Category: Parish News & Events

Where Are You At in Your Journey?

The readings today are rich with imagery: sheep, shepherds, landowners, laborers, the earth, pastures, valleys, and vineyards, marketplaces and wages. Sit with those images for a few moments. Read them again. What comes to mind?

The accompanying words of scripture ask us to be aware of our thoughts and actions. The gospel acclamation from Hebrews states, “The word of God is living and effective, able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (4:12)

My mind keeps flipping back and forth between the shepherds who were taking advantage of their sheep, the landowner and the laborers. The Lord God says he will look after and tend His sheep. He will come against the shepherds who did not protect their flock but looked after themselves alone. I hear words labeling the shepherds; exploitation, greed, injustice, and neglect. I picture images illustrating these words during my own life and throughout history. Am I listening to and following the Good Shepherd’s voice?

I read the Gospel again. Jesus tells his disciples that all who work in his vineyard, no matter when they begin the task, will be given their reward, “the last shall be first and the first shall be last.”

A memory comes to mind of a youth lamenting the conclusion of a game where she got to heaven, but those there before her had taken down the celestial celebration because of all the work to clean up.

Next an image surfaces of Jesus on the cross telling one of the criminals that they will be together in paradise. This criminal stands up for the truth by telling his companion, ‘this man did nothing wrong.’ Jesus’ reward to him in their dying moments is the promise of joining Him in paradise that day.

Where is your focus drawn? How does this illustrate where your journey with Jesus our Lord God finds you today? Take the time to note where you are led throughout your day. Listen for His voice, for the things and people which lead you to Him or away from Him. Learn to discern what the right Way is for you in your daily life. Be vigilant and keep your focus on His love for you and all of His creation.

Please pray with me: Jesus, I trust in you. I know you are with me. Help me to keep my steps and my thoughts going your Way, wherever that may lead. May your grace and mercy continue to bless my journey, especially since I don’t know where it may take me. Help me focus on your shepherd’s voice of comfort and love. Amen.

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Beth is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

St. John Eudes: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, August 19, 2020

John Eudes was born at Ri, Normandy, France, on November 14, 1601, the son of a farmer. He went to the Jesuit college at Caen when he was 14, and despite his parents’ wish that he marry, joined the Congregation of the Oratory of France in 1623. He studied at Paris and at Aubervilliers, was ordained in 1625, and worked as a volunteer, caring for the victims of the plagues that struck Normandy in 1625 and 1631, and spent the next decade giving Missions, building a reputation as an outstanding …

A Spirit to Know You: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, August 19, 2020

St. Benedict of Nursia
ca. 480-547
Gracious and Holy Father,
Please give me:
intellect to understand you,
reason to discern you,
diligence to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
a spirit to know you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
ears to hear you,
eyes to to see you,
a tongue to proclaim you,
a way of life pleasing to you,
patience to wait for you
and perseverance to look for you.
Grant me a perfect end,
your holy presence,
a blessed resurrection
and life …

Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 EZ 28:1-10

The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man,
say to the prince of Tyre: 
Thus says the Lord GOD:

Because you are haughty of heart,
you say, “A god am I!
I occupy a godly throne
in the heart of the sea!”—
And yet you are a man, and not a god,
however you may think yourself like a god.
Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel,
there is no secret that is beyond you.
By your wisdom and your intelligence
you have made riches for yourself;
You have put gold and silver
into your treasuries.
By your great wisdom applied to your trading
you have heaped up your riches;
your heart has grown haughty from your riches–
therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
Because you have thought yourself
to have the mind of a god,
Therefore I will bring against you
foreigners, the most barbarous of nations.
They shall draw their swords
against your beauteous wisdom,
they shall run them through your splendid apparel.
They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die
a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea.
Will you then say, “I am a god!”
when you face your murderers?
No, you are man, not a god,
handed over to those who will slay you.
You shall die the death of the uncircumcised
at the hands of foreigners,
for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD.

