Prayers of the faithful - first Sunday of Advent - Cycle A - 1 December 2019

Penitential rite:

Entering this time of waiting in the holy season of Advent, let us remember God’s faithfulness as we call to mind our sins:

1. Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God’s kingdom: Lord, have mercy.

2. Christ Jesus, you come in word and sacrament to strengthen us in holiness: Christ, have mercy.

You will come in glory with salvation: Lord, have mercy.

Prayer intentions: 

Presider: As we begin our Advent journey this week, knowing that God is listening, let us offer our prayers.

1. That we in the United States and in all the countries of the world may reach out to those who are struggle and suffering in life.  

2. As we commemorate World AIDS day this week, that people suffering with HIV/AIDS may receive care and support. 

3. For all of our bishops, especially Bishop Kopacz, who will go on his AD LUMINA visit to Rome this week with the other Bishops of our region.  

4. For all places in the world experiencing war, terrorism, violence, or unrest, for peace, healing and reconciliation for them.  

5. For those who are suffering from depression or mental health issues this holiday season, that they receive the help they need and feel love and support from God and the community of the faithful.  

6. That Christians may be ready to meet Christ when he comes. 

7. For the sick and the shut-in, the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and those prayers we hold in our hearts. 

Presider; Loving God, you want what is best for your people, hear our prayers and help us in our needs.  We make these prayers through your son Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

Sacrament of Reconciliation - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi

Sunday - December 1, 2019 - 2:00 pm  -   Adoration and the Sacrament of Reconciliation - in the chapel

Monday - December 2, 2019 - 6:00 pm - Advent Reconciliation service - followed by dinner fundraiser by our youth to raise funds for the Diocesan youth Conference in February 

Please join us.

El Papa Francisco - examen de conciencia - trenta preguntas

Vamos a utilizar este examen de conciencia en el sacramento de reconciliación esta temporada de adviento.  

En relación a Dios

¿Solo me dirijo a Dios en caso de necesidad? 

¿Participo regularmente en la Misa los domingos y días de fiesta? ¿Comienzo y termino mi jornada con la oración? 

¿Blasfemo en vano el nombre de Dios, de la Virgen, de los santos? ¿Me he avergonzado de manifestarme como católico? 

¿Qué hago para crecer espiritualmente, cómo lo hago, cuándo lo hago? 

¿Me rebelo contra los designios de Dios? 

¿Pretendo que Él haga mi voluntad?

En relación al prójimo

¿Sé perdonar, tengo comprensión, ayudo a mi prójimo? 

¿Juzgo sin piedad tanto de pensamiento como con palabras? 

¿He calumniado, robado, despreciado a los humildes y a los indefensos? 

¿Soy envidioso, colérico, o parcial? 

¿Me avergüenzo de la carne de mis hermanos, me preocupo de los pobres y de los enfermos?

¿Soy honesto y justo con todos o alimento la cultura del descarte? ¿Incito a otros a hacer el mal? 

¿Observo la moral conyugal y familiar enseñada por el Evangelio? ¿Cómo cumplo mi responsabilidad de la educación de mis hijos? ¿Honro a mis padres? 

¿He rechazado la vida recién concebida? 

¿He colaborado a hacerlo? ¿Respeto el medio ambiente?

En relación a mí mismo

¿Soy un poco mundano y un poco creyente? 

¿Como, bebo, fumo o me divierto en exceso? 

¿Me preocupo demasiado de mi salud física, de mis bienes? 

¿Cómo utilizo mi tiempo? 

¿Soy perezoso? 

¿Me gusta ser servido? 

¿Amo y cultivo la pureza de corazón, de pensamientos, de acciones? ¿Nutro venganzas, alimento rencores? 

¿Soy misericordioso, humilde, y constructor de paz?

