Starting the year off right: in prayer

January 1 is a Holy Day, the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Masses at St. Andrew the Apostle are at 9:30AM and 11:30AM on Friday, January 1. (Other local parishes may have a vigil mass on the evening of December 31).

January 1 is also the "World Day of Prayer for Peace". May it be so.

The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Here are the readings for December 27, 2009, the Feast of the Holy Family:

Sirach 3: 2-7, 12-14
Psalm 128: 1-5
Colossians 3: 12-17 (or 3: 12-21)
Luke 2: 41-52
There is no catechetical session this week.

• What examples of holiness have you found in your family?
  

Looking upward, looking inward

While thinking about the 'keystones' the other day, I was reminded of an amazing 900+ year-old Anglican Cathedral in Norwich, England. The ceiling is supported by countless (to me) arches, each decorated with a biblical scene at its center (a 'boss'). Meandering over to their website, I was delighted to find an on-line reflection on the early life of Jesus (from the Annunciation to finding the child Jesus in the temple), each demonstrated in architectural sacred art through their roof bosses.

A note - when I last looked at this site, about half of the meditations were missing their images, but perhaps it will be enhanced in time for your enjoyment during this Christmas season.  Please click here for the Norwich Cathedral (England) meditation, no passport required!

The Nativity of the Lord

God of every nation and people, from the beginning of creation you have made manifest your love: when our need for a Savior was great your sent your Son to be born of the Virgin Mary.
To our lives he brings joy and peace, justice, mercy and love.

(from the "Prayer of Blessing of the Christmas Manger or Nativity Scene", taken from the Book of Blessings #1541-1569)

December 23: O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,

desire of the nations, Savior of all people:

Come and set us free, Lord our God.

Isaiah 7: 14
Matthew 1: 23
1 Timothy 4: 9

A 'mighty wind', the breath or Spirit of God swept over the waters
at the creation of the earth. (Gen 1:1)
Women are coached in their breathing as they labor to give birth.
You may be feeling out of breath from the last minute baking, housecleaning and gift-wrapping that leads up to the Christmas celebration... if so, please take a minute, and just breathe.

That breath is a gift to you from God. So is the next one.
And so on... you are being re-created throughout your life by
every breath that God gives you.
There's a certain freedom in knowing that at each moment,
we can make a choice to break old patterns, establish new ones,
repair a relationship, or nurture a new one.
Our past may form us, but it does not bind us.

"Emmanuel" means "God is with us".
The Deity is no longer an abstract concept out there in the ether,
but a living, breathing baby who grew to know and understand our
every need, desire, hope and fear. 
God is with us!
May that assurance leave you breathless!

(Still.... keep breathing.)

December 22: O Rex Gentium, O King of all the nations

O King of all the nations, 
the only joy of every human heart;

O Keystone of the mighty arch of man:

Come and save the creature 
you fashioned from the dust.

Isaiah 2: 4, 11: 10
Psalm 47: 8 ; Jeremiah 10: 7

Daniel 7: 14 ; Haggai 2: 8
Romans 15: 12
Ephesians 2: 14, 20

Mural from Christ the King Mission in Kings Mountain, NC

The word 'catholic' means universal... and Catholic Christianity is not to be confined by any boundaries of nation or race, status or language.  Jesus came to save all people by showing us the way to live that brings peace. The "king of all nations" chose to rule through humble service.
He gives us a law of love that leads to freedom, not slavish obedience.
Out of love we were created; love is the keystone of our being.
God, who is Love, leads us from selfishness and distrust of the 'other' to the joy of an awareness of the shared redemption of all creation.

• Do you believe in God's love for you?
• How does this rule of love guide your life?
  

December 21: O Oriens, O Radiant Dawn

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, 
sun of justice:

Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death.

Isaiah 9: 1, 58: 8, 60: 18-20
Malachi 4: 2
Luke 1: 78-79
John 8: 12

Today we praise Jesus the Son of God as our Sun of Justice. The sun and its light and warmth is a powerful image that has resonated with people over the millennia. Today is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, the Winter Solstice, marked by ancient agrarian cultures as a time of new birth - the moment when the sun begins again to overcome the darkness.

• In the dark corners of your life, what fears and life-sapping forces cry out for transformation through the power of God's illumination?
• How can you be a source of 'warmth' or 'light' for someone else today?
  

December 20: O Clavis David, O Key of David

O Key of David, o royal Power of Israel,

controlling at your will the gate of heaven:

Come, break down the prison walls of death

for those who dwell in darkness 
and the shadow of death;

and lead your captive people into freedom.

Revelation 3: 7

Isaiah 22: 22

Jeremiah 13: 13, 51: 19

Matthew 4: 16, 16: 19

Luke 1: 79

...How much time has been wasted in the futile search for keys, how many hours poured into rearranging schedules when they go missing?

Knowing how crucial the key can be helps us appreciate how, of all the antiphons, this one is most clearly realized in Jesus. For many people, he was key to liberation, but one example will suffice: a story told in Luke 13:10-17. To a woman who had been bent double for 18 years, Jesus called, "You are free of your infirmity!" As her spine straightened, she praised God. And those who were listening carefully might have heard a key clink in a rusty lock.

She is not unique. Over and over, Jesus calls people to freedom and friendship. ...
 (by Kathy Coffey in the December 1999 Catholic Update "O Come, O Come Emmanuel")

December 19: O Radix Jesse, O Flower of Jesse's Stem

O Flower of Jesse's stem,

you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;

kings stand silent in your presence;

the nations bow down in worship before you.

Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Isaiah 11: 1,10

Isaiah 52: 15

Romans 15: 12

The Tree of Jesse, representing the ancestry of Jesus Christ. 

