A New Month, A New Sacrament, A New Grace
Last month we "dove into" baptism. As the first Sacrament we receive on our Christian journey it was a sensible jumping off point. This month as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with our friends and families it seems like a GREAT time to "dig into" our Church Family "thanksgiving feast": EUCHARIST!
About 10 years ago I read ONE THOUSAND GIFTS by Ann Voskamp, and it was in this book that I first became aware of the fact that the word Eucharist is derived from the Greek word for "thanksgiving," Eucharisteo! It blew me away! At that time in my life; raising three boys, working full time, being a wife, daughter, friend, sister, neighbor, and volunteer, I think that I spent a lot of time being tired and ungrateful. In an attempt to change my focus I began to think of all of the gifts that God had placed in my life, and just like the author, I started writing down at least one thing each day that I was grateful for on poster boards that I mounted on our kitchen walls. It helped us all to shift our gaze to what God was doing in our lives and to give thanks!
In her book, Ann points out that before Jesus multiplied the fish and the loaves, before he raised Lazarus, before he broke the bread and shared the wine, he gave thanks to God! THANKSGIVING always proceeded the miracle. Seeing our every day lives through the lens of thankfulness allows us to view each moment (even the difficult ones) as miracle, as God revealing his presence in our lives.
Father Mike Schmitz has some powerful words about the miracle of God's real presence in the Eucharist:
**The session on the CREED has been postponed until the new year. Keep an eye here and on the bulletin for the new date.
But We Have So Many Opportunities to Be Grateful for:
Laidback Book Club
On November 13 we begin reading UNOFFENDABLE: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better
by Brant Hansen.
By then, the mid-term election results will be in and some of us might be feeling a little bit “offended,” but “It turns out giving up your “right” to be offended can be one of the most freeing, healthy, simplifying, relaxing, refreshing, stress-relieving, encouraging things you can do.” What if we, Catholic Christians, became the most un-offendable people in the world??
Grab a book, electronic copy, or listen along. We will have a final discussion January 12.
ANNUAL WHOLE PARISH FAMILY ADVENT WREATH EVENT
November 20
For details and to register please click on the link:
THE MASS WITH BISHOP KEN UNTENER
Our Mass Unwrapped sessions were based on the teachings of Bishop Ken about the Mass. These recordings were given to me by Father Peter and are from a presentation given at a local parish in January 2001. The audio has been edited in order to enhance the quality, but there are some sections that could not be recovered. Particularly, in the Question & Answer section.
We hope you enjoy this presentation and come away appreciating Mass and participating more fully.
Bishop Ken is definitely someone to be grateful for!!!
(Thanks Corinne and Kristyn for the technical support!!!!)
The Pasta Dinner is back!
Saturday, November 12th
Parish Center
5:00pm-8:00pm
Parish Center
5:00pm-8:00pm
Cost:
Adults: $10
Student: $5
Senior: $5
Family: $25
Student: $5
Senior: $5
Family: $25
Join us for dinner in the social hall following 4:00pm Mass. Please RSVP if you plan on attending, so we can be sure to have enough prepared!
With the mid-term elections being this week, I think it might be appropriate to end with a prayer for civility. This is from the USCCB:
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where uncivil words prevail, show me how to model love. Help me to remember the God-given dignity of all and invite others to do the same.
Show me how to build bridges and not walls and see first what unites us rather than how we diverge.
Let me seek to understand before asking to be understood. Give me a listening heart filled with empathy and compassion.
May I be clear in sharing my own position and respectful and civil in describing those of others.
Let me never tolerate hateful ideas.
May I invite all to charity and love.
Lord, help me to imitate your compassion and mercy.
Make me an instrument of your peace.
Amen."
Wishing you all a week filled with glimpses of God's miraculous and real presence,
lyn