Blog (Page 6)
Christ at Mass Reflection for Sunday, October 27th, 2019
Jesus wants us to be humble. When we are humble, we know that the gifts we have come from God. Let us see ourselves as we are, accepting our faults and limitations, and knowing God loves us unconditionally. Today, Sirach tells us that “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds.” When we humble ourselves to serve the needs of others, our…
Sunday Mass Reflection for October 27th, 2019
There is a universal experience in life of feeling that something is missing. Even in the absence of crises (health, financial, etc.) people tend to have a vague feeling that things are not quite right, not quite complete. A Harris Pole (Harris Poll Happiness index, 2017) found that over two-thirds of Americans are dissatisfied with their lives. We could reasonably presume that the “happy” one-third are pragmatists, “This is as good as it gets.” This sense of human unease sparked…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Whitney Randles
In the horrific aftermath of the 9/11 attack in New York in 2001, Whitney Randles helped families of victims identify the remains of their loved ones and confront required paperwork. “I would stay with a family for seven hours until they completed the process,” she recalled. Whitney was employed at the time as an assistant coordinator of victim witness for the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office. She had been trained in national crisis response, never imagining her skills would be called…
Christ at Mass Reflection for October 20th, 2019
Growing weary of prayer is a temptation addressed in this week’s Scripture readings. Moses literally grows tired as he holds up the staff of God, praying for protection as the Israelites battle Amalek’s army. If Moses rests his arms, Amalek gets the advantage. If Moses keeps his arms raised to God, the Israelites prevail. Poignantly, Moses’ comrades come to his aid, supporting his arms until the battle is won. Unlike Moses we often do not see such immediate results from…
Sunday Mass Reflection for October 20th, 2019
We all know the story. The Israelites, children of Abraham, are slaves in Egypt. God has Moses lead them out of captivity to the land God had promised to Abraham. But there is a catch, isn’t there always a catch? The road from captivity to the promise is long, difficult and dangerous. Around 2000 BC the Amalekites were a nomadic people in the Negev, what is now the southern part of Israel, a boundary between the Sinai Peninsula and Jordan. …
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Paul Stryker, Jr.
For Paul Stryker Jr., Pentecost had special meaning this year, especially its message of unity through a universal language of faith. Paulie, as he is known, was three weeks into boot camp at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, surrounded by recruits from all over the country. “We all came from different traditions and ways of doing things,” he reflected, “but we were trying to unite in a common goal, so the powerful story of the Upper Room…
Sunday Mass Reflection for October 13th, 2019
Where do we hear God speaking to us? I hope we all think immediately of the bible, the inspired Word of God. Immediately after that we should think of the Mass. After all, God only speaks one Word, Jesus Christ, and we encounter Christ at Mass in the Eucharist. We always begin Mass with readings from Sacred Scripture, to hear God speaking to us in human language. We need to realize, though, that in any Mass the Scripture readings we…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Itzel Rosario
Itzel Rosario can remember a time when she thought going to Mass was simply a cultural tradition, a way to conform to the surrounding society. “You went to church,” she said, “but you didn’t necessarily know what you were doing there.” However, ten years ago, led by her father, her family underwent a spiritual conversion that brought Itzel into a real relationship with God. Now, she knows, “Worshipping God is one of the most beautiful things a person can do.”…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Jackie Adams
We have all heard the saying that when God closes one door, He opens another. For one-time soccer player Jackie Adams, the first door slammed hard. A series of sports-related concussions while she was in high school ended her playing career and altered her career plans. But as a second door has begun to open, Jackie is being able to pull others through with her. “Sports have been my whole life, but I can’t play anymore,” Jackie explained. So instead,…
Sunday Mass Reflection for September 22nd, 2019
We have all grown up hearing the parables of Jesus. We tend to think of them as familiar and comforting. Familiarity, however, can be a distraction and cause us to miss the point. The parables of Christ are designed to puzzle and shock to get our attention, then make a point. Our parable this Sunday (Luke 16:1 – 9) is an excellent example. Jesus, who we believe, directs us to a more virtuous life seems to be promoting dishonesty, even…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Kierstyn Kuehnle
Kierstyn Kuehnle, who was born deaf in one ear and wears a hearing aid in the other, knows that “God does not make mistakes.” “Things happen for a reason,” she said. “He has laid out a life and a plan for each of us.” This sense of mission has allowed Kierstyn to accept the considerable challenges that come with her hearing loss. It also has made this sixteen-year-old a nationally-recognized advocate for the needs and rights of the deaf and…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Zack Fox
For Zack Fox, being in the right place at the right time usually means God has something in mind for you. One night, he stopped off at a local supermarket to buy groceries when he noticed an elderly woman who appeared to be a victim of a gift card scam. Zack stopped the woman from spending her money. Then he followed her home and spent two hours removing the scammer’s virus from her computer. “I guess she trusted me,” he…