Father of love, hear my prayer.
Help me to know Your Will
and to do it with courage and faith.
Accept my offering of myself,
all my …
Category: Parish News & Events
Is There Power?
Have you ever done the classic God test? “I am going to pray for this specific thing, God, and if it doesn’t happen then you are not real.” We judge God by his power and if a specific thing doesn’t happen then we assume that somehow God has lost his power or doesn’t even exist.
We have to dive into this a little because I know many people who have fallen away from faith due to this mentality. A lot of it has to do with putting ourselves in the proper place. If God did, in fact, created us than he knows ultimately what is good for us. It might be impossible for our human minds to see how a good could ever come from cancer or from terrorism, but if we try to put on divine glasses we can see that maybe someone with cancer drew closer to their family and God through the process or we might see how our country united as one through the events of 9/11.
God is always acting with his power, it’s just not always the answer we may expect, because God knows better than we do. In the Gospel today, Jesus explains this using the analogy of a friend. Have you ever had a friend who was a good enough friend to tell you that you were being an idiot or that they could see when you were making a mistake and they gave you some tough love?
I think we need to draw this part of the analogy in. When we ask for things from God we may not receive it because a greater good is possible and God wants our ultimate fulfillment. It is the ultimate act of love just like a friend would do for us.
But does this take away God’s power? We hear the classic praise and worship song where we sing, “There is power.” Do we still believe it? Do we believe that Jesus has power still to this day and that prayer and the sacraments are effective ways for God to communicate grace? Or are we among those who believe that grace exists on a timeline in history to the point where after so many years it runs out?
If there are three things I take from this Gospel today it’s that God has the ultimate power, I need to be smaller and trust that he will take care of me in the proper way, and that God truly wills my good.
If we start to believe that God doesn’t answer prayers, simply because it’s not the exact answer we expected, then we are essentially saying that the cross meant nothing. I want to proclaim that the cross has real power, Jesus’ sacrifice had real power and still does to this day, and God’s love is still present and active in the world. Let’s ask for the grace to put on those divine classes and see. From all of us here at Diocesan, God Bless!
Tommy Shultz is a Solutions Evangelist for Diocesan. In that role, he is committed to coaching parishes and dioceses on authentic and effective Catholic communication. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. Contact him at tshultz@diocesan.com.
Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Mal 3:13-20b
You have defied me in word, says the LORD,
yet you ask, “What have we spoken against you?”
You have said, “It is vain to serve God,
and what do we profit by keeping his command,
And going about in penitential dress
in awe of the LORD of hosts?
Rather must we call the proud blessed;
for indeed evildoers prosper,
and even tempt God with impunity.”
Then they who fear the LORD spoke with one another,
and the LORD listened attentively;
And a record book was written before him
of those who fear the LORD and trust in his name.
And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts,
my own special possession, on the day I take action.
And I will have compassion on them,
as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.
Then you will again see the distinction
between the just and the wicked;
Between the one who serves God,
and the one who does not serve him.
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
And the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
yet you ask, “What have we spoken against you?”
You have said, “It is vain to serve God,
and what do we profit by keeping his command,
And going about in penitential dress
in awe of the LORD of hosts?
Rather must we call the proud blessed;
for indeed evildoers prosper,
and even tempt God with impunity.”
Then they who fear the LORD spoke with one another,
and the LORD listened attentively;
And a record book was written before him
of those who fear the LORD and trust in his name.
And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts,
my own special possession, on the day I take action.
And I will have compassion on them,
as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.
Then you will again see the distinction
between the just and the wicked;
Between the one who serves God,
and the one who does not serve him.
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
And the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R.(Ps 40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Alleluia See Acts 16:14b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open your hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open your hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 11:5-13
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”
– – –
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.
St. Francis Borgia: Saint of the Day for Thursday, October 10, 2019
Francis was a young nobleman at the court of the King of Spain. He became a Duke when he was only thirty-three and lived a happy, peaceful life with …
Peace of Heart: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, October 10, 2019
Almighty and Eternal God,
Give me, I beseech You,
the great gift of inward peace.
