St Joseph s of Stratford Parish National Catholic Church Since 1907 Weekly Bulletin 16 th Sunday in Ordinary Time, yr A July 23 rd, 2017 PARISH CONTACTS PASTOR Fr Michal Gitner PARISH CHAIRPERSON Nancy Sirois FINANCIAL SECRETARY Barbara Chernesky Dear Parishioners, Let me begin again with a word of thank you. This time to those who answered the invitation to help with the printing of our parish bulletin. The generosity of the donors is greatly appreciated as it is another form of spreading the Good News. We do it through the active ministries - The Lord s Kitchen and Food Pantry donations as well as through our weekly and quarterly publications. On the maintenance front, I am pleased to let you know that we have struck a deal with ENCON, heat and air conditioning company. They are known to be the best in the business and will service our a/c units and furnace from now on. The other benefits are the fact that they are located just around the corner from us, at Woodend Rd, and after some negotiations we were given a very attractive rate. A thank you note from Mrs Gnat for our donation to the Clergy Pension Fund in memory of the late Bp Gnat is displayed on the notice board. Fr Michal MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: 5:00 pm (please check the July and August schedule by calling the church office) Sunday: 9:00 am Wednesday - Mass for health 9:00 am 1300 Stratford Road, Stratford CT 06615-7639 Tel: 203 377-9901 (office), 203 923-2424 (rectory) www.stjosephsofstratford.org
FAITH MATTERS GOSPEL CHALLENGE No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matt 13:28-30) Perhaps a reminder that when people around us and things in life become unfair by basic human standards, there is such reality as God s justice. SOME THOUGHTS ON THE READINGS The reading from Matthew s gospel brings us the teaching of Jesus about the Kingdom, in parable form. As before, the parables are invitations to learn what the coming of God s liberating and life giving reign should mean for us. Though our situation is very different from that of those who first heard these parables, they have a clear message for the Church of today. The gospel truth speaks to all ages. Wheat and weeds growing together a perfect image, surely, of the world in which we live. How should Christians react in this situation? While we must speak out for the truth, we may well be tempted to emphasize our faithfulness by our impatience and intolerance towards those who do not journey with us. The parable of Jesus warns us that this is not God s way. The reading from the book of Wisdom shows us that, as the Old Testament was drawing to a close, devout thinkers in old Israel were recognizing that the virtuous person must be kindly to others, learning from the mysterious patience of God. Only the Lord of the harvest whose grace is at work in a hidden way in every human heart can sort out the good from the bad when all is gathered in at the end. We who are blessed with the gift of faith must prepare for the final harvest by becoming an exemplary crop ourselves. There is a lesson here, also, for those who belong to the new movements emerging in the today s Church. They must avoid a sectarian spirit that would see their way as the only way. There is room in God s Church for many spiritualties and traditions. True catholicity shows an openness to this. The other parables carry us further. The Kingdom is upon you, Jesus has announced. In the parable of the tiny mustard seed, he refers to the modest inauguration of the Kingdom. His hearers must have been puzzled, as they saw the teacher who spoke with spellbinding power gathering twelve of his followers to symbolize the New Israel. Few of these followers had much to commend them, and some would have been considered positively disreputable. Jesus, however, is carrying forward the mission he has been given by the Father. He looks confidently beyond these humble beginnings, and he urges those who have ears to hear to share his confidence: No need to be afraid, little flock, he tells this unpromising group, for it has pleased your Father to give you the Kingdom (Lk 12:32). And those for whom Matthew wrote could already see faith in the Kingdom announced by Jesus spreading beyond the boundaries of Palestine. As they heard the parable of the seed that became a tree sheltering the birds of the air, they could recall that more than one of the prophets used the same image, speaking of the worldwide reign of God that was to come (cf. Dan 4, Ezek 17 and 31). As the Church s new era of evangelization makes a faltering start, we too must take heart from the message of the parable. God chooses the weak to shame the strong (1 Cor 2:27). The parable of the yeast tells of the hidden designs of God being worked out in the chaos of history. Though we are all tempted to judge by appearances, we recognize that the good things that happen in our own faith communities are usually the fruit of long years of fidelity and generosity. Three measures of flour would have made something like three dozen gallons of dough ready for baking! Though God s designs are hidden, they are boundless in their promise. The explanation of the mixed harvest parable an addition of early Christian teachers warns those within the Church who are unfaithful to their calling that they must be converted. 2 lorem ipsum :: [Date]
