TWENTYSECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 I was very happy after last Sunday’s masses. Firstly, because the people and the Church survived the earthquake(s). The 12:00 mass congregation deserves much praise for remaining calm and prayerful through a few scary moments!). Secondly, because I received a great compliment from someone after one of the masses: “Well, Father, your homily sure left us with more questions than answers.” Praised be God! (Full disclosure: I don’t actually know whether this person’s words were meant to be a compliment.)The role of the preacher is not, I believe, to feed the congregation with ready-made answers. It is rather to invite the people of God to greater reflection on the Word of God. What, did you think it was supposed to be easy? It wasn’t so for the first disciples, who though confused like those who went away, stayed the course: “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal Life.” (Jn. 6:68). Some further thoughts on your questions following recent homilies: Father, were you saying that Christ is present to us in the Scriptures like he is present to us in the Eucharist? Not exactly in the same way, but, yes, Christ is present to us in both. And yes, we need to be nourished by both. The mass is in fact the privileged place where Christ comes to us in both Word and Sacrament. This is the teaching of the Second Vatican Council: “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since, especially in the Sacred Liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both of God’s word and Christ’s body (Dei Verbum, 21).” You will notice that the Council teaches that the “bread of life”, which we have been thinking about over the last five weeks, refers to both the Word and the Body. Father, if, as you have been saying, the Scriptures, even phrases like the ‘bread of life’, are subject to so many different interpretations, should I continue to read the Bible on my own? Yes! Yes! Yes! My hope is that every one of us as Christians would take a few minutes (at least!) every day to ‘read… learn and inwardly digest’ the Sacred Scriptures. God speaks his Word to us. It’s a terrible shame, even a tragedy, when his people won’t make the time to listen to what God has to say. The Scriptures can sometimes be difficult to understand and are indeed subject to different interpretations, but that is part of the divine will. The difficulty of understanding them fully is itself an invitation: to search more deeply divine truths about human salvation. But you don’t have to read the Scriptures alone. Families should read them together. In our parish we will be offering over the next few months many opportunities for common Scripture study. Come, let us break the Word together. You can also find excellent Catholic Scriptural commentaries from Ignatius Press: www.ignatius.com St. Mary’s School has very successfully made the transition to its new temporary home in the Parish Center. I want myself and on behalf of Sr. Katia, the school principal, to express gratitude to all the people who generously gave of their time and talent to make this move possible. We do things best when we work together. Please God we will continue to do so happily as a faith community! Be blessed in Christ, Fr. Mark
Transcript
TWENTYSECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 2, 2012
I was very happy after last Sunday’s masses. Firstly, because the people and the Church survived the
earthquake(s). The 12:00 mass congregation deserves much praise for remaining calm and prayerful
through a few scary moments!). Secondly, because I received a great compliment from someone after
one of the masses: “Well, Father, your homily sure left us with more questions than answers.”
Praised be God! (Full disclosure: I don’t actually know whether this person’s words were meant to be
a compliment.)The role of the preacher is not, I believe, to feed the congregation with ready-made
answers. It is rather to invite the people of God to greater reflection on the Word of God. What, did
you think it was supposed to be easy? It wasn’t so for the first disciples, who though confused like
those who went away, stayed the course: “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal
Life.” (Jn. 6:68).
Some further thoughts on your questions following recent homilies:
Father, were you saying that Christ is present to us in the Scriptures like he is present to us in the
Eucharist? Not exactly in the same way, but, yes, Christ is present to us in both. And yes, we need to
be nourished by both. The mass is in fact the privileged place where Christ comes to us in both Word
and Sacrament. This is the teaching of the Second Vatican Council: “The Church has always
venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since, especially in the
Sacred Liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both
of God’s word and Christ’s body (Dei Verbum, 21).” You will notice that the Council teaches that the
“bread of life”, which we have been thinking about over the last five weeks, refers to both the Word
and the Body.
Father, if, as you have been saying, the Scriptures, even phrases like the ‘bread of life’, are subject to
so many different interpretations, should I continue to read the Bible on my own? Yes! Yes! Yes!
My hope is that every one of us as Christians would take a few minutes (at least!) every day to ‘read…
learn and inwardly digest’ the Sacred Scriptures. God speaks his Word to us. It’s a terrible shame,
even a tragedy, when his people won’t make the time to listen to what God has to say. The Scriptures
can sometimes be difficult to understand and are indeed subject to different interpretations, but that
is part of the divine will. The difficulty of understanding them fully is itself an invitation: to search
more deeply divine truths about human salvation. But you don’t have to read the Scriptures alone.
Families should read them together. In our parish we will be offering over the next few months many
opportunities for common Scripture study. Come, let us break the Word together. You can also find
excellent Catholic Scriptural commentaries from Ignatius Press: www.ignatius.com
St. Mary’s School has very successfully made the transition to its new temporary home in the Parish
Center. I want myself and on behalf of Sr. Katia, the school principal, to express gratitude to all the
people who generously gave of their time and talent to make this move possible. We do things best
when we work together. Please God we will continue to do so happily as a faith community!
TWENTYSECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 2, 2012
Me sentí muy contento después de las Misas del pasado domingo. Primero, porque la gente y la Iglesia como tal sobrevivieron el(los) terremoto(s). ¡La congregación de la misa de las 12:00 merece elogios luego de permanecer en calma y oración durante varios momentos de miedo! Segundo, porque recibí un piropo de alguien que estaba en una de las misas: “Bueno, Padre, su homilía nos dejó con más preguntas que respuestas.” ¡Gloria a Dios! (Divulgación completa: Honestamente no sé si las palabras de esta persona eran realmente un piropo.) El rol de un predicador no es, creo yo, de alimentar a la congregación con respuestas ya confeccionadas. Es realmente de invitar al pueblo de Dios hacia una reflexión mayor de la Palabra de Dios. ¿Qué? ¿Pensaste que esto era fácil? No lo fue para los primeros discípulos, quienes igual que confundidos que aquellos que se fueron, mantuvieron su rumbo: “Señor, ¿a quién iremos? Tu tienes las palabras de Vida Eterna.” (Juan 6:68). Algunos pensamientos adicionales sobre sus preguntas luego de varias homilías recientes: Padre, ¿dijo usted que Cristo está presente para nosotros en las Escrituras como también se nos hace presente en la Eucaristía? No exactamente de la misma manera, pero sí, Cristo está presente en ambos lados. Y sí, necesitamos ser alimentados por ambos. De hecho, la misa es el lugar privilegiado donde Cristo viene a nosotros tanto en la Palabra como en el Sacramento. Esta es la enseñanza del Concilio Vaticano II: “La Iglesia siempre ha venerado las Escrituras divinas así como ella venera el cuerpo de Cristo, ya que, especialmente en la Sagrada Liturgia, ella incesantemente recibe y le ofrece a los fieles el cuerpo de vida de la mesa tanto de la palabra de Dios así como la del Cuerpo de Cristo (Dei Verbum, 21).” Va a notar que el Concilio enseña que “el pan de vida”, el cual hemos pensado sobre el durante estas pasadas cinco semanas, se refiere tanto a la Palabra como al Cuerpo. Padre, si, como usted ha estado predicando, las Escrituras, hasta frases como “el pan de vida” que están sujetos a tantas interpretaciones diferentes, ¿debo de continuar leyendo la Biblia por mi cuenta? Si! Si! Si! Mi esperanza es que cada uno de nosotros los Cristianos tomemos varios minutos (¡al menos!) todos los días para ‘leer…aprender e interiormente digerir’ las Sagradas Escrituras. Dios nos habla su Palabra. Es una vergüenza terrible, hasta una tragedia, cuando la gente no toma el tiempo para escuchar lo que Dios tiene que decir. Las Escrituras pueden a veces ser difíciles de comprender y están sujetas a tener diferentes interpretaciones, pero eso es parte de la voluntad divina. La dificultad de entenderlas completamente es en sí una invitación: a buscar más intensamente las verdades divinas sobre la salvación humana. Pero usted no tiene que leer las Escrituras solo. Las familias deben de leerlas juntas. En nuestra parroquia estaremos ofreciendo durante los próximos meses muchas oportunidades para el estudio de las Escrituras. Vamos todos juntos a leer la Palabra. Pueden también encontrar aquí excelentes comentarios bíblicos Católicos por la Prensa Ignatus: www.ignatius.com El Colegio de Sta. María ha terminado exitosamente la transición a su casa temporera en el Salón Parroquial. Quiero en nombre de Madre Katia, la principal del colegio, y este servidor, expresarle las gracias a todos aquellos que generosamente dieron de su tiempo y talento para hacer posible esta mudanza. Hacemos las cosas mucho mejor cuando trabajamos juntos. Señor, ¡continuaremos haciéndolo felizmente como una comunidad de fe! Sean bendecidos en Cristo,
TWENTYSECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 2, 2012
St. Mary’s School News!
It's coming! Save this date,
St. Mary's 2012 Gala.
This year’s gala will be on Friday September 28th. Please help support our parish school. If you would like to make any donations for silent or live auction gifts please drop off at the church or school office. If you would like to help in any other way please feel free to contact us at the church office (760)352-4211 or the school office at (760)352-7285. Thank you for supporting Catholic education.
Natural Family Planning being offered in
El Centro this fall !
Sympto-thermal method. 4 classes are needed . Instructors:
Dave & Cheryl Ross Class 1 is October 27th at St. Mary’s parish center on
Saturday mornings. (classes 2 , 3 and 4 are 11/10, 12/8 and 1/12 of 2013)
