Sunday, March 29, 2009
Fifth Sunday of Lent: Passion Sunday
Who has ever sacrificed something for you? What was it? How did you feel about it?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Fifth Sunday of Lent 2009
When Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was growing up, he says he constantly heard messages like “Learn to do without,” “Prepare for a rainy day,” and “No one owes you a living.” In a speech given at Washington and Lee University, Thomas told an audience of nearly 400 that “those truths permeated our lives.” When John F. Kennedy urged Americans to serve their country rather than look to be served, he said, “It all made sense.”Justice Thomas contrasted the messages of his boyhood with the attitudes of today. “These days, there seems to be little emphasis on responsibility, sacrifice and self-denial,” Thomas said. “Rarely do we hear a message of sacrifice, unless it is used as a justification of taxation of others or a transfer of wealth to others.”
In his speech, Thomas blamed the “me” generation of the 1960s for the shift from service and sacrifice to selfishness and self-indulgence. “Today the message seems to be, ‘Ask not what you can do for yourselves and your country, but what your country can do for you,’” he said.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Today's Great Feast Day
The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
Glory to God in the highest!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
On his way to Africa
Today, making his first trip to Africa, Pope Benedict XVI said the Catholic Church can help bring answers to the continent's chronic problems, including poverty, AIDS and tribalism.His first stop on this 7-day trip is Cameroon, a journey which also includes a visit to Angola.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Third Sunday of Lent.... 2009
Righteous anger is a taking of control, a move out of passive acceptance and toward change.
God's wisdom often works in the midst of chaos.
St. Augustine of Hippo said, "Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are Anger and Courage: Anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are."Sacrifice offered at Passover had to be that of an animal without blemish. The temple authorities offered perfect animals for sale. Anyone bringing his own animal had to have it inspected by the priests. Not surprisingly, the animal was nearly always rejected, and the person had to buy another from the priests. Scholars tell us that a bird bought outside the Temple cost about 15 of our cents, but one from inside the Temple could cost many times as much.
So it was not simply the presence of the moneychangers and the animals offered for sale that so angered Jesus -- after all, they were services meant for the convenience of people who had to travel long distances to get to Jerusalem. No, it was the misuse of authority in the blatant and gross overcharging of even the poorest people that set him off.
John tells us that chaos ensued, with Jesus overturning tables and driving animals out with a whip made of cords.
Let us clear our lives of all that distract us from our faith.
Monday, March 9, 2009
St. Joseph's Presents: Dogwood Dash '09
435 registered runners: 5K ... 3.1 miles
All procceds go to our Parish Caring and Sharing Ministry (clothing and food for the poor) and our Parish Freee Medical Clinic (Our Lady of the Angels Clinic) for the poor and the uninsured.
Thanks to EVERYONE.
We have run the race, we are keeping the Faith!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
The First Sunday Of Lent
Temptation is not a game of manipulation, it is a very serious encounter. Our goal is to emerge from that encounter free of sin. Let us keep this in mind:
when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know: First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin. And second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her. We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances.
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