Ivory panel from Bamberg (?), Bavaria, ca. 1200. Location: Louvre Museum, Paris

• New life can come from the most unlikely places: a flower from a sidewalk crack, a tree from a seemingly dead stump. Our faith celebrates this extravagant fecundity of God, our Creator... the one who chose to become human in most humble circumstances, and who brought us eternal life through Jesus' death - and resurrection.
• Is there anyone you easily dismiss because of some aspect of their background? In what way might they actually be a source of inspiration for you?
• Are there areas of your life in need of new growth? If so, offer your needs to the One who brings hope and life when all seems lost.
  

December 18: O Adonai, O Lord

O Sacred Lord of Ancient Israel,

who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,

who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:

Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.

Exodus 3:2

Isaiah 33:22, 63: 11-12

Micah 6:4

Acts 7:30-31

Moses Before the Burning Bush, bas relief plaque by Scott Sullivan, 2004.

• Consider this: our all-powerful God, the one who created everything that exists, is not a remote and indifferent Being. Throughout history,  God's love and concern for us has been communicated through signs and prophets, powerful works and common-sense commandments, aiming to free us from the slavery of sin.
• Offer a prayer for where God's power is most needed in your life/family/community/world.
  

December 17: O Sapientia, O Wisdom

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come and show your people the way to salvation.

Wisdom 8:1

Isaiah 11:2-3; 28:29

Proverbs 8:1-36

John 1:1-5

 "Wisdom" mural by Robert Lewis Reid. Second Floor, North Corridor.
Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.

• Are there decisions in your life for which you need guidance? 
• How does your knowledge of Jesus' words and life impact the choices you make each day?
  

The O Antiphons

As we reach the latter part of Advent, we encounter seven traditional and ancient antiphons (responses) in the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. You may recall that in Jewish practice the day begins at sundown, so praying these antiphons during the vespers of December 17-23 takes us to the beginning of Christmas Eve. Each of these prayers is a plea for Jesus' coming, addressing him by an ancient Scriptural name, and petitioning for a particular act of salvation from him.

Here's an interesting bit of information, found at catholic-resources.org:

In the traditional arrangement, when viewed from Christmas Eve backward, the first letters of the Latin texts (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia) spell out the phrase ero cras ("I come tomorrow").

Please come back each day this week, as we bring our Advent preparation to its joyful conclusion!

December 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Here is another opportunity to celebrate the mother of Jesus, by celebrating her under the title "Our Lady of Guadalupe", patroness of the Americas. For a summary of the story, please click here.

The story of her apparition to St. Juan Diego emphasizes the importance of evangelizing with respect for the inherent dignity of the culture or people being approached.

Across North Carolina, as in Mexico and Central and South American countries, this feast is celebrated with fervor, devotion and joy. All night vigils, early morning singing (mañanitas) and pre-dawn mass often end with parades and fiestas, celebrating God's love and care for people of every culture, of every language, in every time.

Third Sunday of Advent

Here are the readings for December 13, 2009, the Third Sunday of Advent (cycle C).

Zephaniah 3: 14-18
Isaiah 12: 2-6
Philippians 4: 4-7
Luke 3: 10-18

The theme for this Sunday's catechetical session is "Moral Conversion". You'll notice that the pink candle in the Advent wreath is lit today, and the traditional name of this Sunday is "Gaudete Sunday" (Latin, meaning 'rejoice'). There's a wisdom in this 'break' from the more quiet waiting of the rest of Advent... it's a way of encouraging us to keep at it, of remembering that what we're waiting for is a very good thing, something to celebrate!

• The first two readings exhort us to 'sing joyfully' and 'rejoice always'.... for what are you joyful today?
  
• In what way do John the Baptist's words in this Gospel prepare the way for Jesus' teachings?
  
• Where do you find hope for your faith journey in these readings?

December 8- Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary

December 8 is one of those days we refer to as "Holy Days of Obligations", special observances throughout the year when Roman Catholics have a duty to celebrate mass. This feast, of the "Immaculate Conception", is one of the most misunderstood of our Holy Days - many Catholics think it refers to the conception of Jesus. It does not. (Conveniently, the observance of Jesus' conception is celebrated exactly 9 months before Christmas, on March 25: the "Annunciation")  It does nothing to lessen the confusion that the Gospel read on December 8th is Luke's recounting of the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Mary!

I can think of three good reasons to use this Gospel:
1) Mary's role as the mother of Jesus, which she embraced at the Annunciation, was an acceptance that required all the strength and grace a human could muster ... a gift God gave Mary at her own conception to keep her from sin ('full of grace') throughout her life.
2) From the 'it is fitting' school of thought - if God was to become human, God would deserve nothing but the best (e.g., would you really want to drink fine wine from paper cups?!), and to use old terminology, the 'stainless vessel' of Mary, sinless from the first instant of her life, was the most fitting means of the Incarnation.
3) Compare the Gospel with the first reading - a Genesis version of sin entering the world through Eve (AND Adam) succumbing to the temptation of the serpent. Through previously sinless Eve sin entered the world, and through the miraculously sinless Mary, the 'new Eve', the means of salvation from sin was born into our world.
oh, and 4) not so good a reason, but a practical one: there really is no Scriptural evidence for the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception beyond the angel's brief reference to Mary as "full of grace", and her cousin Elizabeth's later greeting her as "blessed among women".

This doctrine emerged gradually over the course of over a dozen centuries, culminating in a definitive declaration in 1854 by Pope Pius IX. Her feast was first celebrated in the late 7th century in the Byzantine (Eastern) church, and spread in popular devotion among the faithful, but it was still a theological difficulty in the Western (Roman) church. "The great scholastics of the thirteenth century were unable to reconcile Mary's Immaculate Conception with the universal need for salvation by Christ. Finally, John Duns Scotus (1266-1308) was chiefly responsible for introducing the notion of 'preservative' redemption into the explicit consciousness of the church..." (The New Dictionary of Theology, The Liturgical Press)

But let's put this a bit more simply: every time we honor Mary, what we say about her is both a reflection of what we believe about Jesus, and what we hope for or anticipate for ourselves. So in this case, we celebrate the redemptive power of God through Jesus Christ to save us from the power of sin, enabling Mary physically and us spiritually to freely say 'yes' to God's invitation to carry Jesus in our lives.

