Please read the bulletin for February 16, 2020 here.
5th Sunday Ordinary Time – Fr. Smith Homily
Several years ago, I was invited to participate in a panel discussion on merging churches. The moderator asked each of us to tell the assembly the most important thing we had learned in a brief statement. When my turn came, I recited the Beatitudes from St. Matthew. I understand why this was met with some bewilderment, but I will stand by it – and add that if we wish St. Charles to develop, it will be because we have accepted the Beatitudes as our parish handbook. Let us look at why.
Beatitude means “blessing”, or to be even more precise, that which gives us bliss. Matthew tells us that true blessings are to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to be merciful, clean of heart, peacemakers, persecuted for the same righteousness we were thirsting for and insulted for the name of Jesus. (Matthew 5:5:1-12) In what world do any of these things make good sense, much less bring bliss? Quite simply: in God’s. Continue reading “5th Sunday Ordinary Time – Fr. Smith Homily”
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fasting To Love
Lady Julian Of Norwich, Stephen Reid, 1912
FIRST READING
Isaiah 58:7–10
Sunday, February 9, 2020
We last read from the third person to be given the name Isaiah on the Epiphany (Jan. 5, 2020). This Isaiah wrote after many of the Jewish leaders accepted the invitation of Cyrus the Assyrian king to leave Babylon and rebuild Jerusalem and its temple. He and the other settlers discovered that they were pioneers and that this was going to be long and hard. The reading used for the Epiphany, Isaiah 60:1–6) told the Jewish settlers what they could expect if they remained faithful to the LORD. Today’s reading shows them and us what faithfulness means.
The section begins with a complaint from the settlers:
Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?
(Is. 58:3)
In early Judaism, fasting was not directly an ascetic practice, but was associated with morning. Third Isaiah’s near contemporary the prophet Zechariah told the people: Continue reading “5th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fasting To Love”
Bulletin for February 09, 2020
Please read the bulletin for February 09, 2020 here.
Presentation of the Lord – Fr. Smith Homily
For the past few weeks, our gospel readings have been from St. Matthew. We have examined him not only as an evangelist in the strict sense, the author of one of the four canonical gospels, but as a pastor. He writes to form, not only enlighten his community. Today is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and St. Luke will be our guest evangelist. We read him last year, and if Matthew is a pastor, Luke is an historian. Let us see what he has to offer us today.
First, the name of the feast. When the Jews were in captivity in Egypt, God called Moses to lead them into the Promised Land. Moses could not convince the leader of the Egyptians, the Pharaoh, to let them go, although God sent many plagues to persuade him. Finally, the LORD killed every first–born male both of man and beast of the Egyptians. He spared the Jews and for this reason every first–born son belongs to the LORD in a special way and must be redeemed from God by a sacrifice. (Ex 13:15)
This is what we see today. Jesus is brought to the Temple to be redeemed. Just as Joseph and Mary obeyed the laws of Rome and went to Bethlehem to fulfill the census requirements, they obeyed the Biblical law to buy Jesus back. Luke wishes to show that Jesus wants us to work in our society and culture, not to abandon it. Continue reading “Presentation of the Lord – Fr. Smith Homily”