BIBLE STUDY #35
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
March 27, 2011
Gospel John 4:5-42
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
“Give me a drink.”
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
“If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?”
Jesus answered and said to her,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water.”
Jesus said to her,
“Go call your husband and come back.”
The woman answered and said to him,
“I do not have a husband.”
Jesus answered her,
“You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’
For you have had five husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.
What you have said is true.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus said to her,
“Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth.”
The woman said to him,
“I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything.”
Jesus said to her,
“I am he, the one speaking with you.”
At that moment his disciples returned,
and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,
but still no one said, “What are you looking for?”
or “Why are you talking with her?”
The woman left her water jar
and went into the town and said to the people,
“Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?”
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.”
But he said to them,
“I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
So the disciples said to one another,
“Could someone have brought him something to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“My food is to do the will of the one who sent me
and to finish his work.
Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’?
I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving payment
and gathering crops for eternal life,
so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;
others have done the work,
and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman who testified,
“He told me everything I have done.”
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
“We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
John’s Gospel is a gospel of personal relationships. He speaks about his relationship with the Father, with the disciples, the relationship of the disciples with each other, and he reveals himself in his relationships. Jesus discloses himself to these people and they discover who he is and what he means to them.
In this gospel story of the Samaritan women, Jesus reveals himself little by little and invites her to faith. Eventually, she comes to faith and invites other Samaritans to do the same, who respond by coming to faith. These Samaritans are schismatic Jews and not part of official Judaism. But they come to a much greater acceptance of Jesus than official Judaism or most of the Jewish people.
John’s Gospel emphasizes that Jesus is the transcendent Son of God, but it is in this same Gospel that we also feel the touch of Jesus’ humanity, such as in today’s passage where Jesus is tired from his journey when he reaches the well. Other translations will use the word exhausted or wearied in place of tired. In any event, we can relate to that kind of feeling.
A meeting at Jacob’s well is a favorite setting for meetings between men and women that influence the course of salvation history, such as Abraham and Rebecca in Genesis 24:11-27, or Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 29-1-21.
Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at the well and asks her for a drink. She would have been surprised, not only because a man was talking to her (the apostles were amazed at this upon their return), but it was a Jewish man, and she being a Samaritan, would have nothing to do with Jews. Samaritans refused to worship in Jerusalem and even helped foreign powers fight against Israel. Communication between the two was forbidden by law, and there was a ritual taboo on eating and drinking from the same vessels.
It is interesting to me that Jesus meets this woman at the well at noon. Water was procured in the morning, normally. Why was she there at noon? Was she being ostracized from the community for some reason, like her many marriages? It is another instance where Jesus associates with the most downtrodden and oppressed people. This is a good example of how we should act.
Jesus reveals himself little by little. He refers to himself as a ‘gift from God’. Jesus is the connection we have to the Father. There is a painting in the Sistine chapel of God reaching down with his right hand, and Adam reaching up with his right hand, but they don’t meet; there is a gap. Jesus closes that gap by making it possible for those hands to meet.
Jesus gives us the gift of living water, which is the gift of himself, which is for all and confers eternal life. This living water is also seen as the Holy Spirit, insofar as one interiorizes the self revelation of Jesus.
The woman doesn’t understand and questions Jesus. He says that everyone who ‘drinks of this well’, that is, believes in him, ‘will never thirst’, that is, have eternal life. She doesn’t really understand, but wants this gift of living water so she doesn’t have to keep coming to the well. She knows Jesus has something special and is someone special, but she doesn’t yet understand who he is or what he is offering. At this point, he is only a Jewish man with a special gift.
Jesus then draws her closer to faith in a surprising way. He asks her to go and get her husband. She replies that she has no husband, and Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” Now Jesus becomes a prophet, because he knows her background without being told. By telling her of her own life, she is brought to a greater understanding of Jesus.
We learn a lot more about Jesus because we learn that he supersedes and is replacing worship both at Mt. Geratzim (that is the Samaritans, who do not possess true knowledge of God, since their religion grew out of national and political ambitions) and in Jerusalem (the Jews who have legitimate worship of God, and salvation, since the Messiah and Savior comes from them). Jesus brings Christian worship, which is the worship of the Father in a communion of faith with the Son (who is and brings the truth), through the interior action of the Holy Spirit. Worship is not limited to a place, but happens anywhere and everywhere. We get to know God by accepting Jesus, and the Spirit helps us grow in our faith. Jesus is the new Temple by which we worship the Father in spirit and truth.