Sacramento de Reconciliación - temporada de adviento

Adviento - temporada de espera y preparación

Dos oportunidades para ir al sacramento de reconciliación - Parroquia de St Judas - Pearl, Mississippi 

1 de diciembre - domingo - 2:00 de la tarde - adoración del santísimo sacramento y reconciliación - en la capilla 

2 de diciembre - lunes - 6:00 de la tarde - sacramento de reconciliación y oraciones - en la iglesia 

Bienvenidos a todos - en español

words of challenge and comfort from South African poet Rushdy Siers - from Words in the House of Sound

The following epitaph is from a book I am reading by Scottish author Margaret Silf - from her book The Other Side of Chaos: Breaking Through When Life Is Breaking Down.  Rushdy Siers lived in a township in South Africa that was destroyed by governmental officials in the Apartheid era.  He and thousands of residents were forced out of their shanty town without a moment's notice.  They were moved to other land to fend for themselves - dislodged, confused, angry, and afraid.  Yet, in his words, he found hope in the situation.  

For us the world happened 
Between a mountain and a sea
Somehow we were dislodged 
Then we began to set ourselves free...

How do we deal with chaos and change in our lives.  Does it make us angry?  Do we push back?  Or do we see it as an opportunity for transformation, conversion, and renewal? 

Pilgrimage poem

This poem was posted on the Facebook page of the American pilgrims of the Camino.  I really love the spirit of this poem.  

For those who have far to travel 

Pilgrimage poem by Jan Richardson 

If you could see 

the whole journey

you might never

undertake it; 

might never dare

the first step

that propels you

from the place

you have known

toward the place

you know not. 

But…

take the vows 

the pilgrim takes

to be faithful 

to the next step;

to rely on more 

than the map;

to heed the signposts 

of intuition and 

dream; 

to follow the star

that only you 

will recognize.  

to keep an open eye

for the wonders that

attend the path to

press on 

beyond distractions

beyond fatigue

beyond that would 

tempt you 

from the way. 

2 December 2019 - Advent Reconciliation Service - Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19:1-10

     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 to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”  And he came down quickly and received him with joy.  When they all 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.”

Reflection 
     We have just celebrated our national holiday of Thanksgiving and we have just started the holy season of Advent, a season of preparation and waiting for the coming of the Lord.  We want to thank you all for coming to our Advent reconciliation service this evening at the start of our period of Advent. It is a great way to start this holy period of preparation.  

     Today, from Luke's Gospel, we hear the familiar story of Zacchaeus, a man who as chief tax collector probably did many bad things in his lifetime - including extortion, deception, fraud. and corruption. He probably had hurt many people in the process. But something called Zacchaeus to Jesus.  Something stirred in his heart and began to work in his soul.  Whatever the reason, Zacchaeus had a change of heart and had a conversion in his life.  He repented and offered amends for his sins.  We can tell from the way he responds to Jesus in the Gospel today, Zacchaeus wants this change of heart to be a permanent part of his life.   

      Living our lives as disciples of Christ it is a long process.  It is a lifelong process.  It is not something that we commit to just for the short-term.  We can go through terrible struggles really difficult periods in our lives, can’t we, when we feel like change would be impossible.  I love this story of Zacchaeus that we hear today.  His repentance and change of heart shows us that God calls us to repentance, to prayer, and to hope even when things may look bleak, even when we are entangled in our sins.  In the midst of our sins and of the darkness we experience in our lives, Jesus is there to provide us light.  May our image of Zacchaeus and the obstacles that he overcame in his life bring us hope and call us to repentance.  God welcomes us to the sacrament of reconciliation tonight.  He invites us to repentance and conversion in this sacrament of healing. If you would please stand for our examination of conscience. 

6 December 2019 – Friday of the 1st week in Advent – Isaiah 29:17-24; Matthew 9:27-31

    This first week of Advent, in our first readings, we hear fro different chapters from the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah is a great Advent prophet whose message prepares us for the coming of the Lord.  Today, we hear of Isaiah’s vision of what life will be like when God triumphs.   At that time, the deaf will be able to hear the beautiful words that are read out of a book and the blind who had been in darkness will now be able to see.  At that time, the lowly and the poor shall rejoice in the Lord, while the arrogant and the tyrannical will be banished. In our faith, we see Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies.  

      In the Gospel, two blind men regain their sight after asking Jesus to have pity on them.  Jesus heals them as a result of their belief in him, as a result of their faith.  The men not only regain their sight, but more importantly, they see through the lens of faith as they spread the word of Jesus throughout the land.  We are to see through that same lens of faith, to witness to the wonders of Jesus throughout the land.  

