Readings

Sunday, March 11, 2012
Third Sunday of Lent

First Reading
Exodus 20:1-17
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19:8-11
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
Gospel
John 2:13-25

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Father Bill's Homily

Father Bill’s Sermon
Third Sunday of Advent
March 11, 2012

Do you remember what we do on Palm Sunday? We come into church with palms held high, or if we’re at a more formal liturgy we march with Palm Branches all around the property, and sometimes around the block, and we sing “Hosannah!” Do you know why? The reason is in today’s Gospel. Jesus was the ... Click here to continue reading Father Bill's Homily

 

 

 

Parish Statement

To build and foster a Christian Community that accepts and lives the opportunity to experience God's unconditional love and acceptance to all who come into contact with it.

Our Goals:

• Spread Our Lord's Word
• Strengthen family life
• Serve the poor
• Become a Christ-like love
• Encourage our Parish Family Spirit
• Adopt God's Will to our present lives
• Be Christians with dignity and pride
• Be a welcoming Parish Family

April 29, 2012, Fourth Sunday of Easter

We hear in the first reading an excerpt from one of Peter’s early sermons. He sums up the mission of Christ by saying, “The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.” This was an oft-repeated mantra in the early Church. That’s how they saw not only Jesus in relation to the world, but how they saw the work of God continuing in their own lives. Often what “they” rejected, was the very thing God wanted from them! Paul, prayed to have his “thorn in the flesh” (whatever it was, and the conjecture is amazing, as to what it might have been--often telling us much more about the commentator than about Paul), only to realize that God WANTED him to have it! It would be good for his soul--his humility if nothing else! Paul had “rejected” the early Church--persecuting them--only to find that THAT was where God wanted him. The early Church, then, rejected Paul--they were afraid of him! But, he became the greatest promoter of the faith! What do you reject about YOURSELF? Or, who do you find yourself rejecting in your circle of acquaintances? This “great emotion” that leads you to find fault and reject, may merely be “resistance” to the drawing power of the Divine, Who may be calling you close to that person, or Who may be calling you to develop that “unacceptable” part of you for His greater glory. Let’s pray about this during the coming week.

- Fr. Bill

Today’s Gospel gives us the beautiful image of Christ as the shepherd. This image is one of the oldest in our Church and can be seen in one of the oldest catacombs in Rome. It was a very comforting image for the early church especially during the persecutions. He called others to shepherd in his name. They were not perfect people, but they became good at shepherding, transformed by the power of Resurrection life. It humbles me to realize that this is what I have been called to do here at St. Agatha’s. I guess I can relate to Peter, who had a hard time shepherding but was willing to die on the cross if that is what it called for. I hope that it won’t ask that of me!!! But know that I hold each of you dear and close to my heart and that you are in my prayers daily. I hope that I can continue to shepherd you into the future and that together we can make St. Agatha a place where lost sheep can find a home.

Have a blessed week,
Sr. Karen