Mary, the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of the United States (and three parishes in the Diocese of Raleigh, in Clinton, Durham and Wilmington). Masses for the Holy Day will be celebrated at St. Andrew on Tuesday Dec 8 at 6:30 and 9:00 AM and 7:30 PM.

Nicholas and Lucy - Saints for the Season

Today, the process for canonization is a long and careful one.  Not so for the first thousand years of Christianity, when an individual's saintliness was popularly acclaimed after their life, and the legends and stories that arose make it difficult to discern the truth from the Truth! (what literally happened vs. what point they're trying to get across)

Two popular early saints around whom legends abound are celebrated in some cultures with special customs that are particularly fitting at this time of the year:

December 6: St. Nicholas (died c. 350)
St. Nicholas was a bishop in Asia Minor in the city of Myra in the 4th Century. We know he was present at the Council of Nicaea and vehemently opposed the heresy of Arius. And that prior to Constantine's ascendancy, he was imprisoned under the Diocletian persecutions. As Bishop, he was a well-loved and generous.

One story demonstrates his generosity and concern for the well-being of his people. A man with three daughters could not afford their dowries and was planning to sell them into prostitution (or slavery). Three times, Nicholas would throw a bag of coins through the family's window at night, anonymously providing the means for the daughters to marry. Another story is of sailors caught in a deadly storm who prayed for Nicholas' help. The Bishop was at the time attending the Council, but they saw a figure who looked like him who immediately calmed the tempest. Symbols from both of these tales are demonstrated in this painting by Tintoretto.

The Dutch, German and people in other northern countries celebrate St. Nicholas day by giving presents to children. Leaving a shoe out on the night of Dec 5 along with a note for St. Nicholas to deliver to the baby Jesus, boys and girls might wake up to find gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins, fruit or small toys - and hopefully not coal left by the Saint! (Sounds like "Santa Claus", doesn't it? Credit the arrival of the Dutch in NY, and the adaptation of old traditions in a new world)
St. Nicholas is the patron saint of  Bakers, Brewers, Brides, Children, Greece, Grooms, Merchants, Pawnbrokers, Russia, and Travelers

December 13: St. Lucy (died 304)
St. Lucy (Santa Lucia... know the song?) was born in Sicily, a pagan area, and was martyred in the Diocletian persecution. The legend is that her Christian faith led her to make a vow of virginity, but the pagan man to whom she was engaged was very displeased and reported her faith to the authorities. Tales report an abundant variety of tortures followed, from having her eye gouged out (but then her sight was miraculously restored), to burning her with fire (which kept going out), and finally stabbing her in the throat.

"Lucy", or "Lucia" means light, and her feast appropriately comes at the darkest time of the year. Before the current calendar was fixed, her feast day fell on the Winter Solstice, and the promise of light anticipates the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World. She is especially honored in northern countries which are especially dark and cold in December. In paintings she is usually represented carrying a pair of eyes on a plate or, as in this painting, sprouting like flowers on a stem!
Painting of St. Lucy by Francesco del Cossa

Here are some customs, courtesy of www.fisheaters.com (standard disclaimer: linking to a site does not imply endorsement of everything on that site)

 In Italy, torchlight processions and bonfires mark her day, and bowls of a cooked wheat porridge known as cuccia is eaten because, during a famine, the people of Syracuse invoked St. Lucy, who interceded by sending a ship laden with grain (much as St. Joseph also did for the people of Sicily).

Some of the loveliest St. Lucy's Day customs are Swedish: in Sweden, the oldest daughter of a family will wake up before dawn on St. Lucy's Day and dress in a white gown for purity, often with a red sash as a sign of martyrdom. On her head she will wear a wreath of greenery and lit candles, and she is often accompanied by "starboys," her small brothers who are dressed in white gowns and cone-shaped hats that are decorated with gold stars, and carrying star-tipped wands. "St. Lucy" will go around her house and wake up her family to serve them special St. Lucy Day foods, such as saffron buns and Lussekatter (St. Lucy's Cats), shaped into X's, figure-8s, S-shapes, or crowns.

And finally for you star-gazers, right around St. Lucy's feast are the Geminid meteor showers, which are sometimes called "St. Lucy's Light". She is the patron saint of the blind and those with eye disorders.

Second Sunday of Advent

Here are the readings for December 6, 2009, the Second Sunday of Advent (cycle C).

Baruch 5: 1-9
Psalm 126: 1-6
Philippians 1: 4-6, 8-11
Luke 3: 1-6

The theme for this Sunday's catechetical session is "Hope for Salvation".

• Why do you think Luke gave so many details about time and place in this passage?
  
• How can you 'prepare the way for the Lord' in your own life?
• Where do you find hope for your faith journey in these readings?
  

Today in Scripture

Isaiah 25:6-10a
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples
A feast of rich food and choice wines,
     juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy the veil
     that veils all peoples,
The web that is woven over all nations;
     he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears
     from all faces;
The reproach of his people he will remove
     from the whole earth;
     for the Lord has spoken.

On that day it will be said:
     “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
     let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

There are so many vivid images in this passage! After last week's Thanksgiving holiday, many (although not all) of us can appreciate the delights of a feast of extra-special food and drink.  Isaiah chooses this imagery to highlight the promised state of contentment (in abundance!) and peace that will accompany God's ultimate victory over sin, division and death. You know, Jesus also talks a lot about the Kingdom of God in terms of a banquet (and we often find him sharing food with others in the Gospels), and we speak of the Liturgy of the Eucharist (Mass) as a 'foretaste of the heavenly banquet' .... it all sounds good to me!

