9 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time CYCLE A - PRISON MINISTRY

Priest or Deacon: Penitential Rite 

Lord Jesus, you calm the storms of our turbulent lives. 

Christ Jesus, you save us when we are fearful and weak. 

Lord Jesus, you lift us up when we call out to you. 

Priest: The Lord invites us to come to him and not to be afraid. With faith and hope, let us draw near to God in prayer:

 1. That in the midst of the storms of uncertain times, we may put our faith in Jesus to lift us up. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For our Church leaders and our governmental leaders. May the Lord grant them wisdom in the important decisions they make. We pray to the Lord. 

 3. For those affected by natural disasters and by the hot summer weather. That the Lord lead them to relief and recovery. We pray to the Lord. 

 4. For those discerning important decisions in life. May they set aside their fears and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

 5. For those who are ill or injured or afflicted. May the the Lord stretch out his hand to them and grant them healing. We pray for those at CMCF in the BMU program and in the infirmary. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For all who have died, especially our loved ones and family members. For their entry into eternal life. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our children. May the Lord accompany them in their studies and their school activities. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For first responders, the men and women in the military, veterans, and medical professionals. We pray to the Lord. 

9. For the prayers we hold in the silent of our hearts. For those who have asked for us to pray for them. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest:  Heavenly Father, when our lives are being tossed about by the waves of crisis, loss, and uncertainty, may we hear you calling us to step out in faith. May we respond with courage and conviction. We make our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.  

 

9 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction: We gather as a community of faith today. Our readings today show us how we can find God in the midst of the turbulence and storms of life. Jesus walks on the water and asks Peter to step out in faith. We are called to keep our focus on Jesus and our faith with whatever trials and struggles we are going through in life. May the message we receive at Mass today bring us hope and encouragement. 

Priest or Deacon: Penitential Rite 

Lord Jesus, you calm the storms of our turbulent lives. 

Christ Jesus, you save us when we are fearful and weak. 

Lord Jesus, you lift us up when we call out to you. 

Priest: The Lord invites us to come to him and not to be afraid. With faith and hope, let us draw near to God in prayer:

 1. That in the midst of the storms of uncertain times, we in the Catholic Church may put our complete faith in Jesus to lift us up above the waves of life. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For our Church leaders and our governmental leaders. May the Lord grant them wisdom in their leadership and in the important decisions they have to make. We pray to the Lord. 

 3. For those affected by natural disasters and by the hot summer weather. That the Lord lead them in relief and recovery. We pray to the Lord. 

 4. For those discerning important decisions in life. May they set aside their fears and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

 5. For those who are ill or injured or afflicted. May the the Lord stretch out his hand to them and grant them healing. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For all who have died. For the repose of their souls. For their entry into eternal life. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our children, youth, and college students. May the Lord accompany them in their studies and their school activities. 

8. For our first responders, the men and women in the military, veterans, and our medical professionals. We pray to the Lord. 

9. For the prayer we hold in the silent of our hearts. For those who have asked for us to pray for them. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest:  Heavenly Father, when our lives are being tossed about by the waves of crisis, loss, and uncertainty, may we hear you calling us to step out in faith. May we respond with courage and conviction. We make our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.  

9 August 2026 - reflection for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

You all know how much I love learning about the saints. This weekend on August 9, we celebrate Edith Stein, a Jewish woman who converted to Catholicism and who became a Carmelite nun. She was arrested for her Jewish background in World War II and was put to death in a concentration camp. Then on Friday of this upcoming week we will celebrate St Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan who ran a publishing house at his monastery and who also was put to death in a concentration camp. This two martyrs call out to us as examples of faith and service. May we give thanks to the community of saints who accompany on our journey with their prayers and their intercessions. Have a blessed week everyone. Father Lincoln. 

7 August 2026 - homily for Friday of the 18th week in Ordinary Time - Pope Sixtus II - Matthew 16:24-28

Pope Sixtus II was elected Pope in the year 257. We do not know a lot about him, but most Church historians believe that he originally came from Greece. He served during the reign of the Roman Emperor Valerian, who was very tolerant when he first came to power. However, Valerian later issued an edict that outlawed Christian worship and that directed that bishops, priests, and deacons be arrested. In the year 258, Sixtus and six deacons were put to death. He was buried in the Crypt of the Popes, within the Catacombs of Callixtus located on the Appian Way in Rome. Although we do not know much more about him, we know that he is a saint and among the early martyrs of our Church who also fought to unite the Church, to treat sinners with mercy, and to hold firm to the teachings handed down to us from the Apostles. As we honor this courageous saint and martyr today, we pray that all of us be able to give witness to Christ by our fidelity to him. 

In our Gospel from Matthew today, Jesus tells us that whoever wishes to come after him must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow him. We see this being lived out in the lives of a lot of the saints and martyrs that we honor and recognize. May we unite the crosses that we carry in life with the crosses that the saints and martyrs carried and with Jesus’ own journey to the cross. 

7 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 18th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Christ Jesus - you are a light shining in the world. 

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father. 

Priest: With faith and hope, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For our Church leaders. For wisdom and strength. 

2. For peace in the world, especially in our communities here in the United States, in the Middle East and Ukraine. 

3. For all who are needy or lonely or suffering. For healing and wholeness. 

4. For our loved ones and those who support us in prayer. 

5. For all the faithful departed and for all who have died recently;

6. For the spiritual and physical well-being of all our parishioners and loved ones. 

7. For our children and youth and college students. May God bless them in their students and in their school activities. For our parents and teachers. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: We present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

6 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the feast of the transfiguration

Lord Jesus - your dominion is everlasting. 

Christ Jesus - you receive honor and glory from God the Father. 

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son.  

Priest: .  As we present our prayers today, let us envision a transfigured world where God’s love and mercy reigns: 

1. That our love of God and love of neighbor help transform the world.  

2. For those who are hungry, especially in those parts of the world where growing food is difficult.

3. That our hearts may be transfigured to welcome and value the stranger and the visitor.  

4. For our faith community, that we may be a home for those who wish to transform their lives, finding meaning in faith, hope, and love. 

5. That weapons of war may be beaten into plowshares so that violence may be transformed into bountifulness. 

6. In thanksgiving for our first responders, our veterans, the men and women currently serving in the military, and our medical professionals. 

7. For the repose of the souls of our deceased friends, family members, and community members. For their entry into eternal life. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  

Priest: Heavenly Father, help us listen to your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, so that we may transform our lives. Grant this and all our prayers through your transfigured Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

6 August 2026 - Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration - Matthew 17:1-9

Just prior to the Transfiguration event, Jesus began to reveal to his beloved group of disciples that he would suffer greatly, be rejected by the elders of the community, be killed, and then would rise from the dead on the third day. What Jesus revealed to the disciples caused much fear in them as they struggled to understand the meaning of these words. We can see the transfiguration event as helping these disciples come to terms with Jesus’ journey to the cross, to his death and resurrection. 

