PASTOR'S MESSAGE
August 8-9, 2020 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In the Gospel reading today, from Matthew 14, we have Peter walking on the water with Jesus for a moment.
In this summer season, most of us think of WATER as a good and fun thing….For us, the sea, or the ocean and the beach are wonderful and where we go to have fun and to have recreation, etc.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In the Gospel reading today, from Matthew 14, we have Peter walking on the water with Jesus for a moment.
In this summer season, most of us think of WATER as a good and fun thing….For us, the sea, or the ocean and the beach are wonderful and where we go to have fun and to have recreation, etc.
In the O.T. times, in Israel, the sea is thought of as a fearsome thing. It was thought of to be a chaotic and fearful thing to be out on the sea.
Maybe in the era before lighthouses, radar, radios, fiberglass boats and advanced understanding of being out on the sea it WAS more dangerous to be out on the water.
I mean: They probably had terrible boats, safety-wise, compared to ours…..BUT ANYWAY, in the mindset of people in Jesus’ time in Israel the sea represents danger and chaotic powers beyond our control. It is a place to be afraid.
SO, when Jesus walks on the water in the story in today’s Gospel, that act means something to the people of Jesus’ time that we might miss. That, through walking on the water, Jesus was victorious over all powers of danger and chaos in the world.
In our own lives we may look at things that seem so chaotic in the world. Indeed, devout Christians CAN be adversely affected by powerful forces in this world – whether that be the oppression of a government not open to Christianity or it could be a bully at school or a busybody at work.
But, when we know who will have the victory in the end, and who has the real power in the universe – God – and that God is love and so LOVE will have the final victory in the universe….well, that helps us to see things in a different perspective, one that allows for hope despite everything in the world. Let’s be people of hope brothers and sisters, knowing that Jesus will have the final victory.
11:15am MASS INSIDE on Aug. 9th. I will be away for two weeks to visit my mom and go to the beach. This is actually the first time I have left the parish since January because of Covid. Due to concerns about weather and not being able to make last-minute changes if there is rain, etc. while I am away, we decided that on the weekend of Aug. 8th-9th we will have our 11:15am Mass INSIDE, with double Masses in Unity Hall and in the Church. I am aware that we may have a decline in attendance at that time slot because of moving inside.
As a plus for moving the 11:15am Mass inside, we will have some GREAT PRIESTS with us those weekends: Fr. Matt Buening and Msgr. Jeff Burrill.
After those two weekends we will go back to having the 11:15am Mass OUTSIDE starting Aug. 16th and will continue to do so until the weather turns too cold for us to do so in the Fall.
PLEASE SIGN YOUR KIDS UP FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION CLASSES AT HOLY FAMILY:
If you are an adult and are interested in the Catholic faith or if you are a Catholic who was only baptized and haven't received any other sacraments, please contact Charles Burk at burkce53@gmail.com.
For all children under 18 who want to become Catholic or who need to catch up on sacraments, please contact Sandy at the Faith Formation office for the RCIC program at resecy@hfccmail.org.
Finally, For the Feast of the Assumption there will be two Masses: 7pm on Friday, August 14th and 10am on Saturday, August 15th in the church.
God Bless,
Fr. Andy
Maybe in the era before lighthouses, radar, radios, fiberglass boats and advanced understanding of being out on the sea it WAS more dangerous to be out on the water.
I mean: They probably had terrible boats, safety-wise, compared to ours…..BUT ANYWAY, in the mindset of people in Jesus’ time in Israel the sea represents danger and chaotic powers beyond our control. It is a place to be afraid.
SO, when Jesus walks on the water in the story in today’s Gospel, that act means something to the people of Jesus’ time that we might miss. That, through walking on the water, Jesus was victorious over all powers of danger and chaos in the world.
In our own lives we may look at things that seem so chaotic in the world. Indeed, devout Christians CAN be adversely affected by powerful forces in this world – whether that be the oppression of a government not open to Christianity or it could be a bully at school or a busybody at work.
But, when we know who will have the victory in the end, and who has the real power in the universe – God – and that God is love and so LOVE will have the final victory in the universe….well, that helps us to see things in a different perspective, one that allows for hope despite everything in the world. Let’s be people of hope brothers and sisters, knowing that Jesus will have the final victory.
11:15am MASS INSIDE on Aug. 9th. I will be away for two weeks to visit my mom and go to the beach. This is actually the first time I have left the parish since January because of Covid. Due to concerns about weather and not being able to make last-minute changes if there is rain, etc. while I am away, we decided that on the weekend of Aug. 8th-9th we will have our 11:15am Mass INSIDE, with double Masses in Unity Hall and in the Church. I am aware that we may have a decline in attendance at that time slot because of moving inside.
As a plus for moving the 11:15am Mass inside, we will have some GREAT PRIESTS with us those weekends: Fr. Matt Buening and Msgr. Jeff Burrill.
After those two weekends we will go back to having the 11:15am Mass OUTSIDE starting Aug. 16th and will continue to do so until the weather turns too cold for us to do so in the Fall.
PLEASE SIGN YOUR KIDS UP FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION CLASSES AT HOLY FAMILY:
- Contact Sandy for information on religious education at resecy@hfccmail.org.
- Contact Amy for information on Sacramental Preparation at amy.burgess@hfccmail.org.
- Contact Jeanne Collins for email address for the Sacrament of Confirmation at rcpt@hfccmail.org.
If you are an adult and are interested in the Catholic faith or if you are a Catholic who was only baptized and haven't received any other sacraments, please contact Charles Burk at burkce53@gmail.com.
For all children under 18 who want to become Catholic or who need to catch up on sacraments, please contact Sandy at the Faith Formation office for the RCIC program at resecy@hfccmail.org.
Finally, For the Feast of the Assumption there will be two Masses: 7pm on Friday, August 14th and 10am on Saturday, August 15th in the church.
God Bless,
Fr. Andy