out the notices. Robinson worked hard to maintain the 1 How were Black people in was back at the college in time to momentum of the boycott’s Montgomery treated on the teach her 8:00 a.m. class. early days. They held church buses? How did they respond meetings, organized an to this treatment? By Friday afternoon, nearly elaborate carpool system every Black man, woman, 2 How did the Women’s that provided rides for Black and child in Montgomery Political Council plant the seeds workers throughout the city, knew about the boycott set of a bus boycott? Why did they and met weekly with city officials for Monday. Very few people wait? How was the WPC the to negotiate an end to bus knew where the notices came spirit of the boycott? segregation. When each meeting from and who was leading the ended in failure, they turned 3 What lessons do the leaders boycott, but no one seemed to their energies to making the of the Women’s Political Council care. They quietly passed along boycott as painless as possible teach? the information to other Black for Montgomery’s Black citizens. Turn to page 51 in What the people and tried to keep it a 4 This was no small task. As the Church Believes and Teaches, secret from white people. cold and rainy winter months and read the seven themes of On Friday evening, a Black dragged on, Black citizens Catholic social teaching. Which maid showed the notice to her realized how convenient the of the themes apply to the bus white employer. The secret was city bus system was. Many maids boycott? out! Montgomery’s two daily Bayard supports Pope Francis’s call to care for our common home. Please share your copy of VISIONS with a friend or recycle it properly. Thank you. 3 SUNDAY GOSPEL 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 1:21–28 Jesus Teaches with Authority Narrator 1: Jesus and his disciples Jesus: Be quiet, spirit, and came to the town of Capernaum. come out of this man! On the sabbath, Jesus went to the Narrator 2: The unclean synagogue and began to teach. spirit shook the man hard. A loud Narrator 2: The people who heard cry came out of the man. The “ ALk him were amazed at the way he people were amazed. T ” taught. He wasn’t like the scribes. Woman: What’s happening here? 1 What amazes those who Jesus taught with his own authority. Man: Is this some kind of new hear Jesus teaching? Narrator 1: In the middle of Jesus’ teaching? teaching, a man with an unclean 2 What do you imagine Synagogue Leader: This man has spirit came into the synagogue. might possess the man with authority to give orders to unclean the unclean, or unholy, spirit? Possessed Man: What do you want spirits, and they obey him! with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you 3 What unholy actions might Narrator 1: The news about Jesus here to destroy us? I know who you Jesus speak out against? spread quickly everywhere in the are—the Holy One of God! area of Galilee.