Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today’s first reading Isaiah 55 says to “seek the Lord while he may be found” and the message is for us to take the opportunities we have to grow in faith. Sometimes, indeed, if we don’t take that time to pray first thing in the morning, we’ll lose our chance to do that during the rest of the day. And if we spend five years neglecting to practice our faith, we may wake up one day unable to make a connection during prayer or the Mass that we once were able to do.
The Gospel today, however, from Matthew 20, really, though, has an opposite message from Isaiah 55, because this reading really is saying that it is NEVER TOO LATE to turn to the Lord and to follow God. The way Jesus teaches us this is to tell a story about an employer who hired some people at dawn and some midday and some late in the day and then paid them all the same amount of money. And that some who had worked since dawn protested and said this was unfair and that, in response, the employer had said that it was his money if he wanted to be generous.
And the story is about how GOD offers salvation to people whether they have served them all their lives or if people turn to God late in life, that God offers salvation to all just the same.
FALL PROGRAM ON THE EUCHARIST:
This year we are going to think about the gift of the Eucharist.
We will be meeting in small groups over the course of five weeks in the fall starting the week of Sunday, Oct. 8th and going through the week that will start on Sunday, Nov. 5th.
Week beginning Oct. 8th: Why Do Catholics Celebrate the Mass?
Week beginning Oct. 15th: The Early Christians Believed in the Real Presence
Week beginning Oct. 22nd: Why are Catholics asked to go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days /
Is the Mass we celebrate today the same as in the Ancient Church?
Week beginning Oct. 29th: A Walk Through the Mass
Week beginning Nov. 5th: The Passover and the Exodus and the Mass / The Eucharistic Miracle
in Buenos Aries in 1996
Also, As part of this process, we will have a parish retreat on Saturday, Nov. 11th from 9am – 2pm with lunch provided. It will be free. It will start with a Mass and then there will be a talk (one in English, one in Spanish) with discussion and then lunch and then one more talk (English track and Spanish track) with discussion.
The small groups that will be meeting in ENGLISH are listed below.
- Sundays at 6pm. Parish Office Meeting Room at SPN. First Sunday: Oct. 8th. Contact Laura at lgraham@spnmd.org
- Mondays at 2pm. First Monday: Oct. 9th. (group is for women only.) Contact Sue at swillett58@verizon.net
- Mondays at 7pm. 116 Kingbrook Road, Linthicum. First Monday: Oct. 9th. Contact Deacon Paul and Barb Stoyell-Mulholland at barbstoyell@gmail.com.
- Mondays at 7pm. Parish Office Meeting Room at SPN. First Monday: Oct 9th. Contact Jason at jasongrimm28@gmail.com.
- Wednesdays at 7pm. SPN sacristy. First Wednesday: Oct. 11th. Contact Fr. Andy Aaron at aaaron@archbalt.org.
- Thursdays at 7pm. SPN sacristy. First Thursday: Oct. 12th. Contact Tim Feeney at tfeeney@spnmd.org.
- Fridays at 9:30am. St. Clement kitchen. First Friday: Oct. 13th. Contact Jim and Barb DeBoy at jimdeboy@comcast.net.
- Fridays at 7:30pm. First Friday: Oct. 13th. Contact Donna Scott at dscott@spnmd.org.
- Walking with Purpose women’s faith-sharing groups will also be doing the 5-week program during the five weeks the parish is studying the Eucharist as well as other studies this year. You can find more info about when and where they will be meeting for the 5 weeks from Theresa at theresaewaggoner@gmail.com.
We have ministries for young people at SPN and SC:
Young Adults: Catherine Tirschman at cattirsch2012@gmail.com
High School: Matteo Santi-Amantini at Matteo.Santi-Amantini@archbalt.org
Middle School: Sara Horton at shortonspnyg@gmail.com
Faith Formation classes for young people grades K-8 are on Sunday mornings at 10:45am starting Sept. 24th. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE and WE HAVE A VERY GOOD PROGAM. Please contact Laura Graham at lgraham@spnmd.org.
Young people who are not baptized or not Catholic and want to receive sacraments who are 10 years old and younger will just be put into Sunday morning Faith Formation classes and we will schedule baptisms, etc. after they have learned a bit about their faith.
Young people aged 11-14 will be in an OCIA (RCIA) class on Sunday mornings at 10:45am starting Sept. 24th. Please contact Laura Graham at lgraham@spnmd.org
Young people aged 15-17 will be in an OCIA (RCIA) class on Sunday mornings at 10:45am starting Sept. 24th. Please contact Laura Graham at lgraham@spnmd.org
For adults who want to receive sacraments or become Catholic, contact Tim at tfeeney@spnmd.org. Classes are on Wednesdays at 7:15pm.
Peace! Fr. Andy