Bible Study for the Fourth Week of Advent
  • 12/18 – Ephesians 2:12-22 Reflect and pray: O Lord, thank you for the grace that joins us in the community of faith, as Church and as fellow workers in your vineyard. Thank you for breaking down all that would separate us from the Father, You, and each other.
  • 12/19 – John 7:37-38 and John 14:6 Reflect and pray: Jesus, fountain of life, thank you for giving us life without end. Grant that we may always proclaim You alone as the way, the truth, and the life.
  • 12/20 – Matthew 28:19-20 Reflect and pray: Jesus, strengthen us and break down any obstacle so that we would boldly reach out to teach your Gospel. Grant that we may baptize all we meet into Your life.
  • 12/21 – John 8:12 Reflect and pray: Light of the World, give us eyes that see Your light as both a beacon of hope and blessed reassurance. May we share your light with all we meet.
  • 12/22 – John 9:4-5 and Matthew 5:14-16 Reflect and pray: Lord Jesus, may we always work diligently while it is light so that all might know you. Grant us the grace to live in and reflect Your light.
  • 12/23 – Psalm 98:1-6 Reflect and pray: Glorious Lord, may we ever proclaim you with joy, with hearts and voices that reflect the true happiness that exists only in union with You.
  • 12/24 – John 1:1-3,14 and Romans 6:23 Reflect and pray: This night, O Lord, You enter the world anew. What was eternal and unknowable now breaks like the dawn and dwells with us. May we ever recognize what You have done, and love you all the more.

Pray this week: Lord Jesus, come and save us!

Reflection for the 4th Sunday of Advent

Don’t look in there… What are they hiding in there away?

St. Paul is writing to the Church at Rome. He tells them:

…the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations

Children wonder, especially at this time of the year, what might be hidden in the closet or basement; perhaps under mom and dad’s bed. We are like children, children of faith. Paul is speaking to us. He’s letting us know that nothing is hidden. God has revealed everything to us. What was once a mystery is now plain. Everything became plain in the life of Jesus.

God isn’t into mystery, or spooky miracles, or suddenly appearing saints. What He is about is clearly understood – He is about relationships founded in deep love, generosity, caring, and the deep desire that we, His people, live in community with Him and each other.

Rather than searching the closets or the basement, let’s search our hearts for the plain meaning in the Gospels. Jesus’ coming has given us all we need to know.

Armed with His gospel of love and community we join in His holy mission – making His Father’s message available to all people.

The miracle is this – there are no secrets – Jesus has opened heaven’s store of dignity and love for all people. He really loves us. Knowing that, we can say with Paul:

to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever.

Bible Study for the Third Week of Advent
  • 12/11 – Matthew 2:7-8
 Reflect and pray: O Lord, allow me to always seek you, not for my own ends, or to fulfill the desires of others, but in truth and for the good of my soul.
  • 12/12 – Matthew 2:9
 Reflect and pray: O Lord, may the light of your star be ever before me as I travel. May I see your light shining upon all I meet along the way.
  • 12/13 – Matthew 2:10-11
 Reflect and pray: Lord Jesus, may I recognize your presence in each place I enter. May I always be ready to offer my gifts of time, talent, and treasure freely and in accordance with Your will.
  • 12/14 – Matthew 2:12-15
 Reflect and pray: Lord, may your presence be seen in every child. May I always work toward ending every form of abuse and bullying toward those little ones You embraced.
  • 12/15 – Galatians 4:4-5
 Reflect and pray: Lord, You came to reveal the fullness of the law and in doing so delivered us from bondage. May I see myself as a child of the Father, Your brother, and as an heir to the kingdom.
  • 12/16 – Ephesians 2:8-9
 Reflect and pray: Lord, giver of every grace, in accepting You, and through baptism, I was saved. May I always treasure Your grace, work for the good of all because of Your grace, and in doing so only boast only of You.
  • 12/17 – 1 John 4:7-16 Reflect and pray: Lord God, by the gift of Your Son Jesus I know love. May I always live and abide in the love Jesus taught and in doing so reveal Your presence in my life.

Pray this week: Jesus, I long for Your coming.

Reflection for the 3rd Sunday of Advent

Bang, bang, bang… Is that Santa on the roof, or St. Paul?

St. Paul is writing to one of the Churches he founded. He’s rattling off a whole bunch of instructions in short order at the very end of his letter:

Keep awake and be sober. Encourage one another. Build one another up. Respect those who labor among you. Be at peace among yourselves. Admonish idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. Do not repay evil for evil. Always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always. Pray constantly. Give thanks in all circumstances. Do not quench the Spirit. Test everything. Hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Paul is literally banging out instructions. If he had a typewriter, we could hear him pounding the message home.