The woman believes that when the Messiah comes he will tell them everything (explain to them, maybe?). Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah, the divine, transcendent revealer of God. When he says “I am”, he is referring to the Old Testament notion of the divine power of God.
The disciples return and are amazed that he is talking to a woman. Remember, woman had no standing whatsoever in those days, and were considered like property; and it wasn’t seemly for a man like Jesus to be talking with a woman anyway. They want Jesus to eat, but he responds, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” His ‘food’ is doing the will of the Father and completing his mission as the Savior of the world. He sees the Samaritans are ripe for harvesting, just as there will be a great harvest of souls in the future. The harvest time has arrived with Jesus, and the disciples will be doing much harvesting in the future.
The woman brings the gift of Jesus, the living water, to the other Samaritans by testifying to them what Jesus did. Jesus stayed 2 days, and his word convinces them that he is the savior of the world.
We see the growth in faith in this passage. Jesus starts out as a Jew, then becomes a prophet, then the Messiah, then finally and most importantly, the savior. Through the conversation of one outcast woman with Jesus, and her willingness to bring others to Jesus, and whole nation is ‘harvested’ and believe in Jesus, the giver of eternal life.
When I read this passage, I am always reminded of our own journey in faith. We were baptized with the living water, brought into the church with the Trinitarian formula of Father, Son, and Spirit. Initially, we know nothing and are brought to faith by people who are like the Samaritan woman and share the living water of Christ so we can appreciate this great gift of God, and so we can to grow in our understanding of faith. As children, we have a limited understanding of Jesus. As our minds and bodies grow and mature, we hopefully leave behind these simple childlike ways of understanding Jesus and come to a mature faith. Jesus is more than just a good man, more than a prophet, more than a healer, more than a Messiah, that he is the savior of the world.
When we understand and interiorize Jesus as the savior, the one who conquers sin and death, the one who offers eternal life, we come to understand that Jesus is the one who gives us life; that is, he is the one who gives us peace, happiness, and meaning in this life as well as eternal life. Just as we need water to survive, we need this living water to survive eternally. He is the one who gives us hope in a world torn by strife, discord, and sin. In this day and age, we need the hope that all is not lost, that there is more than what we see, and in the end, if we persevere, we will inherit eternal life. Now, that is something worth sharing. Can we be like the Samaritan and share this living water with others?
Fr. Phil
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
ST. JOSEPH CHURCH
EMAIL NEWSLETTER #15
MARCH 2011
Lent is already here, and it is a good time to become closer to the Lord. We are offering several ways to do this. As usual, we will have Stations of the Cross every Friday evening at 7:30 pm. Meditating on the mysteries of Christ’s death is a good way to increase our spirituality, and it takes less than a half hour. We will have confessions every Monday evening from 6 pm to 6:45 pm, and after the 7 pm mass, if necessary. If you feel that God is far away and you are afraid of losing your faith, my first question to you would be to ask, “When was the last time you went to confession?” The accumulation of sin blocks the avenues if God’s grace, which is when we feel a lack of faith. Being forgiven will open up those avenues and refresh and grow our faith. I would also encourage you to make a firm commitment to mass at least once a week. Here is where we learn about God’s will for us in the readings and the homily, and we get the grace from communion to live out our faith everyday. This is also something we can take with us during the rest of the year. And, if possible, try to go to a second mass during the week. Mornings may not be possible, but we do have mass every Monday evening at 7 pm. WhyCatholic? is a program held in people’s homes to help us learn more about our faith through the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This lent the groups will be discussing such things as the Ten Commandments, making moral decisions, virtues, conscience, and the like. How much do you know about these things? On April 2, we are having a day of reflection with Fr John Catoir, a retired priest of our diocese, the former head of The Christopher’s, and a columnist for the Beacon. Holy Week activities, such as the Chrism Mass at St Philip’s in Clifton on 4/18, Mass on Holy Thursday at 7:30 pm, the Cross Walk on Good Friday, the Good Friday 3 pm Service, and the Living Stations with our Youth Group on Good Friday evening are all wonderful prayer experiences that will draw us closer to God. There are also several ways to live out our faith in practical terms this Lent, such as Operation Rice Bowl, the Homeless Shelter, and the St. Joseph’s Table. I think we have plenty of opportunities to prepare for Easter, and I encourage you to participate in these things as much as you can. Fr. Phil
LENTEN SEASON INFORMATION