      Today, we also celebrate St Nicholas, a great Advent saint.  Nicholas is honored in both the Eastern and Western Churches.  He was a Bishop in Turkey during the 4th Century. A legend is passed down about Bishop Nicholas having given three bags of gold to a poor man who needed to provide for dowries for his three daughters.  This legend has influenced that way we give gifts at Christmas time and has connected Nicholas to the season of Advent and Christmas.  There is another legend about how Nicholas punched the heretic Arius in the face during the Council of Nicea.  It is funny how we humans can create a legend out of the facts. Our Advent journey is a rich one indeed, full of different stories, traditions, and legends.  May our Advent journey and the examples of faith we have to lead us and guide us help us in preparing for the coming of the Lord. 

5 December 2019 – Thursday of the 1st week of Advent – Isaiah 26:1-6

    Isaiah is a prophet whom we hear from very often in the season of Advent. His message helps prepares us for the coming of the Lord.   Today, Isaiah speaks about a lofty city that is brought down by the Lord, a city that ignores justice and the cries of the poor.  The Lord turns the city into dust. The dust, in turn, is trampled down by the footsteps of the poor, the oppressed, and the downtrodden. The Lord humbles the haughty and the rich in this reading.  

     This message contained in Isaiah is essential to Catholic social teaching. Even so, I believe that we as a nation and we as Christians often struggle with the question: What does it mean to hear the cry of the poor?  How does God want us to respond? How do we truly help.  In my ministry as a lay missionary, I worked full-time at a soup kitchen and a food bank in Winnipeg, Canada where I had a lot of first hand interaction with the homeless, street people, prostitutes, and drug addicts.  I left that experience with more questions than answers. Many of us want to help, but we are not sure how.  And after living in several communities in the Mississippi Delta since I came to Mississippi as a public high school teacher, I often see our social welfare system hurting people and teaching them the wrong values rather than helping them.  Even though it’s not easy to struggle with the poor an to journey with them, it is something with are called to do.  We don’t have to look overseas or the large urban areas of our country to hear the cry of the poor.  The poor are right here in our own community? 

      How are we responding to the poor in our midst?  How are we creating a just society?  Or, are we a lofty city that will be taken down by the Lord? 

Bendición de la corona del adviento - primer domingo de adviento - 1 de diciembre de 2019

Oremos: 

Señor Dios, bendice con tu poder
nuestra corona de adviento 
para que, al encenderla, 
despierte en nosotros el deseo 
de esperar la venida de Cristo 
practicando las buenas obras, 
y para que así, cuando Él llegue, 
seamos admitidos al Reino de los Cielos.

Encendemos, Señor, esta luz
de la primera vela de la corona de adviento. 
En esta primer semana de Adviento 
queremos levantarnos para esperarte preparados, 
para recibirte con alegría
cuando el niño divino nace en el pesebre de Belén. 
Por Jesucristo - nuestro Señor.  AMEN.  

1 de diciembre de 2019 - primer domingo de adviento - Isaías 2:1-5, Mateo 24:37-44

       El profeta Isaías tiene una visión de todas las naciones reunidas en el monte Sión.  Isaías espera que un día el pacto entre Dios y su pueblo Israel se extenderá a todas las naciones del mundo. En esta visión, todos los pueblos vivirán en la paz y el armonía con Dios y entre sus semejantes.  En la época que Isaías tuvo - ocho siglos antes del nacimiento de Cristo -  el pueblo judío se dividió entre el reino del norte de Israel y el reino del sur de Judá. Israel ya estaba bajo el dominio de los asirios, un poder extranjero, mientras que Judá en el norte y su capital Jerusalén estaban en peligro de su enemigo Babilonia, otro poder extranjero.  En esta visión de la paz que Isaías tiene, el Señor mediará las disputas entre las naciones y las naciones golpean sus espadas en arados.  Según Isaías, esta visión de la salvación se ofrecerá a todas las naciones -no sólo a los judíos- es una visión radical para los judíos de la época de Isaías y la época de Jesucristo también. Es una visión de salvación muy amplia. En nuestro mundo moderno y en nuestra sociedad, esta visión de paz y armonía es radical también.  En su poema "Evidencia", la poeta María Oliver nos desafía: "Guarda algo en tu corazón por lo inimaginable." Sí, es cierto, los límites son importantes para nosotros en nuestro camino, pero También es importante para nosotros como discípulos de Cristo para soñar lo inimaginable, como el Hijo de Dios que vendrá al mundo como un bebé en ese humilde pesebre en Belén en la mañana de Navidad.

