Ministry Schedules Available
The schedules are again available in the stacked trays in the kitchen at St. Michael’s. If you did not contact me by the 19th to let me know you will be away in February, you must find your own replacement if your name was put on a weekend when you will be gone. —Susan
Demolition
Our demolition is progressing very well. It is still necessary that all persons remain off of the grounds until Tuesday, February 2. You will have access to the office beginning on that date. Thank you for your understanding that it was, for your safety, necessary to restrict access to the grounds while the demolition and clean-up has been happening.
AARP Tax-Aide
Free tax help for taxpayers with low- and moderate-income, with special attention to those age 60 and older, is again being offered by AARP at various locations. The schedule will begin Feb. 2nd and end April 15th.
Tuesdays: 12 noon-6pm (appointment only) at AARP
Information Center at Pottery Terrace; call 334-1212
Thursdays: 8am-12 noon (walk-in) at Hale Halawai
Wednesdays: 8am-12 noon (walk-in) at Yano Hall
St. Agatha – February 5th
“Of noble birth and great beauty,” so the ancient accounts describe St. Agatha, martyred during the early persecution for refusing a powerful Roman’s offer of marriage, since she had consecrated her virginity to Christ. An early preacher, St. Methodius, reflects instead on her name, noting that, in Greek, Agatha means “good,” goodness being something we can all strive for, nobly born or common, blessed with beauty – or not! So brutal the tortures that violated her youthful innocence, Agatha, like Agnes and several other women martyrs, was honored from time immemorial by having her name inscribed in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I). Long invoked as protector against earthquakes – Mount Etna erupted as she was being tortured – recent attention has focused on the particularly cruel torture decreed for Agatha, the cutting off of her breasts. This has inspired cancer survivors to promote St. Agatha as patron and intercessor for women courageously facing breast cancer, for their families and the multitude of supporters who participate in fundraising marches and races, and, of course, for the dedicated researchers who seek a cure. Peter Scagnelli, © Copyright, J.S. Paluch Co.
The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner He wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is His Will. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Living the Paschal Mystery
If we never meet doubt or opposition over values in our daily living, then we must examine how committed to the gospel we are. Most of us aren’t called to preach the Good News “professionally.” All of us, however, because of our baptism, are committed to living it. Living the gospel is what must shape our everyday choices and responses. This means, for example, that if the chatter around the water cooler at work grows uncharitable or coarse, we have the courage to walk away. Another example; if prejudice exists among our friends and acquaintances, we have the courage to extol the dignity of the minority.Dying to oneself means that we place gospel values before any others and are willing to stake our lives on them. We might not always concretely experience God’s protection and deliverance in the given moment, but we know from Jesus’ life that it is there when it really counts—leading us to life everlasting. Living Liturgy™ Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities, Year C · 2010. © 2009 Order of Saint Benedict, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved.
- We find it easy to speak to people when we have pleasant things to say, and they are obviously glad to hear them. On the other hand, we tend to shy away from delivering words of confrontation, criticism, and/or challenge. Neither do we ourselves like to hear such negative remarks. Yet at the same time, we realize that growth often results from what we don’t really want to hear.
- Jesus speaks gracious words that are encouraging. Just as boldly, he speaks words that are challenging and confrontational. His concern was always to speak words of salvation that call people to new life.
- In practice, probably most of us are not left feeling challenged or furious by the proclamation of the gospel itself. The real challenge comes when we are nudged (sometimes not so gently) to live the gospel. What increases our capacity to be nudged? What determines our response?
Living Liturgy™ Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities, Year C · 2010. © 2009 Order of Saint Benedict, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
When we claim that God’s word is enduring, we are saying more than the fact that is proclaimed throughout the world every Saturday evening and Sunday (and weekdays, too!). The mere saying or proclaiming God’s word isn’t what makes it enduring; it is receiving, internalizing, and living God’s word that makes it enduring. God’s word endures as each f us is transformed, realizing ever more perfectly the spread of God’s reign. God’s word endures in us.