There is another image here that has started me thinking... 'the web that is woven over all nations'.  Of course, Isaiah was writing long before the birth of the Internet, the "World Wide Web", which for all its hazards can make vital and positive connections between people and nations across the globe. I'm thinking more about the spiders that live in my yard and sometimes start their webs across my front steps, or stretch to my car's antenna... so that I walk face-first into that invisible stickiness. And then spend the next half-hour wiping at my face and hoping the spider itself is not hiding on me! For the next several days I walk cautiously in that area, never at ease, always suspicious.
This Scripture passage makes me ponder the current reality of our world - well truly, the reality of our world since Isaiah's time. It seems we as nations can't help but get tangled up in a struggle for land and security, for resources and dominance. Just as there is a natural beauty in the patterns of a spider's web that leads to deadly consequences for unsuspecting insects, humanity has a natural inclination to isolate ourselves from the 'other', putting on the veils that obscure our vision, leading to mistrust, misunderstanding, and perhaps violence and death.

That's not the way of God's world, Isaiah tells us, and Jesus shows us. Maybe it takes a focused awareness to clear away the cobwebs, to lift the veil....  Consider these words of Pope Benedict XVI, in his homily last Saturday for the First Vespers of Advent:

Advent, this intense liturgical time that we are beginning, invites us to pause in silence to grasp a presence. It is an invitation to understand that every event of the day is a gesture that God directs to us, sign of the care he has for each one of us. How many times God makes us perceive something of his love! ... Advent invites and stimulates us to contemplate the Lord who is present. Should not the certainty of his presence help us to see the world with different eyes? Should it not help us to see our whole existence as a "visit," as a way in which he can come to us and be close to us, in each situation?

November 30: The Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle

As a parish family, we celebrated our patron saint this morning with mass and a wonderful breakfast!

Sacred scripture doesn't tell us much about St. Andrew, but this is what we do know:
 In John's Gospel, we learn that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist but became interested in learning more about Jesus when John pointed him out. He was a fisherman,  the brother of Simon, who was later called Peter, and it was Andrew who told Simon Peter about Jesus.

Andrew often seems to serve an important role as a bridge to make things happen: (again in John) leading Simon to Jesus, identifying the boy in the crowd with the loaves and fish that would then feed the multitudes, and interceding for curious Greeks who wanted an audience with Jesus in Jerusalem. After Jesus' death and resurrection, we have no clear proof where Andrew went to preach the Good News (Scottish legend claims he was there, thus "St. Andrew's Cross" on the national flag, and he is the patron saint of Scotland). He probably conducted most of his ministry in what is now Greece and Turkey. He was martyred on an "X" shaped cross, tied to the wood rather than nailed, so that his suffering would last longer. It is said that during the 2 days on the cross, he continued to preach the Gospel.

St. Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen, Scotland, Greece and Russia, as well as of our parish!

St. Andrew, the first apostle, pray for us!

First Sunday of Advent

While we do not have a catechetical session this Sunday, here are the readings for November 29, 2009, the First Sunday of Advent (cycle C).

Jeremiah 33: 14-16
Psalm 25: 4-5, 8-10, 14
1 Thessalonians 3: 12- 4:2
Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36

Thinking of a time when you've had to wait for something important (your wedding, birth of a child, start of a new job, medical results) ....

• What were your feelings at that time? 
• Did you seek or find support from others and/or your faith? 
• If you did, where did you find calm in the midst of the anticipation?
  

Thanksgiving

How can I repay the LORD for all the good done for me?

Psalm 116:12

Make your New Year's Resolutions yet?

This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of our new liturgical year... so:

Happy New Year!

We begin in the season of Advent. You'll notice a change in the color of vestments that the priest wears and the cloths on the ambo (lectern) and altar... we've gone from the green of Ordinary Time to purple. And theme of the readings will now be focusing on preparing for the coming of our Lord.


Here's an easy resolution to keep: I will learn more about Advent and Christmas in this new year. For help with that, please click here.

Please note: because it is Thanksgiving week, there will be no Inquiry session this Tuesday. Nor is there a catechetical session on Sunday, November 29.

Celebrating St. Andrew

Monday, November 30 is the feast day of St. Andrew,
the patron saint of our parish.

We will be celebrating with Mass at 9:00AM,
followed by breakfast in the Fellowship Hall.

If you are able to participate, please contact our parish stewardship office
to RSVP by Tuesday Nov 24.
(stewardship[at]saintandrew[dot]org or 362-0414 x27)

34th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Solemnity of Christ the King

The Scripture readings for this Sunday, November 22, 2009 are:
         Daniel 7: 13-14
          Psalm 93: 1-2,5
          Revelation 1: 5-8
          John 18: 33-37

The topic for this week's catechetical session is "Christ the King".

• What images would you use to describe the kingdom of God?
• How has Jesus Christ ruled your life in your journey of faith?
  

Please note that there will be no sessions on Sunday, November 29.
There will be no Inquiry session on Tuesday, November 24; the next Inquiry is on Tuesday, December 8.

Today in Scripture

Luke 19: 1-10
At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.


When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

Children love the story of Zacchaeus: a grown man, sitting in a tree! They can identify with his struggle to see over a crowd, and are delighted that Jesus would pick him to spend time with. As adults, we often read this as an example of conversion, as evidenced by the closing words of Jesus in the passage. And as a conversion story, it is a good and powerful one: our encounter with Jesus evokes a self-assessment that hopefully leads to a change for the better in how we live our lives.

