St. Jude the Apostle Church South Holland, IL Established 1957
Page Two December 25, 2016 Sat., Dec. 24 Sun., Dec. 25 4:00 PM 10:30 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:30 AM MASS INTENTIONS Mon., Dec. 26 8:30 AM Julius Dehinbo Requested by Turton Family Tues., Dec. 27 8:30 AM Birthday of John Turton Requested by Turton Family Wed., Dec. 28 8:30 AM Robert Elliott Requested by Judy & Rich Dominiak Thur., Dec. 29 8:30 AM Fri., Dec. 30 8:30 AM Robert Elliott Requested by Regan Remant Sat., Dec. 31 4:00 PM Sophie Krzus Requested by Pat & Ron Slusarski Sun., Jan. 1 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:30 AM 12-18-16 12-20-15 $ 4,666.30 $5,527.00 Fiscal Year to Date: $132,512.03 $129,997.32 We appreciate your support of the parish. Leora McCoy Requested by Jim & Diane Ostarello Phyllis Nowak Requested by Mary Simms Robert Elliott Requested by Joan Elliott The wine used at the Eucharist for the month of DECEMBER is in memory of Jenny Batzek, James T. Batzek & Gregory Zurek Donated by the Batzek Family. We thank them for their generosity. St. Jude Parish Calendar WEEKDAYS MON FRI 8:00 AM Rosary 8:30 AM Mass 9:00 AM Divine Mercy Chaplet Monday - December 26, 2016 Church Cleaning after Mass Tuesday - December 27, 2016 Choir Practice 7:00 PM Wednesday - December 28, 2016 Bible Study 7:00 PM Saturday - December 31, 2016 Mass 4:00 PM Sunday - January 1, 2017 Masses at 8:00, 10:00, 11:30 AM Monday - January 2, 2017 Church Cleaning after Mass Tuesday - January 3, 2017 Choir Practice 7:00 PM Wednesday - January 4, 2017 Bible Study 7:00 PM Saturday - January 7, 2017 Reconciliation 3:15 3:45 PM Mass 4:00 PM Sunday - January 8, 2017 Masses at 8:00, 10:00, 11:30 AM THE GIFT OF GOD'S WORD On this day of gifts and gift-giving, it seems appropriate that we take a moment to reflect on the great gift of God's Word. Because it is creative, God's Word always points to its author, always calls us to respond. Because it is powerful, God's Word can link the sublime with the ridiculous, the transcendent with the immanent, the divine with the human. Because it is graceful, God's Word establishes a relationship of deep intimacy between us and God. At the heart of God's Word lies a tantalizing tension between the mysterious and the mundane. In our liturgical celebration, this unresolved tension both reveals the meaning of life for us and calls us to respond, to act upon that meaning. Once accepted and opened, the gift of God's Word is a gift that keeps on giving and keeps on calling us to give in return. It dares us to be like the gift-giver and to become gifts for others, not only at Christmas, but at every moment of life. Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co. A Holy and Blessed Christmas to you and your family From Fr. Ignatius Anaele, Fr. John Powers, The Deacons and Parish Staff DATE/MASS LECTORS EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS ALTAR SERVERS Saturday Dec. 31 4:00 PM Terese Kujawa Volunteers needed Joseph Bermudez Sunday Jan. 1 8:00 AM Michelle Brown Volunteers needed Omoregie & Omoruyi Ogbodu Sunday Jan. 1 10:00 AM Gerald Edeh Volunteers needed Somtochi Edeh, Stephen Okuwobi Sunday Jan. 1 11:30 AM John Krilich Volunteers needed Etienne Atangana, Ifeoma Ozonwankwo
December 25, 2016 Page Three Today we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is Immanuel, God- with-us. A few days ago, I read an article, Good news of great joy. It was written by Dan Schaeffer and published by Our Daily Bread Ministries (2016). In that article, Mr. Schaeffer pointed out that in the gospel of Luke (2:10) the angel declared: Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Dan asked, how could the birth of Jesus spell good news for everyone? He pointed out, For this news to be truly good news there could be no situation, no place, no people, no time, and no culture where it was not good news. What is the good news that will bring great joy to all people? The scriptures tell us that we are created in the image and likeness of God. God is infinite and a mystery. Our human mind can never grasp nor understand God. In the same way, the human mind can never fully grasp nor understand the human person. At the core of each of us is a mystery. A mystery we can never understand. This mystery manifests itself as a void. Each of us feels alone at the center of who we are. The main reason each of us becomes so excited when we fall in love is because we feel in our heart we have finally found a soul mate or a soul companion. We feel with the person we love, and they loving us, we will never again be alone at the core of who we are. Having said that, each of us knows falling in love does not solve this problem. Even married couples may have dinner together, sleep on the same bed, yet deep down each of them still feels alone. For all people, however, we are never alone. God is with us. This is the good news of Christmas for all: Jesus left the abode of all-power, all-wealth, all-pleasure, perfect companionship with the Father to take upon himself the emptiness of human nature. though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; (Phil. 2:6-7). St. Paul states, you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich (2 cor. 8:9). While humans do their best to escape human loneliness, Jesus descended from heaven to embrace it. Each of us ought to be convinced that because of the incarnation we will never again be alone. This is the good news for all. At the core of who we are, God is with us. This is the great joy of Christmas: Immanuel, God-with-us. Merry Christmas everyone! Fr. Ignatius THANK YOU A special thank you to the St. Jude Seniors and all those who helped with the Senior Bake Sale. St. Jude received $1,143 from the sale for snow removal. I am very grateful. I would also like to thank all those who decorated the church for the Christmas season. We all enjoy the fruits of their work to enhance our worship. Fr. Ignatius
