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November 29, 2009 - 1st Sunday of Advent
My Dear People,
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is the cry of the Church at the
beginning of it's New Year. We long for the establishment of Christ's
Reign of Peace. It has yet to happen. St. Luke says, that there will
be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars "before" the
transition comes to past. The seas will roar and the waves will
overtake the earth. The very powers of the Heavens will be shaken.
"Then, they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds, with
great power and glory." He reminds us, during the interim, to
remain vigilant in faith, sober in deeds, and spiritually alert, so
that the great and terrible day does not catch us of guard. Make a
resolution this Advent 2010, to go to confession more often, attend
daily mass, and pray the Rosary. These prayer habits will allow us to
stand in faith before Our Lord, when he comes. Pray, Pray, Pray.
Entrusting
you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark
May
we follow Our Lord's example by carefully planning ways in which we
can give service and sacrifice to build up God's Church.
November 22, 2009 - The Feast of Christ the King
My Dear People,
The Feast of Christ the King is celebrated each November at the end of
our Church liturgical year. In it, we remember that Jesus will reign
over all His enemies at the end of time. All powers and principalities
from hell, will be placed under His feet. In today's Gospel, Jesus
tell Pilate that His Kingdom is not of this world. Truth is the banner
under which His Kingdom shall prosper. The book of the prophet Daniel
tells us that when the Messiah comes, we will recognize it because
"His dominion is an everlasting dominion, that shall not be taken
away." We, as the Church Militant, look forward to the day when
Christ, King of All Nations, will reign triumphantly over us. The Son
of Man will come in the clouds with great power and glory. The elect
shall be gathered by His Angels from the four corners of the Earth.
What a triumphant day that will be! Pray to stay close to the King of
All Nation, Jesus Christ. Stay close to the sacraments of Confession
and Holy Eucharist. Keep yourselves protected with prayers, novenas,
and rosaries daily. Ask for the grace to remain in between the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pray, Pray,
Pray...
Entrusting
you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark
May
we joyfully give our time, talent and treasure to build up God's
Church here on earth.
November 15, 2009 - 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
My Dear People,
In our reading from the book of Daniel, St. Michael, the great
Heavenly Prince, is guarding God's holy people. "There shall be a
time unsurpassed in distress, since nations began. At that time your
people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the Book of
Life." He goes on to describe how the "wise" shall
brightly shine like the stars. Pope Leo the Xlll, at the turn of the
19th century, was told that the Church had entered this time. Pope Leo
wrote the St. Michael Prayer we pray after each mass, so that the
faithful might invoke this Holy Protecting Angel's shield over all of
us. This prayer was to be prayed after all masses until the end of
this age of trial and tribulation. We benefit from St. Michael's
intercession each time we pray His prayer with faith. Don't forget to
pray this prayer throughout the course of your day, and in the
evening. Make sure you call upon St. Michael upon preparing for
bedtime. Ask for his protection over all of your family members. You
cannot evoke this powerful angel too many times during the course of
the day. Pray, Pray, Pray.
Entrusting
you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark
May
we give generously, so that when we meet Our Lord face to face, we can
stand before Him and say, "Lord, I have given all that you asked
of me."
November 8, 2009 - 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
My Dear People,
The widow's mite (coin) was all she had to care for herself. She had
no social security, no food stamps, or health care. During her
lifetime she bought no bonds, cd's annuities, or stocks. Complete
trust in God's Providence as what she embraced. Even though she was
destitute financially, she still was looking to help the poor. When
Jesus observed all the rich giving little compared to their great
wealth, He points out to His Disciples that the widow surrendered
everything she had, so that the poor would have something. She knew
what it was like to be POOR. She lived in total poverty. And yet her
willing to give it ALL...so that her brothers and sisters in poverty,
could have something. What a trusting soul. Biblical Stewardship,
God's Law from the Bible, requires us to give 10% of our total income
back to the Lord. This includes our times, talent, and income. Since a
portion of that goes for taxes already, only 5% is required after
taxes. This means that if you take in $50,000 in income a year, that
$2,500 is owed to God after taxes. This is not man's law, but God's.
Pray about the Gospel this Sunday. Are you listening to Jesus' Words?
Do you trust in the Father Providence, or only in yourself? Be
courageous. God is NEVER outdone by our generosity, especially to the
POOR!
Entrusting
you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark
May
we always be willing to tithe our income unto the Lord!
November 1, 2009 - All Saints
My Dear People,
The feast of All Saints is a continual reminder that everyone is
called to "holiness"; not just canonized saints. By our
Baptism and Confirmation, we are endowed with all of the spiritual and
practical gifts necessary for our sanctification. Each way is unique.
Because we have been created in the image and likeness of Almighty
God, the path by which we mature is special and in keeping with our
nature. This is why there are no two saints that look, talk, or act in
the same manner. Like facets of a diamond, every soul was created to
reflect the glory of Our Lord. As life polishes us, we shine that much
more brilliantly. What a treasure we are in God's eyes. He longs to
have each of us at the table in His Kingdom. SO, we have our work cut
out for us! It is a work that ultimately will make holy our souls.
Preparing our hearts to become a temple of the Holy Spirit must be our
first concern. During Holy Mass this Mass this weekend, call upon your
saint namesake. Ask them to intercede for you before God's holy
throne, in order that you might become a saint like them; in each and
everyway God's so ordained. Pray for all those souls who have lost
their way to God. Your prayers may be the ones that save them from
eternal death. Pray, Pray, Pray.
Entrusting
you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark
May
we hold our gifts in an open hand, recognizing that everything belongs
to God and that without God's blessing we would be among the very poor
in this world.
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