     El salmo dice hoy: “Vayamos con alegría al encuentro del Señor.”  Los peregrinos judíos cantaban este himno cuando viajaban en su peregrinación a Jerusalén, la ciudad de su templo sagrado, el hogar de Dios aquí en la tierra. Mientras cantamos esas palabras hoy en nuestro salmo, cuando comenzamos nuestras preparaciones en este primer domingo de adviento, estamos llamados a mirar ansiosamente hacia la Navidad, la fiesta de la celebración de Dios encarnado con nosotros, la celebración del nacimiento de nuestro Señor.  

      Nuestra vida es complicada, por supuesto. Complicada y llena de muchas cosas.  Pero como dice Jesucristo en este primer domingo de nuestro camino de adviento, necesitamos estar siempre alerta en medio de nuestra vida muy complicada, listos para la vida eterna, listos para el día cuando Jesús volverá.  En el Evangelio, el hombre que trabaja en el campo y la mujer que trabaja en el molino no subirán con Cristo a la vida eterna, porque no dejarán el trabajo.  Es cierto que el trabajo y muchas otras cosas que ocupan nuestras vidas son importantes.  Necesitamos sobrevivir y contribuir a la sociedad, pero hay algo más importante que todo eso: la venida del Hijo del Hombre.  Dios volverá de improviso. Necesitamos estar preparados para él en todo momento. Estamos en medio de nuestra temporada de adviento y navidad.  Estamos ocupados en muchas cosas. No importa que estamos ocupados con muchas cosas, nuestro trabajo esta temporada de adviento es mantener nuestra vida diaria centrada en Cristo.

Prayers of the Faithful - General Intercessions - Thanksgiving Day - 28 November 2019

Penitential Rite: 

Lord Jesus - you call us to have thankful heart - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you join us in giving thanks to our Heavenly Father - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus -  you bring us new life - Lord have mercy.  

Priest:  With grateful hearts and with confidence in God’s care and mercy, we place our prayers before him this Thanksgiving morning:

1. In gratitude for God’s loving care, we pray that he that he will guide our Holy Father, Pope Francis, our Bishop, Joseph Kopacz, and all of our Church leaders. 

2. In gratitude for our nation and our state, we pray God’s help for President Trump, Governor Phil Bryant, and all our national, state and local elected officials. 

3. In gratitude for our family and friends, we pray God’s blessing upon them today – especially those most in need of God’s assistance at this moment. 

4. In gratitude for the gifts of health and material blessings, we pray for those who do not have these gifts, that God may aid them and that we might mutually support one another. 

5. In gratitude for the faithful departed and for our loved ones who have gone before us, that God might grant them eternal life in his presence. 

6. In gratitude for those who keep us safe: our first responders and the men and women in the military, especially those who are not able to spend Thanksgiving with their families. May the Lord lead them and guide them in their service.  

7. In thanksgiving for the missionaries who bring God’s word both near and far, may the Lord inspire them in their ministry.  

8. Por los inmigrantes, por sus desafíos y sus luchas.  

9. In the silence of our hearts, we present our personal prayer petitions.  

Celebrant: Escucha nuestras oraciones en este día de Acción de Gracias. Hear our prayers, loving Father, on this Thanksgiving Day. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  Amen.

1 December 2019 - 1st Sunday in Advent – Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:37-44

    Today is the 1st Sunday of Advent and the start of our new liturgical year.  In many ways, the meaning of Advent is very different from message we receive from our secular society this time of year.  We’ve just celebrated our bountiful Thanksgiving feast; many started their Christmas shopping on “Black Friday;” many are already putting up their Christmas decorations and listening to Christmas carols. In our secular world, the message is of celebrating, eating, shopping, and putting up joyful decorations.  However, in our Catholic faith, Advent is all about preparation and waiting and getting ready.  As a priest, a big part of Advent for me is going to different parishes and being a part of the Advent reconciliation services, helping the faithful prepare during this Holy season for the coming of our Lord.   

