4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Overprotective parenting, living vicariously through our children, and otherwise attempting to control their lives goes against the Gospel of Life. Mary and Joseph offer a powerful witness to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, and other friends of children on this Feast of the Presentation. Children are God’s beloved souls, each with a unique calling and mission. Our role, as adults in their lives, is to receive children as gifts, to pray for them and nurture who they are as distinct persons to the best of their ability, and then to present them, day by day, back to God. We are responsible for how well we love them, how fervently we pray for them, how faithfully we serve them, but not for the outcome of their lives, or for the choices they make in the freedom God has given to them. May we love them well, and stand in awe and wonder at their capacity, and also at the directions they will go that we could not go ourselves.

Prayer: For the faith to care for our children and entrust them to God’s care, we pray to the Lord. Mary and Joseph, you took Jesus to the Temple to present Him to God, a sign of what you would do as parents over and over again in loving Jesus. Pray for us, that we might follow your example, and that we might commend our love for the children in our lives to your beloved Son for purification and for strength in loving children well. Amen.

Reflection: CCCB
#SundayMass #CatholicYYC

Taken from the Facebook page of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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In the Gospel, Jesus calls four men: Simon (Peter) and Andrew, James and John. Each of them sets down his net and follows Jesus. By the time the second reading was written, people had begun to follow Jesus’ first followers and they had preferences, as we all do! Some of us prefer Pope Francis’ witness while others loved Pope Benedict’s theology. Some of us try to serve the poor as did Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), at the same time others try to pray as did Mother Angelica. Saints and Popes, teachers and preachers all point us to Jesus. We need people of faith to teach and inspire us but, ultimately, we all follow Jesus. The diversity of charism, prayer, devotion, service, and practice in the Church needs to be held in unity. Otherwise, we give into the temptation to division, which detracts from our ability to participate in God’s loving and healing the world.

For respectful unity in a gloriously diverse Church, we pray to the Lord.

God, you have called your people by name and each images you in unique ways. Draw us to the saints living on earth and in heaven to help us along the way. Protect us from demonizing those whose methods and inspirations differ from our own. Draw us into a unity that celebrates diversity and transcends differences. Amen.

Reflection: CCCB #CatholicYYC #SundayMass

Taken from the Facebook page of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Faith is always about more than just what is good for us. It is always about all of God’s people too. We live in a world where people sometimes feel as though it is enough to be good people. Of course, being good, making good choices, being a force for good is very pleasing to God. But goodness alone is not the end God has in mind. He intends to draw the whole world to Himself and asks us to do it with Him. The goodness is ordered toward the eternal reconciliation of all people and creation. As Isaiah says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob …; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Our faith never ends with us, but will always call us out in service to those hurting and most in need.

Prayer: For dissatisfaction with a faith that serves only ourselves, we pray to the Lord.

God of Jacob and Israel, John and Paul, and each of us, make us dissatisfied with a faith that serves only ourselves. Draw us deeply into your desire to be reconciled with the whole world. Complicate our lives with the conviction to work toward peace and healing with all people. Amen.

Reflection: CCCB #CatholicYYC #SundayMass

Taken from the Facebook page of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

The Baptism of the Lord

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The readings present two challenges to belonging in our faith community which we still encounter today. First, that we aren’t good enough somehow (because our history hasn’t been really Christian, or before then really Jewish). Secondly, we are too good (which is what John said of Jesus). Peter’s line at the opening of the second reading is really the key, however: “God shows no partiality.” Isaiah’s reading indicates that God always meant His special relationship with Israel to be a blessing for all nations, and Jesus’ death and Resurrection opens the covenant beyond the circumcised. Jesus is baptized not for the forgiveness of sins but as a participation in the universality of belonging to God’s family. Our faith is not just for us. It is meant to be a gift to the world, offering God’s love and belonging to all people, by our care and, should they choose, by baptism with Jesus.

Prayer: For all people longing to belong, we pray to the Lord. Baptised Jesus, you whisper over each of us the words your Father spoke over you: “This is my Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” May we be people who hear you speaking this over us, who believe it, and who proclaim it over your people wherever we find them. Amen.

Reflection: CCCB
#CatholicYYC#SundayMass
Taken from the Facebook Page of Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

Epiphany of the Lord

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The gifts of the magi reveal who the Christ-child is. The Christ-child, in turn, reveals our deepest need for him.

Find a quiet space and take in the words of this song. As you recognize your need for Him, recognize others in their need as well.

Blessed Epiphany to you! #IAMBLESSED #CatholicYYC

Child of the Poor

Helpless and hungry, lowly, afraid
Wrapped in the chill of midwinter;
Comes now, among us, born into, poverty’s embrace
New life for the world

Who is this? Who lives with the lowly?
Sharing their sorrows
Knowing their hunger?
This is Christ revealed to the world
In the eyes of a child, a child of the poor

Who is, this stranger? Here in our midst?
Looking for shelter among us?
Who is, the outcast? Who do, we see amidst the poor?
The children of God?

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him

Bring the thirsty, who seek peace;
Those with nothing to offer
Strengthen the feeble
Say to the, frightened heart:
“Fear not: here is your God!”

Lyric: Scott Soper, ©1994, OCP. All rights reserved; W. C. Dix (What Child is This).

Taken from the Facebook page of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary