24th Sunday in Ordinary time -Year A
In my parish, there was once a new employee who frequently told me she was sorry for various imperfections in her work. It could be a little tiring. I finally told her, “You know, you don’t have to say ‘sorry’ so often.” She looked me right in the eyes and said, “Father, you’re right. I’m sorry.” Her ear-to-ear grin betrayed that she enjoyed the irony — and that she would keep asking for forgiveness as often as she needed it. The Gospel reading this week proclaims to us that God, in Jesus, delights in numerous requests for, and the granting of, forgiveness. To Peter’s question, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus responds, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” In other words, Peter, stop counting. Christian life should be marked by a commitment to frequent forgiveness. God never tires of forgiving us. His limitless love has overcome the power of vengeance, hatred, and division. We tap into that each and every time we ask for forgiveness or extend it to another. How beautiful our hearts become when they become accustomed to frequent forgiveness! How joyful and attractive become our marriages, families, and parish communities! How light our souls feel when unburdened by the habit of keeping score.
Challenge: Name one thing, small or large, for which you could ask forgiveness from someone in your life. Then do it.- Father John Muir
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Monday, we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and on Tuesday we celebrate Our Lady of Sorrows. Both are sorrowful days but joyful days at the same time. They both serve to remind us of how much both our Lord Jesus Christ and His and our Blessed Mother Mary suffered on our behalf. Christ died on the cross for our sake, to have our sins forgiven and to open the gates of paradise for us. His mother stood by as a silent witness watching as her son died a horrific death, knowing it needed to happen for our sake (not hers since she was sinless) and instead of holding our sins against us knowing that is what put her son on the cross she chooses to love us and pray for us daily. My brothers and sisters, knowing how much they have done for us, let us ask ourselves how do we show our appreciation? What do we offer them in return? Are we willing to make sacrifices out of love of them the way they did and do for us?
God Bless you and have a wonderful week, Fr. Michael
SCRIPTURAL REFLECTIONS ON STEWARDSHIP
“For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
This is the essence of stewardship – everything we have and everything we are is a gift from God. We aren’t “owners” of anything, we are merely “stewards” of the gifts that God has given us, especially our very own lives. Pray to God, daily, and ask Him how He is calling you to live the life that He intended for you.
Back-to-School Blessing
Dear God, we ask that You bless the students in our congregation, giving them inspirational teachers, studious habits, solid friendships, and Your Grace in every moment of this school year. Bless the teachers and school staff in our congregation, too. Fill them with Your love and care so that, as they teach and minister to our young people, Your wisdom and light may be known, encountered, and shared. Amen.
Prayer for Vocations
Dear God, Give us the courage and strength to answer when You call! Give us clarity and trust to hear Your soft invitations. Give us the love to respond, and the bravery to take the steps that will bring us ever closer to You. Amen.
PRACTICING CATHOLIC
RECOGNIZE GOD IN YOUR ORDINARY MOMENTS By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman
Mercy You Can Feel
“You qualify for forgiveness,” I heard the woman on the other end of the phone tell me, and I surprised myself by starting to weep. I had called the hospital system’s financial services department to set up a payment plan on a balance I owed after having some unexpected scans and tests. I was hoping to minimize the dent our family’s savings took — transform one devastating wallop into a series of more easily absorbed blows, so to speak. Imagine my surprise when I realized the hospital was pulling its punch. If you have ever had a financial debt forgiven, you know the relief that came over me in that moment. It wasn’t until a little later that the guilt set in. I know so many people who have medical debt. Why was I able to get out of paying, and they were not? But the cold, hard truth is that I didn’t “get out” of anything. My insurance, for which I pay, had given the hospital enough money to cover the true cost of the procedures. That balance would merely have increased the hospital’s profit. Make no mistake: capitalism does not forgive. If you describe the Sacrament of Reconciliation to someone unfamiliar with theology, chances are they’ll think God is a chump. “You get to go in, say you’re sorry, and leave — and everything’s just fine?” someone once asked me in disbelief. Well, yeah. That’s forgiveness. Real mercy cannot be budgeted. It must be given recklessly, extravagantly, against all reason. It must cost the giver. It must scandalize any accountant worth his salt. And no one “qualifies.” If I can’t wrap my head around the idea, it might mean I’m stuck in a for-profit paradigm of justice. It might just mean that I need to engage more in real mercy. Mercy I can feel.
