Father Madden's Sunday Reflection
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. John's Church
September 25, 2022
What's in this email?
- Fr. Madden's Sunday Reflection
- Video Mass
- Sunday Mass Readings
- Prayer: Parish Needs & Intentions / Additional Prayers
- Schola Cantorum
- Parish Resources
- Online Giving
Bishop McManus's
Sunday Reflection
My dear friends in Christ,
As we welcome students back to school this fall, I invite you to learn why supporting Catholic schools is part of the mission of every Catholic, not just that of parents with children in our schools. We are called to be instruments of evangelization in society by being witnesses to the love of God for all people. Your support of Catholic education, in whatever way you can, will help today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders in both society and the Church.
So many community and business leaders in Central Massachusetts are products of Catholic schools. Their alma maters did not boast the fanciest buildings, or the most expansive after-school programs, or even the flexibility to express one’s individuality in daily attire. What they did offer and continue to offer to this day, is attention to the individual student, sound academic and social formation, and, most importantly, learning what true success in life really means beyond how to make money. That was all possible because of the simple sign that hangs in every Catholic school: “Jesus is the reason for this school.”
Religion is not just one topic among others in Catholic Schools. The relevance of our faith can be discussed in the context of every single topic taught in our classrooms, including science, math, history, literature and languages. It is also prevalent in after-school programs, sports and the arts. The Catholic school student learns that to live the good life is to live a life filled with meaning, which is not the same as living an easy life or a life focused on consumerism.
Today it is difficult for parents to pay tuition while also paying taxes that support public schools, but they know they are investing in their child’s future, both temporal and eternal. For many families, especially today’s immigrant families, that is not an option. Increasing access to financial aid takes everyone sharing in solidarity with our Catholic school families.
There are ways to support Catholic schools beyond financial assistance as well. Talk to family and friends about the value of the Catholic school option in our communities. Support their decision to choose a Catholic School. And never forget the power of prayer to support the work of our teachers, administrators and staff who are dedicated to the ministry of Catholic School education, a ministry which makes tangible the love of Jesus in the life of each student they encounter.
You can make a difference in the lives of Catholic school students today to be great leaders for tomorrow.
With every prayerful best wish, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester
1st Reading: Amos 6
Thus says the LORD the God of hosts:
Woe to the complacent in Zion!
Lying upon beds of ivory,
stretched comfortably on their couches,
they eat lambs taken from the flock,
and calves from the stall!
Improvising to the music of the harp,
like David, they devise their own accompaniment.
They drink wine from bowls
and anoint themselves with the best oils;
yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!
Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile,
and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.
Woe to the complacent in Zion!
Lying upon beds of ivory,
stretched comfortably on their couches,
they eat lambs taken from the flock,
and calves from the stall!
Improvising to the music of the harp,
like David, they devise their own accompaniment.
They drink wine from bowls
and anoint themselves with the best oils;
yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!
Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile,
and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.
Responsorial: Psalm 146
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
Blessed is he who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
2nd Reading: I Timothy 6
Blessed is he who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
2nd Reading: I Timothy 6
But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called
when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,
and before Christ Jesus,
who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,
to keep the commandment without stain or reproach
until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
that the blessed and only ruler
will make manifest at the proper time,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,
and whom no human being has seen or can see.
To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called
when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,
and before Christ Jesus,
who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,
to keep the commandment without stain or reproach
until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
that the blessed and only ruler
will make manifest at the proper time,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,
and whom no human being has seen or can see.
