Parish Bulletin for Sunday, February 4, 2007

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The Oscar nominations are in and, for those who follow the movies, a time of great excitement and a flurry of activity to see those movies and those actors who have received that famous Oscar nod is now in full swing. One wonders what goes through the minds of actors and whether they ever reflect back on that first casting call that led them to this day. Casting directors are important people in the industry of movie-making. They issue a call that is essentially a job description. Answers are sifted to find the best fit and auditions determine who will be cast in a particular role. Whether it is a bit part or the role of a lifetime will depend on many factors, not the least of which is the actor's ability to bring that role to life.

Today's Gospel readings are all about divine call; the divine calls issued to Isaiah, Paul, Simon, James and John were intended to be roles of a lifetime. Calls coming from our God are tailored to individuals who, from the womb, have been loved by God and intended for a purpose known to God for all of eternity. The important thing here is to understand that the individual is always free to answer the call, to ignore it, to postpone it and even to refuse it. But, in the event that they accept the call, those chosen by God know that they are sustained and supported by God's grace from that moment onward. They shall know that the role they will play will be uniquely important as they continue to tell the story of salvation and unfold it for the entire world to see and hear and appreciate.

Isaiah of Jerusalem answered the call to be prophet while serving as high priest during the year that King Uzziah died, around 743 BC. During several successive reigns, it was the voice of Isaiah who spoke God's truth to deception, God's justice to human wrongdoing, God's love to human need and God's will and God's ways to human sinfulness.

Paul would bring the good news to the gentiles. His call came on the road to Damascus with letters in hand to detain and bring back those pesky followers of the Christ. From his radical conversion to Christ, Paul entered into the story of salvation. He became a preacher of the truth, the justice, the peace and the love who is Jesus.

For Simon, who became Peter, for James and for John, the call came while they were casting their nets into the Sea of Galilee, trying to make a living to support themselves and their families. Once called, once cast in the role of a disciple, they took on the responsibility of drawing others into the net of God's love so that they too might hear and become a part of the ongoing story of salvation.

Through the living word of the sacred scriptures, Jesus continues to speak, to call, to mandate and to empower all who would be his disciples. We, for our part, are to follow the lead of Peter, James, John, Paul and Isaiah and obey the word we see and hear so that we may continue the process of fishing and drawing all peoples to Christ. As Jesus' disciples, we become a part of the universal mission that extends to all peoples and to the ends of the earth. We too are mandated and empowered by Jesus. We too are part and parcel of the story of salvation. What will we answer?

We are faced with the same choices open before the prophets of old, to the disciples and to all who have gone before us. Let us pray today for the wisdom to hear the call of the Lord, the courage to accept that call, and the strength to live out that call in our everyday lives.

TUESDAY, Feb. 6

St. Paul Miki

8:30 a.m. - † Anne Marie Burke

Requested by Patricia

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Annie Reay

Requested by Murphy family

THURSDAY, Feb. 8

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Margaret LeBlanc

Requested by Chris and Maurice Hardman

FRIDAY, Feb. 9

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Alfred VanNieuwenhove

Requested by Roger VanNieuwenhove

Did You Know?

Sacrament of The Sick...Continued

The Hows and Whens

Only a priest (bishop or presbyter) can administer the Sacrament of the Sick. Canon 1004 of the Code of Canon Law indicates succinctly who may receive the sacrament: "The anointing of the sick can be administered to any member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger by reason of illness or old age."

A new illness or a renewal or worsening of the first illness enables a person to receive the sacrament a further time. And "in the case of a person who is chronically ill, or elderly and in a weakened condition, the sacrament of anointing may be repeated when in the pastoral judgment of the priest the condition of the sick person warrants the repetition of the sacrament" (Rite of Anointing of the Sick, 102).

The text of the Rite (97) also states that the sacrament of anointing can be administered to an individual whether at home, in a hospital or institution, or in church; and several sick persons may be anointed within the rite, especially if the celebration takes place in a church or hospital; the celebration may also take place within Mass.

The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick offers grace for the state into which people enter through sickness. Through the sacrament is given a gift of the Holy Spirit that renews confidence and faith in God and strengthens against temptations to discouragement and anguish at the thought of death and the struggle of death. It thus leads to spiritual healing with forgiveness of sins and, sometimes, to bodily healing as well.

It is clear from the understanding of this sacrament today that priests are bound to use their discernment skills; this is not a sacrament administered lightly, although, when necessary, it is freely given. Nor is its use limited to the dying, who may or may not be aware that they are receiving it.

The Sacrament of the Sick must be celebrated with the living and is not administered once death has occurred. If someone has celebrated the Sacrament of the Sick and then enters into the state of dying, it is not necessary to be concerned about celebrating again. The celebration with the dying may include what we call Viaticum, if the person is able. This is reception of the Bread of Life – Eucharist – for the final journey.