With the beginning of Lent, the Church proclaims anew Christ’s call to penance and conversion to life. “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mt. 16:24
REGULATIONS
The entire season, from Ash Wednesday to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, is a penitential season; a time of self-denial, prayer and Christian charity. The specific discipline of the Church in the U.S. is as follows: Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. Days of fasting and abstinence are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obligated to fast. By this obligation, the individual is permitted only one full meal in the day. The obligation to abstain begins at age 14. The law of abstinence forbids the eating of meat. The obligation to observe the laws of fast and abstinence “substantially” or as a whole is a serious obligation. Failure to observe any one penitential day in itself is not considered serious; however, it is the failure to observe any penitential days at all, or a substantial number of such days, which must be considered serious.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The ancient custom of the church to remember Jesus’ passion and death by making the Way of the Cross will be celebrated every Friday of Lent at 7:30 pm.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - DAY OF REFLECTION
On Saturday, April 2, 2011, we are having a Lenten Day of Reflection led by Rev. John T. Catoir, J.C.D., a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese and former head of The Christophers. The first talk at 10:30 am will be the Theology of Joy, with confessions immediately following. Lunch will be at 12 noon (please bring your own lunch; coffee and... will be provided). The second talk at 1:15 pm will be on the psychology of achieving joy. Fr. Catoir will be offering his publications for sale on that day. Please call us (973.696.4411, x10) and let us know if you will be attending this day.
INTERFAITH HOMELESS SHELTER
The Interfaith Homeless Shelter will be arriving at the Jacksonville Annex on Sunday, March 13. We will provide food that day as well as food and fellowship on Saturday, March 19. Sign up sheets are on the tables in the rear of church. Anyone who would like more information regarding our parish’s involvement in the homeless shelter should call Lois Moeller at 973. 696.4049 or Mary Bono at 973.696.9713.
These are difficult times for so many. Please consider spending time in fellowship or supplying food. Anything you can do to help these local families who are truly in need of our assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Friends:
For the past several years we have been distributing bread to you at all the masses for St. Joseph's Day. This year we would like to do something different: we would like to have a St. Joseph's Table.
The idea of a St. Joseph's Table began centuries ago. Many poor people ran out of food after a long, cold, winter, and needed help. There were no supermarkets or other similar places to obtain food, and they were at the mercy of the generosity of other people. It became the custom at many churches to ask their parishioners for food donations so they could help those in need. They did this in conjunction with St Joseph's Day (March 19th).
This tradition survives to this day, although it works a little different. People donate food to the church, the church sells it, and the money goes to the poor. This is what we want to do.
Our St. Joseph's Table will be on Sunday, March 20, 2011, after the 10 am and 12 noon masses in Halloran Hall. We are asking for food donations to be brought in Sunday morning before the 10 am mass. The food will be available for sale after those masses. The proceeds will be donated to the Morris County Interfaith Homeless Shelter and the Lincoln Park Food Pantry.
We are looking for the following or similar items: Pizza-gain, otherwise known as Pizza Rustica, breads (like sausage bread, or any other type of bread), pies, cakes or other desserts, or any other similar type of food that you would like to donate.
Please let us know if you can help. The Hall will be open prior to the 8 am Mass for donations.
Thanks you for helping those in need, in the spirit of St. Joseph. Please let me know if you have any questions. Fr. Phil
WELCOME HOME TO HEALING
"Welcome Home" is a diocesan initiative to invite all Catholics to experience the grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is a wonderful opportunity to set aside our sinful ways and to draw closer to our Lord. Confessions will be held every Monday during Lent, from March 14 to April 11, 2011, in every Catholic Church in the Diocese of Paterson. Since we have Mass at 7 pm on Mondays, we will hear confessions prior to Mass, beginning at 6 pm and ending at 6:45 pm, and after mass, if necessary. Don't be afraid! Information will be provided. Ask the priest to help you. Experience the gracious mercy of God!
www.WelcomeHomeToHealing.org."
The following is from CONNECTIONS (a homily service) for March 2011.
The dignity of generosity
This happened in a small Virginia church years ago:
A widow with six small children was a long-time member of the congregation. Each month she gave the church $4 - a tithe of her income. Members of the church council were moved by her generosity but concerned that her gift added more to her hardship. They urged the pastor to talk to the poor woman and let her know that, given the weight of her responsibilities to her family, she should not feel obligated to give to the church.