Responsorial Psalm DEUTERONOMY 32:26-27AB, 27CD-28, 30, 35CD-36AB

R. (39c)  It is I who deal death and give life.
“I would have said, ‘I will make an end of them
and blot out their name from men’s memories,’
Had I not feared the insolence of their enemies,
feared that these foes would mistakenly boast.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
“‘Our own hand won the victory;
the LORD had nothing to do with it.’”
For they are a people devoid of reason,
having no understanding.
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
“How could one man rout a thousand,
or two men put ten thousand to flight,
Unless it was because their Rock sold them
and the LORD delivered them up?”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
Close at hand is the day of their disaster,
and their doom is rushing upon them!
Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people;
on his servants he shall have pity.
R. It is I who deal death and give life.

 

 

Alleluia 2 COR 8:9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich
So that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 19:23-30

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
“Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said to him in reply,
“We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

ALL THINGS are Possible…For GOD

Our family was recently blessed to take a 5-day vacation in northern Michigan. Although our excursion didn’t take us to the Upper Peninsula, we were far enough north to feel the cool morning air, listen to the breeze rustle through the tall trees and enjoy the clear Pure Michigan lakes. The weather was as close to perfect as it gets, sunny skies and mid to upper 70’s the whole time. We were able to get away from it all. No home projects, no family problems, no moving planning… Our only goals were to hit the beach and go out for ice cream every day. Thankfully, we had no problem meeting them.

My kids got to deepen their suntan at the parks, in the water and at the B&B. Of course no one wanted to come back, and almost every year we talk about getting a place up there, even if it’s only dreaming.

We got home refreshed and exhausted but had no choice but to hit the ground running since laundry and grocery shopping awaited us.  Sometimes it’s hard not to go into a slight depression after being on vacation and having such a great time. Sometimes it’s hard to stay positive.

Looking at today’s readings, I’ll admit I had trouble finding anything positive. “Because you are haughty of heart…” “You are a man and not a god…” “They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse…”. Wait, is this some sort of pirate novel or the Bible?!

Alas, sometimes we need confronting.  Sometimes we need someone to wake us up from our bullheadedness, our daily seeking of our own way, our constant need to be in control. We need someone to shake us up a bit and say “Hey! You know that habit that you’ve gotten into that you think is just a normal part of life? That’s NOT okay. That needs to change.”

In the Gospel Jesus continues to confront his disciples, explaining how difficult it is to enter the Kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” Is everything doom and gloom today? Where is our hope?

I take a deep breath, continue reading and there it is: “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Ahhh yes, when I rely on my own devices, my own stubbornness, my own pride, then things can so easily go awry, but God is in charge here and with Him all things are possible.

ALL THINGS. That is a bold statement, yet one that gives us so much comfort, so much stability, so much peace when our world feels topsy turvy. Only God can claim that ALL THINGS are possible, because only He is in control.

Lord, take my impossible things today and make them possible. May your will be done in my life. Even though I can’t enjoy the freedom of a vacation every day, I know that I will enjoy it one day in heaven if I walk by Your side. May I never part from You, who make all things possible. Amen.

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Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

St. Helena: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, August 18, 2020

St. Helena was the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great and an Empress of the Roman Empire. Very little is known about Helena’s early life, but it is believed she is from Drepanum (later known as Helenopolis) in Asia Minor and born into a poor family and lower class in the Roman culture of the day. St. Ambrose described Helena as a “good stable-maid.”

Despite her background, Helena married Constantius Chlorus. With him she birthed her only son, Constantine. around the year 274. Nearly two …

Where Is Your Treasure Stored?