What happened in the Transfiguration can be seen as an act of mercy. The disciples had never seen anything like it before. That event helped them accept the difficult truths that Jesus was trying to teach them about his journey to the cross. The disciples realized that if God the Father gave witness to his son, then everything that Jesus told them could be seen as trustworthy. 

Although we ourselves did not experience the Transfiguration event in-person like those Apostles did on the mountaintop, we must choose to believe the truth that was communicated in that event, that this is God’s beloved son and that we are to listen to him. Those words were not only spoken to the original group of disciples. They are also spoken for our benefit as well. 

Our transfigured Lord is glorious beyond what we human beings can imagine or comprehend. As Jesus revealed a small glimpse of his glory to his disciples to help them trust him more fully, may we pray that we may trust our Lord more completely, knowing that all Jesus has spoken to us is true. May we approach the Lord today with all our hearts with any apprehensions or doubts that we may have. May nothing keep us from our relationship with our Lord. 

5 August - homily for the memorial of the dedication of the St Mary Major Basilica - homily for Wednesday of the 18th week in Ordinary Time Year II - Jeremiah 31:1-7

Today, we celebrate the dedication of the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, one of the four major basilicas in the holy city. It might seem strange that we dedicate an important feast day in our Church to a building, especially since the emphasis after the Second Vatican Council has been about how the Church is more than a building, how the people themselves are the Church, the Body of Christ. Yet, this basilica is an important center of worship of our faith. This basilica is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The original basilica dates back to the 4th century, with the current building dating from the 5th century, right after the Council of Ephesus declared Mary to be the “Theotokos,” the God bearer, the Mother of God. My first assignment as pastor was at St Mary Catholic Church in Yazoo City, a parish that was founded prior to the Civil War and that had a beautiful church building built in 1907, so I feel a deep emotional connection to the feast we celebrate today. 

The prophet Jeremiah delivers a message from God today: “With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you.” God tells the people he will restore them, that they will be rebuilt. God gives the people a powerful passage of restoration, of unconditional love and consolation. God promises to bring the Israelites out of their Babylonian exile, back to their homeland, to restore their relationship as God’s chosen people. No matter how broken we may feel, God can restore us and bring us back to hope and healing. 

5 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 18th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to forgiveness. 

Christ Jesus - you are the word of God. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to holiness. 

Priest: We now present our prayers to our heavenly Father. 

1. That the Church rededicate herself to living and proclaiming Christ's love and compassion to the world.  

2 For those living in confusion, ignorance or doubt. May they be filled with the light of Christ. 

3 May we encourage and support one another by devoting ourselves to God’s Word, to the breaking of the bread, and to prayer.  

4 For those who need to see the concrete evidence of divine mystery. May God help us to be aware of his mystery so as to continue to grow in our own lives of faith.  

5. For the grace to face the trials and difficulties of life with confidence and hope. 

6.  For the sick and afflicted. For healing and wholeness. 

7. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: We present these prayers thru your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

4 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 18th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Christ Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer. 

Lord Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the father. 

Priest: May the prayers of our hearts be directed by the will of God as we pray for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world: 

1. That the Lord may watch over the holy Church and care for her. 

2. That the Lord may preserve harmony amongst the people of the world. 

3. That the Lord may grant relief to those who are oppressed and for those who on the margins. 

4. For our community of faith, that the Lord may receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to him. 

5. For all of us assembled here today to worship in faith, that we may work together in our proclamation of God's kingdom. 

6. For the faithful departed. For their entry into eternal life. For the souls in purgatory. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church today, made through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

4 August 2026 - St John Vianney - homily for Tuesday of the the 18th week in Ordinary Time Year II - Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22

We celebrate John Vianney today. Born in 1786, just a few years before the start of the French Revolution, John Vianney experienced many obstacles in following his faith and becoming a priest. He had very little formal schooling and struggled through his seminary studies, barely receiving a passing grade.  He was put in a parish in a rural area of France, where the Bishop thought he would do the least harm, since he seemed so ill equipped for the priesthood. When he arrived at his parish, the people were very indifferent to following the practices of the faith. Through fasting and prayer, he endured these obstacles that faced him and grew in his abilities and wisdom. He became well-known for his preaching, for his compassion and zeal as a confessor, and for his wisdom as a spiritual director. As his reputation grew, more than 300 people visited him each day from all over France to hear him preach and to go to the sacrament of reconciliation with him.

He died in 1859 and was canonized a saint in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, who made John Vianney the patron saint of parish priests in 1929.  Pope John Paul II visited the French village of Ars in 1986 in connection with the 200th anniversary of John Vianney’s birth, calling him “a sign of courage for those who today experience the grace of being called to the priesthood.”  On the 150th anniversary of his death, Pope Benedict XVI declared the Year of the Priest. On the 160th anniversary of John Vianney’s death, Pope Francis wrote a letter to his priests. Pope Francis commended the “countless priests (who) make of their lives a work of mercy in areas or situations that are often hostile, isolated or ignored, even at the risk of their lives.” To persevere in the priesthood, Pope Francis called his priests to the virtue of gratitude, stating: “Only if we are able to contemplate and feel genuine gratitude for all those ways we have experienced God’s love, generosity, solidarity and trust, as well as his forgiveness, patience, forbearance and compassion, will we allow the Spirit to grant us the freshness that can renew our life and mission.” This is good advice not only for priests, but for all the faithful. We all need models of faith. The faith of St John Vianney calls out to all of us today. 

The prophet Jeremiah offers a brutally honest message of divine healing and restoration. It contrasts the raw reality of profound suffering of the people, with their seemingly incurable wounds. God gives a promise of restoration, vowing to heal their brokenness and to draw them closer to him. God’s love and mercy is greater than any human betrayal and transgressions. God will rebuild his people from the ruins. God always seeks out the lost. He promises to heal those who seem incurable. He will reconcile his people to himself. 

Bulletin Reflection - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 2 August 2026

It is hard to believe that it is August already. Doesn’t it seem like summer just started? We are all so busy all the time that the summer just speeds by. In two weekends, we will celebrate our 60th anniversary at Holy Savior. We hope that you plan on being at the anniversary Mass with Bishop Kopacz on Sunday, August 16, at 10:30 am. We give thanks for our parish and for the dedication of so many members throughout the years. Our prayers are with our students and families as the new school year begins. We are also looking forward to the new year of religious education starting up. Blessings to all of you this week in the midst of our busy lives. Father Lincoln. 

2 August 2026 - homily for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time year A - Isaiah 55:1-3

Come you who are thirsty, come to the water. You don’t need to bring money. There is no cost. Come, I will renew you with my covenant, says the Lord. 