      Perhaps the Gospel we hear today is not what we expect for the 1st Sunday of Advent.  We don’t hear a story about Mary or Joseph or Elizabeth getting us ready for the coming of Jesus, but instead hear a message from Jesus himself from one of the last chapters in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus tells us how the people of Noah’s day were not preparing for what was to come, but, instead they were eating, drinking and having parties.  Up to the time of Noah and the great flood, most of the people of Israel didn’t realize what was happening. Jesus recalls this event to alert us to stay awake and to be prepared. What a great message we have today on this 1st Sunday of Advent. Paul brings us a similar message from his letter to the Romans.  Paul announces that it is the hour to awaken from our sleep, to throw off the works of darkness, and to put on armor of light.  According to Paul, as baptized Christians, we should not complacently go through the mere motions of our faith; instead, we are called to live out our baptismal promises with joy, enthusiasm, and energy.

      We prepare for the coming of Jesus with respect to the past, the present, and the future in our Advent preparations.  During these holy days of Advent, we recognize how Jesus was present to us in the past, how he arrived in the manager in Bethlehem as the Word of God made flesh to dwell among us.  We also recognize Jesus' presence with us in the present day, how he lives in our hearts and in the Body of Christ, the Church, still present here on earth.  In addition, in Advent, we place our hope in the future, when Jesus will come again, when the fullness of God’s kingdom will come to fruition.     

       Today, the one word I would use to characterize this first Sunday of Advent is “hope.”  We put our hope in the promise that Jesus gives us in the Gospel today, the promise that he will come again. While we look forward to our Christmas celebrations to come, to brightly wrapped presents under a Christmas tree, to celebrations with family and friends, to good food and good fellowship, and to time away from work and school, that is not to be our primary focus. We focus on Christ – on his coming into the world as a baby into a humble manager, as he enters our hearts to bring renewal and gladness.  This Monday, we have the Advent Reconciliation service at 6:00 pm here at St Jude.  This Sacrament is a wonderful way to start our preparations for the Advent season, of turning our hearts to God in this special encounter with him.  We will have several priests here to hear confessions.  We would like to have a wonderful showing of children, youth, and adults to kick off our Advent season with this very meaningful sacrament. Also, this Sunday afternoon, after our Spanish mass concludes as 2:00 pm, we will also have adoration of the blessed sacrament and reconciliation in both Spanish and English as well.                           

         We wait and hope during Advent.  We do so actively and with purpose, as our hope is in our Lord, our Savior and Redeemer. May this holy time of preparation during the next 4 weeks of Advent help us on our journey of faith. May it challenge us in the ways we live out our faith. May it provide us a time of renewal and recommitment in the faith we profess. 

Blessing of the Advent wreath during Mass - the first Sunday of Advent - 1 December 2019

Let us pray: 

Lord our God,

we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ:

he is Emmanuel, the hope of all people,

he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us,

he is the Savior of every nation.

Lord God,

let your blessing come upon us

as we bless our Advent wreath

for the First Sunday of Advent

and as we light the first candle on our wreath.

May this wreath and its light

be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring salvation.

May he come quickly and not delay.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Source: adapted from a blessing on the USCCB website.  

Thanksgiving week mass schedule - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi - November 25 - 29 2019

Tuesday - 26 November 2019 - 6:00 pm mass

Wednesday - 27 November 2019 - 6:00 pm mass

Thursday - 28 November 2019 - 9:00 am mass

Friday - 29 November 2019 - no mass 

Blessings to all of you.  Happy Thanksgiving. 

Prayers of the faithful - Feast of Christ the King - 24 November 2019

Penitential rite: As we are about to enter this time of preparation and waiting, let us remember God’s faithfulness as we call to mind our sins:

1. Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God’s kingdom: Lord, have mercy.

2. Christ Jesus, You come in word and sacrament to strengthen us in holiness: Christ, have mercy.

3. Lord Jesus: You will come in glory with salvation: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: Knowing that God is listening, let us make our prayers known to him:

1. We pray that every country may look after the poor, the abandoned, and the forgotten, especially those who are suffering. 

