This Weeks Bulletin - Saint Mary`s Catholic Community

ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
ROCKLEDGE, FLORIDA (321) 636-6834
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
THE CROSS
The theme of the Cross in all three Readings from last
Sunday carries over into today’s Readings. In the 2nd Reading we
hear that “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom”.
So, what is the “sign” of the cross?
The Cross is “an expression of the wisdom and power of
God that inaugurates a new dispensation and a new worship.”
God the Father did away with human sacrifice in the story of
Abraham and Isaiah. Jesus did away with animal sacrifice with a
new covenant or dispensation, which he inaugurated, and
replaced animal sacrifice with His and our own self-sacrifice. We
sacrifice - i.e. – make holy – our false self (ego) by dying to our false self – our pride, our hubris –
to anything that keeps us apart from God our Father. When we “die”, when we make that sacrifice,
we become like Christ, the Son of God and are therefore pleasing to God.
Our “death”, Christ’s death, is pleasing to God and redemptive, salvivic. We are “saved” –
from ourselves!
God the loving Father did not send His beloved Son to die a brutal death. The death of Jesus
was an inevitable result of being human. All of us die. His execution was a result of His way of
living. He tried to change the system and those in power had him killed. However, His loving
Father raised him from the dead. We too have to “die” to self to become truly human, truly alive,
and then, we glorify God in being like his Son, and in reflecting His love to the world. Our cross,
our “dying” is our liberation. The cross then is a sign of victory. A sign of great love, that of the
Son and ourselves, and of the God who gives us new life.
It is only when we have faced the cross with Christ that we can proclaim (witness) the earthly
life of Jesus to the world as the epiphany (revelation) of the glory (presence/love) of God.
The cross is indeed the sign to the world, of victory over death, of new life, of change –
transformation, of rebirth. It’s not so much something that happened 2,000 years ago as it is
happening now in us.
Embrace the cross.
“Repent”, it is the key to new life, abundant life.
Fr. King
Today’s Readings: Ex 20:1-17; Ps 19; 1 Cor 1:22-25; Jn 2:13-25
“For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,
And knowledge of God, rather than holocausts”. Hos 6:1-6
Christian Mystics
The core of the analysis of Jesus is that we are a child of God, the God of life that
sustains all of nature and guarantees all the intricacies of the life-process itself. Jesus
suggests that it is quite unreasonable to assume that God, whose creative activity is expressed
even in such details as the hairs of a man’s head, would exclude from his concern the life,
the vital spirit, of the man himself. This idea – that God is mindful of the individual – is of
tremendous import in dealing with fear as a disease. In this world the socially disadvantaged
person is constantly given a negative answer to the most important personal questions upon
which mental health depends: “Who am I? What am I?” A child of God!
Howard Thurman
MARCH 8, 2015
For more information please visit
www.stmarysrockledge.org
Scripture Readings for the THIRD Week of Lent – A Thought for Each Day
Monday, March 9
2 Kgs 5:1-15b; Ps 42; Lk 4:24-30
1) Everyone belongs in the Kingdom of God.
2) We are all God’s children.
Question: How do you witness to God’s presence?
Tuesday, March 10
Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25; Mt 18:21-35
1) We ask you to receive us with humble and contrite hearts.
2) If you don’t forgive how can you expect forgiveness?
Question: What do you need to let go of to be at peace?
Wednesday, March 11
Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147; Mt 5:17-19
1) Do the Will of God.
2) Keep God’s love – i.e. love God, self, and others.
Question: Are you a good teacher of the Word?
Thursday, March 12
Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95; Lk 11:14-23
1) Listen – I will be your God and you will be my people.
2) He who is not with me is against me.
Question: What is the quality of your listening?
Friday, March 13
Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81; Mk 12:28-34
1) Acknowledge your needs and receive God’s help.
2) The greatest commandment.
Question: Do you love with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength?
Saturday, March 14
Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51; Lk 18:9-14
1) What I want is love, not sacrifice.
2) The publican went home justified, not the pharisee.
Question: Is religion about you (self-deception) or about God (and openness)?
Sunday, March 15
2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23; Ps 137; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21
1) - - until the land has retrieved it’s lost Sabbaths.
2) Only God saves.
3) God so loves the world.
Question: Have you made your choice?
Jottings
The greatest challenge of our age is not to discover extraterrestrial life, but to
discover our own inner lives. For various reasons we have lost touch with our own
inner selves.
We have become disconnected interiorly (and then exteriorly). A disconnected
ego can become a selfish one.
The church is stuck in the middle ages – unable to evolve. It symbolizes a culture
of self-serving interests and unbridled power.
