Fr. Rick’s Pastoral Messages 2/19/23
ASH WEDNESDAY IS FEBRUARY 22nd. Mass with ashes at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. There will also be a short liturgy with ashes at 12:00 noon.
Remember: No meat on Ash Wednesday or any of the Fridays in Lent. Also, fasting is expected on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday which means only one regular meal, two snacks and nothing in between meals. Those under 18 years and 60+ are excused from the fasting requirements, but in any case, follow the instructions of your medical provider as needed.
Beginning the First Sunday of Lent, February 26, 2023, St. Christopher’s will once again offer the Blood of Christ during the Communion Rite at Mass.
St. Christopher’s Has Suspended the Saturday Vigil Mass Indefinitely for the primary purpose of encouraging a closer and more genuinely Eucharistic Community. This realization is particularly important during our 3-year Eucharistic Revival as we reawaken the power of actually becoming One Body, One Spirit in Christ. Our tiny community does not need two Masses to accommodate our members even when considering the presence of our many visitors.
The Vigil Mass was added during the emergence from the Covid pandemic in order to accommodate safer distancing. Now that most people are moving about freely during the rest of the week, this is no longer a significant concern.
This change will be an inconvenience to some of our local Catholics and visitors; however, the aspiration and need for genuine community takes a stronger precedence. Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation.
Knights of Columbus Round Table
We missed our meeting on the last Sunday of January, so we will hold the meeting on February 26th. Please plan on attending. We will start off with the Rosary. If you know any men that are interested in learning what the Knights do, invite them to come. Our primary task is to discuss if we want to host the “Mothers and Ladies Day Breakfast” on May 14th. If you have other agenda topics, pass them on to Noel Poe.
Senior Activity Center – Please see the flyers in the gathering space to discover the many activities offered to seniors in our area.
Hospitality: Remember that we are a ‘Hospitality Parish’ with a major outreach to our many visitors. Please sign up to help host our Sunday morning Coffee and Muffin gathering. It WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL TO HAVE AT LEASET ONE MORE TEAM. Sign up list is in the gathering space.
Please get Vaccinated and Boosted: A friendly reminder from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services via the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.
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Homily Reflection Questions:
“Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy. Lv. 19:1-2
Is God really serious about this? Are you holier than you were 10 years ago? If ‘Yes’, in what ways are you holier? How did that happen? If ‘no’, what is keeping you from greater holiness?
God says to speak to ‘the whole Israelite community’? We know that God is still calling the new Israel to holiness; that’d be us. How are we helping the whole Catholic Community to be holy? In Kane County, in Utah, in the United States? How are we speaking by example?
“If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise.” 1Cor. 3:18
Who are the 3 wisest people you know? Where does their wisdom come from? If you are wiser than you were 10 years ago, how did you become wiser? Please explain in detail to the whole community the most foolish thing you have ever done? (Just kidding!)
Mt. 5:38-48
Who are the pagans of this age? What distinguishes you from them? How are you similar? What is the nature of your relationship with them? How might the gospel compel some changes in the relationship or at least understand it better?
Who are your ‘enemies’? What is the nature of the enmity between you? How do you interact with them? How might you avoid them? How are you similar to your ‘enemies’?