The Transfiguration of the Lord August 6, 2017
Apples to Apples? We are all familiar with the Apple Trademark. Every time we power up or down our phones, laptops and tablets we see it. In some sense it is the most often seen symbol in modern culture and society. Every time I see the Apple symbol my thoughts go to the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis and to Jesus. There is no way around it! The story of creation is followed by the fall known more commonly as Original Sin. The Church has believed and taught, that our first parents were tempted in the Garden of Eden by Satan represented by a snake. The dialogue is profound, in that God has created Adam and Eve, who are living in paradise and perfect communion. God s only request is not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. A tree that has at the time no bad apples, unless they are bitten. Satan tempts them in several ways. He calls them to eat the apple, placing doubts that God will always love them. He tempts them with pride in that they can be like God if they only disobey Him. There is a sense in the temptation that God is hiding something from them and not being completely honest. The doubts and temptations come to a deadly fruition when they do finally disobey and eat the apple. At that point, everything changes. They hide from God and experience shame. Their nakedness is now a source of self-awareness of passions and lust. They now know that they do not know everything and the freedom that they enjoyed, has been ruined by the rejection of the sovereignty of God Himself. From that moment on, evil temptations are not only external in Satan, but now the propensity to sin is within Adam and Eve. In one sense, all become a bad apple of sorts, bitten by the effects of sin and death is born. The Church believes that each person since this fall, since the apple was bitten inherits Original Sin. We now all sin and deserve to die. How does God respond? He would choose the people of Israel to know the one, true God and taught them to hope for salvation by the prophets. Eventually, God would become Man in the womb of Mary, the new Eve. Jesus Christ, the new Adam came to restore what was lost in the Garden and to redeem mankind. Unlike Eve, who ate the apple, Mary rejects Satan and remains obedient to God, thereby instead crushing his head as referred to in the Book of Revelation. One could say that when Jesus died on the cross and had Divine and human blood in the Incarnation, he restored the bite taken out of the apple, for all those who recognize his Divinity and receive redemption. The Garden of Gethsemane is the garden of obedience to God, whereby the Garden of Eden will forever be the place of disobedience. I researched the history of the Apple symbol. Seems like it was not so planned out. Isn t it strange that the most common of symbols of the most powerful companies in the world, is the same that is found in the story of Christ reminding us of the fall of man, where man wanted to be in control and like God. Every time I power up or down and I see that Apple, it is comforting. It reminds me that Jesus has restored my Apple to whole and I have been redeemed. I am glad the Apple has the bite missing. No fall of man, no bitten apple, no need for Jesus. I am glad I finished this piece. I need to power down and remember the cross. Apple stores are amazing places but all their apples are missing a bite. The Catholic Mass is the real Apple store. All the apples are whole! Who would buy an Apple with a bite taken out of it? Oh, I know who might try to sell it to you! Fr. Taillon
Mass Intentions for the Week Saturday, August 5th: 5:00 PM: For the Soul of Dorothy Mann Sunday, August 6th: 8:00 AM: For the Souls of John & Viola DiCola and Vincent DiCola 10:00 AM: For the Souls of the McCarthy & Halloran Families Monday, August 7th: 9:00 AM: For the Soul of Fr. Owen Goodwin Tuesday, August 8th: 9:00 AM: 40 Wedding Ann. Intention ~ Ken & Pati Cafaro Wednesday, August 9th: 9:00 AM: Birthday Remembrance ~ Richard Huntley Thursday, August 10th: 9:00 AM: For the Soul of Fr. Thomas Schwinn Friday, August 11th: 9:00 AM: 50th Wedding Ann. Intention ~ Leo & Kathleen Costello Saturday, August 12th: 9:00 AM: 2nd Anniversary ~ Walter Brown 5:00 PM: 1st Anniversary ~ John Hickey Sunday, August 13th: 7:00 AM: 30th Anniversary ~ Henry Del Monico 8:00 AM: 3rd Anniversary ~ Rosamond Duggan 10:00 AM: Anniversary ~ Rita Devine St. Veronica Chapel Saturday, August 5th: 4:00 PM: 30th Anniversary ~ Anthony P. Boscia II & Stephen A. Ricci Sunday, August 6th: 7:30AM: For the Souls of the Delaney & Kirwan Families 9:00 AM: For the Soul of Phyllis Bilodeau 11:00 AM: For the Soul of Richard Davy Monday, August 7th 8:00 AM: Pro Populo Tuesday, August 8th: 8:00 AM: Sanctity of Life Saturday, August 12h: 4:00 PM: For the Souls of Jesse & Carmela Pimental Sunday, August 13th: 9:00 AM: 2nd Anniversary ~ Jean Daly 11:00 AM: For the Souls of Winifred Cox & Woodrow Haley Men s Bible Study Our parish has a very active group of men, who for more than 15 years, have met each Saturday at 7:30AM in a "round table" format to discuss the Sunday scripture readings. It is very informal and attended by some scholarly and not-so-scholarly folks. It s rewarding and even some fun. Bring your coffee and come on over to St. Thomas More parish hall! St. Claude La Colombiére: My Jesus, let me live in your heart and pour all my bitterness into it where it will be utterly consumed. Prayer Chain Ministry If you know someone who would like extra Needed prayers, please call Jean at 783-3403 and express your request. Volunteers are needed for this important ministry.
Volunteers Wanted Finally time to put your faith to work! Consider being an Ignatian volunteer ~ Jesuit volunteers for those over the age of 50. -Providence, Worcester, Boston areas - one or two days a week -September through June -monthly get-togethers -Jesuit priests, religious sisters, lay mentors -sites such as McAuley House, San Miguel School For more information contact Kevin Ryan 783-2524 or kevinryan1843@gmail.com Wedding Banns I Kevin Cummings & Kelley Cunningham Eyewitnesses Today, the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, is a day of eyewitness accounts. The first, a vision reported by the prophet Daniel, was well known to Jesus and his apostles. The vision account was written in quite mystical and figurative language. It is a vision of heaven, powerful and memorable. There are flames of fire, burning wheels, the Ancient One, and a Son of Man. Clearly, Daniel saw something. But was it a dream? Was it real? Was it merely a clever myth? Peter wants no such confusion about his vision! We are told in Matthew's Gospel what he and his friends James and John saw when they went up on the mountain with Jesus one day. Jesus warned the three witnesses to tell no one until "the Son of Man has been raised from the dead" (Matthew 17:9). Lest readers of one of the Gospels discount the story or simply write it off as a pious myth, Peter gives his own account of the Transfiguration of Jesus in his second letter to the church. He writes with authority, as an eyewitness. He reports this message from God concerning Jesus: " This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased," and he assures us that the message is "altogether reliable" (2 Peter 1:17, 19).
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