September 13th, 2009
Mark 8:27-35
The happening at Caesarea Philippi is told in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. It was an important event in the relationship Jesus was developing with the Apostles. Jesus asked them for a bit of feedback: “Who do people say I am?” But more importantly He wanted to know who He was to them. “Who do you say I am?” Peter takes it upon himself to answer for all. “You are the Christ”
In Matthew’s telling of this event he extends Peter’s answer: “You are the Christ the Son of the living God.” Jesus tells Peter ‘flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my Father in heaven.” In other words, Peter you did not come to this understanding of Me on your own; this is a gift from My Father.
Now Jesus goes on to tell the apostles, ‘but there’s more to Me that you have to understand.’ He tries to teach them that His future will involve hatred, hostility, betrayal, suffering and death and then resurrection. Jesus is telling them the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about Himself. It was a truth with which Peter could not cope: “This must never happen to you Lord.” In Luke’s gospel Jesus calls Peter, Satan. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus calls Peter the rock on which the church will be built. This is the whole truth about Peter, a rock with fault lines and Jesus accepts the whole Peter, with all his faults and all his strengths just as He wants Peter to accept the whole Jesus.
When Jesus talks about taking up the cross He is not talking about illness or disease, there is nothing particularly Christian about cancer or Alzheimer’s or a broken hip or heart attack. These can happen to anyone. The cross He is referring to is the type of suffering that is likely to befall a person for being His follower, the negative consequences that can happen when a person really tries to live her/his live modeled on Jesus. This cross is the cost of discipleship.
Remember the song, ‘All of me, why not take all of me”? That’s what today’s gospel is all about; we have to take the whole Jesus, the whole Christ; not just the Christ of signs and wonders, the Christ who gave sight to the blind, speech to the speechless, hearing to the deaf. Not just the Christ Who cured lepers and even raised the dead, not just the Christ of the Transfiguration. The whole Christ involves the Christ of Gethsemane, the Christ betrayed and abandoned by His friends, the Christ humiliated before Pilate, the Christ rejected by the crowd, the Christ crucified on Calvary – the Christ glorified in His resurrection.
Jesus invites us to accept the whole of Him in the living of our lives and be willing to pay the cost of discipleship.
I was on a TV program last year and the subject was on “what is happiness” I suggested that if we want to be happy we can pray and live the prayer of St. Francis which captures the teaching of today’s gospel:
Make me a channel of your peace – where there is hatred let me sow love – where there is injury pardon, where there is doubt faith, where there is despair, hope – where there is darkness, light – where there is sadness, joy.
Divine Master, grant that I may not seek so much to be consoled as to console – to be understood as to understand. – to be loved as to love.
It is in giving we receive, in pardoning we are pardoned and in dying we are born to eternal life.
The gospel and the Prayer of St. Francis call us to place the common good and Christ at the centre of our lives and not our own needs and desires. It is our free choice to live a life imitating as best we can Jesus, Who loved us and gave His life for us.
As we continue to celebrate the Eucharist in which Christ gave Himself totally for us and to us we can pray for ourselves and for each other that we be graced to accept and imitate the whole Christ, the Christ Who suffered and the Christ Who is glorified, the Christ Who is with us in all our sorrows and in all our joys.
| Posted in Homily |
September 10th, 2009
October 5th – 7th, 2009
GOOD NEWS!
Professor Raymond Collins, STD, a renowned New Testament scholar will be giving a three-evening workshop on St. Paul at our parish on October 5 to 7, 2009 (Monday to Wednesday).
Until his retirement in 2006, Professor Collins, for more than three decades, was professor of New Testament at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, and then at the Catholic University of America. He is author of numerous books and articles on the New Testament.
If you wish to understand St. Paul better, this is an opportunity not to be missed. For details please refer to the notice on the bulletin board, or contact Fatima Lee. Please call 416-221-8866 to register; this will help us with arrangements for the venue.
The Altar Service is now recruiting new members.
If you are in Grade 4 or higher and are interested in becoming an altar server, please leave your name and phone number with the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.
The orientation and training for new members will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 2:30 PM to 4:15 PM.>
The Children’s Liturgy of the Word, for children 4 – 10 years old, will begin on Sunday, September 20th at the 10:30 AM Mass.
In past years, Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings have been devoted to religious topics decided on by those who wish to participate. We have studied and discussed parts of the Bible and Church history, viewed videos, listened to tapes and read short but substantial books about Christ and the Church.
On Tuesday evening, September 22nd at 7:30 PM, we will decide what topics we will study. On Wednesday morning, September 23rd at 10:30 AM, we will have many topics we wish to explore. Come and tell us what you’re interested in learning!
