Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Christian hospitality?
The first reading and the Gospel this Sunday have a common theme of hospitality. This Christian hospitality goes beyond what we usually mean by the word – a friendly greeting, a beverage and some food for a visitor. It is not about throwing parties or being a gracious host/hostess. The message today is rather about hospitality of the heart. It is about being willing move things around in our own life, our own self, in order to make space for others. Jesus teaches that if we receive someone into our schedule, into our life, and offering some emotional or spiritual refreshment to a person, we are really welcoming the Lord himself into our life, and the Lord will be grateful for it. And we will be rewarded!
The bottom-line question is for each of us: Am I willing to go out of my way for someone who is a stranger or a casual acquaintance? How quick am I to change my plans to help someone in need? Those are the personal applications of Christian hospitality.
What about at the parish level of our Christian life? With the new parish of St. Mark’s of Lemay beginning in a month, will I take the initiative to introduce myself to someone who is not familiar to me? It is perfectly okay to catch up with friends but we will be called upon by the Lord to create a wonderful Christian spirit of hospitality among the new Parish Family of St. Mark’s of Lemay.
Independence Day – This Tuesday
Come to celebrate, even before the evening fireworks, the Fourth of July by coming to church for the 8 a.m. Mass. Let us pray together to God to bless our United States of America on the 246th anniversary of our being founded as a nation built on democratic principles so that everyone living here can have the dignity of being a free citizen with all having the same human rights being honored. The Lord has helped us get this far; we will especially need his help to keep going as vibrant democracy and a life-giving society for all in our current dangerous times. Let us truly pray from our soul: God bless Amerca!
Final Celebration for St. Bernadette Parish – Sunday, July 30
- Final Parish Mass – 10:30am – special liturgy
- Final Parish Barbecue – 11:30am-1:00pm – for parish members
- Barbecue and fellowship outside or inside our gym
- food prepared by Chris’ Pancake – free
- please RSVP the Parish Office
Managing the Transition of Parish Life
With the All Things New process for the Archdiocese of St. Louis and for our parishes in Lemay creating a new Parish Family based at St. Mark’s, the goal is transformational spiritual growth for the Church. But this paradigm shift involves TRANSITION. And transition has three stages: 1. Letting go of the old ways and the old identity; 2. Going through an in-between time, when the old is gone and the new is not fully operational; 3. Making a new beginning with a new energy and new sense of purpose that makes the change begin to work effectively.
What is going on inside of each of us now? Perhaps we are figuring out what it is I will lose with the parish closing. Maybe we do not understand the reasons for this serious change. No doubt we are confused, wondering, afraid, uncertain, or anxious about this transition in our parish life. We are called upon to help each other accept the reality of our losses and the importance of this change in the status quo. Each of us should expect and accept the signs in us that show we are truly grieving and maybe getting a little depressed by it all.
Indeed, St. Bernadette Parish is coming to an end after 76 years, but St. Bernadette Church itself will stay open for 4 p.m. Mass every Saturday evening, and will be available for other services as needed, such a funerals, baptisms, or weddings. And a new entity will begin in August – the new St. Mark Parish of Lemay!