RCIA at 11:30 Today

Yes, we will have RCIA today, with dismissal from the 11:30AM mass.
Please come ONLY if you can get here safely.

The session will end by 1:30, lunch provided.
(If your spouse will be hanging out waiting for you, we'll feed them, too!)

4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for January 31, 2010, the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time:

Jeremiah 1: 4-5, 17-19
Psalm 71: 1-6, 15-17
1 Corinthians 12:31 - 13:13
Luke 4: 21-30

• Have you ever felt rejected because you've been honest in a difficult situation?
  
• The Corinthians reading is heard so often (especially at readings) we might not pay attention to the words. In your relationships, how have you experienced love in the ways that Paul describes it?
  

 Due to the uncertainty of Sunday morning road conditions, the RCIA session for this week will begin at the 11:30 mass. The topic for the catechumenate session this Sunday is Our Identity as Prophets.

Conversion

Today is the Feast of the Conversion of Paul, a story apparently so significant in the early church that it appears twice in the Acts of the Apostles. You may click here to read both versions.

Here's the plot summary: Saul, an educated Jew, was energetically persecuting the early Christians. On his way to Damascus, he was struck blind and heard the voice of Jesus call out to him. He was led to Damascus where Ananias, a leading Jewish Christian, restored his sight. He recovered, was baptized, took on the name "Paul" and eventually became a tireless preacher for the religion he had just recently opposed.
The Statute of the Conversion of St. Paul stands in front of the Seminary of the Missionary Society of St. Paul in Abuja, Nigeria.
 The words from the sky, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" were foundational to Paul's ecclesiology (view of church) - recognizing not only the reality that we become members of the Body of Christ through our baptism, but also the myriad implications of that great mystery.

This event brings up so many things to ponder:

• Have you ever felt 'knocked off your horse', suddenly and keenly aware that something HAD to change in your life?
• Who was "Ananias" for you during that time?
• If God could forgive Saul's persecutions, is there any forgiveness God would withhold from us?
  
• How do you think the early Christians felt when Paul suddenly joined them, and even preached to them?
• Are you able to give people a 'second chance'?
• How well are you doing living as the Body of Christ in our world?
• How well do you recognize and treat others as the Body of Christ?

Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for January 24, 2010, the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time:

Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19: 8-10, 15
1 Corinthians 12: 12-30
Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

• Why do you think Jesus chose that particular passage in Isaiah, to read in the synagogue?
  
• What is your favorite story from the Bible? Why?
  

 The topic for the catechumenate session this Sunday is Sacred Scripture.

Today in Scripture

Mark 2:23-28
As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,
his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.

At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them, “Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”

Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Can't you imagine Jesus' exasperation with the Pharisees?

Have you ever had one of those experiences? Once I was visiting a parish with a school, and subtly (I thought) chewing gum so as not to offend anyone post-lunch. Yes, I saw the signs advising "no smoking or gum chewing on-campus", but I knew I was not going to stick the wad on a wall or under a chair and there were no children around to whom I could be a bad example. Well, the person in charge noticed and presented me with a trash can in which to dispose of my great offense. I did not protest- I WAS a visitor and I DID see the signs, but I will confess that I felt as if I had been treated like a child.

Granted, any society or institution needs a set of agreed-upon rules in order to function smoothly. You've got them in your own home (even if YOU are 'your household') - can dishes sit in the sink, are there limits to acceptable TV channels, what about that toothpaste cap? When we all understand what is expected (don't kill people, don't steal, pay and do your fair share) we can all accomplish more, and in a much more pleasant atmosphere, than any one of us hiding within our personal fortresses.

Sometimes though, we can hide behind the rules and miss the reason for them. Of course, the Sabbath is our weekly reminder to focus our praise and attention on God, who created all and sustains us in life. And we really should cut down or eliminate the things that distract us from that endeavor. Remember though - in ancient cultures, there was no 40-hour, 5-day work week; you might be working 7 days a week, sun-up to sundown! The concept of Sabbath then, was to attend to the very human need to rest, to restore energy and to nurture one's most important relationships (God and family). So the Sabbath laws were created to protect people from not getting their rest, as well as turn their hearts and minds to God on a regular basis. Some people (then and now) get so invested that every tiny regulation gets followed correctly that they miss the big picture. I can imagine that a number of Pharisees would be worn out at the end of the Sabbath from making certain that they and those around them had followed all the rules of resting!

