Bible Study for the Week of Brotherly Love
  • 9/8 – Genesis 14:18 – Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of our bishops and priests who perform their liturgy; following Your command, bringing me into unity with You in Your body and blood.
  • 9/9 – Hebrews 7:15-17 – Lord Jesus, Your are our eternal high priest. Thank You for the Holy Eucharist and the communion I have with You and all my brothers and sisters in faith.
  • 9/10 – John 6:35 – Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of faith. Eliminate all hunger in me. Help me to clearly perceive and live in the fulness of life You provide.
  • 9/11 – John 6:51 – Lord, You freely offered Yourself as sacrifice for my salvation. Help me to approach Your altar and receive Your gifts of flesh and blood worthily unto eternal life.
  • 9/12 – John 6:53-54 – Lord Jesus, grant that I may be filled with Your life and bring me to Your promised resurrection.
  • 9/13 – 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 – Lord, I thank You for Your gift of the Holy Church, the Apostolic faith, and the Traditions handed down to me.
  • 9/14 – 1 Corinthians 12:13 – Lord, in Your body and blood I am joined to Your faithful everywhere and throughout all time. Grant that I may join them in praising You eternally.

Pray the week: Lord Jesus, I praise and thank You for the gift of Your body and blood. Grant that I may partake worthily.

Reflection for the Solemnity of Brotherly Love

CommunionInRemembranceofMe-Image1

Where does it all
start?

We love, because he first loved us. If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.

Today we celebrate two very wonderful and amazing occasions.

The first is Christina and Nick’s reception of communion. The second is our Church’s Solemnity of Brotherly Love.

These two events could not be more perfectly aligned.

Our love for each other in Jesus’ community – the Holy Church – begins in the perfect unity we find in the Holy Eucharist. Christina and Nick are now part of that communion. Together with us, Christina and Nick are intimately joined with Jesus. We are all made one in His body. Along with us, Christina and Nick will play roles that strengthen the community of faith through mutual love. As St. Peter tells us: As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.

God’s grace is received in a most unique and special way in our communion. His body is more than mere food. In receiving Jesus’ body and blood we are pulled into union with Him at each and every moment of His life. We are there at the last supper, receiving His body and blood. We stand at the foot of His cross. We are at the empty tomb. We see Him ascend into heaven – and we are at His second coming. We have total and complete unity with Jesus AND with each other.

Our roles are not to be thought of as something for our own glorification or advancement, but rather for the glorification and advancement of all the people Jesus has called to be His own.

If we are one in His body and blood, if we share in His grace, if we have Jesus with us, then we must exhibit the fruit of this unity. That fruit is brotherly love.

We cannot participate in communion thinking that it is just Jesus and me. We cannot receive thinking that we are just remembering in the sense of recollection.

When we receive Jesus we must do so with the realization that we our bound to God and each other. We have unity with every Christian who receives Jesus anywhere or at any time. We are not alone. We are not just remembering, but are living in the reality of Christ throughout all of eternity.

God loved us first. Living in union with Him, in communion, means we must love each other. His love is the start and our love for each other is full participation in His life.

Mrs. Edwards – I know you can hear me…

Keep sending those invites, offer a ride, repeat. Mrs. Edwards will eventually say yes to Church.

National Back to Church Sunday is Sunday, September 15th. We invite you to come find out more right here in Schenectady. Not been in a while – here’s an opportunity to come back. Never been – you’re invited. Looking to help – here’s a chance to join in doing good for each other and our community.

Bible Study for the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
  • 9/1 – Numbers 12:3 – Father, Your Lawgiver Moses has been accorded greatness because of his humility. Help me to aspire to greatness by living humbly in service to You.
  • 9/2 – Matthew 5:5 – Lord, grant that I may not aspire to the rewards of the world, but to the meekness that leads to eternal life.
  • 9/3 – Galatians 5:22-23 – Holy Spirit, You have endowed me with Your gifts. Help me to live them fully in humility.
  • 9/4 – 1 John 1:8-9 – Lord, thank You for the gift of forgiveness. Help me to humbly seek reconciliation with all I have hurt.
  • 9/5 – Philippians 2:8 – Lord Jesus, You humbled Yourself and took on our humanity. Grant me the gift of great humility so that I may follow Your example. Help me to live thankfully for Your sacrifice which has freed me.
  • 9/6 – James 1:17 – Father, You send us every good gift. Grant me the gift of humility.
  • 9/7 – James 4:6 – Lord, help me to set aside pride and to live for Your grace.