PRAYER REQUESTS
That God will relieve their suffering and restore them to health. Please pray for: Kellie Salata, Kelly Chinchar, Jessica, Daniel Breslin, Stanley, Joseph Marrone, Anthony, Michael, Joseph, Jessica Esopo, Steve, Audra, Bernadette, James Weiss, Baby Ford, Rosemary Malangone, Elizabeth Malangone, Sue West, Colleen Emery, Richard, Joan Russo, Christina Martin, Mornia Evans, Valerie Valverde, Diana McGuckin, Cheryl Prinjinski, Stephen West, Bryan Westfall, Cathy Bruno, Anne Trainor and Lheny Sunga.
Holy Name Medical Center is looking for Eucharistic Ministers, volunteers, who are willing to help out in giving out Holy Communion to their patients. If you are interested, you can email them at pokafor@holyname.org or call their office at 201-833-3243 or stop by their Pastoral Care Office, behind the chapel, lobby/ground floor at Holy Name Medical Center.
THANK YOU
The gift of Bread & Wine for the first two weeks of September has been given in memory of Louise & John Hansen by Mr. & Mrs. Raymond DeRiso.
The gift of the Sanctuary Lamp for the month of September has been given in memory of Cecelia Jashembowski by Linda J.Sylvestri
Please consider sponsoring our Bread & Wine, Altar Flowers, and the oil for the Sanctuary Lamp.
Opportunities for Parish Support
There are several ways you can help support our parish and honor loved ones at the same time. As you may have noticed on the first Sunday of every month in our bulletin, we thank the donors of our Altar Gifts. You can donate the Bread & Wine, Altar Flowers, or the Sanctuary Lamp in a two-week block for $50 in someone’s memory. We have blocks open for this year. We also need to purchase a new Easter candle each year (the tall candle on the altar) for $300-$400 which can also be donated in someone’s memory. You do not have to fund the entire amount, anything you wish to donate towards the purchase of our Easter candle is appreciated. We also have masses available for your intentions. If you wish to honor someone in any of these ways, please call the rectory.
Prayer for our Nation
God our Father, giver of life, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care. You are the rock on which this nation was founded. You alone are the true source of our cherished rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Reclaim this land for your glory and dwell among your people. Send your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation’s leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing your will. Through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, patroness of our land, grant us the courage to reject the “culture of death.” Lead us into a new millennium of life. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Praying the ROSARY
The Rosary is a meditation, a time to recall and think about the life of Jesus as seen and experienced by Mary. As the model of faith, Mary’s life sets a pattern that we strive to follow: saying ‘yes’ to God’s will in our lives and sharing His love and message with others. The Mysteries of the Rosary form a mini lesson of faith, using the highlights and significant moments of the life of Jesus. Like paging through a family scrapbook, we see in brief the events of salvation history that are the core of our belief and the hope of our eternal life.
WE NEED BULLETIN ADVERTISERS!!
We would like to thank all the advertisers who have supported us throughout the past year. Our parish benefits greatly from the ads you see in the bulletin. The revenue pays for the printing which is an important means of communication for the parish. If we do not have enough advertisers, the cost of our bulletin goes up. We thank the local businesses that advertise with us especially in these tough economic times. We have some spaces on the back of our bulletin that need filling so if you would like to advertise your business as well as benefit your church, please contact John Patrick Publishing at 1-800-333-3166.
Please support our advertisers at the back cover of bulletin.
