FOOD FOR THOUGHT. February 2019

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February 2019 FOOD FOR THOUGHT The following is an email that s made the rounds but even if you ve seen it before, it s worth reading again: I dreamed that I went to heaven and an angel was showing

Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.

1 February 2019 FOOD FOR THOUGHT The following is an that s made the rounds but even if you ve seen it before, it s worth reading again: I dreamed that I went to heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received. I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them. I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth. Finally, at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. This is the Acknowledgment Section, my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed. How is it that there is no work going on here? I asked. So sad, the angel sighed. After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments. How does one acknowledge God s blessings?, I asked. Simple, the angel answered. Just say, Thank you, Lord. What blessings should they acknowledge? I asked. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world s wealthy, and if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. If you have never experienced fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are ahead of 700 million people in the world. If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are envied by, and more blessed than three billion people in the world. If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm; you re unique to all those who live in doubt and despair. And finally, if you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all. Much is required from the person to whom much is given; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given. Luke 12:48b From The Break Through Bible for Young Catholics

Help Your Kids Understand the February Sunday Gospels Children s Mass February 3, 2019 Luke 4:21-30 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus statement that no prophet is accepted in his home town reminds

We may have overlooked the wisdom and guidance of our parents, while allowing the voices of others teachers, friends, and counselors to carry more weight, even when these people were telling us the

2 Help Your Kids Understand the February Sunday Gospels Children s Mass February 3, 2019 Luke 4:21-30 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus statement that no prophet is accepted in his home town reminds us that it is often difficult to hear a challenging message from those who know us best, even if it is true. Perhaps we remember and even regret this aspect of our childhood and adolescence. We may have overlooked the wisdom and guidance of our parents, while allowing the voices of others teachers, friends, and counselors to carry more weight, even when these people were telling us the same thing. Perhaps this developmental stage is unavoidable. Perhaps as we have matured, we have come to a new appreciation for our parents and others whose perspective and experience we once rejected. Today s Gospel provides an opportunity to talk about and to learn from such experiences. February 10, 2019 Luke 5:1-11 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Today, Jesus is preaching by a lake near Capernaum, Simon Peter s home town. Because the crowds are so large, Jesus gets into Simon s boat and preaches from just off the shore. Simon informs Jesus that he and his friends have been unable to catch any fish, so Jesus tells Simon where to drop his nets an effort that Simon believes is futile. But Simon does as he is told and is able to catch so many fish that his nets begin to tear. Simon recognizes Jesus supreme authority, and calls him Lord, and, at Jesus invitation, Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men, Simon and his friends, James and John, become Jesus disciples. February 17, 2019 Luke 6:17, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Today, we hear the famous Beatitudes. Those who are poor, hungry, weeping, or persecuted are called blessed. This is, indeed, a Gospel of reversals. Those often thought to have been forgotten by God are called blessed. In the list of woes, those whom we might ordinarily describe as blessed by God are warned about their peril. Riches, possessions, laughter, reputation... these are not things that we can depend upon as sources of eternal happiness. They not only fail to deliver on their promise; our misplaced trust in them will lead to our demise. February 24, 2019 Luke 6:27-38 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time How do we treat people who are mean to us? How do we react to people we don t like? Jesus answer is pretty clear. We are to pray for those who mistreat us and bless those people who curse us. Jesus goes on to say that it s easy to be nice and kind to the people we like. Anyone can do that. The real challenge the Christian challenge is to love the people we don t like and to do good things to and for them. Our Christian Education Committee Welcomes You... to come in from the cold and warm up inside while your child is in class. Come enjoy some hot coffee or tea and a treat or two. Come in, bring a book, use our WiFi, or make a new friend. It s just a bit of warming hospitality! February dates are Mon, Tues & Wed, Feb 4th, 5th & 6th. It has been a long-standing tradition at St. Margaret Mary to set aside a couple of Saturday, 5 pm Masses, to allow our children in Religious Ed. (Grades 1-5) the opportunity to minister as lectors, ushers, greeters and gift bearers. At these masses, the homily is also geared to the children s level of understanding. Our next Children s Mass is February 23rd. s of Religious Ed. Students in Grades 1-5 will soon receive an containing a form to register your child(ren) for a role in this Mass, or you can complete the form when you bring your child to class. Whether you choose a ministry role for your child or not, please consider attending. It means a great deal to the children who do have roles when someone thanks them for their participation and effort! In Honor of President s Day Some Fun Facts about George & Abe *George Washington started school when he was 6 years old. He left school at 15 to become a surveyor as his mother couldn't afford to send him to college. *At 26, he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a widow who already had two children, Jackie and Patsy. Washington never had any children of his own. *Toothaches bothered him for years. When he was 57, he had all his teeth pulled. From then on, he wore ivory false teeth set in a silver plate. *He bred hound dogs that he treated like members of the family. He gave some of them unusual names: Tarter, True Love, and Sweet Lips. *Abraham Lincoln was the only president to have a patent: he invented a device to free steamboats that ran aground. *He practiced law without a degree. Lincoln had about 18 months of formal schooling. *He wanted women to have the vote in The future president was a suffragette before it became fashionable. *He was a big animal lover, and he wouldn t hunt or fish. If he were alive today, Lincoln would be running an animal shelter.