Pray the week: Lord Jesus, keep Your example of humility ever before me. Help me by Your grace to be humble and meek.

Reflection for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Humility

O Lord, it’s so hard
to be humble.

My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not.

The Book or Sirach has been used throughout the history of the Church to present moral teaching to catechumens (those preparing for baptism) and to the faithful.

The Book’s author was a sage, and was filled with love for wisdom, the law, and divine worship. As a wise and experienced observer he spoke to his contemporaries, and speaks to us, about maintaining faith and integrity.

Sirach organized his book by subject matter including: the individual, family, and community in their relations with one another and with God. It discusses friendship, education, poverty and wealth, laws, religious worship, and many other matters that are important to us even today.

Jesus was calling the people he was dining with to recall the wisdom Sirach offered centuries earlier. They had forgotten. He reminds them of the humility they were to exercise.

God calls us to live humbly, to be poor in spirit and meek as so well recorded in the Sermon on the Mount. All of Jesus’ teachings were focused on calling us to recognize where true treasure and greatness lay.

Jesus calls us into a relationship with God who is perfect while we are to acknowledge our imperfection and sin. We must be humble enough to see our shortcomings and rely on God for the forgiveness and redemption we need.

Jesus calls us to live with each other and our wider community as servants, and not just servants, but servants open enough to welcome all as our brothers and sisters.

Jesus calls us to live simply and without reliance on the things or the honors the world offers. We must remember what God offers us is far greater. He is our treasure and greatness. St. Paul reminds us that living in relationship with God, being members of His community, the Holy Church, gives us entry into real greatness – the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, the company of angels, the assembly of our brothers and sisters in glory, and God Himself. We come to Him through Jesus, our mediator who covers us in the blood – the blood He shed in humility to the Father’s will.

It is hard to be humble, meek, poor in spirit, and simple. Let us set forth with the humility to recognize that and to know by God’s grace we will work diligently to gain humility.

Why Church – What You Didn’t Know…

When you hear “Church” what do you think? Watch this video that’s changing the way people think about Church.

National Back to Church Sunday is Sunday, September 15th. We invite you to come find out more right here in Schenectady. Not been in a while – here’s an opportunity to come back. Never been – you’re invited. Looking to help – here’s a chance to join in doing good for each other and our community.

Call to Crafters – Registration Ongoing

Thank you to all the wonderful crafters who have responded and signed-up so far for our Holiday/Seasonal Craft Fair to be held on Saturday, October 12th from 9 AM to 4:30 PM at the Rotterdam Senior Citizens Club, 2639 Hamburg St, Rotterdam NY 12303.

If you are a crafter, and have not reserved your space, there is still time to register. You can find more information here, sign up on-line, or download a copy of our crafters registration form, complete it, and mail it in with payment.

Availability of spaces is first come/first serve. Call Gayle for a registration form and details at 518-588-0908 after 5:30pm on weekdays and any time on weekends.

Bible Study for the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
  • 8/25 – 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 – Lord Jesus, thank You for making me Your child. Help me to live in accord with Your will and way.
  • 8/26 – Romans 8:16-17 – Father, thank You for adopting me as Your child and making me an heir to Your kingdom. Help me to suffer the scorn of the world confident in Your love for me.
  • 8/27 – Galatians 3:26-27 – Lord, thank You for the graces I received in the regenerating waters of baptism. Through Your grace help me to live my baptismal commitment each day.
  • 8/29 – Galatians 4:6-7 – Father, I am Your child, I love You.
  • 8/30 – John 1:12 – Father, thank You for granting me the grace to confess my sins and to accept Your Son as my Lord and Savior.
  • 8/31 – Romans 8:14 – Lord, grant me the grace to follow You more closely each day. Lead me always.
  • 9/1 – Romans 8:15 – Lord, grant that when confronted by evil and pain I may rely on my standing with You as an adopted child. Loving Father, strengthen and protect me.

Pray the week: Lord, thank You for making me Your child. Grant that all children may come to know You through my work and example.