Put a Little Love in your Heart
Michael Van Hemert
Director of Pastoral Ministry
I often find myself surrounded by a great amount of noise coming from the world outside. Most of it negative. I find myself asking the same question that many people ask, “What can I do to fix the world and all of it’s problems?” Then, I find myself overwhelmed at how little I can do. Thankfully, God didn’t ask me to save the world. In fact, He didn’t even ask me to love the world -that is His job- "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NRSVCE) In fact, all of what I have been called to do can be summed up with the following: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Whew! What a relief. God handles loving the world…all I need to do is love Him and love my neighbor like I love myself. Easy. Except I don’t love God with all my heart. And even though I try, I see all the places I come up short. And loving my neighbor is hard. It’s easier to love the faceless ‘world’ filled up with faceless masses than to love that person I see every month, week, or day who gets under my skin. And if I’m honest, I’m not great at really loving myself in a Godly way. I can be selfish and think about myself, but that doesn’t mean that I know how to truly love myself...in fact, quite the opposite.
Maybe that’s where we should start. Before we worry about fixing the world and all the problems in it, we should spend some time learning how to be truly loved by God. Then we can know how to love ourselves in a Godly way. Then when we love our neighbors as ourselves it will be something truly special. Now I know there is a least one person out there who is thinking, ‘Don’t most of these problems in the world come from people thinking ‘ME, ME, ME’ all the time?!’ To that I would agree, but after many years of ministry I can tell you one thing with a fair amount of certainty—even the most arrogant, self-centered people I have encountered were their own worst critic deep down. Many people who seemed to be in love with themselves hated the person they saw in the mirror. And how do you think they treated their neighbors if they were loving others in the same way they loved themselves? Quite badly.
I would like to ask all of us this week to stop trying to fix the world for just a moment, and trust God to handle those things for the day. Instead, let us take time to see how God truly loves us and how we can learn to accept that love and appreciate it more. I like to spend time looking at the fruits of the Spirit. Each day take an inventory of the fruits of the Spirit: ‘charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.’ (CCC 1832) In looking at these gifts, I would like you to focus on one or two spots today that you did WELL. Yes, there is a time to look at where we failed, too, but in a world that seems all too critical of everyone and everything, perhaps we should extend ourselves some grace by acknowledging how God is manifesting His grace in us. When God is working these things through me and transforming me into a soul that manifests these fruits, it is beautiful and divine, because it is from Him. And this person, this ‘me that God is growing and revealing’ is certainly worth loving. Every day, acknowledge one or two spots where God loved you enough to work His grace through you. Then thank Him for that. Maybe after seeing God’s grace manifest within yourself and beginning to love yourself in the way that God loves you, you will start to see God’s grace manifest in others. Then, loving your neighbor as yourself will have divine power and character. It will stem from God’s divine love for you, within you, and through you. With enough of this kind of love between neighbors, a few of the world’s problems might get solved, too.
Michael Van Hemert
Director of Pastoral Ministry
Michael Van Hemert
Director of Pastoral Ministry
Friday Feature
Join us in wishing a happy 95th birthday to, long time St. Raymond parishioner, Virginia Nix. We hope you have a joyous and blessed day!
Photos courtesy of Elaine Welin
Lent and KC Fish Frys are less then a month away. Posters are available in the back of the church. All are welcome to take them to put up as a reminder at your place of employment, retails that you visit, or your fridge. Thanks to all for helping spreading the word.
The St. Raymond Parish Council of Catholic Women will again be hosting Bake Walks at the KC Lenten Fish Fry Dinners. We are asking for donations of any kind of home baked items for the bake walks. Paddles are sold during the fish fry dinner for a chance to win your choice from the baked items available. We also need workers, adults and children, to help with the sale of the paddles. There will be a clipboard with a sign up sheet for each bake walk in the gathering space starting a few weeks before Lent. We greatly appreciate your assistance in this fundraising event. Everyone has fun selling and buying paddles. It is a St. Raymond tradition.
Valentine Dinner
Reserve your spot! There will be an enchanting Valentine Dinner on Feb. 11, 2023 at Lilydale in Chippewa Falls. Celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage and reconnect with your spouse at this elegant event. The evening will include a cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres and two complimentary drinks, dinner, dessert, piano music, and a presentation by Tina Morning titled, "I Was a Better Wife Before I Got Married". Early bird tickets are $85/couple ($100 after Feb 4). Registration is limited to the first 50 couples. Reserve your tickets at lilydalewi.com under Public Events. We hope to see you there!
The annual "blessing of throats" will be held on Friday, February 3rd at the 9am Mass at St. Mary.