Page Four December 25, 2016 TODAY'S READINGS First Reading -- All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God (Isaiah 52:7-10). Psalm -- All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God (Psalm 98). Second Reading -- God has spoken to us through the Son, the very imprint of God's being (Hebrews 1:1-6). Gospel -- The Word became flesh; from his fullness we have all received grace (John 1:1-18). READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3-4, 6, 8ab,16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22 Tuesday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Wednesday: 1 Jn 1:5 -- 2:2; Ps 124:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 2:13-18 Thursday: 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96:1-3, 5b-6; Lk 2:36-40 Friday: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Ps 128:1-5; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96:1-2, 11-13; Jn 1:1-18 Sunday: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 SHEDSOMELIGHT Christ Our Savior Catholic School During Advent we have celebrated the coming of Christ, our Light, who brings hope to the world. We have been anxiously awaiting the coming of Christ Our Savior at Christmas time and NOW he is here! Our clever 7 th grade students wrote some analogies comparing Christ to various forms of light sources. Christ is like moonlight because even in the darkest time, he is always there. Christ is like a flashlight because he shows us the path to follow and leads the way. Christ is like a sunrise because he begins our day with happiness and joy. Christ is like a searchlight because he helps me find the way and directs the way for sinners. Christ is like a bonfire because he keeps us out of the darkness while bringing us together as one big family. Christmas can be disappointing. We remember the Christmases from our childhood, all the joy, the excitement, and the fun we had. When we grow up, we have to shop for gifts, write and mail the cards, put up the decorations, and do all the preparations that seem to stress us out. We may be sad that the day did not meet our expectations. Now that most of that is done, we can reflect on how the first Christmas upset all expectations. I'm sure Joseph never expected to have a child so soon. And those Jews who looked forward to the coming of a Messiah never expected him to come as a baby. Yet God had his reasons for coming in this way. Jesus was born in a stable because no one had room for him. The first to see him were the shepherds, the migrant workers of the time. The political leaders (Herod and friends) wanted to kill him. Jesus was born in this way to show that he came not for the important and wealthy, but for the poor and outcast. So today he continues to come to us in the homeless, the illegal alien, the sick, those in prison, the unborn infant, that we might find him where we least expect. Can we learn to see him in the unexpected, in our trials and difficulties, our own weaknesses? When we do, we will celebrate what Christmas is truly about. Tom Schmidt, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co. Christ is like a porch light because he shows that there is always a home for everyone. Christ is like a night light because he allows us to sleep in peace and not be afraid of the dark. Christ is like a neon light because he glows and shines brighter than all others. Christ is like a fluorescent light because he stands out in the darkness. Christ is like a candle because he is our light in the dark. Christ is like a desk lamp because he helps you with your work. Christ is like a lantern because he shows people the right way. Christ is like starlight because when we look up he will always be present. Christ is like Christmas tree lights because he shows us the light of Jesus birth. Christ is like a birthday candle always celebrating life. HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS! In Christ s Love, Karen Brodzik Principal
December 25, 2016 Page Five CHRISTMAS FLOWER MEMORIALS In Memory of: Ed & Rose Muszynski and Edd, Brian P. O Callaghan, Lawrence P. Gulotta, Christopher Flesch from Louise Muszynski Alen Kicic & Katie McMaster from The Roe & Pangburn Families Timothy F. Roe from The Roe Family John Horn, Sr. from Arlene Horn Phillip Steinbach from Arlene Horn Piwkiewicz, Ziemkowski & Jakubowski Families from JoAnn Ziemkowski Phyllis Foresta, James Foresta, Joe Horvath from Carmen Foresta James E. Reid from Mildred Williams Reid Michael & Mary Wisniewski from Dolores Wisniewski For living & deceased members of my family from Terry Kujawa Les & Rena Pinter (Parents) from Leslie & Vicki Pinter (Daughters) Santucci, D Amato, DiNunno & D Achille Families from Pasquale & Julia Santucci L. Wayne Smith & Fred Mendoza from Mickey Smith Mulligan & Zakroczymski Families from Pat Zakroczymski Tim Ziolkowski from Ken & Madeline Ziolkowski Mr. & Mrs. A. Kosmala & Mr. David Pearson from Diane P. Pearson George Jakicic from Kay Jakicic Kimberly Lau from John & Marilyn Krolo The Paruszkiewicz Family (Walt, Ann Leon) from Debbie Paruszkiewicz Al Lorenc from Thelma Lorenc O. Victor Bond from Jerrie Claire Bond Steve & Marie Pala, Chester & Jean Sikorski from David & Irene Sikorski John Krenkel from Shirley Krenkel Grandpa & Gramma Majewski, Roguljic, and Mabs from The Roguljic Family George Klein, Jerrold Klein from Klein Family Edward Walenga from Esther Walenga Klos s & Raithel from Kathy Ward Lee Kopan from Family A Gift From: Matt & Pat Anderson Betty Brisco God s Mercy and Our Many Blessings from Gabrielle Philizaire Colette Hoffman Shaffer Family THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE BEAUTY OF OUR CHURCH FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
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