Consider, though that "Zacchaeus" in Hebrew means 'pure, innocent'. The man is rich, but not necessarily greedy or dishonest. He was disliked because he oversaw the collection of taxes for the Roman occupiers. And while most translations use the future tense for his charitable intentions, John Pilch in "The Cultural World of Jesus - Cycle C" asserts that the present tense is more accurate and is descriptive of a repeated practice... Zacchaeus has been generous all along.  And don't miss that word "if"  -- he's asserting innocence of cheating, but will take responsibility if he discovers that his employees have cheated - repaying 400%, when Jewish law only required a 120% restitution.

So, is the salvation of this story a matter of restoring an innocent man's reputation, of changing his heart and way of life, or of challenging us all not to judge by appearance?  Perhaps 'yes' to all!

St. Frances X. Cabrini

November 13 is the feast day of the first American citizen to be canonized. Born in Italy in 1850, Frances Cabrini was refused admission to the religious order that had educated her (because of frail health), so she went to work in an orphanage. By 1880, she was named the  prioress (head) of a new order, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, and in her mind she was going to fulfill a childhood dream of being a missionary in China.

Again, things didn't go according to plan - she was asked to go west, not east - heading to New York City to care for the thousands of Italian immigrants who had no spiritual support. Arriving in NYC, their promised housing fell through, but Mother Cabrini was determined to stay.

By the time Frances died (in 1917), she had begun 67 badly needed schools, orphages and hospitals. These were located in the United States, Central and South America, Italy, France and England. In all [despite a fear of water], Frances crossed the ocean 30 times. After she died, her sisters fulfilled her dream and did missionary work in China. (Companion to the Calendar by Mary Ellen Hynes. LTP, 1993)

How does her story apply to us today? Consider this commentary from AmericanCatholic.org

The compassion and dedication of Mother Cabrini is still seen in hundreds of thousands of her fellow citizens, not yet canonized, who care for the sick in hospitals, nursing homes and state institutions. We complain of increased medical costs in an affluent society, but the daily news shows us millions who have little or no medical care, and who are calling for new Mother Cabrinis to become citizen-servants of their land.

She is the patron saint of immigrants.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, pray for us!

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Scripture readings for this Sunday, November 15, 2009 are:
         Daniel 12: 1-3
          Psalm 16: 5, 8-11
          Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18
          Mark 13: 24-32

The topic for this week's catechetical session is "Final Judgment".
This Sunday at the 9:30am mass, we will celebrate the Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming. Please join us in prayer for those who are making this next step on their faith journey.

• What are some of your feelings about the end times?
• Do you "do the right thing" more for the reward at the end of time, or because of your present relationship with God? Has this point of view shifted during your lifetime?
  

Purgatory

God's waiting room? A dentention center or demi-hell? For centuries, artists, theologians and the faithful have been trying to attach images to our transition from this life to eternal life with God. In searching for a way to describe the mystery of this process, some used the image of gold being purified in fire, which then led for many to the notion of the physical pain experienced in burning flames.

The Catholic Church does teach the reality of purgatory. Let's look at how the Catechism describes it:

"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1030)

 Some points to keep in mind:

1. Purgatory is a transitional process, not a place.
2. The purpose of the process is to remove from us anything that still burdens us spiritually at the moment of death, so that we are ready to meet God face-to-face joyfully, without reservation or hesitation.
3. People 'in' purgatory are on their way to heaven. To put it another, highly un-theological way, they won't 'flunk a quiz' and go to hell.
   
4. The pain or suffering of purgatory lies not so much in physical torment as in the struggle of facing and letting go of those final sins and burdens, and the as-yet-unfulfilled longing to be united with God.
   
5. "Time" is a human invention; God lives outside of chronological time. 'Days' or 'years' in purgatory as we describe it may be as the blink of an eye at the moment of death, or may indeed be a longer period (no one's come back to tell us!).
6. We as Church have a long tradition of offering prayers and other means of spiritual support on behalf of those who have died, to assist them on their way. The custom of having Mass celebrated for the intention of the newly deceased, of saying other prayers and offering other sacrifices on their behalf speaks to our belief in the efficacy of prayer and in the reality of the communion of saints - our bonds with our brothers and sisters in faith are not broken in death.
7. (The system of indulgences, connected closely to the concept of purgatory, has, over time, been subject to misunderstanding and abuse... as Martin Luther clearly pointed out in his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517. But that's a subject for another post!)
   

Limbo!

The Limbo is a popular party dance.

"Limbo" as a theological concept is, for all practical purposes, in the past. Go on: try to find it listed in the index of  the Catechism of the Catholic Church. No help there, is it?

Well, going back to the time of St. Augustine, the development of the concept of "Original Sin" highlighted the necessity of baptism for eternal salvation. And yet, there were two major problems to be resolved: what of people of faith who had lived prior to Jesus Christ and thus had no opportunity to be baptized; and what of infants who died prior to baptism - would they all be condemned to Hell because they still carried original sin on their souls?

The concept of "limbo of the Fathers" is a Christian adaptation where the just resided after death until Christ descended after his own death to release them. Pelagius (a British monk whose teachings on grace and original sin were formally declared to be in error) offered the concept of a state of natural happiness somewhere between heaven and hell, which Augustine had to reject as a consequence of rejecting Pelagius' teaching on sin. So Augustine said that innocent, unbaptized children regrettably would be in hell, but only suffer the mildest of eternal punishments.

By the time we get to Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas in the Middle Ages, the proposed condition for these poor souls improves: they would not be in hell, but existing in a state of natural happiness, but deprived of the super-natural happiness of experiencing the 'beatific vision' (being in God's presence) ... neither here nor there... a state of 'limbo' (from the Latin Limbus, meaning the hem of a garment).