These words come from the 55th chapter of Isaiah. The prophet brings a message from God to bring comfort to the people of Israel in the midst of their exile in Babylon. They were physically separated from the promised land that God gave them. They were separated from their worship of God in the Temple in Jerusalem. Spiritually, they felt depleted. God promises to renew them and to restore the promises of his covenant with them. 

Water was a powerful metaphor for the people of Israel. They live in a dry land. Today, the country of Israel has such a scarcity of water that they get 80% of their drinking water from desalination plants, which extracts treated water from the salt water taken from the sea, a very complex and expensive process. With the problems the city of Jackson has had with its drinking water for a very long time, perhaps we who live in the Jackson metro area do not take water for granted anymore. I have told you how for the four years total that I lived in Ecuador and Guinea West Africa that I had to get water from a river or from a well, water that had to be filtered and treated in order for me to use it. During those years, I had to take a bath with a wash clothe and a small bucket of water from the river or from the well. To this day, every time I take a shower, I appreciate that luxury and say a prayer of thanksgiving to God, because I appreciate the gift of water that God gives to us. 

Hearing this invitation from Isaiah to come to the water, how do we answer on a practical level in our lives, especially those of us who are practicing Catholics and practicing disciples of Christ? How do we come to the water and how do we receive it? To approach these waters each day, it starts with us cooperating with God’s grace. 

On Friday, we celebrated the feast day of St Ignatius of Loyola. Today, we celebrate one of the men who was one of the original founders of the Jesuit religious order with St Ignatius: St Peter Faber. I thought of Peter Faber when I thought about us cooperating with God’s grace in our lives in today’s reading from Isaiah. Born in 1506 in the Savoy region of Europe in the western Alps mountain range, Peter Faber tended his father’s flock as a shepherd during his youth. He had little formal schooling while group up since he can from a humble family. He traveled to Paris to study to be a priest, where he became friends with St Ignatius and Francis Xavier. Even though he lacked formal schooling, he had a brilliant mind. He served as a Latin tutor to Ignatius during their time in the university. He was a very astute spiritual advisor. Ignatius considered Peter Faber the best director of his spiritual exercises. In a time of great tension between Protestants and Catholic during the Reformation, Faber worked toward dialogue and patience. He spent a lot of his ministry in Europe promoting parish missions and Catholic renewal.  He died of a fever in 1546 at the young age of 40. Pope Francis, who was also a member of the Jesuits, was a great admirer of Peter Faber, canonizing him as a saint in 2013. 

As a spiritual director, Peter Faber advised others to consecrate themselves to whatever small tasks that they could accomplish using the smallest, most immediate grace that God provided provided. He believed that the Lord would make up for human shortcomings to accomplish extraordinary things. 

One final thought about today’s message from Isaiah. As Isaiah invites those who are spiritually hungry and thirsty to come and drink and eat well of the rich fare, this foreshadows Jesus miraculous feeing of the multitude with the multiplication of the loaves and the fish at the Eucharist, which we hear of in today’s Gospel, as well as Jesus offering himself up as the bread of life in the Last Supper with his apostles. The eucharist is seen as the fulfillment of this spiritual food and drink that God offers through Isaiah. 

As I wrote this homily last Sunday evening, I thought about the week I had just finished, how I celebrated Mass that week the Eucharist on 11 different occasions outside of the Masses at my home parishes in Clinton and Raymond. The Eucharist is at the center of so much that I do as a priest. Is still ask myself: outside of these liturgies, how am I living out the spirit of the Eucharist in all that I do each day? It is important for us to see ourselves as Eucharistic missionaries who bring the Eucharistic spirit to others. 

2 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time CYCLE A - prison ministry

Lord Jesus - you give living water to those who thirst. 

Christ Jesus - you feed the hungry. 

Lord Jesus - you bring light to those in darkness. 

Priest: With faith and hope in the Lord, we now present our prayers for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world: 

1) That the Catholic Church and its leaders may faithfully lead all to Christ who alone can satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst. We pray to the Lord. 

2) That our governmental officials may work together to prioritize the needs of the most needy and the most vulnerable. We pray to the Lord. 

3) For all those who have jobs here at CMCF. May we see our jobs here as a vocation in which we can serve God and his people, no matter what that job may be. We pray to the Lord. 

4) For farmers and gardeners. We give thanks for all who bring us the food we need to sustain us in life. For a bountiful harvest this year. We give thanks for all who work here in the garden project at CMCF. We pray to the Lord. 

5)   For all those who need healing in body, mind or spirit. For continued healing for those who are sick here at CMCF. For those in the infirmary and hospice here. We pray to the Lord. 

6) For all who have entered eternal life with God, especially our deceased family members and loved ones. For the repose of their souls. We pray to the Lord. 

7)   For our personal needs and the intentions we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: We present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

2 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time CYCLE A

Introduction: As we gather for Mass today around the altar of the Lord, we hear about the boundless generosity of God in today’s readings. Jesus recognizes the hunger and the thirst of the people. He feeds the hungry crowd by multiplying the loaves and the fish in a miracle that shows them what God’s kingdom is about. May we recognize that Christ not only feeds our physical needs, but that he offers himself to us as the true Bread of Heaven. May we always have open hearts to receive Christ’s abundant grace in lives. 

Lord Jesus - you give living water to those who thirst. 

Christ Jesus - you feed the hungry. 

Lord Jesus - you bring light to those in darkness. 

Priest; With faith and hope in the Lord, we now present our prayers for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world. 

1) That the Catholic Church and its leaders may faithfully lead all to Christ who alone can satisfy our spiritual hunger. We pray to the Lord. 

2) That our governmental officials may work together to prioritize the needs of the most needy and the most vulnerable. We pray to the Lord. 

3) For those who are unemployed and looking for work. May God lead all of us to our true vocation in life. We pray to the Lord. 

4) For farmers and gardeners. We give thanks for all who bring us the food we need to sustain us in life. For a bountiful harvest this year. We pray to the Lord. 

5)   For all those suffering or afflicted in body, mind or spirit. For continued healing for those in the hospital, hospice, and nursing home. We pray to the Lord. 

6) For all who have entered eternal life with God, especially our deceased family members and loved ones. For the repose of their souls. We pray to the Lord. 

7)   For our personal needs and the intentions we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: We present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

26 de julio de 2026 - homilía por XVII domingo del tiempo ordinario CYCLO A

El sábado, celebramos la fiesta de Santiago el Mayor, uno de los apóstoles de Jesús.  Cuando viajaba a España en el año pasado para caminar por el camino de peregrinación de Santiago, tenía la oportunidad de visitar la ciudad de Segovia, donde yo visitaba la casa del poeta español Antonio Machado, que ahora es museo. En este humilde apartamento, Machado escribió la mayoría de sus poemas famosos.  En uno de los poemas, Machado escribió sobre el estado de su alma. Esto es lo que escribió Machado:

Llamó a mi corazón, un claro día,

con un perfume de jazmín, el viento.