On Sundays the Lectionary selections almost always include both a prophetic word and a comforting word. First challenge: we must truly hear God’s word and not let it simply go over our heads. The best way to hear (receive) God’s word is not to come to liturgy cold; if this is our first hearing, we probably won’t get much out of the Liturgy of the Word. A good spiritual practice for all of us is to read the Scriptures well in advance of Sunday so that we can be thinking about them as we go through our normal everyday routines.
Second challenge: we must hear God’s word in terms of how it challenges each of us personally. This means that almost every Sunday we will hear something in the word that calls us to change (internalize the word) some behavior or attitude. We must help ourselves get into the habit of truly listening for that personal word to us. Let our prayer during the rest of the Mass then be one in which we beg God’s help to live this word.
Third challenge: we must let that internalized word help us see what we need to address (living the word) in our personal lives and in the world. Sometimes our world is so complex that we don’t recognize the hurts and injustices around us.
God’s enduring word within us helps us see our world with new eyes — God’s eyes. We will no longer be able to take things for granted; we will begin to understand that hearing God’s word each Sunday makes demands on us.
Water coolers have achieved something of iconic status as gathering places. Around them are shared anecdotes of life and love, good times and bad, frivolous gossip, and serious information. Whether something is true or not depends largely on the speaker’s integrity. In unimportant tales and consequential descriptions alike we desire the truth. This Sunday’s gospel continues Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue, and he speaks words of truth. The gospel challenges us to stand pat on the truth of God’s word, even to stake our life on it—as Jesus did. God is clear on the divine purpose; salvation for all at all costs even if this means the live of the divine Son.
As long as Jesus announces glad tidings, the crowd responds positively. But when Jesus challenges their narrowness with the examples of Elijah’s and Elisha’s outreach to Gentiles (Sidon and Syria), they grow furious. The response of the crowd registers increasing resistance—from amazement (Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”) to fury (they wanted to “hurl him down headlong” from “the brow of the hill”). Jesus challenged the crowd because the Good News is always broader than selective preferences or limited understanding—yes, salvation would be for the Gentiles as well as Jews. While the gospel is always Good News, it is not always comfortable, because it ever stretches us beyond where we are now.
The demise of the prophets came about because they forced choices, the challenge of the gospel is also that it forces choices. The comforting thing about God’s word is that we have always had the reassurance that God will protect and deliver us (see first reading). The disturbing things is that the protection and deliverance don’t always comes as quickly as we might like or in the way we might like.
Jeremiah ended up in a cistern, and some of the prophets were killed; Jesus ended up on the cross. Prophets may be rejected and destroyed, but God’s word is always enduring.
CONNECTING THE GOSPEL
To the first reading: There are at least two points of contact between the first reading and the gospel. The first is the presentation of Jeremiah and Jesus as prophets who are rejected. The second is God’s promise of protection ad deliverance.
To our experience: So much of our contemporary culture is based on what is popular, for example, American Idol, Nielson ratings, political polls, marketing samples, etc. Jesus based his message not on popular reaction but on the truth of God’s word.
Heritage Books Available at the Gift Shop
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nkcc_book1
Stop by to pick up your copy as a keepsake or a special occasion gift! St. Michael's Church is currently being demolished, and proceeds from the book sales will go toward our Building Fund.
Cost: $20 each / Mail Orders: $22.50 each
Reviews: www.hawaii247.orgStewardship Report: Week of Jan. 24th—25th
|
|
# of Attendees |
Total Contributions |
|
St. Michael’s |
|
|
|
Saturday 5pm |
273 |
$1,818.00 |
|
Sunday 7am |
288 |
$2,107.00 |
|
Sunday 9am |
328 |
$2,201.00 |
|
Sunday 11am |
162 |
$866.00 |
|
Sunday 4pm |
122 |
$552.00 |
|
Sunday 6pm |
|
$470.00 |
|
Immaculate Conception |
71 |
$448.00 |
|
Holy Rosary |
37 |
$216.00 |
|
Totals = |
1,281 |
$8,678.00 |
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