2. We pray that those we are suffering from illnesses of mind, body, and spirit receive the support and care that they need. 

3. We pray that those who live in countries who are torn apart by war, terrorism, and violence, find courage in their faith.  

4. We pray that Christians may be ready to meet Christ when he comes.

5. We pray that people who are under stress and strain during the holiday season may find peace. 

6. During this month of remembrance, we pray for all who have died, especially our deceased family and friends who have died, that eternal rest may be theirs. 

Priest: Loving God, you want what is best for your people, hear our prayers and help us in our needs, through Christ our Lord for ever and ever. 

Prayers of the faithful - feast of the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple - 21 November 2019

Penitential Rite: 

Lord Jesus - you were born of the Virgin Mary - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you are our Good Shepherd - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you guide us on our journey of faith - Lord have mercy.  

Prayers of the faithful:

Priest:  Let us join our prayers with the prayers of the Blessed Mother Mary as we present our petitions to God: 

Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.

1. May all Christians follow Mary's example of humility and service, especially those who are positions of Church leadership.  

2. For the Church reflected in Mary, that we may faithfully bring forth Jesus in our world. 

3. May all the nations of the world experience justice, wholeness, healing and peace.  

4. For the sick, the poor, the persecuted and the abandoned, that they may be consoled by our Mother's powerful protection.

5. For all the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, especially our deceased family members and loved ones and the souls in purgatory.  

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts.  

Priest: Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hear the prayers of your people, gathered to honor the most holy Mother of your Son, our Savior, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

28 November 2019 - Thursday of the 34th week in ordinary Time - Thanksgiving - Luke 17:11-19

    “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”  We hear this Gospel each year on Thanksgiving day, of how Jesus notes the way that only one of the lepers gives thanks to God for having been healed.  Gratitude and giving thanks are important to the Gospel message.  Thus, our celebration of our national holiday of Thanksgiving gives is a wonderful opportunity to look at this facet of our faith.  

In a society where giving thanks and being grateful are not common anymore, perhaps we struggle in various ways with gratitude.  Could be ever be grateful enough in our lives of faith?  Perhaps it is only in the recognition of God and his presence in our lives that will be able to feel and show this gratitude.  If we are going through struggles and a crisis in our lives, it perhaps to easy to focus on that.  In addition, in a society where revenge, vengeance, anger, and saving face seem to take precedence, perhaps giving thanks and being grateful are frowned upon or even seen as signs of weakness.  

Yes, we all have our crosses to bear, but God calls us to look beyond our crosses, our burdens, and our struggles to see how his grace and mercy are still present in our lives.  Unless we recognize his love and grace in our lives, how can we authentically give thanks? 

As we celebrate Mass on Thanksgiving morning, let us give thanks for God’s blessings in our lives.  Let us give thanks for his mercy and for the opportunities we have to embody God’s mercy for others.  For sure, at times, we can all be like those nine lepers who did not return to give thanks.  In our humility today, in our love of God, let us give thanks as individuals, as families, as a community of faith, and as a nation.  

27 November 2019 – Wednesday of 34th week in ordinary time – Luke 21:12-19

     Today's Gospel is a continuation of yesterday’s Gospel in which we heard Jesus warning about the end times to come.  This was written in Luke’s Gospel at a time of great persecutions in the Early Church.  Today’s message can be very disturbing, since it foretells that those who follow Jesus will be despised and subjected to many trials and tribulations all because of their faith.  It warns that even those closest family members and loved ones will turn against us. Living as disciples of Christ does not promise us the easiest journey through life here on earth.  If we read the messages of the end times that are contained in Scripture, it can be quite a disconcerting message, especially in the way our Evangelical Christian brothers and sisters interpret that message. I don’t think this message is meant to provide us with all the answers, to when the end times are coming. Instead, we are called to pray for and to reach out to those fellow believers who are persecuted or discriminated against for their faith. We are to think about what it really means to live out a life of discipleship, to be willing to speak out from the perspective of faith in an increasingly secular world that can be particularly hostile to the message we bring. From today’s Gospel, may we feel encouragement from the message Jesus give to us, empowering us to live out our faith and to bring our message to the world.