So: this is not to counsel anarchy, but common sense. If you are faced with a tough choice between honoring a system or honoring the dignity of a person... consider your options, consider the consequences, and consider what option Jesus might have chosen.

One of the most basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching is the "Dignity of the Human Person". Here is a summary of that principle, as provided by the Social Concerns Committee of St. Andrew the Apostle parish.

All people are a reflection of the image of God and thus all human life, at all stages from conception through death, is sacred. The basic dignity that each person possesses comes from God, and therefore all discrimination is wrong. People take precedence over things and structures. Systems are meant to serve people, not vice versa.

• How does this principle relate to our Scripture for today? 
• How does it apply in your life?

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for January 17, 2010, the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time:

Isaiah 62: 1-5
Psalm 96: 1-3, 7-10
1 Corinthians 12: 4-11
John 2: 1-11

• "For the Lord delights in you," proclaims Isaiah. Take time today to reflect on this fact, and bring it to your prayer. 
• From the Gospel, we see Jesus helping in an ordinary situation. How do you recognize God at work in your daily life?
  

 The topic for the catechumenate session this Sunday is the Sacrament of Matrimony.

Works of Mercy

As we keep the people of Haiti in prayer, and pray for the strength and persistence of the relief workers after the earthquake, it is of some comfort to know that Catholic Relief Services has been active there from the beginning.

Bishop Burbidge, along with the Bishops of the United States, has requested that a special collection be taken up this weekend to help Catholic Relief Services in their mission in Haiti. You may also donate directly to CRS at their website.

A prayer from the Diocese of Raleigh website:

God of all creation,
as we weep with our family in Haiti, console us.
In this time of crisis, open our eyes to look beyond the disaster to see Christ in our brothers and sisters in Haiti,
as Christ sees us.
Be with us as we stand in solidarity with those living
and working in Haiti.
Be with us in our mourning and guide our efforts to
feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the grieving and stand for justice.
With your mercy, sustain us at this time as we continue to work for peace and justice. Amen.

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Here are the readings for January 10, 2010, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord:

Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7
Psalm 29: 1-4, 9-10
Acts 10: 34-38
Luke 3: 15-16, 21-22

• As you prepare for baptism, or the renewal of your baptismal vows, what do you need from God's Holy Spirit?    
  
  Francesco Mochi, 1634

Today in Scripture

An excerpt from the first reading today:
Beloved, we love God because he first loved us.
If anyone says, “I love God,”
but hates his brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen.
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
(full text: 1 John 4:19-5:4)

Today's Gospel, Luke 4: 14-22
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

There are seven basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Based in Scripture, these fundamental elements speak to how we as Christians are to live day to day, affecting our relationships in the home, at work, in society and as a resident of planet Earth!

One of these principles of Catholic Social Teaching is the "Option for the Poor". Here is a summary of that principle, as provided by the Social Concerns Committee of St. Andrew the Apostle parish.

The Gospel calls Christians to put the needs of the poor first. A common moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable people. Wherever there is structural injustice Christians are called to oppose it. Those with the greatest need especially require the greatest response.

• How does this principle relate to our Scripture for today? 
• How does it apply in your life?
  

American Saints

This week contains the feast days of two American 'firsts':

Today (January 4) is the feast day of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint. Socialite, wife, mother, widow, convert, founder of a religious order, teacher... this woman born (1774) just before the American Revolution epitomized what we might think of as the pioneering and adaptable spirit of our country at that time. She died in 1821.

Please click here for a brief or extended description of her life and work.

Tomorrow (January 5) is the feast of the first American Bishop to be canonized, Czech-born John Neumann.(1811-1860) He too was instrumental in building Catholicism in the United States, particularly the parochial school system in Philadelphia. A gifted linguist, he was able to minister to various immigrant communities in their native tongues.
Again, here are brief and extended biographies of the saint.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann, pray for us!

The Epiphany of the Lord

Here are the readings for January 3, 2010, the Epiphany of the Lord.

Isaiah 60: 1-6
Psalm 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-13
Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6
Matthew 2: 1-12

(The Epiphany 1320-25 by Giotto DiBondone, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City)
The theme for this Sunday's dismissal and catechetical session is "Christ, the Light of All Nations".

• The magi were led by a star to the place of Jesus' birth.  Who or what are the 'stars' in your faith journey?
• Christ is the light of the world. In what ways has he illuminated your times of darkness?