Anointing of the sick does not change or become stronger or better once we are on that final step. The fact that a person is able to celebrate while still conscious and able to participate can be part of the grace and strength of this sacrament, so it is positive for us to ask for it before situations become critical. The worry of serious illness can be mitigated through the celebration of this sacrament of healing. Sacraments are, first and foremost, our God acting in our lives. Not something to fear or put off until it is too late to benefit from the healing touch of our God.

NEXT WEEK: What does a celebration look like? What are the symbols and what do they mean? How do I ask for this sacrament for myself or for someone I am caring for?

Parish Bulletin for Sunday, February 11, 2007

SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

What is Blessing?

In today's first reading and in the Gospel, there is much talk about blessings. Jeremiah tells us that those who trust and hope in God are graced with many blessings. Just like trees planted near a source of life-giving water, so those who trust and hope in God flourish and grow in service to the Lord.

The psalmist takes up the prophet's thought and prepares the praying assembly to welcome the gospel by naming the blessedness and happiness of those who follow the law in all that they do and all that they say. Just as the trees that are nourished and watered, so too do the faithful ones of God bear the fruits of justice and peace.

The Lucan Jesus begins his Great Sermon in today's Gospel with a series of pronouncements of blessedness upon the poor, the hungry, the weeping and the hated. Yet it is important for us to realize that all this talk of blessings and blessedness must also include talk of the burdens that come to all believers who belong to God and to Christ.

Regardless of who we are, blessings seem to be balanced and sometimes overwhelmed by burdens that serve as counterpoint to those blessings. Let's look at a couple of examples. What about the husband and wife who welcome each other as blessing from God? Yet, every day, they must work at their relationship and remain faithful and diligent to maintain the gift they have been given. Without this, the blessedness of mutual belonging cannot endure. What about parents? They too know the blessings of welcoming children into their lives as well as the burdens of continuous concern and worry over their healthy, holy growth, development and well-being.

Teachers share a similar experience, finding their blessings in being able to impart knowledge and to cultivate the talents and abilities of their students. But these blessings are not without the burdens of long hours of labour and frustrations of working within a system and a society that often gives little support for the educational process.

As believers in Jesus, how do we strike a balance between the blessings that are ours with the burdens that we shall also have to bear? How do we weigh the blessings of the word and the sacraments against the persecution that is often heaped upon the faithfully committed? We turn with trust and joy to Jesus who has invited us to "Come to me all you who labour and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light." (Matt 11:28-29).

What better assurance could we find! The blessed and the burdened are welcomed to Jesus, and, at his side, are invited to learn how to accept the blessings and the burdens. In the truth of humility and the simplicity of meekness, we learn to accept all and endure all as a necessary path to the Reign of God in our lives. Once we are convinced that we are not alone, that Jesus walks with us and is willing to shoulder the yoke with us, then life's blessings become the cause for great celebration and the burdens that can overwhelm when tackled alone, become a sharing in his work of redemption. Blessings and burdens, ours to share, ours to bear and ours to celebrate.

TUESDAY, Feb. 13

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Concetta Delaurentis

Requested by family

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14

St. Cyril and St. Methodius

8:30 a.m. - † John Linton Chin

Requested by wife Lucy

THURSDAY, Feb. 15

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Tom Baresic

Requested by Anna

FRIDAY, Feb. 16

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Jack Williams

Requested by wife Joan

Did You Know?

Sacrament of The Sick...Continued

For those who know that surgery is looming and you wish to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick, please call your parish to make your request. Arrangements can be made before you go either at the parish or at home.

If you are in hospital, it is important for you to make sure that you identify yourself as Catholic at the time of admission. Most hospitals have a Spiritual Care Department with access to local parish communities. Once you are in hospital, it is important for you to understand how you can arrange for spiritual care and these departments are meant to help you do just that.

This weekend, there are pamphlets available to help you understand what you need to do, especially regarding hospital admissions. There are also cards available to keep in your wallet so that if you arrive unconscious at an Emergency department you can be cared for spiritually.

Parish Bulletin for Sunday, February 18, 2007

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Once more we find our readings describing in detail what it means to be a follower of the Christ. The first reading is from Samuel and brings us into a situation where David must make a decision: the opportunity is unique and he certainly had ample 'justification' as well as encouragement for putting to death a weak and ineffectual king. Yet David, who would follow Saul as king and who most likely felt he was being unjustly treated, chooses to take the moral high ground. His sense of injustice did not give him the right over life and death. He was convinced that he was called to live under a law that was greater than himself, a conviction we continue to struggle with to this day. Saul was a poor representative of God, but, as king, he represented the will of God, and David reverenced God's will in him. Therefore, he spared Saul's life.

Today's Gospel is a series of challenges to the believer. It may help us to understand that Jesus is talking here to disciples who are already committed and are open to the grace so necessary to live as Jesus called them and us to live. Just as our Christian ancestors in the faith, we are called to be ready and willing to be like Jesus – loving enemies, doing good to those who hate, blessing those who curse, praying for those who offer mistreatment. We are called to leave behind notions of vengeance and to offer no resistance to violence, regardless of the cost. Jesus abandoned "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" and turned the relationship around. He introduced a different like for like. As God relates to us, so must we relate to others; as God relates to our enemies, so also must you relate. Forgiven much, we are also to be forgiving.

