THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

THIS SUNDAY'S GOSPEL

I asked the kids if they played any video games.  You can guess the response.  "Yes; yes' yes' are you kidding, Deacon Charlie!"  Then, I told them I had a lot of free time on my hands, and I was thinking of starting myself.  I wondered if they might have any suggestions.  And the suggestions were unending.  All kinds of video games--so many, I can't remember all the names!  As the names came, so did the descriptions of the games--killing zombies, playing soccer and football, even dancing. As different as all these games are, I asked whether there was something that made them all the same.  Lots of good answers, but not what I was looking for.  

What makes every video game the same is that every one not only gives us a chance, but really wants us to try again.

ZACCHAEUS AND THE SYCAMORE TREE

This Sunday's gospel is my absolute favorite.  I showed the kids that Zacchaeus and his sycamore tree hang

on my office wall.

It's the story of the baddest guy in town, and everybody knows he's the baddest guy in town.  He's also the shortest.  So, when word comes that the Jesus parade is about to pass through, the baddest and shortest guy is muscled away from curbside by the rest of the crowd.  That's when he climbs the sycamore tree and perches himself for a bird's eye view of this Jesus.  

The parade stops at the sycamore tree; Jesus looks up; calls Zacchaeus by name (amazing, since they've never met!), and tells him to come down quickly, because tonight Jesus will eat dinner at Zacchaeus' house.  

And the crowd's reaction?  The kids all got it:  "Not fair!"

So, why did Jesus go home with the baddest guy in town?  Jack Reilly, a first-grader had the bestest answer:  "Maybe Jesus just wanted to talk to him about being bad."  Right on, Jack!

The Zacchaeus story is the story of our salvation.  Like the video games, we all not only get the chance, but Jesus really wants us to try again.

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

This Sunday's Gospel

Jesus tells a parable--a short story with a single lesson.

Two guys go up to pray--a big shot and a little shot.  
The big shot marches right up front and begins to pray to himself.  He thanks God that he is not like the rest of the riffraff in town, especially the guy in the back row.

Meantime, the little shot stays in the back with head down and admits to God that he hasn't always been the best.  
But he is grateful that God still loves him and forgives him his sins.




I asked the kids to read the gospel quietly (quiet was a new experience for us!).  Then, I asked them to tell me the one word in the gospel story that summed it all up.  Lots of guesses:  "God," "pray," "grateful," "loves," "forgives" and "sins."  All good, but not that one word.  The one word is "himself;" the big shot prays to himself. Self just can't get out of the way; so, there is no connection to God, and, therefore, no prayer.  

If we want to connect to God, we must connect to others and let self get out
of the way.  If that's how we live, that's how we will pray.

Thanks

It's that time of year when I look around and see teachers in classrooms, kids in their seats, registration done, buses arrived and a good beginning made.  Thank God and thank you.


I am especially grateful this year.  We are so blessed to have so many
veteran teachers return and give more of their time and talent.  The more
they give, the more they show how gifted they are.  And when the word went
out that we would need new teachers this year, the response was
overwhelming.  We quickly filled our classrooms with new faces and new
gifts. The generosity has been extraordinary and the parish is very
grateful.

A special note about our substitute teachers and Jen Waterhouse, who has
been coordinating this effort.  Over 30 people have volunteered as
substitutes. No one can imagine more than I how great this is. It not only
helps KidsRelig run more smoothly, but it spreads among more people the
happy task of spreading the Good News.  Thanks to all of you, and a special
thanks to Jen Waterhouse.

Last but not least, I thank Ellie DURR and Jen Narcissi for their help in
the office right before and during KidsRelig.  Just having them there adds
so much to what we do every week.

Love,
Deacon Charlie

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sunday's Gospel

 

Divided the church into 2 cheering sections.  The first had one word to shout, "decide."  The second was to shout, "pest."  (You will never guess, but everyone was great at shouting!). Then, we started to tell the story of this week's gospel about the old lady who had tried her case to the court and wanted the judge to "decide."  But the judge didn't and thought the old lady was just a "pest."  The old lady kept calling the judge to "decide," and the judge kept complaining that the old lady was a "pest."  Finally, not

because he cared about the old lady or his decision, but only to shut up

this "pest," the judge decided to "decide."