The pastor tells the rest of the story:
"I am not wise now; I was less wise then. I went and told her of the concerns of the [parish]. I told her as graciously and supportively as I knew how that she was relieved of the responsibility of giving. As I talked with her the tears came into her eyes. 'I want to tell you,' she said, 'that you are taking away the last thing that gives my life dignity and meaning.'"
[Gordon Cosby, cited in Context, January 15, 1980.]
Though poor and struggling herself, this woman's life is centered on the "rock" of humility and gratitude that is of God. She understands that the meaning of her life is found in the dignity of Gospel mercy, reconciliation and justice. She realizes that the values of selflessness and compassion that she instills in her children as a parent are as important as the food and clothing she struggles to provide them. Authentic faith is centered in the values of the heart, with an understanding of God's love for us and the irrepressible longing to respond to that love. The faithful disciple builds his/her "house" on the foundation of God's love and seeks to bring that love, with conviction, integrity and perseverance, into the lives of all who call that house their home and all who come to that house's table.
FOOD PANTRY
The item requested for the month of March is coffee, either regular or decaf. Donations may be left in the back of church. Thank you.
Good Perspective on things!
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
This story was sent to me in an email not too long ago, and I include it here because Lent is about change and growth. The strength to be like coffee comes from grace. We can’t do it alone, but God promises to be with us, especially in the difficult times. Let us all grow closer to God this Lent so we can be the best disciples possible.
May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!
Fr. Phil
EMAIL NEWSLETTER #15
MARCH 2011
Lent is already here, and it is a good time to become closer to the Lord. We are offering several ways to do this. As usual, we will have Stations of the Cross every Friday evening at 7:30 pm. Meditating on the mysteries of Christ’s death is a good way to increase our spirituality, and it takes less than a half hour. We will have confessions every Monday evening from 6 pm to 6:45 pm, and after the 7 pm mass, if necessary. If you feel that God is far away and you are afraid of losing your faith, my first question to you would be to ask, “When was the last time you went to confession?” The accumulation of sin blocks the avenues if God’s grace, which is when we feel a lack of faith. Being forgiven will open up those avenues and refresh and grow our faith. I would also encourage you to make a firm commitment to mass at least once a week. Here is where we learn about God’s will for us in the readings and the homily, and we get the grace from communion to live out our faith everyday. This is also something we can take with us during the rest of the year. And, if possible, try to go to a second mass during the week. Mornings may not be possible, but we do have mass every Monday evening at 7 pm. WhyCatholic? is a program held in people’s homes to help us learn more about our faith through the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This lent the groups will be discussing such things as the Ten Commandments, making moral decisions, virtues, conscience, and the like. How much do you know about these things? On April 2, we are having a day of reflection with Fr John Catoir, a retired priest of our diocese, the former head of The Christopher’s, and a columnist for the Beacon. Holy Week activities, such as the Chrism Mass at St Philip’s in Clifton on 4/18, Mass on Holy Thursday at 7:30 pm, the Cross Walk on Good Friday, the Good Friday 3 pm Service, and the Living Stations with our Youth Group on Good Friday evening are all wonderful prayer experiences that will draw us closer to God. There are also several ways to live out our faith in practical terms this Lent, such as Operation Rice Bowl, the Homeless Shelter, and the St. Joseph’s Table. I think we have plenty of opportunities to prepare for Easter, and I encourage you to participate in these things as much as you can. Fr. Phil
LENTEN SEASON INFORMATION
With the beginning of Lent, the Church proclaims anew Christ’s call to penance and conversion to life. “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mt. 16:24
REGULATIONS
The entire season, from Ash Wednesday to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, is a penitential season; a time of self-denial, prayer and Christian charity. The specific discipline of the Church in the U.S. is as follows: Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. Days of fasting and abstinence are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obligated to fast. By this obligation, the individual is permitted only one full meal in the day. The obligation to abstain begins at age 14. The law of abstinence forbids the eating of meat. The obligation to observe the laws of fast and abstinence “substantially” or as a whole is a serious obligation. Failure to observe any one penitential day in itself is not considered serious; however, it is the failure to observe any penitential days at all, or a substantial number of such days, which must be considered serious.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The ancient custom of the church to remember Jesus’ passion and death by making the Way of the Cross will be celebrated every Friday of Lent at 7:30 pm.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - DAY OF REFLECTION
On Saturday, April 2, 2011, we are having a Lenten Day of Reflection led by Rev. John T. Catoir, J.C.D., a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese and former head of The Christophers. The first talk at 10:30 am will be the Theology of Joy, with confessions immediately following. Lunch will be at 12 noon (please bring your own lunch; coffee and... will be provided). The second talk at 1:15 pm will be on the psychology of achieving joy. Fr. Catoir will be offering his publications for sale on that day. Please call us (973.696.4411, x10) and let us know if you will be attending this day.