To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
Alleluia
Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Gospel: Luke 16
Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Gospel: Luke 16
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied,
'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied,
'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
Prayer
St. John's Parish:
Prayer Needs & Intentions
Please remember the following needs and intentions in your prayers:
- Family, and all those in harms way of the hurricanes. (Bronwyn T)
- For Steve that our prayers will be answered (Christine M)
- For a special intention (George V)
- Healing prayers 🙏 for Tommy's serious health issues. Thank You. (TRICIA K)
- In thanksgiving for my daughter’s safe surgery. (Jacqueline T)
- Please pray for my family and a special intention. (Katie D)
- Please pray for the health and intentions of Jeff Parson, and my own personal intentions. (Steve S)
- My family's health and all those who have no one to pray for them. Thank you (Anne L)
- For God’s help during the school year and for the mental health struggles of my family members (Kassandra R)
- Please pray that America returns to a government that believes in lower taxes, energy independence, the sanctity of the unborn, the value of work, controlling the border, respecting authority and less government intervention. (Barbara K)
- Please pray for all the people of St. Francis rehabilitation and nursing home
and my friend Paul Bibik who passed away (Larry T) - For Nancy and Peter. Healing for both of them (Patricia C)
- For Laura, Karl and Patti. For peace of heart soul mind and body. Thank you (Patricia C)
- Please pray for my family and our personal intentions. Thank you. (Kerri N)
- For the senior veterans of st john's church (Stephen P)
- For those who are having difficulty making ends meet, the homeless, that we may help where we can to ease their burdens. For all those who have asked for prayers. (Sandra K)
- Please pray for Jessica Jane. (Sophie K)
- Please pray for my sister with Cancer and for a special intentions (Kathleen L)
- Health and intentions of Joan, Joe, Tom, Cynthia, Amy, Josh, Alex. Repose of the soul of my Mom on the 5th anniversary of her death. For the candidates and the team of the upcoming Women's Cursillo. (Dianne G)
- Praying for the repose of the souls of ROBERTO GOMEZ, JANET HOURIHAN and DONALD MCCLAIN. May their souls Rest in Peace. (Donna W)
- For forgiveness, reconciliation and peace within the family. May fathers lead their families in prayer and bring them to Mass. (Pamela J)
- Please join me in giving praise to our God who answered prayers for Michael who is suffering from an addiction. He was provided a path to recovery that goes beyond what we may have ever dreamed for, and he accepted the path! (Elsie U)
- Please God, continue to give me enough strength (James K)
- Thanks for all your prayers for Henry. The little warrior survived his Covid scare and several trips to area hospitals to try to take blood. He ended up back at Boston Childrens for an afternoon but is home and doing fine. He just keeps fighting and now is 3 months and our little miracle. Thanks again and please keep him in your prayers (Brian M)
- For the repose of the soul of Mila Ackerman. (shonee a)
To share a prayer request or intention in the Sunday Reflection, please click the REPLY button at the bottom of the Saturday morning Prayer Intentions email and post it in the comments.
Additional Prayers:
Spiritual Communion - Pandemic Prayer - Prayer to St. Michael
Act of Spiritual Communion
by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Prayer in Time of Pandemic (Updated)
from Bishop McManus
O God, whose Only Begotten Son bore the weight of human suffering for our salvation, hear the prayers of your Church for our sick brothers and sisters and deliver us from this time of trial.
Open our ears and our hearts to the voice of your Son:
"Be not afraid, for I am with you always."
Bless all doctors and nurses, researchers and public servants; give us the wisdom to do what is right and the faith to endure this hour,
that, trusting in your loving protection
we might see the end of this pandemic
and rejoice in your mercy.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
by Pope Leo XIII
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against
the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
PRAYER PLEDGE
Join the team of St. John's parishioners pledging to pray daily
for the religious education and spiritual formation of our young people
In this challenging time our commitment to praying for our youth is more necessary than ever. Without prayer we cannot hope to transmit the riches of our Catholic faith to the next generation; join us as we lift our voices to God and ask for His blessing upon our efforts to teach our young people to become disciples of Christ.
We welcome you to pray a daily prayer of your own choosing, or to use the "Prayer for St. John's Religious Education" below. 👇
Prayer for St. John's Religious Education
Most gracious Lord, we ask your blessing upon the Religious Education program of our beloved parish of St. John’s. Please allow Your love and grace to flow freely and permeate the hearts and souls of our students and their families. Holy Spirit allow your gifts of Wisdom, Knowledge, and Piety to flourish in our Catechists as they pass on the teachings of Your Church to our students. Bless our volunteers for their generosity and loyalty which keeps our program operating properly. St. Joseph, intercede for our parents in this time so that they will recognize and accept their role as leaders of the Domestic Church.
We praise and honor you our Triune God, Father, Son and Spirit. Amen
St. Charles Borromeo, patron of catechists, pray for us.
St. Gemma Galgani, patron of students, pray for us.
Schola Cantorum
Introit
Omnia quae fecisti
Communio
Communio: Memento verbi tui
Parish Resources
For our St. John's family
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