MAY 6, Welcome to St. Joseph s Parish West Lake Street Friendship, WI

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1 MAY 6, 2018 Welcome to St. Joseph s Parish West Lake Street Friendship, WI stjosephcc@frontier.com RECTORY PO Box N Main St Adams, WI Office Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday: 5:30 p.m. Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Daily Mass Schedule Tuesday - 5:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday 8:00 a.m. Confession: Tuesday 5:00 p.m. Saturday Following Mass Parish Staff Fr. Francis X. Dias Deacon Dave Kennedy Deacon Kevin Ray Parish Secretary Beth Griffith (608)

2 Dear Parishioners and Friends in Christ, Today s Gospel follows immediately after the Gospel proclaimed last week, in which Jesus taught that he was the vine and that his disciples were the branches. In the example of the vine and the branches, we learned that our union with Jesus will lead to fruitful service. Today s reading extends this teaching to describe the kind of service that Christians are called upon to offer to others. When John wrote this Gospel, his community was influenced by a set of religious beliefs called Gnosticism. It appears that one of John s intentions was to distinguish Christian belief from the beliefs held by the Gnostics. Evidence of this can be found in today s Gospel. One of the doctrines of Gnostic teaching was the importance of knowledge, or gnosis, as the determining aspect of faith. We read today s Gospel as a response to this teaching. In John s Gospel, we hear Jesus affirm that he is known by the Father and that his disciples will know the Father by knowing Jesus. In this passage, however, Jesus reminds his disciples that this knowledge is to be expressed in love. Those who know Jesus well and Jesus says that his disciples do know him will love one another. Knowledge leads to love, which leads to action. John reminds his community that Jesus taught that love is the sign of a true disciple and, thus, a true Christian. Even more, a true disciple shows a particular kind of love, sacrificial love. He urges his disciples to remain in his love. That is why time and again he commands them to love one another as he loves them. That is because only if they do so will they sense his presence even when he shall have left. To remain in his love is to overcome anguish, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword. Only if they remain in his love can they show they are Christians and stay faithful in difficult times. And there will surely be trials and tribulations. The forces of injustice, personality cult, and exclusivism will persecute those who bring the Good News to the poor. In the Greek, there are two words for love that are used in this passage. The first is agape. The second is philia. The first word is most often used to describe love for other persons and for God. It is understood as the highest and most perfect kind of love. The second word is used to describe the affection of friendship. In this context, John appears to use these words as synonyms. Another aspect of Gnostic belief taught that a believer was an elect person, chosen and set apart from the world. John reminds his community that Jesus also taught that a disciple is one who had been chosen one who had been chosen by Jesus. To be chosen by Jesus, however, is not to be set apart from the world. Instead, to be chosen by Jesus is to be sent to serve the world as he did. The disciples of Jesus were chosen and were sent into the world to bear fruit by serving others, by sacrificing for others, in love. Moreover, John goes on to give his readers reasons why they must love one another. They must love one another because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4; 7-8). John gives two reasons, a positive one and a negative one. Positively, he says that love is from God. Living a life of love, therefore, is the way to be sure that we know God and that we are children of God. On the flip side, he argues that not having love for others simply means that one does not know God. John s message is simple: If we have love in our lives, we have God in our lives; and if we do not have love in our lives, we do not have God either. This is because God is love and love is God. God and love are two different words that mean the same thing. You cannot separate one from the other. We often tend to see love as one commandment among so many. Today John teaches us that love is not one out of so many commandments, it is the only commandment. Moreover, love is not just a commandment of God, love is God Himself. But John is fast to add that not all forms of loving qualify as God since some forms of love do not come from God or lead to God. May God, our loving Father, who is Himself love, help us to purify our love for Him and for one another, so that we can love as generously and as unconditionally as He, God, loves us. Father Francis X. Dias

3 Monday, May 7 th : NO MASS Tuesday, May 8 th : 5:00 p.m. Rosary Confessions before Mass 5:30 p.m. MASS Our President, Our Country & Our Congress Wednesday, May 9 th : 7:30 a.m. Rosary 8:00 a.m. MASS +Donald Rolling by Mark & Nora Hoesly Thursday, May 10 th : 7:30 a.m. Rosary 8:00 a.m. MASS +Jane Weber by Shirley Powers 10:00 a.m. MASS at Liberty Village For the People Friday, May 11 th : 7:30 a.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet 8:00 a.m. MASS Fred & Pat Musnicki - 61st Wedding Anniversary Saturday, May 12 th : The ASCENSION of the LORD 10:30 a.m. MASS at Villa Pines For the People 5:30 p.m. MASS Confessions following Mass +In Remembrance of Sheryl Gervais by Family Sunday, May 13 th : The ASCENSION of the LORD DAY OF HOLY OBLIGATION 9:30 a.m. KC MASS Seminarians Levi Schmitt (who was here at Easter Triduum) and E. Hokamp Saturday, May 12 th : 5:30 p.m. Mass Lector: Patty Kobs Eucharistic Ministers: Larry Yunck, Glenn & Char Christofferson Servers: Emily Dahlke, Matt Burke, Paul Beyer Sunday, May 13 th : 9:30 a.m. Mass Lector: KC Eucharistic Ministers: Deacon Kevin, KC s Servers: KC s Parish Contributions from April 28 th & April 29 th, 2018 Offertory: $ Adult Envelopes: Total: $ Building Fund: $ We still need over $ to be sent into the Diocesan Annual Appeal. Please help us reach our goal!! There are pledge cards and envelops located in the narthex. Thank You So Very Much!! Pope s Prayer Intentions For May 2018 The Mission of the Laity. That the lay faithful may fulfill their specific mission, by responding with creativity to the challenges that face the world today.

4 ST ANN ORATORY - BROOKS, WI Pastor: Rev. Francis X. Dias Saturday, May 5 th 4:00 p.m. MASS +Ronald Mizia, Sr. by Sharon Mizia Saturday, May 12 th 4:00 p.m. MASS +George & Alva Wirth by Harriet &I Dick Wirth The Knights of Columbus, Council #6718, is offering two $ scholarships to active Catholic high school students who will be graduating this year. Applications are available in the Narthex of the church, on the dresser. All applications are due back by May 15th. ST. ANN ORATORY STEWARDSHIP TREASURE: OFFERTORY: $ Thank you! Someone is turning 99 next weekend!!! Urban Huber His family is celebrating his birthday at the Oxford VFW on Sunday, May 13th, with a reception from 1:00-4:00. Msgr Hebl believes he is the oldest member of St. Ann s Oratory & possibly the community. May 10th Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Soup Salads Salad Bar Beverage and Dessert $7.50 Garden Raffle Baskets Sponsored by PCCW It is Spring Cleaning Time and we need to clean up our files!! We would appreciate it if everyone could please submit their mailing addresses and phone numbers including cell phone numbers so we have accurate files. Name: Address: Phone #: May is the Month of Mary Please pray the rosary Diocese or LaCrosse Celebrating it s 150 th Anniversary. Discover the Catholic Faith of the people of West Central Wisconsin through the stories shared by its many parish communities in this first-ever coffee table book, with pullouts. This is a unique gift, and a richly illustrated publication telling our 150 year story. It is hard covered, with more than 350 pages, with full color throughout. This is available for purchase, only $33.00 per copy. Please place in the collection basket. Thanking you in advance!!

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