During this time of preparation we need to hear Paul’s message and to share it.

These instructions are not just wise sayings, good things to live by, or smart. They are urgent and necessary for us in our relationships with each other, our Church, and the world. They are the foundation for our journey to heaven.

Jesus’ coming changed life from a series of misfortunes and mishaps that ended in the emptiness of death to a path of holiness, righteousness, and faith that ends in eternal joy.

As we hear the doorbells ring and the guests knock, let us remember Paul banging away at these instructions. Paul ends by blessing us for following these instructions:

May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ coming is near. Let us renew ourselves so that we may be part of the joy that is forever.

May our Lord bless you and yours,

Deacon Jim

Christmas at Holy Name in Schenectady

Our doors and hears are open to the Lord which means that our doors and hearts are open to you. Whether you attend services once-in-a-while or every week, come join us in greeting Jesus’ coming and the joy of the Christmas season. Our service schedule is as follows:

  • Sunday, December 11th: 3rd Sunday of Advent/3a Niedziela Adwentu, Holy Mass followed by our youth sing-along and Parish Vigil/Wigilia Dinner starting at 10:30am
  • Sunday, December 18th: 4th Sunday of Advent/4a Niedziela Adwentu, Service of Worship and Holy Communion, Greening of the Church starting at 9:30am
  • Saturday/Sunday, December 24th-25th: Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord – Shepherd’s Holy Mass/Pasterka at Midnight.
  • Sunday, December 25th: Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord/ÅšwiÄ™tego Bożego Narodzenia – Service of Worship and Holy Communion for Christmas Day starting at 9:30am.
  • Monday, December 26th: Feast of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr – please keep the persecuted Church in your prayers this day.
  • Tuesday, December 27th: Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist/ÅšwiÄ™tego Jan, apostoÅ‚ i ewangelista – Service of Worship and Holy Communion and Blessing of Wine at 7pm.
  • Wednesday, December 28th: Commemoration of the Holy Innocents/Uroczystość Å›wiÄ™tych MÅ‚odzianków – please keep all children subject to abuse and bullying in your prayers.
  • Saturday, December 31st: Solemnity of the Holy Family/Uroczystość ÅšwiÄ™tej Rodziny – please pray for God’s blessings upon all families, that they may model the life of the Holy Family.
  • Sunday, January 1st: Solemnity of the Circumcision of our Lord/Uroczystość Obrzezania Pana naszego Jezusa Chrystusa – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 9:30am.
  • Monday, January 2nd: Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus/Uroczystość NajÅ›wiÄ™tszego Imienia Jezus – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 7pm.
  • Friday, January 6th: Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord/Uroczystość Å›wiÄ™tych Trzech Króli – Service of Worship and Holy Communion with blessing of chalk, charcoal, and incense starting at 7pm.
  • Sunday, January 8th: Solemnity of the Humble Shepherds/Uroczystość Ubogich Pasterzy – Holy Mass starting at 9:30am.

Bible Study for Second Week of Advent
  • 12/4 – 2 Samuel 7:8-17 – When I face discouragement, do I remember the promise of God’s fidelity? Prayer starter: Loving God, it is so easy to be deflated by all that is wrong in the world. Help me to see the goodness around me and believe in your lasting faithfulness.
  • 12/5 – Isaiah 7:1-18 – How well do I exercise my Christian role as a good citizen? Prayer starter: Jesus, Immanuel, I thank you for giving me a country in which my voice counts. Lead me to use it to do your will.
  • 12/6 – Isaiah 9:1-7 – How can I oppose the inclination to violence which may be present in my relationships? Prayer starter: Prince of Peace, your reign runs contrary to the patterns of our world. Help me to reject the use of force and employ the power of love.
  • 12/7 – Isaiah 11:1-9 – Does my treatment of the world’s resources acknowledge that creation is God’s handiwork? Prayer starter: Creator God, you have made all things. Allow me to remember that your world is not disposable but will share in your glory.
  • 12/8 – Isaiah 40:1-11 – What actions of mine block or hinder the way of God? Prayer starter: Jesus, you are the life and the way. Help me commit myself to make your coming swift and unimpeded.
  • 12/9 – Isaiah 42:1-9 – Who in my life is fragile? How can I treat them with gentleness and patience? Prayer starter: Gracious God, your presence is in all people. Allow me to use my gifts to build up others rather than tear them down.
  • 12/10 – Isaiah 52:1-10 – What simple action can I perform to show God’s love in my home or workplace? Prayer starter: Loving God, you created all things by the power of your word. Help me to see my words have greater power when I act with love.

