St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church March 18, 2018

Transcription

1 St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church March 18, 2018

2 Create a Clean heart in Me, O God! Today at Holy Mass we pray a famous penitential Psalm, number 51, sometimes called the Miserere. It is a cry for mercy and forgiveness. You are probably familiar with some of the lines. "Create a clean heart in me, O God Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me." These are themes that tie in very nicely with Lent. What you may not know who is the author is and why he wrote it. That, as Paul Harvey says, is the "rest of the story." The author is King David who was a warrior-king. David was a shepherd boy whom God chose as His servant to be King of Israel. One of the first Bible stories we learn as children is his valiant fight against the giant Goliath. David would go on to reign as king for forty years. Later in his kingly service, he added an infamous chapter to his life. It is a chapter that, if we examine closely, we may find very instructive. We learn from II Samuel 11 that one spring David stayed home from the military campaigns. Usually he was with his troops in the field. This season he stays at the palace. During his idle time he spies a beautiful woman named Bathsheba. He lusts for her and has her sent to him and fulfills his lust. Later Bathsheba sends word that she is pregnant. He schemes how to get out of this predicament. Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, is a soldier who is away at war. David sends him for him to give him a furlough. He wants him to spend some time with his wife so that he will think that he is father of the child. When this doesn t work he orders Uriah to be sent to the front of the battlefield so that he will be killed. Look how far David has fallen. From a lazy stroll on the rooftop to becoming a murderer and adulterer. Sin is like cancer. It has a way of spreading if it is not cut out from the body. David's deeds becomes known and he is confronted by Nathan the prophet. Isn't it interesting that when we choose sin we are in a type of fog? David walks around with this evil for almost a year. Finally, David is confronted on his adultery and murder and in a moment of grace he is stung to the heart. He says, "For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always." He utters the words that make up Psalm 51. He realizes he has damaged his very soul through these sins so he cries out, "Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me." He realizes that by his very actions he has rejected God and broken his relationship. He cries out, "Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me." Could you think of a more terrible sin than King David's? Yet, the amazing thing is that God forgives him! God in his great mercy forgives David. This is good news for us. No matter how bad our sins, no matter how far we have fallen, God will take us back, if we repent. Notice the key here is repentance. Had David's heart been hard he could not have asked for forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift and like all gifts it must be received. We are all sinners. Whether we our sins are many or few we have all gone astray. We cry out as the human race, "Create a clean heart in me, O God." This is something that only God can give. We cannot earn this. It is given to us by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. The grain of wheat that died to give us life. Repentance is an important aspect of our Lenten journey. I am called to come face to face with my sins. The Good News is that Jesus has already died to take those sins away. A practical way to live this out is through the Sacrament of Confession. As part of our Lenten journey we should all examine our conscience and make a good confession. Like King David we cry out to God, "Create a clean heart in me, O God." Don't let sin disqualify you from God's work. Moses murdered a man. King David committed murder and adultery and yet, after they repented, God was able to use them to do great things. If the only workers in God's kingdom were the perfect there would be no workers. We are not perfect but we can be forgiven. When we are forgiven we can exclaim with David, "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me." And what ever became of King David and Bathsheba? They would later have a child named Solomon who would become one of the great kings of Israel's history. 1,000 years later a child would be born in the City of David who was from the line of David. His name? Jesus Christ. And now you know the rest of the story! -Fr. Tim McKeown