In today’s gospel, we see a man asking Jesus what he needs to do to gain eternal life. Surprisingly, we don’t hear the ‘Grace Alone’ response of “Nothing at all! I’ll do it all for you, for my grace is sufficient”, but a rather simple response: “Keep the commandments”. “Which ones?” the man asks, in what seems like a silly, dodging kind of question, since we would presume all of them! Jesus specifies many of the original ten commandments, which if the man keeps, he will “enter into LIFE”. Again the man interjects “But I’ve done all that! What else?”. You or I might be happy at this point, knowing that we’ve done all that we have to do for eternal life itself! But the man isn’t satisfied, continuing his quite strange responses to Jesus. “Well if you want to be PERFECT, give away everything you have to the poor, and follow me”. At this, the man left, and was too sad about the prospect of losing all of his possessions.

So what happened here? Was this man’s heart in the right place? Do all of us need to surrender literally everything we have? And what can you and I learn from this encounter? Here are three points that I gleaned from today’s reading.

  1. Jesus’ first response to the man was “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good”. I think this is an important primer for what we believe about eternal life and grace: God is Good, Goodness itself. Man, on his own and apart from God, is not good BECAUSE of our fallen state (although we were originally created good). So when this man asked what “good” he could do, Jesus made sure to clarify “anything good in you, and any good that you can do, comes from God alone”.
  2. After Jesus clarifies the role of grace, he clarifies what we need to do: Following the Commandments leads to eternal life. This is not us “earning salvation with our own works”. A relationship with God is truly what saves us: but am I really your friend (or in a good relationship at all) if I constantly disrespect you, ignore you, etc? Following the commandments is what assures us that we are right with God. Aside from that, God truly is Ruler over all, and He wants us to follow his commandments, which he made ultimately for our benefit! And when we fall short, we always have a space to lean into His mercy, which He truly desires to give us.
  3. The third point is this: Sacrifice leads to perfection. Beyond living rightly and running the race, we can only give up everything we have and serve radically. I immediately think of the religious orders in our Church, which Lumen Gentium from the Second Vatican Council calls the “perfect” state of life. We aren’t all called to this kind of perfection, as many of us are laity in the Church. But we all still can receive eternal life, and are called to live a life of following the Lord. The benefits of this kind of perfection are, as Jesus says in the reading, building up “treasure in heaven”.

Ultimately this reading also shows us that true wealth comes not in treasure stored on the earth, but in sharing what we have with others. A friend of mine who leads a ministry often says “Brendan, I’m a rich man” because of the incredible community that we have (due in part to his own giving of himself). We can sometimes say we want to follow Jesus, but bring all these things in tow with us. And when he asks us to surrender them, we walk away sad, focusing our eyes on our possessions and not on Him. It’s important to remember that surrender does not mean death or loss of everything. It means we very well may get all those things back (now that Jesus is Lord over them), and potentially more! And it means we very likely will get a greater reward in heaven.

Songs for reflection:

I Surrender by Hillsong Worship

Here’s my Heart by Chris Tomlin

I Shall Not Want by Audrey Assad

Lay it Down by Matt Maher

Goodness of God by Bethel

Yes I Will by Vertical Worship

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Brendan is just your average Millennial hipster: He likes playing guitar, throwing frisbees, sipping whiskey, and grooming his beard. But he also has a passion for walking with teens and young Christ-followers, hearing every person’s story, and waking up the Church. Brendan works at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, Kansas (near Kansas City) as a Youth Music Minister, fusing together his two loves of sharing Christ and sharing the power and need for good and beautiful contemporary praise. https://www.instagram.com/brendanbeardo/

St. Clare of Montefalco: Saint of the Day for Monday, August 17, 2020

Clare was born at Montefalco, Italy, around 1268. As a young woman she joined a convent of Franciscan tertiaries. This group established Holy Cross Convent at Montefalco in 1290, adopting the Rule of St. Augustine. Clare’s sister Joan was the abbess of this community, but at her death Clare succeeded her. She led an austere life, being particularly devoted to the Passion of Christ and His Cross. When Clare died in 1308, an image of the Cross was found imprinted on her heart, and her body …

Act of Faith: Prayer of the Day for Monday, August 17, 2020

O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because you revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.