Cookies for Seminarians - THIS WEEKEND!
You're invited to participate in the Cookies for Seminarians service project. On Sunday, January 29th, the PCCW will be meeting in St. Raymond Parish Kitchen to box up and mail cookies to our future priests in formation. How can you help? Please send one or more packages of a dozen cookies in a zipper baggie and deliver them to the SR kitchen before January 29th at 9:30am. Also, consider praying for our Seminarians. There will be a sign up on a table in the back of church for you to offer prayers for a Spiritual Bouquet for these men in formation. Finally, consider coming after the 8:30am mass on January 29th to the kitchen to help pack the cookies and share some fellowship with other parishioners. Hope you can join us!
Special Collection: Envelopes Available in the Narthex
Join the St. Raymond PCCW
We are now accepting email addresses from the women of St. Raymond parish who would like to be added to our new email group! You will be informed of all the activities, fund raisers, events and upcoming meetings so that you can be part of a Catholic group of women, dedicated to the service of our Lord, within your parish! Please join us and make a difference in your spiritual life, in your parish and in our community! Send your request to join our email group to Julie Graaskamp at pieterg@centurytel.net. Thank you!
Help Needed
We need help for various tasks at the parish. Dusting, vacuuming, and washing are just some of the ways we keep our parish a beautiful and welcoming place to worship and gather. Our experience tells us that the best help comes from within the parish. Please contact Bonnie Firkus if interested in helping.
Upcoming Events:
Jan 27. Couples Social. 7pm-9pm. St. Mary
Jan 29. Cookies for Seminarians. 9:30am. St. Raymond
Jan 29. Spanish First Reconciliation Service. 2pm. St. Mary
Jan 29. Spanish First Reconciliation Service. 2pm. St. Mary
Jan 31. Catechism in a Year Discussion Group. 9am. St. Mary
Feb 1. Family Faith Formation: Evangelization. 6pm. St. Mary
Feb 1. Parish Ensemble Rehearsal. 6:30pm. St. Raymond
Feb 2. Coffee Community. 8:45am. St. Raymond
Feb 2. Catechesis of the Good Shephard. 9:45am. St. Mary
Feb 2. Spanish Choir Rehearsal. 4:30pm. St. Mary
Feb 2. Spirit Choir Rehearsal. 5:30pm. St. Mary
Feb 4. First Saturday Devotions. 7:30am. St. Mary
Feb 5. Family Faith Formation: Evangelization. 9:45am. St. Raymond
Feb 5. Spanish Family Faith Formation: Evangelizacion. 2pm. St. Mary
Feb 6. Knights of Columbus Meeting. 6:30pm Officers. 7pm General. St. Mary
Feb 7. Catechism in a Year Discussion Group. 9am. St. Mary
Feb 8. Parish Ensemble Rehearsal. 6:30pm. St. Raymond
Feb 9. Coffee Community. 8:45am. St. Raymond
Feb 9. Catechesis of the Good Shephard. 9:45am. St. Mary
Feb 9. Spanish Choir Rehearsal. 4:30pm. St. Mary
Feb 9. Spirit Choir Rehearsal. 5:30pm. St. Mary
Small Group Communities & Studies
For those of you looking to grow deeper in faith and community, consider one of our small groups offered through the Parish.
Join our Becoming Catholic (RCIA) group, that provides a place where you can listen to, consider, and explore God’s calling for the next step in your faith journey. The group meets twice a month to discuss a variety of topics surrounding our practice of faith and Christian living. There is no obligation to become Catholic by attending and simply provides a space to be uplifted by others and grow in your individual faith journey. For more information contact Michael Van Hemert at mvanhemert@smsrcatholic.com.
Employment Opportunities
Administrative & Pastoral Coordinator (full-time, both parishes)A full-time position that provides administrative support to our parish staff and provides welcoming and pastoral care to parishioners & guests. The position will coordinate our pastoral outreach programs, helping to reach those in our community that are homebound or in care facilities.
Click here for the full job description.
Click here for the full job description.
Director of Evangelization & Faith Formation (full-time, both parishes)A full-time position that builds up, coordinates, and leads the parishes’ employees and teams into effective evangelization, especially the programs of Family Faith Formation, sacramental preparation, catechesis, and mystagogy.
Click here for the full job description.
Online Giving
Weekly Stewardship Made Easy. Donate Online or at Mass!
Estate Planning
There are many ways to financially invest in our communities. Would you prayerfully consider treating one of the parishes as one of your children in your will or estate planning? For more information contact Bonnie Firkus.