Jesus calls his disciples into a burden that must be accepted and carried daily. Forgiveness and love of enemies requires dependence and guidance and assistance of our yokemate, Jesus. When we are open to the Lord, we are never alone. Indeed, there are times when we are not only assisted, but also carried along by the One who has gone before us, establishing the Christian norm that raises the bar above mere worldly standards. Drawing on the strength of grace and the continuous presence of Jesus, we are empowered and enabled.

In the last weeks before he was assassinated, Archbishop Oscar Romero preached the Gospel, which invites us to "turn the other cheek." Facing the might of the Salvadoran military, Romero said: "We must continually say no to violence and yes to peace." He also wrote: "The counsel of the Gospel to turn the other cheek to an unjust aggressor, far from being passive or cowardly, shows great moral force that leaves the aggressor morally overcome and humiliated. The Christian always prefers peace to war." Romero lived that message in his death, which advanced the cause of his people.

Today, we are reminded that we are children of a God who is good to the ungrateful and the wicked and that we have it within us to be compassionate because God is compassionate. We who have been created in God's image are empowered by that same God to reflect the divine image in all we are and all we do. Because of Jesus, we are heirs to the divine capacity for love and goodness, mercy and forgiveness. To live otherwise is to shame and deny our divine lineage.

TUESDAY, Feb. 20

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Samuel Johns

Requested by family

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21

Ash Wednesday

8:30 a.m.

7:00 p.m.

THURSDAY, Feb. 22

Chair of St. Peter

8:30 a.m. - † Walter Perpick

Requested by Anna

FRIDAY, Feb. 23

Lenten Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Barbara Manza

Requested by Nilda Deni

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Parish Bulletin for Sunday, February 25, 2007

First Sunday of Lent

What is Lent Anyway?

We are the people of the ashes. Ashes are not so much grim as they are true. They are real. They tell an honest story and are the Gospel summons to enter into Lent as a church. Here we are, the ones marked with ash, the ones told to turn away from sin and follow the Gospel, the ones told to remember and to repent.

Let's be clear about a few things that Lent is not! First, Lent is not a one-day show. Lent is today and everyday until we are exhausted and ready to enter that amazing grace of Three Days that get us from Holy Thursday night to Easter Sunday. Second, Lent is not some sort of churchy, self-improvement program that asks just a tiny bit of self-denial and rewards us with lost pounds or saved money. And third, Lent is not something I do by myself, my own little good resolutions, my own little prayers, my own little coins for the poor.

So, what is Lent, then? It is literally breath-taking and life-giving. It is hard and deeply disturbing because it is not about your piety or mine, not about sins, not about earning grace or points or anything else. It is the church becoming the church. It is baptized people becoming baptized people. It is good human beings trying to grapple with what the Gospel asks of good human beings - right here, right now - at the end of February 2007 in our city, our country, and our world, a world so beaten down by greed gone wild yet still the world that God so loved.

The ashes we wore so proudly last Wednesday. Ashes are real and ashes are honest. They give us notice that we are meant to take these 40 days and get ourselves, however young or old we are, into training to do and be all that we promised and all that we renounced at our baptism. By learning how to pray, by learning to fast in some ways that will tell us what we really hunger for, by learning to give what we call ours without counting on anything except the mercy of God.

That is what Lent should be, can be, will be for us. No one does it alone. I don't keep Lent. You don't keep Lent. The church keeps Lent. And more than any other season, in Lent we so need to see each other here on the six Sundays of Lent, we so need to hear each other singing, we so need to join each other at the table and in the procession that surrounds the table. We so need to bring here our best efforts and our constant failures. We so need to hear the stories Sunday by Sunday, the crucial stories that unfold in us what our baptism means.

So, as the Gospel has made urgent, let's make a Lent like we have never made a Lent before. We will pray together in many ways. We will fast and discover what it is that we should be so hungry and thirsty for. We will begin to let go of our desperate hold on what we call 'ours' and start working ourselves out of slavery and into the freedom of God's children.

And doing this, we'll walk boldly and yet with trepidation toward that font where, on the night of the sacred Easter Vigil, we will dare to promise and renounce anew and we will dare to baptize those newcomers who want to drown all the works of sin and want to live freely as servants in Christ our Lord. Don't be afraid. Every bit of the Gospel we embraced at baptism's waters summon us. Amen.

— Rev. Thomas G. Moore

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TUESDAY, Feb. 27

Lenten Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Margaret LeBlanc

Requested by Minnie and Yin Teong

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 28

Lenten Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Mary Lee

Requested by Philomena Lee

THURSDAY, March 1

Lenten Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Margaret and Robert Watson

Requested by Nora Watson

FRIDAY, March 2

Lenten Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Amelia Couvinha

Requested by Helena Sousa

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