A thought for the day
Tuesday, the 4th week of Ordinary Time
Mass at noon: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - Thursday at 7p
Saturday at 5:00 - Sunday at 9:00, 11:15am and 7:00pm during the semester
When the people gather for prayer, all are welcome.
Saint of the day - Mary Angela Truszkowska
Readings for today’s Mass
Tuesday, the 4th week of Ordinary Time
Mass at noon: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - Thursday at 7p
Saturday at 5:00 - Sunday at 9:00, 11:15am and 7:00pm during the semester
When the people gather for prayer, all are welcome.
Saint of the day - Mary Angela Truszkowska
Readings for today’s Mass
The Gospel today is rich in subjects to reflect upon, especially the healing of the woman who suffered from hemorrhaging and of Jairus' daughter. These two incidents focus our attention on Jesus as the gently, powerful healer, bringing people back to life because of their faith in his ability to do so.
But my attention was drawn to an admonition that frequents the Gospels: "Be not afraid." In the Scriptures, if Jesus tells us once he tells us a thousand times not to be afraid. That is quite a challenge -- living fearlessly. Many of us live in a state of regular worry and fine-tuned fear. John Jay Chapman quipped: "People get so in the habit of worry that if you save them from drowning and put them on a bank to dry in the sun with hot chocolate and muffins they wonder whether they are catching cold."
Jesus invites us -- well, tells us -- not to be afraid because most of our fears never materialize. We waste our time fearing instead of loving and living. His grace wants us to live in the present, rejoice in goodness, turn the energy we spend in fear into energy for doing good. As Charles Schulz, the author of the Peanuts cartoons, remarked: "No need to worry about the world coming to an end today, it's already tomorrow in Australia." Instead, we can pray, "Be not afraid, I am with you" says our God.
But my attention was drawn to an admonition that frequents the Gospels: "Be not afraid." In the Scriptures, if Jesus tells us once he tells us a thousand times not to be afraid. That is quite a challenge -- living fearlessly. Many of us live in a state of regular worry and fine-tuned fear. John Jay Chapman quipped: "People get so in the habit of worry that if you save them from drowning and put them on a bank to dry in the sun with hot chocolate and muffins they wonder whether they are catching cold."
Jesus invites us -- well, tells us -- not to be afraid because most of our fears never materialize. We waste our time fearing instead of loving and living. His grace wants us to live in the present, rejoice in goodness, turn the energy we spend in fear into energy for doing good. As Charles Schulz, the author of the Peanuts cartoons, remarked: "No need to worry about the world coming to an end today, it's already tomorrow in Australia." Instead, we can pray, "Be not afraid, I am with you" says our God.
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