Pastoral Messages from Fr. Rick 8/22/22
Hospitality is Ministry: Remember that we are a ‘Hospitality Parish’ with a major outreach to our many visitors. It would be great to have a couple more teams of two participate so that each team could serve once every four to six weeks. Please sign up to help host our Sunday morning Coffee and Muffin gathering. Sign-up list and easy-to-follow instructions are in the gathering space.
St. Christopher’s Library
Come on in and browse during our social hour after the Sunday Mass. Books are organized by category, plainly marked on the shelves. If your knowledge of an aspect of our faith is weak, we have books for just about every concept. So please check it out! No library card needed!
“Do not let a day go by without some spiritual reading.”- St. John Bosco
Gearing up for the ‘post Roe’ World. The Good News is that we know how to do it!! The bad news is that we know how to do it…….. and will be held accountable for our efforts. ↓↓↓
Respect for Life Resources Diocese of Salt Lake City
https://www.dioslc.org/respect-for-life
Walking with Mothers in Need in Utah
https://www.dioslc.org/respect-for-life/walking-with-moms-in-need
Voting Genuinely Pro-Life
https://www.votervoice.net/USCCB/home
Real Pro-Life Intimacy
http://www.intermountainfertilitycare.com/
What is Theology of the Body? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvFa7elKtkY
Genuinely Pro-Life Society – Stewardship
https://www.usccb.org/committees/evangelization-catechesis/stewardship
Prayer from the Heart (Catechism of Catholic Church – CCC: 2562-2563)
Chastity (CCC 2337-2344) Google it. It comes right up.
Homily Reflection: Today from the Letter to the Hebrews (12:11-13): ‘At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So, strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.’ Hebrews 12:11-13
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”…
“We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.” … Then he will say to you, “I do not know where you are from.” Lk. 13:22-30
It’s interesting to reflect on when and where we learned discipline. It was a daily lesson in life that built on itself and branched into all different areas of experience. For me, it was conforming to the rules of a household with ‘German’ parents and six children; helping out in a family business; Catholic schools (!); showing up at practice in a variety of team sports, multiplication tables and rules of grammar; Air Force basic training; college degree in four years; showing up daily READY TO WORK; learning to pray the Liturgy of the Hours; Catholic Seminary; showing up hourly READY TO SERVE whomever walks through the door……
I’m sure your list is at least as arduous with an everyday effort of choosing to participate or not. Participation is essential; not an option. Most successful endeavors require team work and relationship building. For real protracted success we need to know each other well; ‘to know where you are from’ in the words of Jesus. It’s not enough to eat and drink and listen to good teaching. As disciples of Christ, we are required to BE the teachers and to faithfully follow ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life,’ as proclaimed today in the Gospel Acclamation.
Where and when did you learn discipline in your life?
How has it prepared you to follow Jesus?
How have your life experience and religious formation prepared you to be builders of genuinely PRO-LIFE communities? See the learning opportunities above……