The Gospel of Christ: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

St. Paul wrote to the Philippians

·      Read this quick reading

·      St. Paul was in jail or a house arrest

·      He wrote with joyfulness:

o   4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”

o   4:13: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.”

Today we heard his writing in Philippians 1

·      “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”

·      “Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

o   The gospel

o   eujaggeli÷ou

o   Gospel or good news

St. Paul is teaching us today

·      Read and listen to the Gospel: the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (evangelists)

·      Pray

o   Isaiah 55:6: “Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near.”

§  Tabernacle, Mass, opening our hearts to Him, nature and love

o   Responsorial Psalm: “The Lord is near to all who call upon him.”

And what is the gift that God gives us?

·      Parable

·      The daily wage

·      For each person who serves Him

This service on earth offers our good news to receive heaven itself

And that is why St. Paul, who wrote to the Philippians a few years before he was killed and received his daily wage to God

·      “For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.”

And that is the good news for each of us!

Parish Bulletin Article: "Cards for Volunteering": 9-24-17

            What a wonderful weekend to begin our mission this fall.  Thank you, for our parishioners at St. Columban for your cleaning up some area outside by the brushes and trees from earlier this summer and as you begin to call brothers and sisters to come back to Mass.

            Thank you, for our parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas to support to clean the school, painting the school railing (by the first door), and the Hall’s outside wall as well as some trees and brush.

            Thank you for taking some time to listen to Nic Davidson on Wednesday evening as both our students at faith formation and all parishioners who could make it. 

            Through our next step, please fill out one of the cards that I will give you before Mass.  To do so, put down your name, phone number, email and your address.  Then circle some cool opportunities that we need to continue to grow our parishes: servers, sacristans, music (pianist and/or cantor), ushers, donuts/coffee, gift bearers, Eucharistic Ministers, Financial Council, Evangelization Group, Tabernacle Society, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Faith Formation volunteers and Right of Christian Initiation of Adults.  Please put your card into our collection baskets during Mass.

            Thank you so much and continue to offer your time and talent!

            God Bless!

St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist: Thursday, September 21st, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Nic Davidson's Talk at our Mission on Wednesday, September 20th, 2017

Listen to this talk here.

St. Paul's communication and relationship in 1 Timothy 3:14-16: Wednesday, September 20th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

1 Timothy 3:14-16

“Beloved:
I am writing you,
although I hope to visit you soon.
But if I should be delayed,
you should know how to behave in the household of God,
which is the Church of the living God,
the pillar and foundation of truth.
Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion,

Who was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed to the Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.”

How many people did Jesus rise from death when he was on earth?: Tuesday, September 19th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

How many people did Jesus rise from the dead?

·      Widow’s son, Jairus’ daughter and Lazarus

·      Jesus’ empathy

·      Life

The story of Jesus Christ

·      The shock from the people

·      “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
‘A great prophet has arisen in our midst,’
and "God has visited his people."

Confession and Forgiveness: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Fr. Paul Fruth

·      The second pastor that I knew back in McGregor

·      He had a great of gifts: deep homily, spiritual prayer with peace and a degree with psychology

·      He once said to me that if someone is having a bad day, tough emotions or challenges, “They should drink a mug of coffee and go to confession”

·      I agree!

Two words today that we should always consider them over and over: confession and forgiveness

Confession

·      First, our first reading gave a reminder of us as sinful

o   “Wrath and anger are hateful things,
yet the sinner hugs them tight.”

o   There are ways we should examine our sins: 10 Commandments, the sins you know in your heart

o   Ask for forgiveness from God!

o   And also go to confession

·      I go to confession between 1-2 weeks

·      It is nervous for me, though I know that it will take a couple of minutes to experience peace, strength and encouragement…to my friend

·      In some ways I consider nervous to sports: races and triathlons

o   Nervous can be good for us to trigger adrenalin

o   Nervous can be good for our spiritual journeys as well

·      I know that many people are nervous or scared to go to Confession…well, go

·      On the priest side, hearing confessions is easy as we can’t remember who said what, because “what it is” is quite boring

·      Please come to confession

Forgiveness

·      If you do go to confession, you will be forgiven…period

·      And we are then to forgive others!

·      “Forgive your neighbor's injustice;
then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.”

·      Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness: 7 times?  Jesus said, 7x7 times (eternal)

·      Jesus’ parable about the king and two servers

o   One was forgiven from a big sin

o   And then he went to his own server and he did not forgive him

o   And he was in jail

Our Father

·      “…forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…”

As we continue to grow in our family with time, talent and treasure and our mission this fall, there is another goal that I would love: confession and forgiveness

Parish Bulletin Article: "Mission with our Grounds and Buildings": 9-17-17

Each of us has gifts and talents from God.  We also have weaknesses. 