Modern theology affirms the importance of baptism for the remission of original sin and for making us members of the Body of Christ, while also affirming the power and ability of God to offer salvation to anyone God chooses to. The Catholic Church has never definitely taught the presence of "Limbo" as such, although for centuries it remained a popular belief among the faithful.  But no, we no longer assign unbaptized infants to limbo; we entrust them to the care and mercy and love of the God who gave them life in the first place.

The Limbo is a popular party dance.

Today in Scripture

1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17
Brothers and sisters:
You are God’s building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

For the temple of God,
which you are,
is holy.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Scripture readings for this Sunday, November 8, 2009 are:
         1 Kings 17: 10-16
          Psalm 146: 7-10
          Hebrews 9: 24-28
          Mark 12: 38-44

The topic for this week's catechetical and mystagogical sessions is "Stewardship".

• What are different motivations a person could have for giving (of their time, talents, or money) to others?
• Who has helped you when you were in need? Whom have you assisted?
• Think of a particular talent that you have been given by God; how do you feel when you make use of it?
  

Today in Scripture

Luke 14: 25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce
all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

Such extreme words!!  Hate my family? Take up my cross?
Renounce all my possessions?
Well, that's one way to get a big crowd to disperse quickly!

Scripture scholars tell us that in this context "hate" doesn't mean holding a literal contempt for our loved ones, but the word Jesus used was an exaggerated way of saying, 'love God above everything and everyone else'. Don't let any person or any possession get between you and your relationship with God.

And Jesus seems to be trying to give these people a dose of reality. So many people following a renowned preacher, a miracle-worker .... like groupies to a rock star.  Think about what you're committing to, he tells them (and us) through these examples; if you are going to follow me, there's going to be some cost involved.

For Jesus and many of his early followers, that cost was their lives. For us today, the price may not be as extreme. Still, pockets of anti-Catholicism remain in workplaces and some communities that could jeopardize your livelihood or simply make conversations uncomfortable.  Now you notice that Jesus doesn't say, "go confront your oppressors," or "argue your Truth with them" - he simple says, 'know it won't always be easy, be sure you are ready for whatever comes, and keep God first in your life'. If we can have the humility to not have to prove ourselves or our beliefs to others, but stand firm and secure in living in the love of God, that's one way to carry our cross as his disciple.  What do you think?

Feast of All Souls - November 2

Following immediately after our celebration of All Saints, we commemorate the Feast of All Souls, holding in prayer all who have died. As the leaves fall and the days shorten, we as Church approach the end of our liturgical year, and our Scripture readings reflect this reality. Our focus turns toward our own mortality, judgment, and to the coming of the fullness of God's Kingdom.

You might make this prayer a part of your daily prayer throughout the month of November:

          Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord,

               and let perpetual light shine upon them.

          May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed,

               through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

All Saints' Day

Today is the solemnity (high priority feast, in other words) of All Saints - the day on which we celebrate all those who live now with God.

The saints in heaven are celebrated for what we are all called to be: fully human, fully ourselves. If we believe we are made in God's image and likeness, each of us can be holy by being true to who we are in our essence. Saints come from every nation, exhibit a wide variety of personality traits and backgrounds, and share one thing in common: a love for God that permeates their (our) actions and thoughts.

These images are from the tapestries by John Nava in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

Brief reminders:  

• This evening (Sunday November 1) is the talk at St. Thomas More in Chapel Hill by the author of "My Cousin the Saint". 
• On Monday evening November 2, there will be a 7:00pm mass at St. Andrew's to celebrate the Feast of All Souls, remembering those who have died, and in a special way all who have died within this past year.

Solemnity of All Saints

The Scripture readings for this Sunday, November 1, 2009 are:
          Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
          Psalm 24: 1-6
          1 John 3: 1-3
          Matthew 5: 1-12a

The topic for this week's catechetical session is the "Communion of Saints".

• Thinking of people who have influenced your life, those you see as people of faith, what qualities of their lives do you admire?
• What challenges to holiness are found in today's readings?
• As you pray, ask for the grace to live the Beatitudes more fully.

Today in Scripture

Luke 13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” 
          
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of 
wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

A friend recently posted on her Facebook page notice of the successful completion of her first Triathlon. As someone who is not nearly as athletic and active as I used to be, the concept of long distance swimming, cycling and running seems utterly incomprehensible, even super-human. And yet I know that she, like so many others, started out with small goals, gradually increasing distance and stamina over time.

In today's Gospel, Jesus is telling us something similar about the Kingdom of God. Jesus never really defined just what the "Kindgom of God" IS, but by his actions and ministry, he gave us a good inkling of what components to expect: healing, forgiveness, wholeness, liberation from all that binds us, salvation. And he spoke of the Kingdom of God as a reality that was both being brought about in the present, and something to anticipate in the future. "While the future coming of the reign of God means a profound transformation of all human reality and is a transcendent experience beyond space and time, the inbreaking of that transcendent reality through the mission of Jesus enables people to respond to God's offer of salvation and to be affected by it now, within history." (The New Dictionary of Theology, 1990, The Liturgical Press, Inc)

The "Kingdom of God" may as well be a triathlon for all I can do to bring it about, right? Well in one respect, yes- it can only truly and fully be brought about through God's grace and saving actions. Then again, Jesus gives us these parables. In them, small and seemingly insignificant things quietly play their role, resulting in a new and greater creation. And that  new creation, new reality exists for the benefit of all (the 'birds of the air', not just your prized pet parrot!).

• Can you identify a past moment of grace that has affected you, growing with time like the yeast and resulting in abundant blessings?
• What's your mustard seed? How can you bring about healing, forgiveness, or loving kindness in your particular 'garden'?

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Scripture readings for this Sunday, October 25, 2009 are:
          Jeremiah 31: 7-9
          Psalm 126: 1-6
          Hebrews 5: 1-6
          Mark 10: 46-52

The topics for this week's catechetical session are "Holy Orders, and the Common Priesthood of the Faithful".