INTERFAITH HOMELESS SHELTER
The Interfaith Homeless Shelter will be arriving at the Jacksonville Annex on Sunday, March 13. We will provide food that day as well as food and fellowship on Saturday, March 19. Sign up sheets are on the tables in the rear of church. Anyone who would like more information regarding our parish’s involvement in the homeless shelter should call Lois Moeller at 973. 696.4049 or Mary Bono at 973.696.9713.
These are difficult times for so many. Please consider spending time in fellowship or supplying food. Anything you can do to help these local families who are truly in need of our assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Friends:
For the past several years we have been distributing bread to you at all the masses for St. Joseph's Day. This year we would like to do something different: we would like to have a St. Joseph's Table.
The idea of a St. Joseph's Table began centuries ago. Many poor people ran out of food after a long, cold, winter, and needed help. There were no supermarkets or other similar places to obtain food, and they were at the mercy of the generosity of other people. It became the custom at many churches to ask their parishioners for food donations so they could help those in need. They did this in conjunction with St Joseph's Day (March 19th).
This tradition survives to this day, although it works a little different. People donate food to the church, the church sells it, and the money goes to the poor. This is what we want to do.
Our St. Joseph's Table will be on Sunday, March 20, 2011, after the 10 am and 12 noon masses in Halloran Hall. We are asking for food donations to be brought in Sunday morning before the 10 am mass. The food will be available for sale after those masses. The proceeds will be donated to the Morris County Interfaith Homeless Shelter and the Lincoln Park Food Pantry.
We are looking for the following or similar items: Pizza-gain, otherwise known as Pizza Rustica, breads (like sausage bread, or any other type of bread), pies, cakes or other desserts, or any other similar type of food that you would like to donate.
Please let us know if you can help. The Hall will be open prior to the 8 am Mass for donations.
Thanks you for helping those in need, in the spirit of St. Joseph. Please let me know if you have any questions. Fr. Phil
WELCOME HOME TO HEALING
"Welcome Home" is a diocesan initiative to invite all Catholics to experience the grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is a wonderful opportunity to set aside our sinful ways and to draw closer to our Lord. Confessions will be held every Monday during Lent, from March 14 to April 11, 2011, in every Catholic Church in the Diocese of Paterson. Since we have Mass at 7 pm on Mondays, we will hear confessions prior to Mass, beginning at 6 pm and ending at 6:45 pm, and after mass, if necessary. Don't be afraid! Information will be provided. Ask the priest to help you. Experience the gracious mercy of God!
www.WelcomeHomeToHealing.org."
The following is from CONNECTIONS (a homily service) for March 2011.
The dignity of generosity
This happened in a small Virginia church years ago:
A widow with six small children was a long-time member of the congregation. Each month she gave the church $4 - a tithe of her income. Members of the church council were moved by her generosity but concerned that her gift added more to her hardship. They urged the pastor to talk to the poor woman and let her know that, given the weight of her responsibilities to her family, she should not feel obligated to give to the church.
The pastor tells the rest of the story:
"I am not wise now; I was less wise then. I went and told her of the concerns of the [parish]. I told her as graciously and supportively as I knew how that she was relieved of the responsibility of giving. As I talked with her the tears came into her eyes. 'I want to tell you,' she said, 'that you are taking away the last thing that gives my life dignity and meaning.'"
[Gordon Cosby, cited in Context, January 15, 1980.]
Though poor and struggling herself, this woman's life is centered on the "rock" of humility and gratitude that is of God. She understands that the meaning of her life is found in the dignity of Gospel mercy, reconciliation and justice. She realizes that the values of selflessness and compassion that she instills in her children as a parent are as important as the food and clothing she struggles to provide them. Authentic faith is centered in the values of the heart, with an understanding of God's love for us and the irrepressible longing to respond to that love. The faithful disciple builds his/her "house" on the foundation of God's love and seeks to bring that love, with conviction, integrity and perseverance, into the lives of all who call that house their home and all who come to that house's table.
FOOD PANTRY
The item requested for the month of March is coffee, either regular or decaf. Donations may be left in the back of church. Thank you.
Good Perspective on things!
