MARCH16, 2014
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
GN 12:1-4A 2 TM 1:8B-10 MT 17:1-9 (25)
PAX CHRISTI METRO NEW YORK-LENTEN
REFLECTION
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: Releasing those bound
unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the
oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the
hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing
the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on
your own. Isaiah 58:6-7
“God has saved us and has called us to a holy life, not
because of any merit of ours but according to his own
design—the grace held out to us in Christ Jesus…He has
robbed death of its power and has brought life and
immortality into clear light through the gospel.”…“Jesus
came toward them and laying his hand on them said,
‘Get up! Do not be afraid.’”
The journey of Jesus continues to Jerusalem and the Paschal
Mystery, His death and resurrection awaits. We are
privileged to walk these days of Lent with Him. Because we
have lived this penitential season so often, we need to be
reminded that the journey of Jesus is not limited in time, two
thousand years ago, or place, the holy city of Jerusalem. It
continues in my life today.
Paul spoke to Timothy and speaks to me, reminding me that
the saving work of Jesus is at work, and at work in me,
calling me to a holy life because of His gift. The Vatican
Council told explicitly that I am called to be holy, to live my
life in union with Christ, to seek out the life of grace. Lent
for me is the correct moment to do this. The descriptive
word of Paul that Christ ‘robbed death of its power’ calls for
a personal response of gratitude and new hope in my
difficult world. The gospel becomes my norm and direction
in life.
Jesus lays His hand on me, right now, and asks me to get up
and continue my journey with Him. ‘Lord, who throughout
these forty days…’
His Word Today by Rev. William J. Reilly
OUR COLLECTION
The collection for March 9th
By Mass as follows:
5:30pm $788
9:00am $1,995
11:30am $1,812 6:00pm $2,372
Sunday Total $6,967
Total for Ash Wednesday $3,550
Grand Total $10,517
We encourage you to enroll . via the Parish Pay website
www.parishpay.com and click on the St. Joseph West
Village link. Use the paperless way to help our ministry.
Please send your announcements and events to be included
in the bulletin to:
communications@washingtonsquarecatholic.org
Praying, fasting, and almsgiving are the trademark of Lent.
Praying and almsgiving are pretty clear-cut, but fasting is
not. Many, if not most of us, associate it with giving up
some form of food, but Isaiah tells us quite clearly that the
fasting God desires is quite different. As a matter of fact, it’s
probably also more difficult. Maybe that’s why we still cling
to the idea of doing without some favorite food item. We
even think: If we lose a little weight, all the better.
But let’s rethink fasting in the spirit of scripture. Let’s accept
its challenge and that of Pope Francis in his Lenten Message
in which he writes: “Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we
would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order
to help and enrich others by our own poverty.”
Lest we limit such self-denial to food, let’s refer back to
another message from Pope Francis, his World Day of Peace
Message. There he wrote: “A conversion of hearts is needed
which would permit everyone to recognize in the other a
brother or sister to care for, and to work together with, in
building a fulfilling life for all.” This recognition he defines
as fraternity without which, he tells us, “it is impossible to
build a just society and a solid and lasting peace.”
“Fraternity generates social peace because it creates a
balance between freedom and justice, between personal
responsibility and solidarity, between the good of individuals
and the common good,” Pope Francis continues. “Every
activity therefore must be distinguished by an attitude of
service to person, especially those furthest away and less
known. Service is the soul of that fraternity that builds up
peace.”
This notion of service brings us back to Isaiah and may help
us answer Pope Francis’s question. “What can we give up in
order to help and enrich others?” Perhaps we must give up
the comfort of not seeing the imprisoned and oppressed, the
hungry and homeless, those in tattered clothes or foreign
attire as our brothers and sisters. Perhaps we must sacrifice a
bit of time or profit to insure that others—our brothers and
sisters—can share in our prosperity. We may not lose any
weight from this kind of fasting, but we may gain something
much more important: a society and an environment at
peace.