(El viento explicó) -A cambio de este aroma,

todo el aroma de tus rosas quiero.

(Yo respondí) -No tengo rosas; flores

en mi jardín no hay ya, todas han muerto.

(El viento dijo) - Me llevaré los llantos de las fuentes,

las hojas amarillas y los mustios pétalos.

Y el viento huyó... Mi corazón sangraba...

Alma, ¿qué has hecho de tu pobre huerto?

Como escribió Machado, nuestra alma puede ser un hermoso jardín, con flores y un aroma dulce. O nuestra alma puede ser un jardín donde todas las flores están muertas y la tierra está seca.

Hay muchas cosas que podemos reclamar para nuestro tesoro en la vida. Esta parábola de Jesucristo habla sobre los grandes tesoros que podemos encuentran en la vida: tesoros enterrados en un campo tan maravilloso que uno está dispuesto a vender todo para obtenerlo, o una perla que el comerciante finalmente encuentra después de muchos años de búsqueda.  

El reino de Dios es ese tesoro para nosotros. Este tesoro es mucho más valioso que cualquier cosa que podamos obtener en la vida. 

El Señor puede venir a nosotros en un murmullo tranquilo y una brisa tranquila con las buenas noticias de salvación, con un llamado para que lo sigamos, que puede ser tan sutil y hermoso como el olor a jazmín que florece en la noche de verano.  Sin embargo, si hemos descuidado nuestra fe, si el jardín de nuestra alma no ha sido cultivado, es posible que no estemos listos para recibir su mensaje.

Cuando visitaba la ciudad de Roma con el coro de la parroquia de San Ricardo en 2010, visitaba la basílica de San Pablo. Por muchos siglos, los funcionarios de la basílica habían tratado de encontrar el lugar exacto donde estaba enterrada la tumba de San Pablo.  Los funcionarios descartaron un lugar de tierra porque parecía que era roca sólida, por lo que pensaron que no había forma de que la tumba de San Pablo pudiera haber sido enterrado en ese lugar.   Sin embargo, resultó que no era roca, era solo tierra que se había endurecido durante tanto tiempo que era dura como la roca.   Este es el lugar donde finalmente se encontró el tesoro, debajo de ese suelo duro y duro, donde finalmente se encontró la tumba de San Pablo. Al igual que el suelo que puede volverse duro como una roca, nuestros corazones pueden volverse tan duros que podríamos no pensar que este es el lugar donde encontraremos nuestro tesoro, por lo que comenzamos a buscarlo en otros lugares. Pero Jesús nos dice que debemos seguir buscando el tesoro que solo encontraremos en el reino de Dios, ya que este es el único tesoro que vale tan buen precio.  Es el mensaje que Cristo nos da hoy. 

Yo doy gracias por esta comunidad de fe aquí en nuestra parroquia de San Judas Tadeo. Empezamos esta misa en española con un grupo pequeño en el año 2017. Nueve años después, esta misa tiene muchos frutos. Muchas personas tenía la dedicación y la fe para empezar esta misa y para viajar con nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Yo doy gracias a nuestro Señor Jesucristo por esta bendiciones. 

26 July 2026 - Catholic blessing of the backpacks for the beginning of the school year

Let us pray:

God of wisdom and knowledge, we pray for the beginning of the school year as we bless our students and their backpacks today.  

Bless our teachers and our school administrators, that you affirm therm and their calling, in their sacred vocation to teach our students. Make our schools lively centers of sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom.

We thank you for each student. Lead them in your way, your truth, and your life. Let each classroom they enter be a place of life and light. Give each student good friends and let them be good friends for others. Give them learning opportunities that demand their best efforts.

Bless all of our parents. May they help their children receive a good education. May they give encouragement and support to their children. 

May the angels and saints stand guard and keep watch over our students, teachers, and families, keeping them safe and protected.

Bless these our students and their backpacks. May they always feel the divine love and support of Jesus Christ our Good Shepherd. May they feel the love, support, and prayers of our parish family.   

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN. 

25 July 2026 - Reflection for the Feast of St James - Matthew 20:20-28

On Tuesday, July 22, we celebrated the feast day of St Mary Magdalene, whom Thomas Aquinas named “the apostle to the apostles” for the way she was the first person to witness the resurrected Jesus and to announce the news of his resurrection to the other apostles. Today, July 25, we celebrate the feast day of St James the Greater. To distinguish between the two apostles named James, one was labeled the Greater and the other the Lesser. James the Greater was the son of Zebedee and the brother of John, another of the apostles. It is possible the James’ mother, Mary of Salome, was the mother of the Virgin Mary, so James may have been Jesus’ first cousin. We hear from James’ mother in our Gospel today, as she wants Jesus to put her sons in places of honor when he assumes the throne of his eternal kingdom. 

James became a prominent leader in the Early Church. He was sent to Spain as a missionary, where his tomb has been one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the world since the early 9th century when his remains were rediscovered by a hermit. The city that developed around his tomb is named after him, Santiago de Compostela.  The pilgrimage of St James is affectionately referred to as the Camino. The first reported appearance of Mary, which happened while she was still alive, took place in the city of Zaragoza, when she appeared to St James to encourage him in the midst of his missionary work in Spain. The site of that appearance is one of the largest churches in Spain, Our Lady of the Pilar. James is recorded as being the first apostle to be put to death as a martyr for the faith, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. More than a half million people will hike the pilgrimage route of St James this year in Spain. Through his witness and through his pilgrimage, James’ evangelization efforts in the modern world still bear a lot of fruit. May we unite our prayers with the prayers of St James the Greater today on his feast day. 

25 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the Feast of St James the greater - prison ministry

Lord Jesus, you bring your message of Good News to the world. 

Christ Jesus, you bring new life to your people. 

Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd.  

Priest: As we celebrate the feast day of St James the Apostle today at Mass, we present our prayers to our Heavenly Father: 

1. For the Church and our Church leaders. May our priests and bishops always preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ with integrity and hope.  

2. That our governmental leaders work toward justice, healing, and reconciliation.

3. For all missionaries, peace makers, first responders, and the men and women in the military. May they feel our gratitude and prayers. 

4. That all of us may proclaim the Gospel of life in our words and our actions, respecting human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.

5. For healing for all who are sick or afflicted in mind, body, and spirit. For patience and understanding for their family members and care givers. For the men and women who are sick here at CMCF. 

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. For our deceased loved ones and family members. 

7. On the feast day of St James, we pray in a special way for the people of Spain and for all pilgrims, especially pilgrims who are journeying to the holy city of Santiago de Compostela on pilgrimage. 

8. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Priest: God of love and compassion, you grant rest to the weary and you fill the needs of those who come to you. Hear these our prayers that we make through your son Jesus Christ our Lord for ever and ever. AMEN. 

31 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 17th week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - You call us to be missionary in spirit. 

Christ Jesus - You forgive the sins of the contrite. 

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the values of the kingdom. 

Priest: With faith, hope, and love, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and all Church leaders. May the Lord bless them as they lead the people of God in integrity and in truth. 

2. For the Catholic faithful. That their faith in God give them courage and hope as we deal with the ups and downs of life. 

3. For those who hold public office. That they will seek not their own interests but the good of the people whom they govern. 

4. As we celebrate the feast day of St Ignatius of Loyola, we pray for all members of the Jesuits and for all missionaries and evangelizers. May we all be missionary in spirit. 

5. For our students at the beginning of the new school year. 

6. For the sick, the afflicted, and the lonely. May the Lord touch them with his healing power. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

30 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 17th week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you call us to listen to God’s prophets. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Lord Jesus - you are the savior of the world. 

Priest: We present our prayers to our Heavenly Father: 

1. May all of us Christian, by word and example, bear witness to the Good News of the Gospel in the world. 

2. May we come to appreciate the treasures of God’s kingdom. 

3. May we initiate actions in our lives that help us grow in our love of the Eucharist. 

4. For the sick and the afflicted. May they be restored to health and find support in their faith and in the love and care of their friends and family members. 

5. For those who are exploring the Catholic faith in their lives. For those who came into the Church this past Easter. 

6. For our students at the beginning of the new school year. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

31 July 2026 - St Ignatius of Loyola - Friday of the 17th week of Ordinary time - Jeremiah 26:1-9

We hear harsh words from the prophet Jeremiah today from six centuries before Christ’s birth. Even though Israel was told that the people would confront disaster if they did not repent and turn back to the Lord, they become angry and indignant, wanting to put the prophet Jeremiah to death. Sometimes we don’t want to hear God’s message. In my prison ministry, I remember one prisoner at the state prison in Yazoo City telling me that when he was in the process of committing the crime that put him into prison, he knew that God was trying to tell him that he was doing something wrong, but he did not want to hear what God was saying and did it anyway. Sometimes we turn our back on the Lord and ignore him.  Through Jeremiah, the Lord tells the people of Israel that they will be treated like Shiloh if Israel does not repent. Shiloh was an ancient shrine that had been destroyed by the Philistines. 

St Ignatius of Loyolas, the saint we celebrate, would admit that for many years in his life, he had turned his back on God. Ignatius was born in 1491, the year before Columbus sailed for America. He had a brother who sailed with Columbus. He was the youngest of 11 children from a family in the Basque country in mountainous area of Northeastern Spain.  He was trained to be a member of the royal court and to be a solider, but while fighting at the siege of Pamplona in 1621, he suffered a broken leg that had to be re-broken after it was not set properly.  His friends carried him more than a hundred miles back from the sight of battle to his family’s ancestral home. Ignatius was confined to his bed for a long period of time during his recuperation from his injuries, where he learned about saints such as St Dominic and St Francis of Assisi. He also read stories about Christ and his ministry. This brought about a profound conversion of faith. After spending time as a hermit in a cave and time wandering as a pilgrim, where he was able to reflect upon his vocation, Ignatius enrolled in the University of Paris at the age of 30 to become a priest, a very advanced age to be in formation for the priesthood. He had to study Latin with young boys in order to get ready for his study of theology.  Even though Ignatius had turned his back on God for most of his early life, he had opened his life to God after that battle injury. From the humble beginnings of his conversion, he wrote his spiritual exercises while trying to discern God’s will for him in his life.  With a group of good friends from the University, Ignatius of Loyola went on to found the religious order of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, an order of priests that still has great influence in Catholicism today.  We celebrate Ignatius of Loyola today. May we pray that his prayers and intercessions accompany us on our own journey.

30 July 2026 - Solanus Casey - Thursday of the 17th week in Ordinary time - Jeremiah 18:1-6

We hear harsh words from the prophet Jeremiah today from six centuries before Christ’s birth. Even though Israel was told that the people would confront disaster if they did not repent and turn back to the Lord, they became angry and indignant, wanting to put the prophet Jeremiah to death. Sometimes we don’t want to hear God’s message. In my prison ministry, I remember one prisoner at the state prison in Yazoo City telling me that when he was in the process of committing the crime that put him into prison, he knew that God was trying to tell him that he was doing something wrong, but he did not want to hear what God was saying and did it anyway. Sometimes we turn our back on the Lord and ignore him.  Through Jeremiah, the Lord tells the people of Israel that they will be treated like Shiloh if Israel does not repent. Shiloh was an ancient shrine that had been destroyed by the Philistines. 

St Ignatius of Loyolas, the saint we celebrate today, would admit that for many years in his life, he had turned his back on God. Ignatius was born in 1491, the year before Columbus sailed for America. He had a brother who sailed with Columbus on his voyage. Ignatius was the youngest of 11 children from a family in the Basque country in mountainous area of Northeastern Spain.  He was trained to be a member of the royal court and to be a solider, but while fighting at the siege of Pamplona in 1621, he suffered a broken leg that had to be re-broken after it was not set properly.  His friends carried him more than a hundred miles back from the sight of battle to his family’s ancestral home. Ignatius was confined to his bed for a long period of time during his recuperation from his injuries, where he learned about saints such as St Dominic and St Francis of Assisi. He also read stories about Christ and his ministry. This brought about a profound conversion of faith. After spending time as a hermit in a cave and time wandering as a pilgrim, where he was able to reflect upon his vocation, Ignatius enrolled in the University of Paris at the age of 30 to become a priest, a very advanced age to be in formation for the priesthood in that era. He had to study Latin with young boys in order to get ready for his study of theology. Even though Ignatius had turned his back on God for most of his early life, he had opened up his life to God after that battle injury. From the humble beginnings of his conversion, he wrote his spiritual exercises while trying to discern God’s will for himself.  With a group of good friends from the University of Paris, Ignatius of Loyola went on to found the religious order of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, an order of priests that still has great influence in Catholicism today.  We celebrate Ignatius of Loyola today. May his prayers and intercessions accompany us on our own journey.

29 July 2026 - St Mary and St Martha and St Lazarus - Wednesday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time - John 11:19-27

For many years, we celebrated the feast of St Martha on July 29 of each year. However, back in 2022, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments announced that they were adding the names of Martha’s brother Lazarus and her sister May to this feast day as well. We hear the Gospels how at different times this family opened their hearts and their homes to Jesus. We hear in the Gospel today how the sisters come to Jesus at the death of their brother. Even though this family was friends with Jesus, we hear how they came to terms with Jesus being their Lord and their savior. Jesus was dear friends with these three siblings. He showed great human emotion at the death of his friend Lazarus. All of us human beings have our strengths and weaknesses; we see the different strengths and weaknesses of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in the Gospels. We meet God in the midst of our reality, in the midst of those strengths and weaknesses. 

