How does this favorite story, event, teaching affect you? Or does it? Has this favorite Jesus moment changed your life? Should it? How often do you think about Jesus in this regard in your life?

Every time we go to a church service, especially the Mass, we hear over and over again the message of Jesus. We are encouraged to listen and make His teachings a part of our lives. We are told we should read the Bible. For if we don‘t know the Bible, we can‘t know Jesus, either through the Old Testament when the coming of the Messiah was foretold or in the New Testament when He, our Savior, the Messiah, the Son of the Father, arrives. We listen, we read, we pray, we try to establish a personal relationship with our Lord. Some feel frustrated. Some feel comforted. Some feel that they are learning more and more about Jesus‘ life. Some don‘t have time. Some are oblivious to the fact that they should make this a life-long passion to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him. Some try but just don‘t seem to get anywhere. Life gets in the way.

There was an important message in today‘s Gospel, if we were really paying attention. And it wasn‘t about the primary event. Jesus went to the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon‘s mother-in-law was ill and Jesus cured her. By evening, after sunset, the whole town was at the front door. Jesus cured many of various diseases and drove out many demons from those so affected. “Rising very early before dawn, He left and went off to a deserted place, where He prayed.”

If we are truly observant of Jesus‘ life, we will remember that Jesus often went away by Himself to a silent place to pray. He went into gardens; He went into deserted places; He prayed to His Father. He needed to be alone to restore Himself after He had done great deeds or in order to prepare Himself for what was to come. Maybe, at times, He too felt this world just getting in the way and had to reorient Himself. If Jesus needed to restore His soul, His body, His mind, don‘t you think that this message is one that we need to think about and adopt in our lives? The only way we can truly deepen our relationship with God is to stop, and by ourselves, talk with, pray to, and listen to our Father as did Jesus. As we roar though this life, hardly stopping to catch our breath, a quiet moment alone is restorative beyond measure and its worth known only by those who do it.

“What would Jesus do?” — a question asked by magazines, books, TV shows, etc. If we are at all paying attention, we know the answer by bearing witness to His teachings and by His actions, some unspoken. We, like Jesus, cannot let this life get in the way. We too need to withdraw, to pray, to think, to restore, to live. “Silence is golden”, it has been said. Let each one of us become rich as we follow Jesus‘ example. Let each of us find our alone place. Jesus says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Go thou and do likewise.

Stewardship Questions: Kathy Reilly 781-444-0862 e-mail: kreilly15@yahoo.com
If anyone needs a ride to a church service or wishes a home visit or Communion, please contact me.

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Ordinary Time is that time between special events, holy days, sacred seasons in our church calendar. We are now between Advent/Christmas and Lent. Ordinary time is when we live day by day and are not distracted by the other issues or events surrounding this special time which has its own important meaning, obligations, joy, etc. These sacred seasons are periods of prayerful renewal; periods that reinvigorate us spiritually; times that we need to stop and learn to reconnect with our Lord. But they are a limited time period.

Ordinary time for us should obviously be filled with the Lord in our lives; a relationship that we nurture on our own. But ordinary time is also our every day time when we get up, still tired or not, pain free or not, to do what we have to do in the course of the day to fulfill our obligations to our family, job, volunteerism, friends, and the list goes on. These are the days that make or break us. And these are the days when many feel alone in their struggles. And unfortunately, these are the days when many of us have forgotten that Jesus often told us that He wished much joy and happiness for us in this life. Oh yes. I forgot to put that on my today‘s “to do list” –joy and happiness today. By forgetting Jesus‘ wishes for us begs the question– Is this any way to live?

Too often if we take time to really look around us, we see faces worried, stressed, sad, overwhelmed, and these faces are our families as well as strangers. What are we waiting for? “THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE! BE IN IT NOW!” Living waiting for the future or living being held back by the past just doesn‘t work if one wants to be in love with life and thankful for all of the gifts that God has given us today. The future has arrived in this moment. Day by day the future arrives. Sometimes we are rewarded with what we hoped and prayed for and sometimes we receive something new and unexpected that we did not anticipate. We are taught that all our prayers are heard by the Lord and answered. But how often do we really listen or pay attention. And how many of us are convinced that we should always be in control of our lives and those around us and that WE know best.

Rumor has it that God‘s smile is at its brightest when we tell Him that we know best.Father Phil often reminds us to smile more often. It may be the only communication and positive support some people receive in the course of the day. “Smile and the world smiles with you.”

In closing, let not the cold and early dark, long nights hold us in its grip as we await the future–spring, warmth, summer. Today holds much joy and happiness if only we seek it and make it happen. Let the sun shine in and on you every day accepting God‘s blessing.

AN OLD IRISH BLESSING
May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.
May all life‘s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours.

Stewardship Questions: Kathy Reilly 781-444-0862 e-mail: kreilly15@yahoo.com
If anyone needs a ride to a church service or wishes a home visit or Communion visit, please contact me

Embracing the life that God offers us do we see the goodness of those closest to us? Do we see Jesus in our family members? Jesus taught by word and example. Do we see people as the beautiful creation of God just as Jesus did?

( I have to admit that I have always felt a little sorry for Zebedee.   Zebedee, with the help of his sons, fished for a living and along comes a man named Jesus, and before Zebedee knew what was happening, his sons get up and leave him to answer the call of Jesus, and leave Zebedee alone holding the nets.  But I digress.)