3 Click to Register for Alpha (Please don t be intimidated by the RSVP address youngadultcatholic.org. Alpha is for all adults of any age and any or no faith experience.)

MEDIA MADNESS MOVIE Title: The Lego Movie 2 Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure Rating: Not yet rated (likely PG) Cast: Margot Robbie, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Channing Tatum Synopsis: Five

Emmet s building skills are put to the test when Lucy is kidnapped by a villain (who, interestingly, is female). Our Take: Like the original, expect this movie to offer nonstop action and fun.

MUSIC Title: Head Above Water Singer: Avril Lavigne Synopsis: After a five-year break during which she feared she was dying from Lyme disease, Lavigne is back with a powerful song and a video filled

4 MEDIA MADNESS MOVIE Title: The Lego Movie 2 Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure Rating: Not yet rated (likely PG) Cast: Margot Robbie, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Channing Tatum Synopsis: Five years after the original blockbuster hit theaters, everything is not awesome. Bricksburg has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland because of destructive space invaders (i.e., Lego Duplo characters). Emmet s building skills are put to the test when Lucy is kidnapped by a villain (who, interestingly, is female). Our Take: Like the original, expect this movie to offer nonstop action and fun. The violence and peril are cartoonish, with lots of humor to entertain viewers of all ages. Of course, the movie also contains a built-in marketing plug. MUSIC Title: Head Above Water Singer: Avril Lavigne Synopsis: After a five-year break during which she feared she was dying from Lyme disease, Lavigne is back with a powerful song and a video filled with Christian symbolism. Now 34, the singer who once embodied the skate punk sound says the lyrics to Head Above Water came to her after she prayed for God s help when she felt as if she were drowning. Our Take: Lavigne, once known for her edgy persona, says she s going back to her roots because she got her start singing in church. The songs on her new album aren t all worship songs, though. And beware that on the album cover, Lavigne sits nude behind her guitar. CULTURE & TRENDS Flip Phones Make a Comeback For their children s first phones, more parents are choosing flip phones. Not only are the devices much cheaper than smart phones, but they don t come with internet access or social media. s say it s an ideal way to keep in touch with kids without exposing them to dangers. (abc13.com) Humanizing Homelessness To impact people s perceptions of the issue, Sesame Street added a homelessness storyline for pink puppet Lily. Previously, she was described as having food-security issues. About one in 20 kids under age 6 experiences homelessness each year. (cnn.com) QUICK STATS Games, Sites & Apps Kingdom Hearts 3 Set in a variety of Pixar and Disney worlds, this game features Sora, who doesn t know he s inherited great power. Cartoon characters such as Donald Duck and Goofy help Sora battle against the dark, evil force known as Heartless. The game, rated E10+, also involves magical spells. Ear Snacks This free musical podcast features Andrew & Polly, winners of two s Choice Awards. With young helpers, they explore science, art, and culture. Topics range from getting glasses and caring for teeth to silly subjects such as talking like pirates. Kids of all ages and parents will enjoy listening. GooseChase Send family members on virtual (or actual) scavenger hunts with this app. During setup, you decide if participants need to check in at certain locations or submit photos, videos, or text responses. Use the missions to encourage self-directed learning. Best for ages 8+. Free for recreational use only. Pricey Preschools American parents spend an average of $5,008 on preschool tuition for their children. In Washington, D.C., the average is almost $17,000. (nieer.org) Fluency Deadline By age 10, research shows, a child s chances of becoming fluent in a second language plummet. (Cognition) Young Love? Among surveyed parents, 23% admit to having a favorite child. Among those, 56% say it s their youngest. (inews.co.uk) This page is designed to help educate parents and isn t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions about what your children watch, read, listen to, and play.

5 February SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 Sacrament Retreat; Noon to 3pm Upper Room Happy Valentine s Day! Day; Day Break; Day Break; First Communion Retreat Planning Mtg Children s 5 pm 28

How to Delight in God s Loving Laws POWERSOURCE. February Northwest Blvd. Corpus Christi, TX

February 2019 14521 Northwest Blvd. Corpus Christi, TX. 78410 361-933-0109 www.ccgrace.org How to Delight in God s Loving Laws POWERSOURCE ASK JESUS: 1. To give you hearts willing to obey God and his commands.