Our August 2012 newsletter and calendar is now available – a bit late, but hey it’s still August. You may view and download a copy right from this website.
At our church – not better than any other church… here for you…
In 1904, at the First Synod of our Church, we declared: “Referring to other Christian communities, we state that we do not condemn any one of them. We sympathize with every Church whose object is to ennoble and sanctify man and bring the Gospel of Jesus and peace to humanity.†In a nutshell, that statement captures the aim and vision of a member of our Church, the desire for unity with and for God, God who lives and works among us in raising up humanity to its ultimate destiny. We won’t say we are better than any other Church because the key purpose of Church is to connect to Jesus in a community of faith.
Solemnity of the Dormition
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Dormition. According to Holy Tradition Mary spent her life after Pentecost supporting and serving the Church, and lived in the house of the Apostle John in Jerusalem. The Archangel Gabriel had revealed to her that her repose would occur in three days. The apostles, scattered throughout the world were miraculously transported to be at her side when she died. Mary was buried in Gethsemane, according to her request. After three day, the Apostles visiting her grave found her body was gone, leaving a sweet fragrance. An apparition is said to have confirmed that Christ had taken her body to heaven after three days to be reunited with her soul.
The key is that we honor and love Mary for her faith example. Like her, we are to live after our Pentecost, after our regeneration, supporting and serving the community of faith, the Holy Church. Following her example of humility, faith, and service, we live as children of the Father and the body of Christ, never making ourselves more than or greater than her Son.
Bible Study for the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
Pray the week: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me true victory.
Reflection for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
I can’t do it anymore.
I have all you need to continue.
“This is enough, O LORD!”
Back at the castle, Jezebel heard how Elijah’s God had made hers look foolish. She also heard that her prophets were dead and that Israel had gone back to God. So she sent a little note to Elijah: “May the gods kill me if I don’t make you just as dead as my prophets!†She meant it. She had killed before. Elijah suddenly felt very alone. You can just imagine the people backing away from him. The wicked queen had sworn she would get him. Elijah needed a friend. He looked around, but it seemed like the only one standing with him was his personal servant. At such a frightening time in Elijah’s life, he needed reassurance, a reason to go on.
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed for death.
Many of us have watched the Olympics. We have seen competitors break 34 world records and 67 Olympic record including 28 broken by Americans and 3 by Poles.
Manteo Mitchell of the United States 4×400-meter relay team was running when he felt the pop in his leg. He said, “It felt like somebody literally just snapped my leg in half”
The sprinter had half a lap to go in the first leg of the preliminaries and a choice to make: keep running or stop and lose the race. To him, it was never much of a choice.
He finished the lap and limped to the side to watch his team finish the race and qualify easily for the final. A few hours later, doctors confirmed what he suspected: He had run the last 200 meters with a broken leg.
We aren’t often confronted with the threat of being murdered, or having to finish a race with a broken leg, but Jesus knew that we would be confronted by all sorts of challenges, including the ones Jesus faced today, lack of faith, doubt, and murmuring. He knew that we all face the challenge of mortality.
Knowing all this, He gave us what we need to continue, to go on, and to have a hope that is more powerful than any challenge, even death.
Jesus is our strength. He is what we need to continue, the Bread that came down from heaven that gives eternal life. With Him and in Him there is nothing to fear, there is all we need to continue. With His strength we can not only finish the race, but finish winning!
Why come back to church? Why come at all?
Sunday, September 16th is “Back to Church” Sunday. We will be here to welcome you. Away a long time, never been, not sure — see the video and know you are welcome here.
CONVO 2012 Photos
Bible Study for the 18th Week in Ordinary Time
- 8/5 – Matthew 5:6 – Lord Jesus, I hunger for life in You, I thirst for Your way. Grant through penance and renewal that I may better follow Your way and find true satisfaction.
- 8/6 – John 6:35 – Lord Jesus, You are the Messiah, the Son of the true God. Grant that my faith, and my participation in the life of Your Holy Church may fill me such that I never hunger.
- 8/7 – John 6:27 – Lord Jesus, Your Father sent You to feed us with the Bread of Life. Grant that I may always and regularly feed on Your word and Your Body and Blood which will bring me everlasting life.