Please spend some time with this reflection. Truly ask
yourself what you can give up in order to help and enrich
others. Make that your Lenten fast
POPE’S MESSAGE FOR LENT 2014: AN
INVITATION TO EVANGELICAL POVERTY IN
OUR TIME
The Gospel is the real antidote to spiritual destitution:
wherever we go, we are called as Christians to proclaim the
liberating news that forgiveness for sins committed is
possible, that God is greater than our sinfulness, that he
freely loves us at all times and that we were made for
communion and eternal life. The Lord asks us to be joyous
heralds of this message of mercy and hope! It is thrilling to
experience the joy of spreading this good news, sharing the
treasure entrusted to us, consoling broken hearts and offering
hope to our brothers and sisters experiencing darkness. It
means following and imitation Jesus, who sought out the
poor and sinners as a shepherd lovingly seeks his lost sheep.
In union with Jesus, we can courageously open up new paths
of evangelization and human promotion.
CARDINAL’S APPEAL
To date our parish has received $36,100 in pledges/gifts
toward the 2014 Cardinal’s Appeal, from 36 families. For
this Appeal to be truly successful, we must have the support
of all of our families. The Appeal is a vital source of funding
for the programs and ministries that sustain the parishes
across our Archdiocese. It is not too late to make your gift.
Please be as generous as you can. Thank you for your kind
support.
FEAST DAYS, SCRIPTURES, CITATIONS & SPECIAL
INTENTIONS
Saturday, March 15
Dt 26:16-19 Mt 5:43-48 (229)
12:10 PM Helen Kennedy
5:30 PM Jack Maley
Sunday, March 16
Gn 12:1-4a 2 Tm 1:8b-10 Mt 17:1-9 (25)
9:00 AM Michael John Murphy-1st Anniv.
11:30 AM Phillip Siculietano
6:00 PM Gervase Downey
Monday, March 17 St. Patrick
Dn 9:4b-10 Lk 6:36-38 (230)
12:10 PM Carl & Angelo Conetta
Tuesday, March 18 St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Is 1:10, 16-20 Mt 23:1-12 (231)
12:10 PM Richard Anderson
Wednesday, March 19 St. Joseph
2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16/Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22/Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Lk
2:41-51a (543)
12:10 PM Jose Arias - living
Thursday, March 20
Jer 17”5-10 Lk 16:19-31 (233)
12:10 PM In Thanksgiving
Friday, March 21
Gn 37: 3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a Mt 21:33-43, 45-46 (234)
12:10 PM Alan Rowland
Saturday, March 22
Mi 7:14-15, 18-20 Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 (235)
12:10 PM Laura Payeur
5:30 PM Maria Dermos-living
eL
ord
TO OUR PARISHIONERS
In an effort to keep our parishioner data base current it
would be helpful if all information is updated with the office
in the event of a new address or phone number. Please call
212-741-1274, Ext. 3 to leave message with new information
or to have someone call you back.
CELEBRATIONS
In lieu of a St. Joseph’s Day party, there will be an Easter
brunch the Sunday after Easter for the parishioners of St.
Joseph’s. There will be more details following in the coming
weeks.
MONTHLY PARISH ACTIVITIES
Sunday
10:00 AM
Children’s
Religious Studies
Casserly
Directly following
9:00 a.m. Mass
Scripture
Discussion
Library
2:30 PM
Roman Forum
Lectures
Casserly
7:00-8:30 PM
High School
CCD Meetings
Library ( 2/23/14)
Grad Law
Catholic Center
NYU
7:00 PM
Monday
6:30 PM
Centering Prayer
6:30 PM
Korean Catholic
Students
AT PRAYER: PRIVATE PRAYER AND
COMMUNITY
6:30 PM 1st /mo
This lecture considers whether prayer begins in private or in
community. Or, perhaps both? In viewing prayer and
worship through the artistic lens, we also find suggestions of
how we learned to pray. Is it the example of Jesus or of the
fellow disciples of Jesus? Or, again, perhaps both? And if so,
how?
Presented by Rev. Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J., President
emeritus, Georgetown University. Date/Time: Wednesday,
March 19th at 7:00 p.m. at Church of St. Ignatius Loyola,
Wallace Hall, 980 Park Avenue.
Church
Wednesday
6:50 PM
7:00 PM
Thursday
Pax Christi Bd
Mt
Catholic Center at
NYU
PCMNY
Bible Study
Library
Newman Club
Catholic Center
NYU
Friday
6:00 PM 1st/mo
10:00-3:00 PM
st
12:30 PM 1 /mo
6:00 PM
Novena/ Sacred
Heart
Saturday
Soup Kitchen
Blessing of the
Sick
AA
Church
Casserly
Church
Casserly