SEASON OF LENT: February 18th through April 1st
A warm welcome to all new parishioners who
registered at St. Mary’s in February:
Congratulations to all who received their Confirmation
this past Friday, March 6th, from Bishop John Noonan:
Sullivan Altman
Jessica Baez
Arianna Cancar
Ryan Choppe
Adam Corak
Zachary Dawson
Tyler Figueroa
Patrick Horosco
Summer Lopez
Amanda McDonald
Alessandro Navea
Cindel Perrusquia
Eric Pilkenton
Daniel Sosa
Courtney Stevenson
Jose Tinajero
Marc Walker
Aidan Badgett
Daniel Bassett
Richard Chamberlain
Jessica Clanton
Ian Craig
Danielle Doyle
Christine Haun
Shaine Horvath
Kimberly Magliari
Isaac Navarrete
Laisha Perez
Tyler Phillips
Kyle Ruether
Elis Sterling
Jessica Teed
Mariela Umanzor
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Tax Statement for Stewardship Donations
For the tax year 2014, the year-end tax statements will
be issued by request, and we ask that you complete
the form below.
Please cut or tear out the request form and drop it off
at the Parish Office, or place it into the collection
basket at any weekend Mass. You may also contact
the Parish Office at 636-6834, between the hours of
8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday, and
request your statement.
Thank you for your cooperation!
TAX STATEMENT REQUEST FORM
Envelope #: ______________________________
Name: __________________________________
Address: ________________________________
________________________________
Phone No.: ______________________________
" " " " " " " " " " " " "
Fitzgerald Family
John W. Herrera
Lassonde Family
Sharon Wright
Please accept our warmest welcome on
behalf of the staff and entire Catholic Community of
St. Mary’s. Please know that our community and staff
are here to assist you in your spiritual and sacramental
needs.
A “colossal” thank you goes out to
the entire retreat team who helped
out on this year’s Confirmation
Retreat! The Confirmandi could not
have had their grace-filled day with
you sharing your time, talent and
treasure . . . and especially all of your prayers.
Weekly Offertory Collection:
03-01-15 ............................................... $ 14,332.08
Weekly Req. for Expenses
$ 16,000.00
Debt Reduction Collection:
03-01-15 ................................................ $ 1,088.50
Add’l Collection:
St. Mary’s School ................................ $ 1,512.54
I know that I do not know how to seek
you, yet I don’t give up.
What is it that causes me to follow you?
Why do I persist in trying to discover
your face?
I do not know if my desire is faith.
I do not know if I believe in anything.
What is it I believe? I don’t know. . .
but I keep seeking.
Juan Jose Domenchina
Writer and Poet
(1898-1959)
Centering Prayer Group meets every Thursday in the Bride’s Room, in the Church, from 5:00pm to
6:30pm. Any questions, feel free to contact Carol Buck at 631-8962.
Lord, hear our prayers for the sick of our
parish listed below and for all of those who
are not listed, but are in need of prayers.
Please pray especially for: M.P. Hoppin,
Helen
Holmstrom,
David
Scott,
Jose
Guadalupe Perez, Jerry Jackson, Judy Ensell,
Christina Sutch, Rury Barrial, Jennifer Sallows, Tessie
Lee, Gabriel Barteau, Dang Thi Thuan, John Devereaux,
Patricia Gague, Juanita Bush, Jack Lantry, Virginia
Hoskowicz, Barbara Nokes, and Joseph Kleinschnitz.
Into Your Hands O Lord, we commend the souls
of our dearly departed, especially:
Frank T. Koch
Let us hold in prayer the family and friends of the
departed. May the souls of the faithful departed rest
in peace.
We Wish to Honor Our Advertiser of the Week
COCOA CHIROPRACTIC CENTER
Dr. Paul M. Lombardi
Chiropractic Orthopedist
Parishioner
Tele: 321-636-6090
Fax: 321-632-5805
111 N. Fiske Blvd., Cocoa 32922
Thank you for supporting St. Mary’s bulletin
Do You have a Birthday, Anniversary, or
Graduation coming up? Why not celebrate at
our own St. Mary’s
Parish Hall!
Please contact Ron
Cartrette at 633-6633 for
a tour and/or more
information on this
wonderful opportunity to support our Church
and have a memorable celebration.
MASS INTENTIONS
The Week of Mar. 9th through Mar. 15th
MON .... 8:30 AM
7:00 PM
TUE...... 8:30 AM
Wed ... 8:30 AM
THU ..... 8:30 AM
FRI ....... 8:30 AM
12:15 PM
7:00 PM
V Jerry Jackson
Penance Service
V Gerry Washburn
COMMUNION SERVICE
V Jack Lantry
SCHOOL MASS
Stations of the Cross
Spanish Stations of the Cross
SAT.......5:00 PM
V Judy Ensell
V Virginia Hoskowicz
SUN ...................
8:00 AM
4th SUNDAY OF LENT
10:00 AM
4:00 PM
Ann Burns
PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
SPANISH MASS
Ester Julia Ceballos de Leyva
Eduardo Leyva
V Denotes an intention for the living
MASS SCHEDULE
Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., at 8:30am
Communion Service – Wed. at 8:30am
Saturday at 5:00pm
Sunday at 8:00am and 10:00am
Spanish Mass at 4:00pm
RECONCILIATION: Saturday 4:00 – 4:45pm
STAFF
Pastoral Center: 636-6834
Facsimile No.: 632-4301
Ministry Office: 631-8962
Helping Hands: 632-7211
Faith Formation Office: 636-6834
Music & Liturgy Office: 636-6834 St. Mary’s
School: 636-4208