Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 3411 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20032 www.assumptiondc.org
Saturday Vigil Mass: Sunday Mass: Daily Mass: Eucharistic Adoration: Confessions: Address: Office Hours: Pastor: Rev.Gregory Shaffer, Pastor 4:30 pm 10:00 am Monday thru Saturday 12:10 pm Monday,Wednesday, Friday 11:00-12:00 noon Saturday 3:30-4:15 pm, Wednesday 11:00 12:00 noon or anytime by appointment 3401 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, S.E. Washington, DC 20032 Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Tuesday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Father Greg Shaffer 202-561-4178 Cell 240-463-9960 frgreg@assumptiondc.org Mrs. Cheryl Hamlin-Williams Email: Secretary: Phone: 202-561-4178 Fax 202-561-0336 Email: info@assumptiondc.org Pope Francis Outreach Center : Director: Assistant Director Hours of Operation: Food Pantry and Clothing Room Ms. Mildred Brown Ms. Brenda Hare Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 am - 12:00 noon Phone: 202-561-5941 Fax 202-561-4024 Email outreach@assumptiondc.org
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph December 31, 2017 In my Christmas Day homily, I said that Christmas takes us back to who we are. The grace of the Incarnation and the Christmas season bring love, joy, and peace to the world. This is what we are about. But, specifically, the manger scene reminds us who we are, first and foremost. God sent His Son into the world to become a child so that we become His children. The Gospel for Christmas Day (Jn 1:1-18) proclaims this: to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God. There is a big emphasis in the world today on identity, and there is much confusion. We all need to be reminded that before anything else, our identity is children of God. Before we get into any labels or anything that we do, each of us is a son or daughter of our Father. The baby in the manger is adored and loved for WHO he is, and rightly so because he is the Son of God. But that scene is also a reminder that each one of us is a child loved by our heavenly Father. He loves for WHO we are. It s like St. John Paul II used to say: when we get to know Christ, we get to know ourselves. As we celebrate the Christmas event that leads us to become children of God, the Church emphasizes the theme of family with today s feast. Below is a beautiful reflection on the Holy Family by Dr. Scott Hahn from https://stpaulcenter.com Christ is born! Fr Greg ------------------------------------------------ Why did Jesus choose to become a baby born of a mother and father and to spend all but His last years living in an ordinary human family? In part, to reveal God's plan to make all people live as one holy family in His Church (see 2 Corinthians 6:16-18). In the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, God reveals our true home. We're to live as His children, chosen ones, holy and beloved, as the First Reading puts it. The family advice we hear in today's readings for mothers, fathers and children is all solid and practical. Happy homes are the fruit of our faithfulness to the Lord, we
sing in today's Psalm. But the Liturgy is inviting us to see more, to see how, through our family obligations and relationships, our families become heralds of the family of God that He wants to create on earth. Jesus shows us this in today's Gospel. His obedience to His earthly parents flows directly from His obedience to the will of His heavenly Father. Joseph and Mary aren't identified by name, but three times are called his parents and are referred to separately as his mother and father. The emphasis is all on their familial ties to Jesus. But these ties are emphasized only so that Jesus, in the first words He speaks in Luke's Gospel, can point us beyond that earthly relationship to the Fatherhood of God. In what Jesus calls My Father's house, every family finds its true meaning and purpose (see Ephesians 3:15). The Temple we read about in the Gospel today is God's house, His dwelling (see Luke 19:46). But it's also an image of the family of God, the Church (see Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 3:3-6; 10:21). In our families we're to build up this household, this family, this living temple of God. Until He reveals His new dwelling among us, and says of every person: I shall be his God and he will be My son (see Revelation 21:3, 7).
Healing Prayers for: George Thomas, Yvonne Lesesne, Ayanna Hook, Juanita Watkins, Deacon Ralph Cyrus, Burdell Thomas, Angella Greene, Frederick McNiel, James Anthony Murphy, Queen Bundy, Earnest Ingram.Jr., John Howard, Iris Best, Helena Haley, Dorothy Hollis, Calvin Best Gisele Best, Lezeal Rorie, Corinne Bachiller, Lillian Taylor,, Tracy Stachitis, Veronica Brown, Deacon McBurnett Smith, Marsha Carlson-Meyers, Dr. Dee Jones Adams, Barry Robella, Father Dan Vitz, Eleonora Best, Jane Rhyne, Faye Lyon, Abby Fargo, Mildred Selmar, Heather Wooten- Rollins, Brenda Newman, Malek Elloit, Kennedy Wood, Courtney Barlow, Christine Jones, Benjamin Davis, Ronald Horton, Madison McKenzie, Jamil McKenzie, Samuel James Guadalupe, Shawntrice Moore, Bridget Barlow, Veronica Harris, Teresa Wilkinson, Sherri Ewing, Pauline Haggins, Dorothy Sylvester, Tiffany Jacobs, Darlene Jones, Paul Higgins, Audrey Saunders, Pauline Johnson, June Murphy Our Homebound Parishioners: Mary Cooke, Sybil Depeazer, Louvenia Gray, Fr. Charles Green, Pauline Johnson, Yvonne Samuel, Audrey Saunders, Joan Shields, Elizabeth Smith, Viola Walker LIVE THE LITURGY - INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK- December 31, 2017 Families face many challenges. All of the demands of work, school, and society can easily put a strain on even the best intentioned of families. Hurt, anger, and bitterness can grow in our families especially when conflicts are not properly resolved, or relationships nurtured. Human beings require time, patience, love, and nurturing. We need to take time to celebrate the gift of family and not allow other demands to rob us of the time we need to spend together. Life is short. The Holy Family stands before us today showing us that love, commitment, and perseverance can see us through any difficulty or challenge life can bring. May we learn from their example! QUESTION OF THE WEEK - Luke 2:22-40 How do you think Mary and Joseph worked through together the prophecies told by Simeon about the baby Jesus and Mary? READINGS FOR THEWEEK Monday: Nm 6:22-27 Gal 4:4-7 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:22-28 Jn 1:19-28 Wednesday: 1 Jn 2:29 3:6 Jn 1:29-34 Thursday: 1 Jn 3:7-10 Jn 1:35-42 Friday: 1 Jn 3:11-21 Jn 1:43-51 Saturday: 1 Jn 5:5-13 Mk 1:7-11 Next Sunday Is 60:1-6 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6 Mt 2:1-12
We will begin, Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 6:30 PM Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Celebration All are welcome to the annual archdiocesan Celebration of the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Saturday, January 13 at St. Joseph Church in Largo, MD. Praise and Worship will begin at 4:30pm, featuring the Gospel Mass Choir, and Mass at 5pm will be celebrated by Bishop Roy Campbell. Mother Teresa Vocation Society Annual Day of Recollection On Saturday, January 20, from 9:30am-2pm, Fr. Mark Ivany, Director of Priest Vocations for the Archdiocese of Washington, will lead a day of recollection at Annunciation Church in Washington, DC 3810 Massachusetts Ave., NW. The day will include Mass, Adoration, Confessions, a reflection, and vocation witness talks. Lunch will be served, and donations are welcomed. It is not required to be an MTVS member to attend this event! For more information, please visit www.dcpriest.org or contact Maris Moriarty The office will be closed on, Monday, January 1, 2018
December 31, 2017