For more information, please contact Mary Landry at 416-293-3760.
Our journey of life and journey of faith are meant to converge at an early age. For many of us, however, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but remain at a childish level of understanding our faith. The following information is for those who wish to keep growing, to be able to enjoy the Good news of God’s love for us as members of God’s Church.
Monday Nights are R.C.I.A. Nights
R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) meetings begin on Monday, September 21st, 2009 at 8:00 PM. These evenings are for persons interested in learning about the Catholic Faith. Because the Parish Community itself is considered the official teacher and guide for potential new members, it is important that some parishioners participate by being present and by sharing their Faith in various ways. It is also an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of the faith. Adult Catholics who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist and/or Confirmation are welcome. For more information, please call Mary Landry at 416 – 221 – 8866.
ST. GABRIEL’S CHOIRS
“Those who sing pray twice!”
We would like to invite new membership to our Senior and Junior Choirs. The Senior Choir practices Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 PM and sings at the 10:30 Mass. The Junior Choir practices Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and sings at the 12:30 Mass.
We invite all to consider joining this important ministry of music. For more information, please call Marilyn Calderone at 416 – 618 – 2041.
St. Gabriel’s School is in need of a lunchtime supervisor from 12:00 to 1:00 PM daily. This is a paid position. If you are interested in applying for this position, please contact the School Office at 416-393-5256 as soon as possible.
The Scarboro Missions and the Catholic Missions of Canada would like to express their sincere thanks for your generous response to the annual Shared Collection held recently in the Parish. A total of $3,032.33 was raised. Your support is greatly appreciated.
The next shipment to the Aboriginal Communities of Northern Ontario will be in October, but the collection will continue throughout the year. Most requested items are:
All items should be in good condition – something that you would use yourself.As before, donations can be dropped off between 7:30 AM – 2 PM Monday to Friday at
“Kids Come First” Daycare
40 New Westminster Drive, Thornhill
(at Steeles between Bathurst and Dufferin).
Please enter through the black iron wrought gates.
For more information, please contact Fatima Lee
at 416-221-8866.
MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE
November 6th – 8th,, 2009
A Marriage Preparation Course will take place at
St. Gabriel’s Church on the weekend of
November 6th to 8th.
If you are interested, please contact the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.
Register early as space is limited.
Fair trade organic coffees will be on sale after all the Masses next weekend.
Weekend of September 21st / 22nd , 2009
Rosalie Hall is a Centre for teen mothers and other single parents and their children. Amidst their ongoing great struggle and hardship, we depend on you, “the good people of St. Gabes”, to once again consider supporting these young women by feeding them and providing them with adequate clothing, as they strive to parent their children.
Our needs are basic: small bags of rice, pasta, Kraft dinner, breakfast and infant cereals, juice boxes, crackers, canned beans, pasta sauce, canned meats, tuna, canned fruit and diapers.
Teen and Women’s Clothing items such as socks, underwear, hats and mitts, shirts, pants, etc. are most welcome. We will also gratefully accept new and gently used clothing for babies and toddlers up to 14 months old.
Many thanks for your compassion and support as we all strive to be “doers of the word” in our reaching out to others. May you be blessed, as you are blessing.
The Centre is in need of the following items:
Thank you for your donation. Please be reminded that we only accept donations of men’s clothing
For more information, please contact Rebecca Ferguson at 416-869-3619, Ext. 262.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th DAVID SHELDRICK Requested by Teresa Sheldrick
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th PAULA SHELDRICKRequested by The Sheldrick Family
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th MONICA SONG Requested by Insoon Kim
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th MARIA GUIDOLIN TROJETTO Requested by Bruno Trojetto
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th GORDON OATWAY Requested by The Family
The“Pre-Authorized Giving” plan allows parishioners to make their regular offertory donations by automatic monthly bank withdrawal. This system is widely used in the Archdiocese of Toronto and is a safe and convenient method of giving for those interested.
Forms, in a sealed envelope, may be placed in the collection basket or dropped off at the Parish Office.
| Posted in Bulletin |
September 6th, 2009
In this part of the world, tomorrow we will pause from our workings and celebrate Labour Day. Tuesday school begins and we will begin again to work for our living.
Maybe we could spend some time and think about how our labouring is a blessing for us and for those around us. Working was one of the curses resulting from the fall of Adam and Eve. Listen to these heavy words from Genesis “Accursed be the soil because of you – with suffering shall you get your food from it – by the sweat of your brow shall you eat your bread until you return to the soil.”