Each of us is called to uniquely live out God’s plan for us through our vocation; whether it be through the priesthood, consecrated life, marriage or the single life; whether it be as a parent, child, teacher, student, clerk, lawyer, doctor, nurse, caretaker, laborer, policeman, fireman, soldier, or whatever; whether it be in business, education, public safety, service to others, medicine, research or by being at home. Yes, each one of us are called to live our vocations in our world each and every day.  But do we take the time to listen?  Do we try to discern what God is asking us to do?  Do we take the time each day to pray and listen to his voice?  Each one of us is a unique creation of God and each one of us has a unique role to play in building God’s kingdom here on earth.

~Barbara Dury

What is the importance of Ordinary Time during the liturgical year?   Ordinary Time is called ordinary simply because the weeks are numbered in a series or come in a specific sequence or order.  Ordinary Time is the ordered life of the Church.  It is the part of the year in which Jesus Christ walks with us and transforms our lives. It is the time when we are called to “Come and See.” The vestments worn by the priest in Ordinary Time are green – a sign of this life and growth in faith.

This Ordinary Time let us walk with Christ and accept his invitation to “Come and See.”

~Barbara Dury

Jesus stressed our need to love one another and be there for each other so powerfully that He made it the second greatest Commandment–to love one another as He has love us. If we succeed in being all we can be with the help of our Lord, then our positive influence on all that we have encountered in our life’s journey will be exactly what is asked of us. And if others we encounter along our life’s path are all that they can be, our journey is that much more divine, influential, positive, peaceful, and easier with the help of others. No one usually grasps the power that he/she possesses in their daily actions as witnessed by another. We never know who is watching us and when. This is not meant to be a scary thought, but rather a compliment referring to the need another might have for guidance as witnessed in the actions of someone who is admired. We can strive to be what we ought to be with prayer and the help of God, but that success will never be complete without the assistance of others around us. We leave this world alone. But we are in this world together. And the more we support each other in our attempts to ‘be what we ought to be‘, the more likely the goal will be attained by all.

In today’s first reading, the youth, Samuel, was awakened from sleep three times, thinking it was Eli, the prophet, outside his room calling him. After saying “No” three times and explaining that it was not he calling, Eli said “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening’.” The Lord came again and revealed His presence. Samuel awaken and spoke as Eli had instructed. “Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.”*

As we jog along in our life’s journey, let no word we utter be without a positive effect in reinforcing each other as well as in praise of our Lord. “Your servant is listening.”*

Stewardship Questions: Kathy Reilly 781-444-0862 e-mail: kreilly15@yahoo.com
If anyone needs a ride to a church service or a home visit or Communion, please contact me.

* A reading from the first Book of Samuel

The disciples shared their faith with others. True discipleship is about relationship with Jesus. We serve God by serving others by the way we use our time, talents and treasures.  We share Jesus with others by word and example, by prayer and a generous spirit.  Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world but at a very great price. Ordinary Time highlights the call of God to each of us to look for the qualities that lead us closer to Him and the community of believers such as peace, joy, and fidelity. God is calling each of us into His service which others are observing.  The dignity and drama of our discipleship is not to settle for what we are but to look at what each of us can become in Jesus Christ.

No one needs Webster to define the meaning of the word healing. Each one of us can recognize the longing for it within ourselves. Some wish to heal physically, or morally, or mentally, spiritually, in a relationship, and so on. The need for healing is powerful if it is not present and equally powerful when it is. As soon as we are born, our physical need for a healing, while not understood, is communicated powerfully with a cry. As toddlers as soon as we have learned to communicate with another, even without language, we need a healing touch for our „boo boo‟ in order to make us better. Thousands have travelled miles and miles, spent a great deal of money, and prayed for healing at a sacred site, such as Lourdes. Often one goes to these sites for a physical healing but comes home with a spiritual healing never anticipated. Healing comes in many forms and in many ways. Sometimes we can receive healing from another and at others times to receive healing, one must initiate the healing process him/her self. A new year’s beginning is often the only time one takes time to reflect on this aspect of life.

“With God all things are possible.” How grateful and thankful we should be to be one of those chosen and given the gift of faith. We know that the ministry of Christ was a healing ministry. Jesus healed the sick and dying. He healed those whose spiritual need was weak. He healed with forgiveness. He taught us about His Father and our need to listen to Him and follow His way of life–to love Him above all else and to love one another as He loves us. And the Church continues this healing ministry in many ways. Our Catholic „professionals„ such as doctors, nurses, educators, priests, nuns, hospice, hospital workers, caregivers of all kinds, continue every day to minister to the poor or sick, be it physical, mental, moral, or spiritual. Before one can be declared a saint, there has to be proof of healing miracles.

Every sin has its consequences, no matter how small or serious. It disrupts our communication with God and often each other. It weakens our ability to deal with these consequences. Jesus knew this and preached constantly about the forgiveness of God. “We cannot speak about life in Christ or the moral life without acknowledging the reality of sin, our own sinfulness, and our need for God‟s mercy .”*

God in His creative genius recognizes our humanity, its strengths and weaknesses, our ability to endure, our need to cry out when we can take no more. He gave us pain as a warning. He gave us sleep to heal and rest. He gave us a moral compass which we may or may not follow. He gave us beauty and love to satisfy our needs emotionally. He taught us to forgive. He gave us reason to figure it all out. He gave us the Sacrament of reconciliation. He gave us His life of love and sacrifice. There is no pain or emotion that we feel that Jesus did not feel when He lived among us. He felt joy. He felt alone. He knew friendship. He felt betrayal. When Jesus needed help and healing, He prayed to the Father. Let this be the year that we too learn to take our needs to the Father, no matter their origin. “For nothing is impossible for God.” Let this be our year to heal. And as we go on this journey, remember to take along our Lord.

Stewardship Questions: Kathy Reilly 781-444-0862 e-mail: kreilly15@yahoo.com
If you need a ride to church services or a home visit or Communion, please contact me.
* The Catechism