This weekend I would like to be publicly and honestly with one of my deficiencies in our physical world: handiwork!  As in things like gardening, painting, cooking, fixing, carpentry, etc.  (Here is a random thought in my mind: as a priest, I don’t receive “honey-do-lists” at home like many of you spouses.  And perhaps God called me to be a priest because such projects would be like me reading Greek.  As in, I could read Greek many years ago, but I would rather try to remember Greek again than some of these physical projects).

Moving on…

I am proud for each of our family members and it is cool to watch so many opportunities that you have that I do not—praise God. 

As we begin our stewardship mission this fall, here are some great thoughts, ideas and projects from several parishioners from St. Thomas Aquinas, our school and St. Columban.

St. Thomas Aquinas:

·      We must take out many trees around our church and hall.  While they are gorgeous, their roots can destroy the foundations of our buildings.  Their leaves can eat away our protection for our stained glassed windows.  (Our Grounds and Buildings Group discerned these thoughts).

·      We should paint some things outside at our school, church and hall.  We should see a beautiful image outside for our community. 

·      We need to fix, replace and clean the playground.

St. Columban:

·      It was fun to see your work around our property earlier this summer.  You gave a great image for the property “up north”!

·      We would like to fix the confessional door in the cry room.

·      We would also like to swap where Jesus and I sit during Mass.  Our tabernacle will be in front and center where I (as well as the servers) will sit in the corner.

Finally, I just heard that we might be concluding the big picture of our missionary this fall with an excellent autumn feast!  Until then, “Let the wild rumpus start!”

God Bless!           

How many crosses do we have in our Church?: Thursday, September 14th, 2017 (Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross)

Listen to the homily here.

A good list to examine our sins and ask for forgiveness: Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“…you have taken off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self…”

“Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and the greed that is idolatry.”

“But now you must put them all away:
anger, fury, malice, slander,
and obscene language out of your mouths. 
Stop lying to one another…”

Pray before decisions: Tuesday, September 12th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Fr. Rich Kunst

Colossians: “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
rooted in him and built upon him
and established in the faith as you were taught,
abounding in thanksgiving.”

Luke: “Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve…”

Psalm 62:6-7, 9: Monday, September 11th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Psalm 62:6-7, 9

In God is my safety and my glory.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. In God is my safety and my glory.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
R. In God is my safety and my glory.

Jesus taught us how to work with sinners--them and you: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

While these were not spoken from Jesus, he gave a great instruction from his teaching in both his present times to our present today:

·      "If your brother [and/or your sister] sins against you…”

o   Gossip (through all history and today through the internet), libel, slander, lies or even bullying, violence, judgment, etc.

·      “…go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”

o   Can you imagine how much unity and peace that would continue to grow our families, our parishes and our community if we actually speak face to face to another person?

o   Pray for strength and discernment to have the guts to speak…especially against stuff on the internet

o   One caveat: I am focusing today on things like gossip or “normal” sins from one to another

§  Really bad stuff—violence or abuse you must call leaders like our police!

·      “If he listens to you, you have won over your brother [or sister].”

o   This is where courage melts hearts and opens doors for forgiveness

o   As a child…

·      “If he does not listen, take one or two others along [family members, trusted ones, leaders, friends] with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.'”

o   Know the facts!

o   Offer conversations and compassion with a group

o   Speak to a person, not through a machine or unreality

o   If this works, “…you have won over your brother or sister”

·      “If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.”

o   Jesus was speaking about the disciples, the parish, the deacons, the priests, the bishops

o   Again, remember the caveat of violence

·      “If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.”

o   Lets be honest…we have Catholics and Christians who use the name while they might not actually following Jesus Christ

o   This is what Jesus Christ said

o   And it is clear: Jesus did not say to judge, but to treat them like a Gentile or a tax collector—aka stay away from their presence

o   We do not have to like others, but we must love

St. Paul wrote:

·      “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

Love is beyond emotions or passions

·      Love is give the good to the other person

In our Catholic family…can we each do this?

·      Can we hone in our use of speaking about others behind their back?

·      Can we clean up our coward typing or texting?

·      Can we follow in a deeper, challenging and changing to follow what Jesus Christ taught us?

Watch how much joyful, peaceful and relationships will grow fruit

First School Mass!: Thursday, September 7th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Intercession prayers: Wednesday, September 6th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones because of the hope reserved for you in heaven.”

Intercessions

·      Thoughts from my rector

o   Stop and do it, just once

·      Types of intercessions

o   Mind or aloud

o   Mass

o   Rosary

o   Daily Mass

o   Holy Hour

o   “For those who have asked me to pray for them”

·      Charism/gift

Jesus was and is the best teacher: Tuesday, September 5th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“For God did not destine us for wrath,
but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep
we may live together with him.”

·      “Common” verses?

·      “Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.”

“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up,
as indeed you do.”

·      Each of us can grow encouraging

·      One of those gifts that can’t stop getting better