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
This story was sent to me in an email not too long ago, and I include it here because Lent is about change and growth. The strength to be like coffee comes from grace. We can’t do it alone, but God promises to be with us, especially in the difficult times. Let us all grow closer to God this Lent so we can be the best disciples possible.
May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!
Fr. Phil
Saturday, March 5, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #32
NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
March 6, 2011
Gospel Mt 7:21-27
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The first sentence of today’s Gospel is one that we should all tape to the mirrors in our bathrooms so we can see it every day. It is an admonishment to all those who think that they have it made, that there is no need for improvement, for those who are self righteous, and for those who are judgmental of others. It also seems to me that prophecy, driving our demons, and doing mighty deeds, by themselves, aren’t good enough for us to be saved.
Jesus attacks certain people who think that they are true disciples, but actually are false prophets. They are ones who profess belief, but do not practice the things they believe in. They are lax about the Church’s moral teachings: they don’t deny these teachings, but they ignore them. Included in this group are people who are antinomians: they believe that the moral law isn’t necessary because faith alone is necessary for salvation.
There are many groups of people like this today. I will comment on a few groups, but it is not an exhaustive list.
There are those who think that their religion is right and others are wrong, and that salvation comes only if you believe exactly like them. Jesus tells us that only those who do the will of the Father are saved. Does the will of the Father include being judgmental, exclusive, and prejudice? I don’t think so. What’s ironic is that more than one group thinks like that. Some (or all of them) are obviously wrong. There was a group like this who snuck into my seminary one day and left books in the chapel with the title, “Are Catholics really Christian?” We weren’t offended, but had a good laugh. Did they really think that they were going to convert catholic seminarians to their idea of faith? The Church teaches us to respect other people’s beliefs, and that no one can be forced to be catholic. To paraphrase Pope Benedict on his trip to the U.S. “We respect all people’s beliefs, but we propose Jesus Christ.”
There are those who want to be spiritual, but not religious. What a lot of nonsense. Can’t be done. Spirituality is the theoretical (or theological) aspect of our relationship to God and others. Being religious is the practical aspect. Religion helps us to live our faith in practice everyday in the real world. Spirituality tells us to love God and others; religion tells us how to do that. Those who try to separate these two things don’t want to pay the cost of discipleship. They want to decide about faith on their own without the help of anyone else (this is the easy way, but to no avail). Do you see role reversal here? Is doing the will of the Father telling God what faith is about, or is it letting God guide and direct us in the ways of faith? The latter, I believe.
There are those who we call ‘cafeteria’ Catholics, which means that they pick and choose what to believe. It is like going through a line at a cafeteria: you don’t take everything offered, just what looks good to you and you ignore the rest. There are those who will pray and go to church, but that’s it: they like that, so they ignore the rest (for the most part, anyway). There are others who like to help out their neighbors, but barely darken the door of the church (except occasionally, like major holidays). Being a person of faith means accepting the whole package. Our personality, gifts, and talents will lead us in a certain direction in serving God. We can emphasize our strengths while working on our faults. Following the will of the Father requires us to accept what our faith teaches us, whether we like it or not.
I could come up with more examples of the type of people Jesus is admonishing in the gospel, but I think you get what I mean.
What, then, does it mean to follow Jesus? I will give you a few ideas, especially since Lent is coming soon, but it is not an exhaustive list. I’m sure you could think of things to add to my list.
I think we all need to learn more about our faith. How can we follow Jesus if we don’t know what he taught? How can we be good Catholics if we don’t know what the church teaches? Can anyone name and explain one gospel parable? How many of you have ever read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or even have one? That is why programs such as WhyCatholic? are so important. They help to nurture and guide us as we try to grow in faith. I hope my internet bible study does the same. It has helped me tremendously in not only preparing for my homilies, but also to learn more about scripture and to grow in my own faith.
The gospel for Ash Wednesday lists the three traditional religious practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This is a good shortcut to use to examine ourselves to see where we need improvement.
PRAYER. We are all called to be people of prayer and sacraments. We are called to weekly mass and daily prayer. This is how we build our relationship with God. We would never build a relationship with another human being without spending time with them, talking to them, and doing things with them. It works the same with God. A weekly commitment to Mass is essential to our spiritual growth. Mass is the source and foundation of all we are as Catholics. We just can’t do without it; the same with daily prayer. We don’t need to spend a lot of time in prayer, no do we necessarily need formal prayers (although this is an option). We can take a few minutes several times a day in prayer: while driving, in the shower, doing household chores, and all those times during the day when we are doing mindless things.