PARISH CALENDAR August 30 th - The Lord s Kitchen BY THE WEEK Sundays: Mercy Tabernacle Church 12:30-2:30 pm Tuesdays: Mercy Tabernacle Church 6:00-8:00 pm Wednesdays: AA meeting 12:00 pm Irish dance classes 6:00 pm Thursdays: AA men s meeting 7:30 pm EASTERN DIOCESE August 20 th -24 th Youth Retreat, Goshen, MA News for weekly bulletin? Please contact Father Michal by Wed: mgitner@gmail.com NEWS AND EVENTS Hunger doesn t take a vacation - because most of us think of donating food for the hungry only at Thanksgiving and Christmas, food pantries struggle to keep their shelves adequately full during the summer. YOU can make a difference to those in need. Each week when you are doing your family s weekly shopping, please consider picking up an extra item to donate to the food pantry box here at St. Joseph s. The food collected is brought to the South End Community Center and Blessed Sacrament Church in Bridgeport throughout the month. We have been told that the items most needed include: Peanut Butter and Jelly, Pasta and jarred pasta sauce, Macaroni and cheese, Tuna, Rice and Cereal. Youth Retreat 2017 Goshen, MA The 44th annual Youth Retreat of our Eastern Diocese. This retreat will be held from Sunday, August 20 through Thursday, August 24, 2017 at Camp Howe in Goshen, Massachusetts. The theme of our retreat this year is #Commit to Christ. Quarter Night - night of fun and fellowship on Saturday, October 28 th. Please mark your calendars. More details to follow. Readers Roster July 23 rd Dee Smith FOOD FOR THOUGHT July 30 th Nancy Sirois Next Sunday s readings: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 Romans 8:28-30, Matthew 13:44-52 Don t promise when you re happy. Don t reply when you re angry, and don t decide when you re sad. Author Unknown The thrift shop at our Lady of Peace Church, 10 Ivy Street in the Lordship section of Stratford is having a sale for the month of July. Everything is half price, 50% off! The shop is open each Saturday from 10-12 noon. There is clothing, dishes, glassware, jewelry and lots of interesting things. The Shop will be closed for the month of August. On October 21, 2017 Our Lady of Peace Church in Lordship, Stratford, CT 06615, will be raffling off a new 2017 Nissan Altima - loaded with many features and options and is valued over $25,000. There are only 400 tickets printed and tickets are at $100 a ticket. There will also be a second prize of 50 lottery tickets and a 3rd prize of 25 lottery tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the Parish Center during normal working hours 9:00 a.m to 12:00 noon. Checks only. Please make check to OLOP Raffle Account. For further questions call 203-377-4863 ext. 10 or email Mike Morin, co-chair of the raffle at mikef.morin@gmail.com" 3 lorem ipsum :: [Date]
Sunday Readings First Reading Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 There is no god besides you who have the care of all, that you need show you have not unjustly condemned. For your might is the source of justice; your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all. For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved; and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity. But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power, whenever you will, attends you. And you taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are just must be kind; and you gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Response to the psalm Lord, you are good and forgiving. Second reading Romans 8:26-27 Brothers and sisters: The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God s will. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia Blessed are you Lord of heaven and earth; For you have revealed to little ones the mysteries o the kingdom. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia Gospel Matt 13:24-30 Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and sai Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from? He answered, An enemy has done this. His slaves said to him, Do you want us to go and pull them up? He replied, No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God Discerning the wheat and the weeds July 9 th - September 24 th issues of the bulletin is sponsored by Carla Misurale. If anyone wishes to contribute to the printing cost of the bulletin, please contact Fr Michal. 4 lorem ipsum :: [Date]