40 HOURS

Posted on by Cassie

This weekend we celebrate our parish Forty Hours.  The “Forty Hours” or Solemn Annual Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament is a devotion aimed at increasing our appreciation, our love, and our knowledge of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  The devotion itself covers approximately forty hours.

The number “40” is a very biblical number.  Think about how often in the Sacred Scripture that we used the number “40” with days, weeks, nights, years etc. to tell us something about the history of our salvation.  In each bible story after each cycle of “40” something beautiful and meaningful happens.  It is our prayer that as our parish makes the Forty Hours, we too, will experience something beautiful.  Trusting that our Eucharistic Lord will hear and answer our prayers and intentions.

Everyone is welcome to attend Forty Hours.  Please plan on spending some time with your family adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  This is a time filled with special moments of grace.  Come! Pray!  You are welcome to come alone, or to bring someone with you.  This is a time filled with special moments of grace, come pray, and experience the presence of our Eucharistic Lord.

Throughout our three day celebration, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar in the Monstrance.  As you enter and leave your pew, it is appropriate to genuflect or make a reverent bow.  While you are visiting our Lord, you may quietly speak to Him in private prayer, read from your Bible or use your personal prayer book.  Another idea is to pray the rosary or meditate on the Stations of the Cross.  You also may want to just sit and “be” present in the presence of the Lord.

As you begin your time in Adoration, make it for a special intention.  Perhaps you want to offer your time for a son or daughter who is having difficulties, or who has been away from the Church.  You also may want to pray for peace, for good health, or for a job.  Whatever it may be, the Lord is there to listen to you.

Please find time for God.  He will bless you for coming to spend time with Him.

Please pray for our parish and for me during your Forty Hour visits.

Make the Forty Hours a little mini-retreat for Yourself.

God Bless

Msgr. Powell

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Patrick Leyden

Service was one of the most striking signs of the life of Jesus.  He healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, and raised the dead to life.  He characterized His own life as one of service when he said: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.”

Jesus calls us to be people of service.  He tells us that if we want to become a great human being, then we must serve the rest.

Our service might take the form of meeting their physical and material needs by: washing clothes or cooking meals for our family; lending a tool or doing some repairs for a neighbor down the street;  nursing the elderly or babysitting the young.

Our service might take the form of caring for the emotional or psychological needs of others by: offering companionship and friendship, speaking words of hope and encouragement; showing acceptance and giving recognition.

Maybe we can also be of service by meeting the spiritual or faith needs of others.  We could do that by giving good example as we participate in the parish
liturgy or simply by living a simple lifestyle to offset worldly materialism or we could quietly offer up and accept any unavoidable sufferings in our life.

As Catholic Christians we are called to serve.  During Mass we receive the Body and Blood of the Lord who uses us — His Mystical Body— to serve His people.  We serve those we live and work with not in a grudging way, but joyously and generously because we are the Body of Christ.  The gate to heaven is service and we are called by Jesus to join him in service and in heaven.

God Bless

Msgr. Powell