And that's the gospel story. Pretty silly!  It ends without really ending,

because we don't even find out what the judge decided or whether the old

lady was satisfied.

What's even sillier is that Jesus says the story is all about prayer. Well,

we hate to disagree with Jesus.  But--NOT!

Is prayer being a pest to God?  NOT!  Is prayer trying to get God to decide

one way or another?  NOT!  Is prayer trying to convince God to make sure

we're satisfied.  NOT!

As we prayed for some of our teachers who are sick and one of our students

who just underwent heart surgery, we realized that prayer is nothing more

than all of us learning to become more like God.  Because when we pray, we

care.  We care about ourselves, but, more often, about others.  And when we

care, unlike the judge in the gospel story, we become like God .  And when

more and more of us become like God, we spread God's Kingdom. Now, there's a

pretty good result for our prayer!

 

CHILDREN & YOUTH CHOIR

 

Watch your inboxes this week for an email announcement of our new Children & Youth Choir.

 

 



 



Love,

Deacon Charlie

 

TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sunday’s Gospel

For the Elementaries, we listened to the Good News as a story about gratitude.  Of the 10, who were healed by Jesus, only one returned to say “thanks.” Good for him, but not so good for the other 9.   So, we decided not to be like those other 9.  We made our own “Thank You” Card for God.

The First Graders gave us all the things we should be grateful for:  life, health, food, water, the earth, our families and more.  And the Second through Fourth Graders gave us how to sign the card: Us, CCD kids, the kids from St. John and St. Mary, Children of God and more.  

When we were all done, we decided that God would be real happy to get this card, because of what it said.  But even more, because we wrote it, and God loves to get cards from the kids he loves.

For the Middlers, we looked at the same gospel story, but with a different focus.  Jesus healed 10

and only 1 said “thanks,” and he was a Samaritan, the worst of the worst.  When Jesus chose to make better one who was the worst, the worst was empowered to choose the best within himself.

We not only have the power to find the best within ourselves, but the power to let others find their own best, even those whom we consider the worst.  Not easy, but who said following Jesus is easy!

Building Evacuation Drill

For all, except Westorchard (next week), we had instructions in building evacuation.  Everyone took it very seriously.  Thanks.

A good week at KidsRelig!

Love,

Deacon Charlie

27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

We’re back!!!

The first week of KidsRelig was super!  After reading the kids’ names for weeks and weeks of registration, it was so good to see their faces. 

The Gospel

Two stories are embedded in today’s gospel—the usual and the unusual, the expected and the unexpected.  The master’s servant does what he’s expected to do.  Really no big deal!  But when the table is turned and the Master becomes the servant.  Now there’s a big deal!  And pretty unusual and unexpected. 

The Middlers got it.  Do what you’re expected to do?  No big deal!  But do like the Master—the unusual and unexpected.  A big deal! 

Welcome First Graders

When the Elementaries arrived, 2^nd through 4^th went into church first.  Then, came the First Graders to a round of applause.

We told the First Graders that it’s very hard to remember new names.  But if you bother to find out something about somebody, it’s usually easier to remember their name.  So, we did.  Jack told us he liked dinosaurs, and I told Claire and Charlie it would be easy to remember their names, since in our house, it’s Clare and Charlie.

Then we told them how Christians had helped themselves remember Jesus’ name by remembering the Jesus story behind the name.   They used the Sign of the Fish (or ICHTHUS in Greek). 

 

The Greek letters are the first in each of these words:  Jesus, Christ, God, Son & Savior. 

We told the First Graders and all the Elementaries that our prayer for them this year was that they would come to remember the name Jesus as they came to learn more and more about him.

A Special Sunday Welcome

to the First Graders

At 10 o’clock Mass this Sunday, we welcome the First Graders and their families in a special way.  A reception will follow in Skelly Hall.

 

IMPORTANT LINKS

 

 Bus Info & Registration Form

 Annual KidsRelig Calendar