- 8/8 – John 6:33 – Lord Jesus, Bread from Heaven, through Your Holy Spirit grant us fortitude and perseverance; grant us life.
- 8/9 – John 6:47 – Lord Jesus, the fruit of my partaking in You is eternal life. Grant that nothing ever keep me from You and Your promises.
- 8/10 – John 6:51-53 – Lord Jesus, I praise and thank You for the enduring gift of Your body and blood in the most holy sacrament of the altar. Renew my appreciation and respect for this great gift so that I may have true life without end.
- 8/11 – Matthew 7:21 – Lord Jesus, grant that I may never pay lip service to Your gifts, but hold them as precious and the means to eternal life which comes from You.
Pray the week: Jesus, thank You for feeding me. Grant that I may believe in and act upon this nourishment.
Reflection for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mmmmm, yummy bread.
I know where you can get the best.
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
When I came to the Capital Region one of the first things I did was to look for good bread. Which store, which bakery in the area makes the best bread?
Why the search? I searched because bread is basic to life. From my earliest years I was taught to both enjoy bread and to respect it. Of course my Busha made the best bread. We so enjoyed what she created with love. We were also told of hunger – the hunger our parents and grandparents felt during the great depression. Crumbs of bread weren’t wasted; we didn’t let them fall to the floor. More importantly, we were taught that bread is a symbol of Jesus – the Bread of Life that feeds us so we are never hungry. As such, we respected bread.
When I moved into my first house my mother arrived bearing a package of bread and salt – that the house would never know hunger, that there would be flavor to life – a very special blessing and prayer I will always remember. We use the same symbols when our bishops visit us – to welcome them.
The Israelites were in trouble and they hungered in bondage in Egypt. God set about to free them, not just from bondage, but to truly free them. When Moses stood before the burning bush he asked God about His name and God said “I Am.†Tell the Israelites: “I Am has sent me to You.†God sent me to you to free you.
Jesus faces much of the same questioning today. He’s fed the multitude, done amazing signs, yet people keep asking – who are You? Jesus again uses the phrase “I Am,†this time referring to Himself as the Bread of Life.
Jesus says “I Am.†He is God – all powerful, Almighty, to be worshiped, adored, served, believed in, and listened to. Better than that, He is God who knows and understands us because He became man – He felt all our joys and triumphs as well as our tribulations, sufferings, and tears. Particularly, He felt our hunger.
God knows us and knows that we hunger, not as much for food and water – although there are still too many who go without – but at a more basic level.
So Jesus came to us to truly free us. He didn’t just come to perform signs and feed us for a day – but to feed us with all we need – and to make it last forever. Remember the one place with the best bread.
Bible Study for the 17th Week in Ordinary Time
- 7/29 – Genesis 1:1-2 – Lord God, Your Spirit infuses water with the power to heal, refresh, renew, and regenerate us. Grant that I may see Your hand at work and Your Spirit alive in these waters and that I may find You touching me through them.
- 7/30 – Genesis 7:17-19 – Lord God, drown me in the waters of Your love and infuse me with Your life.
- 7/31 – Exodus 2:5-6,10 – Lord God, save me from floating away in despair. Draw me out of the way of the world and make a home for me in Your Holy Church.
- 8/1 – Exodus 14:21-22 – Lord God, You used the waters of the sea to save Your people. Grant that my entry into Your life through the waters of baptism may not be a one time event, but the start on the road to salvation.
- 8/2 – John 3:5 – Lord Jesus, lead all to the waters of baptism. Grant that I may continue to live the promises of my entry into Your Holy Church and that the power of the Holy Spirit may make me an example of love and service to all so they may find their home in You.
- 8/3 – John 4:14 – Lord Jesus, give me this water. Grant that through my partaking of the waters of eternal life that flow from You I may be renewed to do Your will; follow Your way.
- 8/4 – Revelation 22:1-2 – Heavenly Father, the rivers of life flow from You through Your Son to wash and renew us. This water brings me life to the fullest. Grant me full access to the river of life.
Pray the week: Lord God, thank You for using water to drown us in Your life.