Bible Study for the First Week of Advent
  • 11/27 – Revelation 22:1-21 – How did the reading of the Apocalypse strengthen my hope for the World to come? Prayer starter: Lord Jesus, you are the Word through which all things were created and you are the victorious Lamb through whom all things will be created anew. Come, Lord, and make all things new.
  • 11/28 – Revelation 18:1-24 – How can John’s criticism of his own society help us to discern values to be in ours? Prayer starter: Your judgements, O Lord, are always for the sake of justice. You will not allow pride, violence, and oppression to prevail over and against the lives of the meek and the downtrodden.
  • 11/29 – Revelation 19:1-21 – Who are the fellow servants who have been instrumental in transmitting to me the testimony of Jesus? Prayer starter: Lord Jesus, you are the True and Faithful Witness. Give us the courage to abide by your words and your judgements.
  • 11/30 – Revelation 20:1-10 – Which signs do I see of God’s victory over the Devil in today’s Church? Prayer starter: We praise you, Lord Almighty, for your final victory over the Devil and Satan and we give you thanks for all the saints who now have a share in the first resurrection.
  • 12/1 – Revelation 20:11-15 – Do I fear the Lord’s judgement or do I trust entirely in God’s goodness and justice? Prayer starter: Lord, sovereign Judge of all, remember us in your kingdom and may our deeds enable us to enjoy eternal life with you and with all the saints who reign with you.
  • 12/2 – Revelation 21:1-8 – What kind of heaven am I dreaming of and hoping for? Prayer starter: Lord, I only pray for a new heaven where you will be the God of all peoples and where humankind will be reconciled to worship you as the One and Holy God for all.
  • 12/3 – Revelation 21:9-27 – Do I value enough the heritage received from biblical Israel and from the early apostolic Church? Prayer starter: Lord of glory, as we walk as pilgrims on earth, let the light of the Lamb always shine on our path and lead us into heart of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Bible Study for the Last Week of Ordinary Time
  • 11/20 – Revelation 17:1-18 – How far am I willing to go to unmask and denounce any oppressing power? Prayer starter: Lamb of God, you are the lord of lords and the king of kings. Give us the wisdom and the courage always to work for the coming of your kingdom.
  • 11/21 – Revelation 18:1-24 – How can John’s criticism of his own society help us to discern values to be promoted in ours? Prayer starter: Your judgements, O Lord, are always for the sake of justice. You will not allow pride, violence, and oppression to prevail over and against the lives of the meek and the downtrodden.
  • 11/22 – Revelation 19:1-21 – Who are the fellow servants who have been instrumental in transmitting to me the testimony of Jesus? Prayer starter: Lord Jesus, you are the True and Faithful Witness. Give us the courage to abide by your words and your judgements.
  • 11/23 – Revelation 20:1-10 – Which signs do I see of God’s victory over the Devil in today’s Church? Prayer starter: We praise you, Lord Almighty, for your final victory over the Devil and Satan and we give you thanks for all the saints who now have a share in the first resurrection.
  • 11/24 – Revelation 20:11-15 – Do I fear the Lord’s judgement or do I trust entirely in God’s goodness and justice? Prayer starter: Lord, sovereign Judge of all, remember us in your kingdom and may our deeds enable us to enjoy eternal life with you and with all the saints who reign with you.
  • 11/25 – Revelation 21:1-8 – What kind of heaven am I dreaming of and hoping for? Prayer starter: Lord, I only pray for a new heaven where you will be the God of all peoples and where humankind will be reconciled to worship you as the One and Holy God for all.
  • 11/26 – Revelation 21:9-27 – Do I value enough the heritage received from biblical Israel and from the early apostolic Church? Prayer starter: Lord of glory, as we walk as pilgrims on earth, let the light of the Lamb always shine on our path and lead us into heart of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Remain in Faith

I would like to thank all those who have worked long hours in providing for the dinner served after Holy Mass on Sunday morning. I would also like to thank all of our past and current parishioners and guests for attending worship and staying for the dinner.

Our work together oven these past fourteen years has produced much fruit and brought manifold blessings upon us as we reached out our hand into our community in so many ways.

Our work for our Holy Polish National Catholic Church does not end with today, however. Although we may be working in different parts of the Lord’s vineyard, we, nonetheless continue to be needed by our Lord to spread His message of love and forgiveness. Please continue to pray for my family as I will continue to pray for you and yours.

— Father Stan

You have treated Your servant well, according to Your word, O Lord. — Psalm 119:65