FASTING. This is much broader than just abstaining from food. By fasting we mean giving something up, so we need to get rid anything that keeps us from God, such as greed, envy, prejudice, laziness, or any other sin you can think of. This category is not only giving up our sins, but increasing our virtue by doing better at loving, caring, being kind, forgiving more, and the like. Is there any area of your life that needs improvement.
ALMSGIVING. It is important to support the church and other charities financially, as well. This also signifies reaching out to others in need. Are we generous with our time, talent, and treasure? Can we improve any in this area?
Another way to examine ourselves and our spiritual life is to look at the commission we were given in our baptism to be priests, prophets, and kings and see how we measure up.
I’ve already mentioned prayer. Being a prophet is witnessing to our faith in word and deed. How often do we stand up for our faith when others are ridiculing it? How often do we take the opportunity to explain our faith to others? When co-workers are talking about moral issues at work, such as abortion or the death penalty, do we stand up for what our church teaches? We are all called to be kings like Jesus was a king, not to lord it over others or to tell them what to do, but to serve one another in humility and kindness without prejudice or exclusion.
I think it’s obvious now that the thread that runs through my comments is that faith is both prayer and action. It’s not an either/or, but a both/and. God has given us gifts and talents to use for the building up of the kingdom. Faith is not just my relationship with God, nor is it just my relationship with others, but it is both.
Jesus tells us to build our house on rock. Is it a coincidence that the name Peter means ‘rock’? Doesn’t Jesus tell Simon that “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16:18)?” When we build our lives on the teachings of Jesus and the church built on the rock called Peter, there is nothing or no one that will prevail against us. We won’t be shaken in difficult times. Our faith and our salvation will be strong and sure. If we choose to build our house on the sand of our own opinions, desires, and wants, we may be in for a big surprise.
One of the difficulties of our faith is that we call it a religion, which, too many people, means rules and regulations. We fall into the trap of wanting to know the rules and regulations we need to follow, so once we complete them, we can get on with our lives. A better way is to think of our faith is as a philosophy of life, which is something ingrained in us and affects every decision we make and everything we do. A good philosophy of life is a set of guiding principles that should lead us to a better life. We are more inclined to learn about our philosophy than our religion. And it will keep us from being one of those people Jesus condemns.
Fr. Phil
NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
March 6, 2011
Gospel Mt 7:21-27
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The first sentence of today’s Gospel is one that we should all tape to the mirrors in our bathrooms so we can see it every day. It is an admonishment to all those who think that they have it made, that there is no need for improvement, for those who are self righteous, and for those who are judgmental of others. It also seems to me that prophecy, driving our demons, and doing mighty deeds, by themselves, aren’t good enough for us to be saved.
Jesus attacks certain people who think that they are true disciples, but actually are false prophets. They are ones who profess belief, but do not practice the things they believe in. They are lax about the Church’s moral teachings: they don’t deny these teachings, but they ignore them. Included in this group are people who are antinomians: they believe that the moral law isn’t necessary because faith alone is necessary for salvation.
There are many groups of people like this today. I will comment on a few groups, but it is not an exhaustive list.
There are those who think that their religion is right and others are wrong, and that salvation comes only if you believe exactly like them. Jesus tells us that only those who do the will of the Father are saved. Does the will of the Father include being judgmental, exclusive, and prejudice? I don’t think so. What’s ironic is that more than one group thinks like that. Some (or all of them) are obviously wrong. There was a group like this who snuck into my seminary one day and left books in the chapel with the title, “Are Catholics really Christian?” We weren’t offended, but had a good laugh. Did they really think that they were going to convert catholic seminarians to their idea of faith? The Church teaches us to respect other people’s beliefs, and that no one can be forced to be catholic. To paraphrase Pope Benedict on his trip to the U.S. “We respect all people’s beliefs, but we propose Jesus Christ.”
There are those who want to be spiritual, but not religious. What a lot of nonsense. Can’t be done. Spirituality is the theoretical (or theological) aspect of our relationship to God and others. Being religious is the practical aspect. Religion helps us to live our faith in practice everyday in the real world. Spirituality tells us to love God and others; religion tells us how to do that. Those who try to separate these two things don’t want to pay the cost of discipleship. They want to decide about faith on their own without the help of anyone else (this is the easy way, but to no avail). Do you see role reversal here? Is doing the will of the Father telling God what faith is about, or is it letting God guide and direct us in the ways of faith? The latter, I believe.