26 November 2019 – Tuesday of 34th week in Ordinary Time – Luke 21:5-11

     I read an article on the internet about a dispute over which is the tallest building in the United States that took place some years ago.  That distinction was held by a building in Chicago that most of us have known as the Sears Tower, but it is now called the Willis Tower.  However, the New World Trade Center in New York was hoping to capture that honor.  A committee of expert architects had to decide if the tower on top of the New World Trade Center was an actual part of the building, or if it should be considered as a part that was added onto the building structure, sort of like a radio antenna.  The committee in architects ruled in favor of the New World Trade Center.  There is always a lot of pride and bragging rights for a city to claim the tallest building in the country.  We try to build bigger and better and taller structures, but ultimately they will be like the Temple in Jerusalem – doomed to fall and doomed to be destroyed.  The one eternal aspect of our lives here on earth is our faith.   Our faith can last until eternity if we foster it and nurture it and let it grow and develop.   Life will challenge us in many different ways, but our faith will get us through.  May we cling to that hope, may we endure in our faith.

24 de noviembre de 2019 – La solemnidad de Jesucristo, el Rey del Universo - Lucas 23: 35-43

      Tenemos mas de un mes para terminar el año de 2019 y para celebrar el año nuevo.  En 30 día, el 24 de diciembre, celebramos la Noche Buena y el nacimiento de Nuestro Señor.  Sin embargo, hoy celebramos el ultimo domingo del año litúrgico: la solemnidad de Jesucristo, el Rey del Universo.

     Cuando penamos en los reyes y en sus reinos, seguramente, pensamos en los reyes que existen en nuestro mundo.  Aquí en la tierra, un rey es alguien quien tiene un imperio inmenso, con muchas riquezas, con un gran ejercito y con mucho poder.  Mucha gente en los Estado Unidos tiene mucho interés en la historia.  Me gusta aprender sobre la historia de la Inglaterra, con el Rey Enrique el Octavo del siglo XVI, con sus seis esposas y con muchas polémicas en su reino.  Como cristianos, sabemos que Cristo, el Rey del universo y nuestro Señor, es muy diferente de los reyes terrenales, que su reino es muy diferente también. 

     Hoy, el Evangelio de San Lucas viene de la narración de la pasión  de Cristo.  En esta narración, sabemos que Cristo no está aquí como los reyes terrenales o los presidentes o los gobernantes.  El vino con otro tipo de reino – un orden muy diferente para los seres humanos.  Este reino nuevo viene para darnos vida nueva, esperanza nueva, y un sentido de la gracia de Dios que tenemos ahora en nuestra vida de fe.  Este mensaje no es nuevo.  Los Evangelios de la Buena Nueva de Cristo en la Biblia habla mucho de las enseñanzas de Jesucristo sobre el Reino de Dios. 

     En el Evangelio de hoy, muchas personas se burlan de Cristo, su reino y sus valores.  Los gobernantes se burla de Jesús colocado en la cruz.  Los soldados son ignorantes del significado de Cristo y su reino.   Ellos dicen que Jesús necesita salvarse a si mismo si tiene tanto poder.  Sobre la cabeza de Jesucristo había una inscripción: “Este es el rey de los judíos”.  No era un honor, pero un insulto sarcástico.  Pero, uno de los malhechores crucificados, “el buen ladrón,” entiende la identidad de Cristo y la realidad de su reino.  El buen ladrón muestra su compasión y su amabilidad a Cristo, pero con un reconocimiento de su proprio mala conducta, y el poder de Cristo de salvar. El buen ladrón quiere otra oportunidad – quiere entrar al reino de Dios.   

      Los judíos crucificaron a Cristo en la cruz por su mensaje, por el orden nuevo que proclamó sobre el reino de Dios.   Jesús desafió el orden que existe en los reino terrenales, que existe en los sistemas de poder y fuerza.  Lo hizo sin afirmar el poder de él mismo, pero con una declaración del reino de Dios – un reino de paz, amor y misericordia.  Cristo no quiso buscar la venganza por su muerte sobre la cruz.  Al contrario, él quiso traer la gracia de Dios, el perdón, y la salvación al mundo.  Con su reino, Cristo nos da una oportunidad nueva, un vida nueva, una chance nueva.  Aunque en las aguas de nuestro bautismo, en la vida nueva que tenemos, todavía necesitamos viajar en el camino de la conversión y la renovación, para buscar el perdón, la paz, y la reconciliación en nuestras relaciones con Dios y con nuestros hermanos.  ¿Dónde existe la oscuridad en nuestra vida que necesita entrar a la luz del reino de Dios? 

