reconciling the family

USCCB - (NAB) - February 15, 2008:
"Gospel
Mt 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”"

healing the family

healing generational curses

Fr. McDonough

Spirit Daily - Daily spiritual news from around the world:

"Please pray for major healer Father Ed McDonough, Boston, who died today:
Friday 2-8 Wake at Mission Church, followed by 8 p.m. Vespers Saturday the Mass 10 a.m."

I remember going to Fr. McDonough's healing Masses as a kid with my mom when he was still in Cambridge. He will be greatly missed.

Lenten Resources Home Page

USCCB - Lenten Resources Home Page

February Readings

Today's Mass Readings and Homily

This is a great list to print off and then get into the Word at your own pace.

I like Mike

Mike Huckabee for President

Instead of going for who is most 'electable', I'm going for who the Lord is putting in my heart.

Praying for all those running for president as well as for all heading out to vote on Tuesday. Come Holy Spirit!

thorns?

USCCB - (NAB) - January 30, 2008:

"Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it
and it produced no grain."

As we prepare to enter into the Season of Lent...it is a good time to look around us and note any 'thorns' that may be trying to 'choke' God's Word from our lives. The thing with 'thorns' though, is that they don't always appear sinister...if they did, then it would be easy enough to stay away from. But regardless of appearances...what is the fruit? If it is not bearing fruit...let's chop it off.

Women's Conference

Hi, all,
The Boston Women's Conference is scheduled for Friday, April 18th, starting at 5PM at Boston College. The Keynote speakers this year are Kimberly Hahn, Patti Mansfield, and Stacy McGovern. I've heard both Kimberly Hahn; Patti Mansfield speak; they are fabulous! You can read more info about these women; get more info on the conference at BBCCspeakers2008.pdf

Anne

I got the above from my homeschooling group and I really, really want to attend. Anyone else thinking of going?

Parish Bulletin

Dear Parishioners,
We begin our season of Lent this Wednesday. Lent is starting early
this year. To give a simple explanation as to why Easter is celebrated
on a different date each year, the first Sunday after the first
full moon of spring is Easter Sunday. With the first full moon of
spring being on March 21st this year, Easter is then on March 23rd,
the first Sunday after the full moon. It is one of the earliest Easter
that is celebrated.

Lent is a season for repentance. It is a time of spiritual house cleaning. This is a time to look at our relationship with Jesus. What do we need to do to grow deeper in our relationship with Him? For some it may be addressing a sinful behavior and for others it may be engaging in activities that help us to grow. I would suggest that you spend some time in quiet prayer and ask Jesus what it might be that He is asking of you to do. Lent is a season for us to seriously care for our spiritual relationship. May what we do see us rise on Easter to a new level of relationship with Jesus.

This Lent we will hold a parish mission from Sunday, March 2nd to Tuesday, March 4th. Our guest will be internationally known speaker, Ralph Martin. Ralph is the host of the TV program, “The Choices We Face.” You can see this program on his web site: www.renewalministries.net. It is also on EWTN on Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. Ralph has traveled the world preaching a call to holiness and personal relationship with Jesus. He has written many books, the latest, “The Fulfillment of All Desire”, which is a guidebook for the journey to God based on the wisdom of the saints. He is currently Director of Graduate Programs in the evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Please plan to attend the mission if you are able, for we are blessed to have Ralph be with us.

The Scripture is the Word of God. For many Catholics, we are weak in the reading and understanding Scripture. St. Jerome said that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. The Bible is a necessity in growing in our relationship with Jesus. Very simply, Scripture is Jesus speaking to us. There is a program called Scripture from Scratch. It presents contemporary Catholic biblical scholarship in a clear, easy to follow and welcoming manner. It is a program both for those with little or no knowledge of the Bible and for those who have some experience with it. This program will be on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the hall. It will be an eight week course. We will begin on Tuesday, February 12th.

Just a reminder, that LIFT will be here on Monday, February 4th at 7 p.m. It is a young adult group that offers praise and worship with teaching. You are encouraged to come and experience this form of prayer.
For you snowbirds who are reading this on the web, we have added wooden borders to the back wall.
It is something simple and everyone loves it (taking the positive outlook).
May Jesus continue to shepherd you in all of your needs.
God love you,
Fr. Ron

Events Schedule

Renewal Ministries - Events Schedule:

"March 2-4 Parish Lenten Mission at St. Joseph Church
Wakefield, MA

Ralph Martin

Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual Gifts (PDF file)

YouTube - I Will Sing

Lord You seem so far away. A million miles or more it feels today.
And though I haven't lost my faith, I must confess right now that it's hard for me to pray.
But I don't know what to say and I don't know where to start.
But as you give the grace with all that's in my heart.

I will sing.
I will praise even in my darkest time through the sorrow and the pain.
I will sing. I will praise.
Lift my hands to honor You because Your word is true. I will sing.

Lord is hard for me to see all the thought and plan You have for me.
But I will put my trust in You. Lord will meet Your guide to set me free.
But I don't know what to say and I don't know where to start.
But as you give the grace with all that's in my heart.

I will sing.
I will praise even in my darkest time through the sorrow and the pain.
I will sing. I will praise.
Lift my hands to honor You because Your word is true. I will sing. (2 times)

Sacrifice of Joy!

USCCB - (NAB) - January 29, 2008:

"Then David, girt with a linen apron,
came dancing before the LORD with abandon,
as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD
with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn."

Praise You Lord, I love You Jesus! You lead me by the hand and bring me to fullness of JOY! You alone know exactly WHAT I need and WHEN. You are the great Provider! May I be able to 'dance' before you with ABANDON! Where You lead, I shall follow! I will not look to my left, or to my right...but only into Your eyes will I gaze.

Psalms 133

Psalms 133. The Holy Bible: King James Version.:
"The Psalms
133

The Blessings of Brotherly Unity
A Song of degrees of David.


1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity!


2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down upon the beard,
even Aaron's beard:
that went down to the skirts of his garments;


3 as the dew of Hermon,
and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion:
for there the LORD commanded the blessing,
even life for evermore."

Come, Holy Spirit

Devotion - Prayers - Come, Holy Spirit:

"Come, Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your Divine Love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Oh God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructed the hearts of the faithful, Grant, that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen."

Unity Prayer

Catholic Online - Prayers:

"Eternal Father,
we praise you for sending your Son
to be one of us and to save us.
Look upon your people with mercy,
for we are divided in so many ways,
and give us the Spirit of Jesus to make us one in love.

We ask this gift, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen."

no divisions?

Reading II
1 Cor 1:10-13, 17

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree in what you say,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,
by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.
I mean that each of you is saying,
“I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,”
or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

At first reading this passage, you might think that Jesus is speaking to the different 'denominations' out there. But then at closer look, we see this same 'division' within our very own Catholic Church. Sad, sad, sad. Can't even imagine what it must look like from the outside. There is so much fear, you can see it everywhere.

Today, let us pray for unity within our own church before we can reach out to others.

March for Life

Cardinal Seán’s Blog » March for Life

Nuno Alvares Pereira

Nuno Alvares Pereira

O God, who called blessed Nonius to lay down the weapons of this world and follow Christ under the protection of the Blessed Virgin, grant through the intercession of this former member of our order that we too may deny ourselves and cling to you with all our hearts. Through the same Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

YouTube - Here I Am Lord