Command the winds and storms
of my unruly passions.
Subdue, by …
Give Us This Day Our Daily Meditation
We all know that prayer is the way we converse with God, but we often feel a bit lost about how to pray. Reciting prayers is one thing; truly praying is another. Maybe you’ve seen someone at prayer and been struck by how they seem to be able to converse with One they know loves them! The disciples must have been struck in a similar way when they saw Jesus pray, so they asked Him to teach them how to pray like that. And Jesus gave them – and us – the words we pray together so often in the “Our Father.”
This is the only “prayer” Jesus gave us. Yet we too often rattle off the words as if we were in a hurry to get to something else! Long ago, I realized that the words Jesus gave us must be meditated on so that they sink into the fibers of my being and become part of my DNA, as it were. So I decided on a method I’d like to share with you:
Each day of the week, I focus on one phrase of the prayer. It becomes the “background music” to all my other prayers and meditations of the day, and the prayer phrase I repeat throughout the day.
SUNDAY: “Our Father, who art in heaven.” Jesus always prayed and acted in the fullness of His divine Sonship, acknowledging his Father as ALL. We can spend this day thinking about our own adoption as children of God and heirs with Christ, gathered together as one Body in Christ to worship the Father Who is Love.
MONDAY: “Hallowed be Thy Name.” The Name of the Lord is thrice-holy, and to be reverenced and glorified by us. We can think also of the many “names” of God: Creator, Sanctifier, Savior, Father, Son, Spirit, Love, Mercy, etc. We can also make some act of reparation for those who do not reverence the Names of God.
TUESDAY: “Thy Kingdom come.” God willed that His Kingdom be established on earth, so that all creation might fulfill its purpose. His kingdom is established one heart at a time, as each one surrenders fully to the reign of love and peace. But there is a battle that has been waged from the beginning against this Kingdom on earth, and the Enemy is never asleep. What can we do to allow Christ to reign fully in us?
WEDNESDAY: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” How is God’s will done in Heaven? Promptly, perfectly, lovingly, joyfully, trustingly, peacefully. Also, effortlessly, but we will have to wait until we are also in Heaven to act effortlessly. While we are here on earth, we can focus on asking often throughout the day: What do You want in this situation, Lord? How can I be Your instrument of love in the world? I want to do YOUR work, YOUR way; YOUR will for YOUR glory.
THURSDAY: “Give us this day our daily bread.” I love the fact that when you line up the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer with the days of the week, the petition for our “supersubstantial bread” comes on the day when we traditionally honor the Eucharist because of Its institution at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. We ask the Lord to give us this day our daily bread; give us today what we need for today; give us this moment what we need for this moment. We entrust tomorrow to the Lord’s Providence.
FRIDAY: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Again, is it a God-incidence that the petitions line up so that on Friday, traditionally a day of penance, we beg forgiveness for our sins? The words for today remind us that we are forgiven AS WE FORGIVE, and is a call to let go of any resentments or grudges that obstruct for us the wide horizon of God’s love.
SATURDAY: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Finally, we ask the Lord to guide us on our way so that we might walk along paths that will lead to Him and not to confusions, questions, danger, and sin. It is a way of asking that God’s mercy and love accompany and lead us toward Himself.
These are only springboards to your own meditations, and I pray that all of us receive the grace to continually dive more deeply into the words Jesus gave us as a guide to prayer!
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including newly ordained Father Rob and seminarian Luke ;-), and two grandchildren. She is a Secular Discalced Carmelite and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 25 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE. Currently, she serves the Church as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio, by publishing and speaking, and by collaborating with the diocesan Office of Catechesis, various parishes, and other ministries to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is https://www.kathryntherese.com/.
Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Jon 4:1-11
Jonah was greatly displeased
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, “I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loath to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the LORD asked, “Have you reason to be angry?”
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, “I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loath to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the LORD asked, “Have you reason to be angry?”
Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it,
where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade,
to see what would happen to the city.
And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant
that grew up over Jonah’s head,
giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort,
Jonah was very happy over the plant.