We can see in that Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, although they were members of the same family, they had very different personalities. Martha was a person of hard work and action. Mary was more drawn to prayer and contemplation. The Church needs all those different personalities and different walks of life. Think of how we have priests who are theologians, canon lawyers, school administrators, and missionaries. Priests in the small towns in the Delta and as rectors of cathedrals. The Church always has had people of action and people of prayer, people of the establishment and prophetic voices of the poor. As we celebrate Mary, Martha, and Lazarus today, let us learn from their experiences, and may we look for balance in our lives of faith. May we all be beloved friends of Jesus just as these three siblings were.  

29 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 17th week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you call us to holiness. 

Christ Jesus - you are our redeemer and our savior. 

Lord Jesus - you bring healing into our lives. 

Priest: With faith and hope, let us present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Spirit’s wisdom for Pope Leo XIV and for all our Church leaders.  

2. For a spirit of humility and generosity in the way we all approach our faith. 

3. For good weather for our crops and gardens. For all farmers, gardeners, and seasonal farm laborers. 

4. For peace in the Holy Land and Ukraine. For unity and reconciliation where there is conflict and war. 

5. For those experiencing the hardships of earthquakes, storms, fires or the heat.

6. For those who have died recently. For the spiritual and physical well-being of all our Church community. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

28 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 17th week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you hear the cry of the poor and the suffering. 

Christ Jesus - you renew your covenant with your people. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us salvation. 

Priest: With faith and hope, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, our clergy, and our lay leaders. May they lead us with word and deed in

faith, hope and love.

2. May our world leaders work for peace and unity. 

3. May we be inspired to spread the missionary Gospel message throughout the world.  

4. For those who have been affected by the hot summer weather and by natural disasters. 

5. For those who have died. For their entry into eternal life. 

6. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts this evening. 

Priest: We present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

28 July 2026 - Blessed Stanley Rother - homily for Tuesday of the 17th week in Ordinary time - Jeremiah 14:17-22

Born in 1935 to a devout Catholic family in Oklahoma, Stanley Rother was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Oklahoma City after struggling to pass the academic courses at seminary. After serving as associate pastor in different parishes in Oklahoma for 5 years, he asked to serve as a priest in his Diocese’s mission site in Guatemala. He not only provided great care for the spiritual needs of the people in Guatemala, but he also used the agricultural and construction skills he learned as a youth to help improve their living conditions. He returned to Oklahoma briefly, fearing for his life due to conflicts between the governmental forces and the poor, with a guerrilla movement trying to press the government to enact changes. He was killed in his rectory in 1981 after he returned to his missions in Guatemala. He is the first American born priest to be beatified. He was declared a martyr for the faith by the Vatican.

In Jeremiah today, we hear how the people of Israel are suffering, yet they are not afraid to ask God why. They ask: God, have you cast us off? Are we loathsome to you? The people acknowledge the sins of their fathers and the sins that they themselves have committed. They ask God to remember the covenant that he made with them, to forgive them in honor of his own name.

We live in a society where so many people are not willing to acknowledge the wrongs that they have done. It is easier to blame the system, to blame someone else, to not take responsibility. The people of Israel confronted God in the midst of suffering from a great drought.  Do we cry out to God in the same way when are suffering? 

26 July 2026 - homily for the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time CYCLE A - Mathew 13:44-52

We have been hearing a series of parables from Matthew’s Gospel these past few weeks explaining what the Kingdom of God is about. Today, in simile form, he explains the kingdom of God, centered around the idea of discovery. God is like a treasure that someone finds in a field. It is like a merchant discovering the finest pearl. It is like a net that is thrown into the sea that catches all kinds of fish. 

Through these examples, the kingdom of God is both commonplace and rare at the same time. It is familiar to us, but it also can be surprising. God’s kingdom is to bring us joy when we encounter it. Jesus ends today’s Gospel by stating that every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like one who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old. Jesus suggests to us that God’s kingdom is both ancient and new. It is both expected and unexpected.  

Catholic theology uses the principle of “both/and” to express complementary spiritual and doctrinal truths that exist together in our faith in creative tension, rather than forcing us to make a choice between them. Some of these things may seem like opposing concepts, but they can exist together at the same time. 

Let us start with God himself. God is both immanent and transcendent. In being immanent, God is present to us here on earth. He is accessible to us and is actively involved with all of his creation. God, the creator the universe, is still active here in the universe and he is present in our human experiences. God is also transcendent, meaning that as the creator of the universe, he is beyond time and space. The greatness and holiness and power of God is beyond our human understanding, meaning there is always an aspect of mystery to God. Even though we can know God in different ways and learn about God, God is still separate from the created world and independent of us. We human beings can strive toward the holiness and perfection to which God calls us and which is exemplified in God, but we will never achieve the holiness and perfection of God. These two concepts of immanence and transcendence may seem contradictory and independent of each other, but they both co-exist with each other and they are important aspects of God that exist together at the same time. 

I know that the youth and some of their parents are studying apologetics this summer. It if first and foremost important for us to always be learning about our faith and to understand the concepts of our faith. As a part of that learning process, apologetics can give us the ability to explain our faith to others & defend our faith. With us being in a stronghold of the Baptist Church here in Clinton, and with Catholicism being a small part of Christianity in our Diocese, it is important for us to understand our Catholic faith ourselves and to be able to explain importance concepts of our faith to others. 

Next, I would like to look at Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition as two important Pilars of our Catholic faith. Many of our Protestant and Baptist brothers and sisters see Scripture as being the sole foundation on which our Christian faith is built. We Catholics also see the eminent position of Scripture in our faith. In the Mass, we not only have the liturgy of the Word that has four different readings from Scripture, both from the Old and the New Testament, but also so much of what the priest says at Mass is taken directly or indirectly from Scripture. The Catholic Church teaches that God is the ultimate author of Sacred Scripture. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired human authors, which at the same time, preserving the human authors’ free will and unique personalities. God allowed these human authors to communicate God’s divine intentions through Sacred Scripture, ensuring the texts convey the truth of salvation. At the same time, Tradition exists alongside Scripture. Catholic theology teaches that Sacred Tradition come from the same divine source as Sacred Scripture, that Sacred Tradition is to be accepted by the faithful with equal devotion. While Sacred Scripture is the written record of God's word throughout history, Sacred Tradition is the living transmission of the faith, which includes the Apostles' oral preaching, their examples, and the institutions and Traditions that have been established in the history of the Church. Our belief in the Trinity and belief in the Assumption of Mary and tradition of praying for the dead all are connected to beliefs found in Scripture, but they were explicitly developed and passed down through the Sacred Tradition of the Church and are seen as truths of our Catholic faith. 