3 Mass Schedule Saturday 5:00 p.m. SFX 7:00 p.m. (on Jekyll) Sunday (SFX) 8:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. in Spanish Weekday Masses St. Joseph Chapel Mon. - Noon Tues. Thurs. Fri. 7:00 a.m. Wednesday 8:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Reconciliation: Church Saturdays 4:00-4:30 p.m. Sunday 7:45-8:15 a.m. (Or by appointment) St. Joseph Chapel (Please go to the main office for code) Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. St Joseph Chapel First Friday Adoration 2:00-7:00 p.m. Holy Hour 7:00-8:00 p.m. First Saturday 8:45 a.m. Sunday, March 18 in Xavier Hall Ping Pong Tournament Noon until? Divisions: 12 and under, 19 and under, Men and Women open, and 50 + Men and Women Sign up on the bulletin boards or just show up. We have paddles and balls available. Holy Week Schedule 2018 Palm Sunday (March 25) Regular Mass schedule Tuesday March 27 Chrism Mass at the Cathedral at 7:00 pm where our priests will renew their promises and the holy oils for the year are blessed. Come and join us! Holy Thursday (March 29) Mass at 7:00 pm followed by adoration in Xavier Hall until Midnight. Good Friday (March 30) Noon: Stations of the Cross 3:00 pm: Meditation on the Seven Last Words of Christ 7:00 pm: Service Reading of the Passion, Veneration of the Cross, Holy Communion Holy Saturday (March 31) There is NO 5:00 pm Mass this evening. The Easter Vigil may not begin until the Sun goes down. 8:00 pm Easter Vigil: Our Easter celebration begins. Here our new members of the Church will enter through baptism and profession of faith. The readings tonight will tell the story of our salvation Easter Sunday 8:30 and 11:00 6:00 pm in Spanish

4 Monday March 19 is a Solemnity (solemn celebration) during the midst of Lent. On this day we celebrate St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church. In addition to our normal noon mass we will also offer a special 6:00 pm mass in the church followed by spaghetti dinner and ice cream sundaes in Xavier Hall. On Solemnities during Lent we are allowed to feast! Come and join us! Knights of Columbus State Charity Raffle : The Annual Charity Drive Raffle to benefit both statewide and local charities is now being held until May 8th. Skylark and St. Francis Xavier School have been designated as the local charities which will share equally up to 75% of the proceeds from local ticket sales. The prizes are: 1 st Place $5,000; 2 nd Place $2,500; 3 rd Place $1,000. Tickets may be obtained from members of the Knights of Columbus 1 for $5 or 5 for $20. Save the date: -First Communion Sun. May 6 11:00 a.m. -Celebration of Sr. Anna s 70 years of religious life Sat. May 19 5:00 pm -Confirmation with the Bishop Wed. May 30 6:00 pm 150 th Anniversary! As we celebrate our 150 th anniversary in 2018 we want to make two items available to help celebrate and get our story out! We have 150 th anniversary stickers available for your cars and trucks ($2 each) and we also have available golf shirts made with drifit material ($30 each). The shirts will have a SFX 150 logo on the chest and Xavier on the back of the neck. We are not taking money at this time for the shirts only pre-order information so that we know how many to purchase. Shirts are available in: yellow, black, white or grey. There are some sample shirts on the table. You can take an order form from the bulletin board by the front doors and place it in the order box on the front tables. Stations of the Cross will continue every Friday during Lent in the church at 7:00 pm. The Knights of Columbus are offering a fish fry each Friday. Please note that the final Fish Fry will take place on Friday March 23. There is no fish fry on March 30.