But the next morning at dawn
God sent a worm that attacked the plant,
so that it withered.
And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind;
and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head till he became faint.
Then Jonah asked for death, saying,
“I would be better off dead than alive.”
But God said to Jonah,
“Have you reason to be angry over the plant?”
“I have reason to be angry,” Jonah answered, “angry enough to die.”
Then the LORD said,
“You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor
and which you did not raise;
it came up in one night and in one night it perished.
And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city,
in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left,
not to mention the many cattle?”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 86:3-4, 5-6, 9-10
R.(15) Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Alleluia Rom 8:15bc
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received a spirit of adoption as sons
through which we cry: Abba! Father!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received a spirit of adoption as sons
through which we cry: Abba! Father!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 11:1-4
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”
– – –
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.
Sts. Denis, Rusticus, and Eleutherius: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, October 09, 2019
The first mention we have of these three martyrs who died around 258 A.D. comes in the sixth century in the writings of Saint Gregory of Tours. …
Letting Go of Fears
Recently, I was hanging out with a friend that is more direct than most people. She was complaining of not having plans for Halloween and stated that I have the perfect home for hosting parties. She asked why I haven’t thrown one yet. The hint was pretty clear, she wanted me to host a Halloween party, and I had no excuse not to. She was right; I have a perfectly fine home to invite friends into. Now, I confessed that I hadn’t hosted anything before because it makes me anxious. I have struggled with anxiety and panic attacks throughout the ups and downs of my life. Even though a party is no reason for anxiety, I’d beg to differ. The list of common worries goes like this; “What if no one shows up? What if it’s boring? What if I don’t have enough food or drinks?” The list goes on, but you get the picture.
I knew at some point I’d have to get over these fears and host a party, so that is what I am doing. I started looking through Pinterest for fun Halloween themed food and drinks. Now there is an expectation I will probably not meet. Why am I telling you all of this? Well, after reading the Gospel for today, I completely felt for Martha in a whole new way. Throughout my life I always tended to roll my eyes at Martha in this story, like come on girl, just come sit by Jesus’ feet too. I didn’t understand the stress of hosting and all that comes with it. Although my party is still a few weeks away, I have made myself a To-Do list that seems a mile long, and if my husband were to not help me on the day of the party, I would have the same question as Martha.
She was burdened with much serving. I can picture her trying to do a million things at once, and she approaches Jesus with frustration, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” Jesus responds, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.”
I love this story because Jesus is not only telling Martha that He knows all her anxieties and worries. He knows ours too. Forget about the silly task of throwing a Halloween party; there are much bigger parts of our lives that we all worry about! Let’s think about that for a moment, the worries you have today about your future, health, job, friend, or problem, all those things are fully known by Him. There is comfort in the fact that He knows they exist; they are not something of our imagination or something that is passed by or deemed unimportant. No, He is well aware of the troubling worries and anxieties we have in our day to day lives, but he doesn’t leave us there. In this Gospel, He shares what the need of only one thing is, Him. He is the better part that will not be taken away.
When big or small worries and anxieties overwhelm us, let us learn from Mary and choose to sit at His feet. He is the answer, the better part, the need for only one thing. How differently would our hearts carry the crosses of anxiety and worry, if we responded to them by spending more time with Him? My challenge for you is to be like Mary, to choose to spend time in prayer, listening to His voice when the voices of anxiousness and worry try to bind you. Let us bring it all to Him and sit at His feet.
Briana is the Pastoral Minister at St. Mark Church in Cleveland, OH. She is also a district manager at Arbonne. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH and is excited to use these skills to serve the Church. “My soul has been refined and I can raise my head like a flower after a storm.” -St. Therese
Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Jon 3:1-10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’s bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,
put on sackcloth.
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’s bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,
put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth
and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive,
and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish.”
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
Responsorial Psalm PS 130:1b-2, 3-4ab, 7-8
R.(3) If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Let Israel wait for the LORD,
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Let Israel wait for the LORD,
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Alleluia Lk 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
– – –
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.