Finally, we have God’s grace and good works as important components of God’s plan of salvation. Catholics believe that salvation is a freely given gift that we receive when we cooperate with God’s grace through faith. However, we must actively live out our faith through our actions and good works. It is not enough to be a hearer of God’s word. We need to be a doer of God’s word. We receive God’s grace in our lives, but we have the free will to accept it or to reject it. We are to see ourselves as workers in the vineyard of the Lord, actively cooperating with the grace that God gives us on our journey of faith. But we Catholics in no way see us earning our salvation through these good works. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, God works in us through our good works. 

There is always so much to learn about God’s kingdom, so much to discover about his kingdom. To the people of Jesus’ day, he was telling them that God’s kingdom was closer than they realized. Jesus invites all of us to discover the treasures of God’s kingdom that are around us. And some aspects of the kingdom may surprise us. 

Prayers of the faithful - ministry commissioning ceremony at CMCF state prison - 20 July 2026

Priest: With faith and hope, we present our prayers this afternoon to our heavenly Father: 

1. For Bishop Kopacz, Commissioner Cain, and Mr King who are joining us for Mass today. May the Lord lead them and guide them in their leadership in wisdom and in truth. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That we bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to others though our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

3.  For those suffering with illness, disease, addictions, anxiety, or mental health issues. May the Holy Spirit may come to them in mercy, relieve their pain and their afflictions, and grant them healing and wholeness. We pray to the Lord. 

4. Despite the difficulties and challenges we face on our journey of faith, may we have faith that God is always at work in us, no matter what our challenges may be. We pray to the Lord. 

5. For all who have died, especially our loved ones and family members. May they rejoice in the mercy of God and the triumph of the resurrection. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our children and our families. May the Lord continue to bless them on their journey. May they feel our love and prayers. We pray for our children as the soon start the new school year. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the men in the BMU program. For those who just graduated the BMU program. For the men here at CMCF in the hospice and infirmary. We pray to the Lord. 

9. In silence, we pray to the God of Mercy for our own prayer intentions and for the special prayer intentions of others. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest:  Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessings we have in life. We thank you for your grace that helps us meet our challenges. We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

Readings for Mass at CMCF State Prison - Mass of the Holy Spirit - 20 July 2026

FIRST READING - A reading from the letter of St James (James 1:22-25) 

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like. But the one who peers into the perfect law* of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

The word of the Lord. 

Responsorial Psalm 

R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.



Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.


R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.



Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.


R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.



See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.


R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 5:1-11)

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.

He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”

Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. 

The Gospel of the Lord. 

24 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 16th week of ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you give hope to the hopeless. 

Christ Jesus - you forgive the sins of the contrite. 

Lord Jesus - you bring healing to the sick and the afflicted. 

Priest: We now bring our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. May we grow in our humility and in our recognition of the gifts and blessings we receive from God. 

2. May we strive for a fuller life in the Holy Spirit, allowing the Spirit to lead us and guide us in life. 

3. May all who are traveling. May God guide us to our designations and protect us from harm. 

4. For our governmental leaders. That God will give them wisdom in addressing current challenges and the courage to work for the greater good. 

5. For good health for all of us in body, mind, and spirit, especially the sick and the afflicted. 

6. That we may all work toward peace and reconciliation. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.

Priest: Gracious and merciful Father, we ask that you hear the prayers that we present to you today through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

26 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time CYCLE A - PRISON MINISTRY

Lord Jesus - you lead us to the treasures of God’s kingdom. 

Christ Jesus - you give us the grace to meet our challenges in life. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to wisdom and truth. 

Prayers of the faithful: 

Priest: As we gather as a community of faith for Mass today, we now bring our needs and the needs of the world to our loving God:

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and all our Church leaders. May they always lead us in truth and in justice. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For all who are suffering, who are lonely, or who are facing difficult trials in life.  May they feel God’s healing presence with them. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For the Catholic community here at CMCF. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to the true treasures of our faith and to the practice of love and charity to the needy and the forgotten. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For our children. May the Lord bless their studies and their activities this upcoming school year. May our families feel our love and prayers always reaching out to them. We pray to the Lord. 

5. For our deceased family members and loved ones. For their union with God’s eternal kingdom. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For our stewardship of God’s creation. May we promote respect for all of God’s creation and for the resources of the earth. We pray to the Lord. 

7. May we have the courage to share our faith journey with others. May we offer to others the joy of experiencing the life of discipleship. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For a greater love for the Word of God. May we make space in our busy lives to allow the Word of God to challenge us and transform us. We pray to the Lord. 

9. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. For our pray intentions spoken and unspoken. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Loving God, you teach us to bring all our needs to you. Hear the prayers we place before you today. Fill us with the grace to live as your faithful disciples. We make our prayers through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  

Bulletin reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time CYCLE A - 26 July 2026

This weekend is the feast of St James the Apostle, which reminds me of the years I spent as pastor of St James Catholic Church up in Tupelo.  It also reminds me of the times I have been hiking the pilgrimage of the Camino of St James in Spain. Celebrating the saints throughout the year is an important connection we have to the history of the Catholic Church and to the apostolic traditions of our faith. This weekend we also have the blessing of the backpacks as our children, youth, and college students get ready to go back to school. We pray that the Lord accompany them in their studies and in their school activities this school year.  Have a blessed week everyone. Father Lincoln. 

26 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction: On this 17th weekend of Ordinary time, this is the 3rd weekend in a row that we hear parables from the Gospel of Matthew. Today, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a hidden treasure of great wealth. As we gather together today for Mass as a community of faith, may we ask God for the wisdom to recognize what is truly valuable in our life of faith and the grace to seek those things above everything else. 

Lord Jesus - you lead us to the treasures of God’s kingdom. 

Christ Jesus - you give us the grace to meet our challenges in life. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to wisdom and truth. 

Prayers of the faithful: 

Priest: As we gather as a community of faith for Mass today, we now bring our needs and the needs of the world to our loving God:

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and all our Church leaders, that they will always lead us in truth and in justice. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For all who are suffering, who are lonely, or who are facing difficult trials in life.  May they feel God’s healing presence with them. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For our local parishes of Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to the true treasures of faith and to the practice of love and charity to the needy and the forgotten. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For our children, youth, and college students. May the Lord bless their studies and their activities this upcoming school year. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For the faithful departed, especially our family members and loved ones. For their union with God’s eternal kingdom. We pray to the Lord. 

5. For our stewardship of God’s creation. May we promote respect for all of God’s creation and for the resources of the earth. We pray to the Lord. 