There are those who we call ‘cafeteria’ Catholics, which means that they pick and choose what to believe. It is like going through a line at a cafeteria: you don’t take everything offered, just what looks good to you and you ignore the rest. There are those who will pray and go to church, but that’s it: they like that, so they ignore the rest (for the most part, anyway). There are others who like to help out their neighbors, but barely darken the door of the church (except occasionally, like major holidays). Being a person of faith means accepting the whole package. Our personality, gifts, and talents will lead us in a certain direction in serving God. We can emphasize our strengths while working on our faults. Following the will of the Father requires us to accept what our faith teaches us, whether we like it or not.
I could come up with more examples of the type of people Jesus is admonishing in the gospel, but I think you get what I mean.
What, then, does it mean to follow Jesus? I will give you a few ideas, especially since Lent is coming soon, but it is not an exhaustive list. I’m sure you could think of things to add to my list.
I think we all need to learn more about our faith. How can we follow Jesus if we don’t know what he taught? How can we be good Catholics if we don’t know what the church teaches? Can anyone name and explain one gospel parable? How many of you have ever read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or even have one? That is why programs such as WhyCatholic? are so important. They help to nurture and guide us as we try to grow in faith. I hope my internet bible study does the same. It has helped me tremendously in not only preparing for my homilies, but also to learn more about scripture and to grow in my own faith.
The gospel for Ash Wednesday lists the three traditional religious practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This is a good shortcut to use to examine ourselves to see where we need improvement.
PRAYER. We are all called to be people of prayer and sacraments. We are called to weekly mass and daily prayer. This is how we build our relationship with God. We would never build a relationship with another human being without spending time with them, talking to them, and doing things with them. It works the same with God. A weekly commitment to Mass is essential to our spiritual growth. Mass is the source and foundation of all we are as Catholics. We just can’t do without it; the same with daily prayer. We don’t need to spend a lot of time in prayer, no do we necessarily need formal prayers (although this is an option). We can take a few minutes several times a day in prayer: while driving, in the shower, doing household chores, and all those times during the day when we are doing mindless things.
FASTING. This is much broader than just abstaining from food. By fasting we mean giving something up, so we need to get rid anything that keeps us from God, such as greed, envy, prejudice, laziness, or any other sin you can think of. This category is not only giving up our sins, but increasing our virtue by doing better at loving, caring, being kind, forgiving more, and the like. Is there any area of your life that needs improvement.
ALMSGIVING. It is important to support the church and other charities financially, as well. This also signifies reaching out to others in need. Are we generous with our time, talent, and treasure? Can we improve any in this area?
Another way to examine ourselves and our spiritual life is to look at the commission we were given in our baptism to be priests, prophets, and kings and see how we measure up.
I’ve already mentioned prayer. Being a prophet is witnessing to our faith in word and deed. How often do we stand up for our faith when others are ridiculing it? How often do we take the opportunity to explain our faith to others? When co-workers are talking about moral issues at work, such as abortion or the death penalty, do we stand up for what our church teaches? We are all called to be kings like Jesus was a king, not to lord it over others or to tell them what to do, but to serve one another in humility and kindness without prejudice or exclusion.
I think it’s obvious now that the thread that runs through my comments is that faith is both prayer and action. It’s not an either/or, but a both/and. God has given us gifts and talents to use for the building up of the kingdom. Faith is not just my relationship with God, nor is it just my relationship with others, but it is both.
Jesus tells us to build our house on rock. Is it a coincidence that the name Peter means ‘rock’? Doesn’t Jesus tell Simon that “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16:18)?” When we build our lives on the teachings of Jesus and the church built on the rock called Peter, there is nothing or no one that will prevail against us. We won’t be shaken in difficult times. Our faith and our salvation will be strong and sure. If we choose to build our house on the sand of our own opinions, desires, and wants, we may be in for a big surprise.
One of the difficulties of our faith is that we call it a religion, which, too many people, means rules and regulations. We fall into the trap of wanting to know the rules and regulations we need to follow, so once we complete them, we can get on with our lives. A better way is to think of our faith is as a philosophy of life, which is something ingrained in us and affects every decision we make and everything we do. A good philosophy of life is a set of guiding principles that should lead us to a better life. We are more inclined to learn about our philosophy than our religion. And it will keep us from being one of those people Jesus condemns.
Fr. Phil
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