By our being sent from this Mass we are meant to reverse that curse and help God bless and heal the mess we’ve made of God’s creation. Through our labour, no matter what our different labours may be, we work with God in bringing creation into God’s kingdom.
This past week the head of the United Nations went to the North Pole to see for himself the effects climate change is having on that region of the planet. There has been meeting after meeting on climate changes and nothing is really being done about it. Nations bicker and bargain but no one is willing to bite the bullet and make a commitment that will really make a difference. That’s because such a commitment will mean drastic changes in the way we live our lives. We’ve heard it time and time again; we won’t sign an environmental treaty if it means job losses in our country. We seem to be in denial of the impact climate change will have on all of us, especially on the poorer nations of the world.
A Passionist, Fr. Thomas Berry published a book in 1999 titled The Great Work. His belief is that the great work of our generation and generations to come, is to carry out the transition from a period of human devastation of the Earth, which has been going on from before the Industrial Revolution until now, to a period when humans would be present to the planet in a mutually beneficial manner. Remember how I keep saying, “the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth and what we do to the earth we do to ourselves”. Because of over-fishing on both coasts the most abundant species of marine life have become commercially extinct, the cod on the East Coast and the salmon on the West Coast. We’ve heard of the devastation of the Amazon and different rain forests around the globe even though we know trees are the lungs of the planet.
Our great work, as humans and as Christian is to do what we can be to bring about that mutually life enhancing relationship between the human family and the earth community. This is a labour of mind and heart. It is a labour that calls us to look to our lifestyles, our consumerism, our wastefulness. It is a labour that calls us to a greater sensitivity to living conditions of billions of our brothers and sisters around the globe at whose expense we live the good life we live.
To quote Tom Berry, “Our future can exist only when we understand the universe as composed of subjects to be communed with, not as objects to be exploited. Use as our primary relationship with the planet must be abandoned.” The hymn that tells us God made us Lords of all creation and that everything is ours to use is a lie. We are not Lords we are family within creation.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” We are all in denial as regards the seriousness of our global situation. We are not reading the signs of the times.
In the gospel we see Jesus curing a man who could neither hear nor speak correctly. In many ways the earth is saying to the human family, ‘enough already’ but we are not hearing that message, we’ve closed our ears. Because we won’t hear the message we cannot speak to its solution.
On this eve of Labour Day, with today’s gospel before us, we can pray for ourselves and for our human family that we have the courage to ask Christ, the first born of all creation, for a cure. May He open our ears to hear the cry of the earth, the message the earth is giving us – enough is enough – and give us voice to speak to the earth by saying ‘yes’ as individuals and as a nation, to changes in lifestyles that can bring about the healing of ourselves and of the earth.
Nourished by the bread of life, which earth has given and human hands have made, may each of us leave this Eucharist willing to be involved in the great work that will bring about a mutually life enhancing relationship between ourselves and mother earth.
Welcome back. We hope you have had an enjoyable and relaxing summer. For those young people who are off to university, we wish you every success as you begin a new stage of your life. For those students and teachers in our community returning to elementary and secondary school, we wish you a very positive and rewarding year.
Total: $7713
The “Pre-Authorized Giving” plan allows parishioners to make their regular offertory donations by automatic monthly bank withdrawal. This system is widely used in the Archdiocese of Toronto and is a safe and convenient method of giving for those interested. Forms, in a sealed envelope, may be placed in the collection basket or dropped off at the Parish Office.
The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome:
These children received the Sacrament of Baptism during the summer.
R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) meetings begin on Monday, September 21st, 2009 at 8:00 PM. These evenings are for persons interested in learning about the Catholic Faith. Because the Parish Community itself is considered the official teacher and guide for potential new members, it is important that some parishioners participate by being present and by sharing their Faith in various ways. It is also an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of the faith. Adult Catholics who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist and/or Confirmation are welcome. For more information, please call Mary Landry at 416-221-8866.
Congratulations to the good people of St. Gabriel’s. Our goal for this year’s ShareLife Campaign was $175,000. Our final total was $177,080.19. Thank you for your very generous support.
Eco-Sabath, usually held on the first Sunday of each month, will resume on Sunday, September 13th. The Passionist Centre for Ecology and Spirituality facilitates a 30 minute reflection and discussion prompted by the readings for that Sunday’s liturgy. The guided reflection brings an ecological perspective to the readings. All are welcome.
A Marriage Preparation Course will take place at St. Gabriel’s Church on the weekend of November 6h to 8th. If you are interested, please contact the Parish Office. at 416-221-8866. Register early as space is limited.