• What 'great things' has God done for you?
• At this point in your life, how would you answer Jesus' question to Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?"
• As a way of sharing in the ministry of Jesus Christ, how might you put your faith into action this week?
  

Today in Scripture

Luke 1: 69-75  
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
     He has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
      Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
     This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

When is a psalm not a psalm? When it is a song, or canticle, from the New Testament, rather from the Book of Psalms (songs) in the Hebrew Scriptures (aka Old Testament). This "Canticle of Zechariah" is sometimes called the Benedictus from the Latin for "Blessed be..." the first words of this song of praise late in the first chapter of Luke's Gospel. The Benedictus is sung or spoken around the world every day during Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Even earlier in that same chapter of Luke we find the "Canticle of Mary", or the Magnificat (yes, Latin for the first words in which Mary gives glory to, or magnifies, God's greatness). The Maginificat is sung or spoken daily during Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.

In both canticles, individuals are responding to God's limitless ability to bring forth life, even in highly improbable situations. After all, Mary was a virgin, and her cousin Elizabeth (Zechariah's wife) was past child-bearing years. When we experience God's ability to breathe new life in otherwise barren situations, literally or figuratively, what response can we give but joyful praise?

This Canticle of Zechariah is used as the psalm in today's readings, following right after a reading from the Letter to the Romans about how through the gift of faith Abraham and Sarah, well into their 90's, became the ancestors in faith to us all. (Actually, Paul leaves out the best part of Abraham and Sarah's reaction to the news of their impending parenthood... go on, read through chapters 17 and 18 of Genesis - they laughed at the absurdity of it all!)

Blessed be the God of Israel, who comes to set us free....

• From what barreness in your life has God freed you?
• What in your life still feels barren, or restricting, or causes you fear?
• What makes you want to sing for joy?

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Scripture readings for this Sunday, October 18, 2009 are:
          Isaiah  53:10-11
          Psalm 33: 4-5, 18-20, 22
          Hebrews 4: 14-16
          Mark 10: 35-45

The topic for this week's catechetical session is "Redemption by Christ's Suffering".

• In the second reading (from Hebrews), what purpose is given for Jesus' suffering?
• Reflecting on the Gospel, in what ways are you a 'servant'?
  

Doctor, doctor!

October 15 is the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582). She was a Carmelite nun, reformer and founder of convents and monasteries, author of classic spiritual works and in 1970, was the first woman granted the title of "Doctor of the Church".

     A quote attributed to St. Teresa...

           "From silly devotions

            and from sour-faced saints,

            good Lord, deliver us."

St. Damien of Molokai

Born in Belgium and a missionary in Hawaii long before its statehood, Damien de Veuster was also canonized on October 11. Volunteering to live with and minister to those affected by leprosy (Hansen's disease), he eventually died of the disease as well.

During a recent pilgrimage to St. Damien's tomb in Louvain, Belgium, Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva shared this reflection:

"We all have our Kalaupapas.... We can be critical of those people who chose to isolate people in Kalaupapa. But we have our little ways of isolating. It doesn't take oceans or sea cliffs to isolate people. ... We pass by our brothers and sisters each day and say, 'It's not my problem. It's not my business. I don't have time.' So we don't bother tending to their needs."

Another Reflection about St. Damien.

St. Damien of Molokai, pray for us!

Saint Jeanne Jugan

Yesterday in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI canonized (formally declared the sainthood of) five people, including one woman. Jeanne Jugan was born in France in 1792 and founded the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Growing up in difficult circumstances, Jeanne was always attracted to serving the poor, but it wasn't until she was 47 that her mission in life became clear. She carried an elderly, blind, sick woman in from the cold and gave up her own bed to take care of her. A few friends, and more elderly poor people came, and three years later the association of the "Servants of the Poor" was formed.  In order to support this growing ministry, Jeanne (now known as Sr. Mary of the Cross) took to regular begging, viewing the activity as a way to help the rich find solidarity with those in very different circumstances. (One wonders if she might become the patron saint of development directors!!)

The last 27 years of her life were lived in near-obscurity in the Motherhouse, after a local priest took credit for founding the order and forced her out of any leadership role. She never fought back to get the proper credit. She kept focused on what she termed the really important things: serving God by making the poor and elderly happy. Isn't this a bit astonishing? She passed up numerous opportunities to tell her side of the story, so as not to be a cause of division in the young order (now called the "Little Sisters of the Poor"). And yet, by the way she lived her life, she positively influenced the young novices more directly than she would have as the Superior of the Order.

Perhaps this quote sheds some light on her heroic patience and humility:
“Jesus is waiting for you in the chapel. Go and find him when your strength and patience are giving out, when you feel lonely and helpless. Say to him: ‘You know well what is happening, my dear Jesus. I have only you. Come to my aid ...’ And then go your way. And don’t worry about knowing how you are going to manage. It is enough to have told our good Lord. He has an excellent memory.”

St. Jeanne Jugan, pray for us!

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Scripture readings for this weekend, Sunday October 11, 2009 are:
          Wisdom 7:7-11
           Psalm 90: 12-17
           Hebrews 4: 12-13
          Mark 10: 17-30

The topic for the catechetical and mystagogy sessions is "The Word of God / Revelation".

• How has the Word of God challenged and renewed you?
• What does Jesus' invitation to 'follow me' mean for your life?

And a reminder to Inquirers - our next gathering is this Tuesday, October 13. We'll be starting out in the Living Room and taking a church tour before the night is through!

Upcoming Opportunity

Here's something that looks interesting....