En verdad, Cristo es el Rey del Universo.  Él reina en su reino nuevo.  Él nos ofrece la entrada a este reino.  Pero, debemos dar el reino de Dios una realidad en nuestra vida.  En nuestro camino como discípulos de Cristo, ¿como podemos invitar al reino de Dios en nuestro camino diario? 

Bulletin reflection - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi - 24 November 2019

     This past week, we had our Mass of Remembrance at St Jude, remembering those loved ones from our parish family who had passed away throughout this past year.  As the names were read at the Mass, I recalled the funerals that I had as a priest for those deceased loved ones during this past year.  Remembering is a big part of our faith.  We remember the faithful departed, including the souls in purgatory, in our prayers in a special way during the month of November.  We remember the community of saints and those who passed down the faith to us in so many ways.  The Mass we celebrate each time we gather around the altar of the Lord is an act of remembrance.  In the Eucharist and in its consecration, our community remembers the first Eucharist and the Last Supper that Jesus celebrated with his disciples.  As a priest, I remember those who helped me discern my vocation to the priested, those who taught me in formation and seminary, those who have taught me about the faith through their words and actions.  

       Besides the act of remembering, what also stands out to me in this month of November is the importance of giving thanks as we celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving this upcoming week.  In the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola that I experienced in my retreat in Spain last summer, the act of giving thanks was emphasized as an essential component of living out our Catholic faith. In fact, according the St Ignatius, ingratitude is the worst kind of sin. Unfortunately, we seem to live in a society were giving gratitude and thanks is not the norm anymore.  Perhaps we can have a sense of entitlement to something and not feel that we need to show thanks.  But in our faith, giving thanks is central.  The word “eucharist” actually means "thanksgiving." In the holy Eucharist, we receive the sacrament of our salvation that Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross. We participate in Christ’s sacrifice of praise to the Father, giving thanks for the work of creation. Through Christ, the Church offers this sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for what God has made good and beautiful both in humanity and in all of creation.   

       In our busy world, so many things can draw our attention and occupy our time.  Let us pause this week to remember and to give thanks. 

20 November 2019 - Wednesday of 33rd week in Ordinary Time - 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31, Luke 19:11-28

In our readings today, we hear about two different kings.  In the 7th chapter of 2nd Maccabees, which we also heard from the Sunday before last, we hear about a mother and her sons who refuse to be loyal to the king of their earthly kingdom and worship his false idols if that means that they are loyal to God, the eternal king. The mother and her sons would rather suffer greatly or be put to death instead of worshipping a false king or a false god. In the Gospel, a king that travels to a foreign land trusts the loyalty of those he leaves behind in positions of power.  At the end of this parable, the king slays those he sees as his enemies.  
In this two stories we hear today, we might ask ourselves: Where do we place our loyalties?  Who is ultimately in charge of our lives? Where do we turn for guidance and direction?  We can turn to God and the values of our faith, or we can deny our faith and follow the ways of the world.  Jesus can be the center of our lives, or we can put our loyalty elsewhere.  It is not enough to be passive.  It is not enough to be ambivalent or to give up.  We give all to Christ.  Or what we give is not enough.  

#iGiveCatholic Campaign - St Jude - Pearl Mississippi

This year, in our #iGiveCatholic campaign, St Jude Catholic Church of Pearl, Mississippi is raising funds for several needs at our parish.  First, we need to replace the fence around to parish house.  Secondly,  we need a new storage shed for the Knights of Columbus to store the many things they use for parish events.  Also, we are raising funds to finish the restoration of our stained glass windows.  In addition, any funds you would like to contribute to the purchase of the new parish rectory would be very appreciated. The total amount we are hoping to raise is $16,000.   We thank you for your willingness to support our St Jude - Pearl #iGiveCatholic campaign.