6. May we have the courage to share our faith journey with others. May we offer to others the joy of experiencing the life of discipleship. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For a greater love for the Word of God. May we make space in our busy lives to allow the Word of God to challenge us and transform us. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. For our pray intentions spoken and unspoken. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Loving God, you teach us to bring all our needs to you. Hear the prayers we place before you today. Fill us with the grace to live as your faithful disciples. We make our prayers through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

24 July 2026 - St Francis Solano - Friday of the 16th week in Ordinary Time - Jeremiah 4:13-17

St Francis Solano was born in the province of Córdoba, Spain in 1549. At the age of 20, he joined the Franciscan Friars minor which followed a strict routine of prayer, fasting, and silence. After his studies, he became an itinerant preacher.  During a plague in Grenada, he ministered to and tended to the sick and the dying. He requested to be sent to Africa as a missionary, by at the request of the King of Spain, he joined at group of Franciscan missionary that were sent to America. He served in the regions of Paraguay, Argentina, and Peru. He learned the local languages to be able to minister to the native people there. He had a love of visiting the sick. On those visits he would often play the violin for them, as he was a talented musician. He died in Lima, Peru in 1610 and was canonized a saint in 1726. He is exemplary life of faith served as a wonderful means of evangelization in his missionary work. 

In our passage from the 4th Chapter of Jeremiah today, God calls his people to repent, affirming the covenant he has made with them. While the people always associated the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple with God’s presence that was with them, but the prophesy foretells an era when they will not need the ark to be God’s presence with them, that his presence will always be completely with them wherever they are. This message of repentance is made in the midst of the threat of the Babylonian exile, when the people will be separated from their holy city and their religious sites. We must never forget God’s fidelity to us, no matter what we are going through. 

Catholic Prayer for College Students at the Beginning of the School Year

Gracious God,
We thank you for our college students who are beginning a new year of studies. 
As they start they new semester, we ask for a blessing for Tiffany, Silas, and Greta. 
May you watch over them O Lord in their studies and their school activities. 
Provide them with strength, courage, patience, and perseverance. 

Lead and guide their professors as they help them learn this semester. 
May their studies help them grow intellectually and help them learn in their field of study. 
May you grow on your journey of faith this school year and may you feel the Lord accompanying you every step of the way. 

Know the love and prayers of your parish family will be with you always. 

May God bless you on your journey. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN. 

23 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 16th week of ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the justice of God’s kingdom. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us hope.

Lord Jesus - you are the savior of the world. 

Priest: With faith and hope, we now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For greater wisdom on our journey of faith. For wisdom for our governmental leaders and Church leaders. 

2. For gift of peace in our local communities and throughout the world. May we be open to greater dialogue and opportunities for reconciliation. 

3. For those who came in to the Church this past year. That the Lord continue to bless them on their journey of faith. 

4. For all who are struggling with addictions. That God will free them and help them find the assistance they need. 

5. For the grace to live out the Gospel of life in our daily lives. 

6. For our children and youth who will be starting the new school year. May the Lord bless them on their journey.

7. For the prayers who hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: We give thanks for the blessings we receive in life. We give thanks for God’s grace that helps us meet our challenges. We present our prayers though your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

23 July 2026 - St Bridget of Sweden - homily for Thursday of the 16th week of Ordinary time - Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13

Born in 1303 in Sweden, St Bridget of Sweden had a great devotion to Christ’s passion throughout her lifetime. She was married to a Swedish landowner for 28 years and had 8 children with him. She served as a lady in waiting to the queen of Spain. When her husband died, she committed herself to austerity and celibacy. She founded a monastery for both men and women. That community developed into a religious order known as the Brigantines. She advised the popes who were in exile in Avignon, France to return to Rome. She was known as a prophet and did not refrain from preaching the strong words that God put in her mouth. She is the patron saint of the country of Sweden and one of the co-patron saints of Europe. 

This week and next week during daily Mass, we will hear from the prophet Jeremiah in our first readings. Jeremiah compares the love that God has for his people with the ways Israel is not faithful to God. Israel has abandoned the founts of life giving water that God offers them to the broken dry cisterns that Israel chooses to dig themselves. Do we go to God for spiritual fulfillment in life? Or do we choose to try in vain to find that fulfillment within ourselves? If we rely solely on our earthly pursuits and not on God, we will remain spiritually unfulfilled. 

22 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 16th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to a life of discipleship. 

Christ Jesus - you are our redeemer and our savior. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Priest: As we celebrate St Mary Magdalene today as the apostle of the apostles, we bring our prayers to our heavenly father: 

1. That our Church leaders may be an example to the people by the humble way they live out their faith. 

2. That our elected officials strive to serve with faithfulness the people who elected them. 

3. For purity of heart as we walk down the path of faith. 

4. For an atmosphere of love and respect in our homes and in our communities. 

5. For a greater sense of stewardship of God’s creation and of the gifts God has bestowed upon us. 

6. We offer our prayers for those who have died. May they rise to heavenly glory. 

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

Priest: We ask these prayers through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

22 July 2026 - homily for the feast of St Mary Magdalene - John 20:1-2, 11-18

The Mass of St Mary Magdalene has long been celebrated on July 22 each year. However, Pope Francis officially elevated the liturgical status of this mass from a memorial to a full Feast day back in 2016, putting this celebration on par with the Masses for the other apostles on their feast days. The change was made to emphasize her importance as the first witness to Christ’s resurrection. 

Mary Magdalene is sometimes referred to as the apostle to the apostles, referencing her encounter with the risen Lord in the Gospel of John. Mary of Magdalene is weeping at the place of Christ’s tomb, seeing that it is empty, thinking that his body has been stolen. The Lord appears to hear, but at first she is unable to recognize him because of her grief and sense of loss. Yet, when Jesus calls her by name, she is able to recognize him, and calls out to him, Rabbouni, Teacher. She goes out to announce to the other disciples the Good News, that Jesus is risen from the tomb. 

The resurrection is not just an historical event. It is not just a doctrine of our faith that we are called to blindly believe. The resurrection is a connection that each one of us has with Jesus as his disciple, a personal connection. We have the promise that Jesus is indeed alive and that he can speak to us directly in our hearts. He can transform our pain and our sufferings into hope and encouragement. 

After her encounter with Jesus, Mary Magdalene did not want to stay there in that encounter and hold onto him. Her immediate response was driven by her sense of ministry and mission, of sharing that experience with others. She goes to others to share the Good News. We too are to share our experiences of Christ with the world, not to hold onto them as private experiences.  

We can learn from Mary Magdalene because we cannot relate to her so easily. Like Mary Magdalene, our own fears and our own sufferings can be overwhelming sometimes on our journey of faith. Her faith and courage give an example of faith to follow. She learns to have faith and to trust in the presence of Christ’s love and mercy. Her witness was very important to the Early Church. As we honor Mary Magdalene today, may we unite our prayers with her prayers.