5 March 18, 2018 Anna Hardwick Richard Brunegraff Vera Borkowski Savannah Jones Shelby Jones Jason Runyon Roman Shaefer Paul Shaefer Bill Schellman Wyatt Kersey Michael Rafolski Jane Rafolski Andrew Robson Jr. Kevin Nicklay Georgia Burgess-Erwin Niko Cousins Jerry Hayward Kevin Cloonan Gertrude Roberts Susan Layman Peggie Cash Sr. Kathleen J. McMenamin Betty Jean Murray Evelyn Harper Duke Wilson Jacqueline Maassen Patricia Clark Phillip Hand Marion Lenz Jerry Ehlman Joyce McPhee Thomas Clarke Timothy Tindall David Higbee Michael Mleko Jackie Maassen Bradley Huffman Frances & David Nohrden Kathy Poliwka Daisy Rodriguez Lucille Nichols Judy Perry Majka Steven Gentzle Don Haubner Tanner Posey Kevin Nicklay Let us pray for all those in the military and police force both active and retired. Fifth Sunday in Lent Mass Intentions Saturday, March 17 5:00 p.m. t Retta Kearns Burke 7:00 p.m. t Paul Buisson ( At Jekyll United Methodist Church) Sunday, March 18 8:30 a.m. t Jose Manuel & Angelina Ezeta 11:00 a.m. Sarigumba Family 6:00 p.m. Our Parish Family Monday, March 19 Noon t Attilio Tozzi/James Powell Tuesday, March 20 7:00 a.m. t Manuela Rocha Wednesday, March 21 8 a.m. t Arnetia Maasha 7:00 p.m. t John Silva Thursday, March 22 7:00 a.m. t Edna Nicklay Collections for: March 10 & 11 $ 13, Catholic Relief $ 2, BAA Total 2018 $ 8, To sign up for online giving: Friday, March 23 7:00 a.m. t Arlie Jackson 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross Saturday, March 24 5:00 p.m. t Carol Barlow 7:00 p.m. t Catherine Gadarowski ( At Jekyll United Methodist Church) Sunday, March 25 8:30 a.m. t 11:00 a.m. Mary, Effie & Preston Blanchard 6:00 p.m. Our Parish Family

6 The Knights of Columbus will host a blood drive on Sunday, March 25 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in Xavier Hall. Please consider giving a pint of your precious gift of life to others. Your donation will remain in the local community. Scheduling an appointment will ensure your time is respected. The Knights of Columbus will provide the volunteers needed for service. For questions, please call Dave Robson at Living the Eucharist Dear Jesus, help us to spread your presence everywhere we go. Flood our souls with your Spirit and life. Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly, that our lives may be only a radiance of yours. Shine through us, and be so in us, that every person we come in contact with may feel your presence. Let them lookup and see no longer us, but only you! Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine as you shine; so to shine as a light to others. The light, O Jesus, will be all from you; none of it will be ours; it will be you, shining on others through us. Let us thus praise you in the way you love best by shining on those around us. Amen. Adapted from a Prayer by Blessed John Henry Newman The Priestly Ordinations will take place on Saturday, June 30 at 10:00 AM at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah. Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., Bishop of Savannah will Ordain 2 Men to the Priesthood. A reception will follow in Sr. Jude Walsh Hall. Priestly Ordinations Deacon Christopher Hassel Deacon Drew Larkin All are invited to attend. On May 19 at the 5:00 pm vigil Mass and afterwards in Xavier Hall, we will honor Sr. Anna for 70 years of religious life. Please save the date and plan on coming and joining us! The Community Seder Team would like to thank all the volunteers that helped make the Seder Meal a success. The staff and volunteers really made it happen!

7 Parish Activity Contacts Adult Bible Study, Joe & Linda Kirby Altar and Environmental Care, Diane Lott Bereavement, Ann Buebel CCW, Cate Gooch-Coolidge Culture of Life, Rose Lodise Greeters, Ginger Dorcas Jekyll Island Catholic Ladies, Eleanor Daniel Knights of Columbus, Bill Schuster Religious Ed., Larry Guyer ext. 14 Religious Articles Shop, Rose Lodise St. Monica Society, Peggie Cash St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store Parish Council, RoseMary Jones at Most Rev. Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv. Bishop of Savannah M embership To be a registered member of the parish is to have a sense of belonging to a family. Newcomers are requested to register at the church office soon after arrival to meet the staff and learn about your new parish. In the time of family sickness, death or special need, parishioners are asked to notify the Church office. If requested, Holy Communion will e brought o anyone desiring to receive the Eucharist but are unable to attend Mass for serious reasons. Church Office 405 Howe St., Brunswick, GA 31520