Justin Catanoso is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated business journalist, a university lecturer, and the author of the unique and compelling new book My Cousin the Saint: A Search for Faith, Family, and Miracles. In commemoration of All Saints Day, Justin is coming to St. Thomas More Church, 940 Carmichael Street, Chapel Hill, to speak about his sainted cousin on Sunday November 1st, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the Church. My Cousin the Saint charts the parallel history of two relatives – Catanoso’s grandfather, Carmelo Catanoso, and his sainted cousin, Padre Gaetano Catanoso (Padre Gaetano Catanoso died in 1957 and was canonized in 2005). Catanoso confronts his own tenuous spiritual moorings in the process, and chronicles his lapsed faith, and his struggle to reclaim it. For more information, see http://church.st-thomasmore.org/speakers

Today in Scripture

Luke 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.” 

For such a brief and simple story, interpretations about its meaning vary as widely as the interests of the interpreters! What was Jesus saying, really? Is he showing a preference for the contemplative life over the active one? Alluding to justification by faith rather than works? Overturning the role of woman as servant in favor of woman as disciple? Or just trying to quiet some sibling rivalry?

This scripture passage immediately follows the parable of the Good Samaritan, an example Jesus presents of an individual recognizing a need, being 'moved with compassion' and going out of his way to 'love [his] neighbor as [him]self' through concrete and generous action. So, why pick on Martha?

Now, there's no way to know Martha's motivations, but one might just wonder if this was a case of just going through the motions of hospitality without her heart being in it. Was she truly making Jesus feel welcome, or bustling about with loud sighs and clattering of dishes?  And what about Mary? Was she just trying to get out of kitchen duty, or did she recognize Jesus' need to have someone really listen to him, right then and there?

Maybe, just maybe, Jesus is inviting us to consider the potential for holiness in all we do, whether spending time in prayer or up to our elbows in dirty dishes.  And inviting us to serve God by recognizing in every person God's 'image and likeness' and responding in loving attentiveness rather than harried obligation.

• Who in your life (workplace, neighborhood, family) is in need of your loving attention?

Sacramentality

Sacramentality is a basic Catholic principle that all of creation is a potential means of recognizing or experiencing the goodness, presence and love of God for us. It is NOT asserting that created reality IS God (Pantheism), because we believe that God , who has always existed (and was not created), created everything out of nothing.

"Because creation comes forth from God's goodness, it shares in that goodness - 'And God saw that it was good ... very good' (Gn 1: 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 31) (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 299) - so in a real sense, God's creation is a tangible way for us to recognize, encounter and reflect on the basic holiness of all that God has given us.

In other words.... here's a song on YouTube to enjoy:
Holy Now by Peter Mayer

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

While we will be using the readings for the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi at all the masses this Sunday, our RCIA catechetical session will still be based mainly on the lectionary readings for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time. They are:

Genesis 2: 18-24

Psalm 128 : 1-6

Hebrews 2: 9-11

Mark 10: 2-16

The topics for this week's session will be Marriage, Divorce and Annulment.
Thoughts for reflection:

• In what ways does God's love "grace" your marriage and/or friendships?
• What gifts do you bring to your relationships?
  

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi - October 4

One of the most 'popular' of Christian saints is St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, creation, ecology and peace. Born in the late 12th century to a cloth merchant in the Umbrian town of Assisi in Italy, he enjoyed a privileged and adventurous life as a young adult.

After recovering from a long sickness, two significant events transformed his life. Encountering a leper on the road, Francis was moved to share his cloak and kiss the man's cheek. Then while praying in a run-down church, Francis heard Jesus speak to him from the  crucifix, asking him to rebuild his church. At first he took the words literally and went to work restoring the building. Gradually, he realized that he was being called to help the Catholic Church return to the simplicity and spirit of the Gospel. Francis financed his mission by helping himself to his father's merchandise, which did not go over well at all! In a dramatic and public encounter, Francis repaid his father and returned even the clothes off his own back, completing the transformation into a person of simplicity, humility and poverty.

At first derided for his counter-cultural lifestyle, he eventually began attracting other men who shared his commitment to serving the poor and living simply, the "Friars Minor". St. Clare of Assisi and Francis became great friends, and she established a community of women which later were known as the "Poor Clares". Francis rejected violence as ignoring the Gospel commandment to love, and had an ever-deepening awareness of the sacramentality of all creation. All people, all animals, all things were due respect as a reflection of the grace of God who is the creator of all.

Francis sought to conform his life completely to Jesus Christ, and two years before his death (at age 44) he received the 'stigmata' - the marks of Jesus' crucifixion, on his hands and feet. His holiness and influence was so apparent that he was canonized a mere two years after his death. Several favorite prayers or sayings have been attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, including the one which begins "Make me an instrument of your peace..." and this beautiful song of praise for all creation:

The Canticle of the Creatures
Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord! all praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. ...
All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made, and first my Lord, Brother Sun, who brings the day; and light you give to us through him. How beautiful is he, and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars, in the heavens you have made them, bright and precious and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air and fair and stormy, all the weather's moods, by which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, so useful, humble, precious, and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten up the night.  How beautiful is he, how playful! Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces diverse fruits, with colored flowers and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Blessed are those who endure in peace, by you, Most High, they will be crowned.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, from whom no one among the living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds walking by your most holy will, for the second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord and give thanks to God, and serve God with great humility. -St. Francis of Assisi 

Of note:
St. Andrew the Apostle parish is served by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. This quote of St. Francis demostrates well the mission of their religious community:

In celebration of the Feast of St. Francis, there will be a blessing of animals this Saturday, October 3 in the courtyard outside the sanctuary at 10:00am. And while Francis may have tamed 'brother wolf', we ask that you bring your pets on a leash or in a cage, please!

And finally, the scripture that you will hear at the masses this weekend will NOT be the texts for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary time, but those for the Feast of St. Francis:

Sirach 50: 1-7

Psalm 16

Galatians 6: 14-18

Matthew 11: 25-30

(Background information on St. Francis of Assisi is from All Saints by Robert Ellsburg)