Andrea Lucas of “Between Friends” wishes to thank everyone from St. Gabriel’s who generously donated to the Aboriginal communities in Northern Ontario.
The next shipment to the communities will be in October, but the collection will continue throughout the year. Most requested items are:
All items should be in good condition – something that you would use yourself.
As before, donations can be dropped off between 7:30 AM – 2 PM Monday to Friday at
If you have any questions, please contact Fatima Lee at 416-221-8866.
We wish to thank Otto Schmidt for his many years of service to the Parish Community of St. Gabriel’s. Otto started here as Coordinator of Sacramental Preparation of School Age Children in 2003.
Recently, he was hired by the Korea Poly Returnee Educational Institute in Seoul, Korea as chief program curriculum designer/consultant to create and write curriculum for three new streams of gifted education to be added to their existing programs.
We wish him every success in this new endeavor.
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared casseroles for the Good Shepherd Centre during the summer: 45 for June, 32 for July and 36 for August.
For September, your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of September 26/27 for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. More volunteers are encouraged to become active in helping to feed our less fortunate sisters and brothers.
If you require more information or would like to get a copy of the recipe and a casserole pan, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
The Centre needs
Thank you for your donation. For more information, please contact Rebecca Ferguson at 416-869-3619, Ext. 262.
August 30th, 2009
It’s hard to believe this is the last Sunday of the summer, the summer that wasn’t. I find it unfair that winter drags on so long and summer is gone in no time.
I’d like to say a few words on the second reading from James. James is such a practical writer; he tells it like it is. The first reading and the gospel are all about laws and traditions and their importance to our relationship with God. The gospel is about keeping things in perspective. James sums everything up with these two statements, be doers of the word and not merely hearers – religion pure and simple is this: to care for widows and orphans in their distress and keep oneself unstained by the world.
There is a tradition in the church that after the death of Pope Sixtus in 258 the prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence, a Roman deacon, turn over the riches of the Church to the state. St.Ambrose is the earliest source for the tale that Lawrence asked for three days to gather together the wealth of the Church. Lawrence worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the poor as possible, so as to prevent its being seized by the prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the prefect, and when ordered to give up the treasures of the Church, he presented the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering, and said that these were the true treasures of the Church. One account records him declaring to the prefect, “The Church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor.” This act of defiance led directly to his martyrdom.
I think what this tradition teaches us is that when we as a church care for the poor, the crippled, the blind, the widow and orphan, the unemployed or the under employed, the men and women who suffer discrimination because of race, religion or lifestyle then we are living our faith pure and undefiled. Then we are truly doers of the word and not just giving lip service to the faith.
The exasperated Jesus tries to tell the Pharisees and the scribes they’ve got it all wrong. They’ve abandoned the commandment of God “love God above all else and love your neighbour” and they’re stuck on traditions of human origin. They are more interested in correctness than compassion.
Sometimes we get our religious priorities all mixed up. An extreme example would be a convinced right to life person killing a doctor who performs abortions. In Islam we see people who, in a twisted way, are totally dedicated to the Prophet becoming suicide bombers, destroying the lives of innocent men, women and children.
Religion pure and undefiled is this, to care for widows and orphans – the most helpless of people. If this care is neglected then all the rest is for naught. As St. John asks us, “how can anyone say he loves God, whom he’s never seen, when he does not love his neighbour whom he sees?” Time and again the message in the Jewish scripture is, “I desire mercy not sacrifice.”
Love spoken must be love lived. Faith spoken must be faith lived, otherwise we are, as St. Paul says, “sounding brass and tinkling symbols.”
Looking at our own life as a parish family we should be grateful for the many good works, inspired by faith, that take place among us. So many of you good people respond generously to the many appeals put before you; the way you support Share Life, your support of Just Coffee – the food banks – casseroles for the Good Shepherd Centre – the drive to help the young mothers at Rosalie Hall, the way you support the work of St Vincent de Paul – the help parishioners offer at NYGH by visiting the sick and bringing them communion, those who visit shut- ins, all these give witness to the fact that you are doers of the word.
As we continue to celebrate this Mass we can pray for ourselves and for each other that we have the courage to ask ourselves are we doers of the word or just hearers of the word? Do we live the love we speak? May we continue to be as generous as we have been in the past to live a religion pure and undefiled before God by caring for those less fortunate, less blessed than ourselves. May we always remember the words of Jesus,” as often as you did these things to one of these brothers and sisters of mine you did them to me.”
Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, every Passionist takes a special vow to spend his or her energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus, the memory of the Cross, and reflection of the meaning of the Cross for the world.
Learn about Passionists and our insignia »
Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk
