August 31st, 2008
Remember last Sunday’s gospel in which Peter answers Jesus’ question, “who do you say I am’ with the words,’you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’? Jesus praises Peter’s answer and calls him the ‘rock’, the rock on which Jesus will build His Church. In the gospel for today Jesus tells them the full dimensions of what it means to be “the Christ” the Anointed, the Messiah. It’s not all that glamorous. He will go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering. He will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes and be killed. He will be buried but on the third day he will be raised from the dead. Messiahship will be costly.
This is way beyond Peter. There is no way this is going to happen. All of a sudden Peter the rock becomes Peter the block, a stumbling block on Jesus’ way to Calvary. Jesus has to make it clear to Peter and the others that if they want to follow Him they have to put aside their ideas of what He was all about, and they have to know that their discipleship will be costly. Jesus wants to make it perfectly clear to Peter and the others that following Him, being one of His, means having a change of expectations. Finding or gathering things switches to losing or surrendering. Gaining a life that lasts for all eternity is theirs by letting go of things they think to be so important.
The cross was symbol of shame – there was nothing glorious about it. As St. Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians, to the Jews the cross was a scandal, to the Greeks it was foolishness. To be crucified was the ultimate humiliation. The early Christians did not want to be identified with such a cross. The most important symbol of the early Christian communities was the fish. The Greek letters that spell out the word fish clearly described the character of Jesus – Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. Even when the cross came into Christian art it was always a jeweled cross. If the image of Jesus was on the cross it showed him as priest and king, never as a naked defeated man. It was only in the fifth century that the crucifix we’ve come to know became popular.
The cross is central to our Christian faith. Without it there is no resurrection and no reconciliation with God. I’m reminded of a young man who came to Port Burwell for a retreat. We were walking the beach one day and he was telling me what the church had to do to become relevant to today’s young people. Man, he said, you got to get rid of that cross, it’s a downer. That’s one piece of advice we won’t follow. In the crucified Christ we see the love of God made visible, made real. God loved the world so much He sent His Son to the world, not to condemn us but to die for us in the most shameful, painful way.
As followers of Jesus we are promised the cross. It can come in many forms; illness of mind or body, chronic pain, the death of one we love, disappointment in relationships, loss of job, break up of a marriage, struggling with our own and on and on.
Every one of us has carried or is carrying a cross. Usually when a cross comes into our lives, we tend to ask ‘why’- why this illness, why this stress, why this disappointment, why this hurt? The question we could be asking is, what am I going to do with this, how am I going to handle this? Am I going to let this cross crush me, embitter me, make me cynical or sour my outlook on life? Or will I face this crisis, this hurt, this setback head on? Can I see this as an opportunity for growth in my faith in God; can I trust that God is with me, as He was with His Son on that hate-filled day in Jerusalem, as He was with His Son as He hung on the cross? Crosses test our trust in God’s love for us, in God’s presence to us. In those times when we fall under our cross, as Christ fell under His, we make our own the prayer of the confused and desperate father in the gospels who honestly told Jesus, Lord I believe, help the little faith I have – Lord I trust you, help the little trust I have.
I read this in an article written by a woman suffering from cancer; “Learn to be real with yourself and your situation. Try to recognize grief, rage and pain as part of life – a part of what it is to be fully human – because everyone you meet has experienced these things at some point. If they haven’t yet, they will. When life knocks you down, remember you are free to rage, cry, scream, and tremble. Just as you are free to laugh, smile, embrace life and rise again. It’s this freedom that makes me celebrate being fully alive and wide-awake. My hope is you’ll find peace and strength in this freedom, too.”
As we continue this Eucharist in which we remember and are present to the crucified Christ, we pray for ourselves and for each other that when a cross enters our lives we won’t pass it off with pious platitudes but have the honesty to admit it is heavy, it is painful, it is unfair and we resent it but we accept it as Jesus accepted His cross. May we be graced to pray as Jesus prayed in the dark recesses of Gethsemane, “let not my will but your will be done” for this is the cost of my discipleship.
| Posted in Homily |
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 schools, we wish you a very positive and rewarding new year.
Total: $7,964.85
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ShareLife Total, 2007: $164,652.60 ShareLife Total, 2008: $174,507.20
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your very generous support of this year’s ShareLife Campaign. Fr. Paul
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 25, 2008 from 2:30 PM to 4:15PM.
The Community of St Gabriel’s would like to welcome all those children who have been baptized during the summer.
Mahana Altmid Reese Boylan Joaquin Burke Jarrell Inshallah Dwyer Alessa Furnari Timothy Findlay Williamson Oisin Kieran Francis O’Driscoll Nicole Gonsalez Naomi Rosemarie Lue Alexander Phillips Elliot Michael Stewart Mauricette Maeve Agnes Rubio Reardon Eric Jesus Viloria Mayven Evangeline Farinha Rylan Ng Lee Lucas Jackson Mele Aliyah Angelica McLennon
Attention: Those who are Interested in learning about the Catholic Faith
This is an invitation to come to our first meeting on Monday, September 15th, 2008 at 7:30 in the Library Come with your questions, your curiosity, and your point of view. They will be the basis of our discussion. To Our Parishioners: Because our Parish Community is considered the official teacher and guide for possible new members, it is important that some of you help by being present and by sharing your faith in ways that are comfortable to you.
Adult Catholics who wish to celebrate the sacraments of Eucharist and /or Confirmation are also welcome. For more information, please call Mary Landry at 416 – 221 – 8866 after Monday, September 8th, 2008.
A Marriage Preparation Course will take place at St. Gabriel’s Church on the weekend of October 24th to 26th. If you are interested, please contact the Parish Office. Register early as space is limited.
Friday, September 5th from 9:30 AM – 12 Noon Please see the time schedule on the table inside the Church.
Saturday, September 6th at 3:15 PM in the Library For information, please contact Linda Law at 416 -918-8029.
Sunday, September 7 at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room For information, please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
The televised Sunday Mass on CTV for shut-ins is moving to a new time. As of September 21, 2008, the televised Sunday Mass will begin at 8:30 AM.
For Separated, Divorced and Widowed Persons
Have you suffered the loss of a spouse through separation, divorce or death? Are you looking for strength to deal with your grief? Consider a weekend of hope and healing.
Special Weekend Retreat – November 14 – 16, 2008
Widow/Widower Support Group 6 week Session Fridays at 7:30 PM September 12 to October 17
Mini Renewal Presentations
September 2nd, 8:00 PM Getting back to Our Centre Rev. Fred Scinto, C.R.
October 7th, 8:00 PM Know the Law and Make It Work For You Vic Szumlanski, LL..B
New Beginnings 1155 Yonge Street, Second Floor Toronto, Ontario, M2M 3S4 For all enquiries please call 416-921-1163, Ext. 2246.
From September 21 to October 4 and October 15 to October 18, 2008, we will retrace St. Paul’s journeys in Greece, the Greek Isles and Turkey. Paul’s journeys and life are recorded in his letters and in the Acts of the Apostles.
For further information, please visit the Catholic Biblical Association website at www.cbac.org, email Sr. Jocelyn Monette at jocmon@sympatico.ca or call 416 – 406 – 4398
Invites you…
Providence healthcare welcomes you to come out and visit us. See and hear first-hand about our excellent programs and services with a personalized tour. To arrange your tour, please contact Gloria Vidovich at 416-285-3669 or gvidovic@providence.on.ca. We are located at 3276 St. Clair Avenue East (corner of Warden & St. Clair Ave.) Our website is www.providence.on.ca
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides an annual receipt for tax purposes for all known donors. This is usually achieved by the donors giving cheques from which all relevant information can be obtained. However, some donors have been putting significant amounts in the Poor Box for which no receipt can be given since their identity is not known. St. Vincent de Paul envelopes are now available on the tables by the doors of the Church for use by those giving cash, if they would like a receipt. Either their name and address or envelope number must be filled in on the envelope so that the amounts can be recorded.
Blessed Trinity Knights of Columbus will be hosting an Italian Dinner Dance followed by a Silent Auction and Raffle on Saturday, September 20th at Blessed Trinity Church. Please support them by buying tickets after the 12:30 and 4:30 PM Masses. To order tickets, please contact Rocco at 416-225-7673. All proceeds will be donated to charity.
September Hike: Discover the Humber River
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto invite young adults (18-39 years) for an afternoon of hiking, prayer, and social on Saturday September 6th. We will be meeting in front of the Old Mill Subway Station between 10:30am-11:00am. More Info/RSVP before Sept 4th – faithconnections@csj-to.ca or call Vanessa Nicholas-Schmidt 416-222-1426 ext 276.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto invite young adults (19-39 yrs) to a thought provoking social evening. Join us from 7:00-9:00p.m. on Mon September 15th @ the Duke of York Pub (39 Prince Arthur Ave., Toronto). Marina Nemat, author of bestseller Prisoner of Tehran and Matthew Behrens, organizer of Stop Canadian Involvement in Torture, will be joining us to speak about “Torture & Illegal Detention in Today’s World” Munchies provided, come & bring friends! More Info? www.faithconnections.ca or call Vanessa Nicholas-Schmidt 416-222-1101
| Posted in Bulletin |
August 24th, 2008
The symbol that is prominent in the first reading and the gospel is that of a key. Eliakim receives the key to the house of David – Peter is given the keys to the kingdom of heaven. The keys Jesus gave to Peter are those given to Him by the Father – Jesus used His keys to open the eyes and ears and hearts of those willing to listen to His teaching. He used His keys to shut out darkness, sin and despair. The church uses its keys to open to us the truths of scripture and the mysteries of our Christian faith. It has used them to lock out the errors, the heresies that have tried to enter into the life of the church from the very time of the Apostles. The church uses its keys in and through its sacramental life as it opens our lives to the life and love of God especially in and through the great sacrament of reconciliation. God places the key on Eliakim’s shoulder to show that the authority he was given would be a burden not a privilege and it is the same with the keys given to Peter, not a privilege of power but a burden of service to us all.
Keys are the symbol of power or control. Loose the keys to your house or to your car and you are helpless. There is nothing worse that being told you must hand over the keys to your car because you can’t drive any more or hand over the keys to your home because you can’t live alone any more. This doesn’t happen any more but can you remember when you found yourself locked out as you came home from a party past your curfew. Curfew, that’s a word you never hear any more. He who has the keys has the power. As we all know power, authority can be used for good or misused for ill.
Parents hold the keys that empower them to unlock for their children their own faith and life values – just by the example they give them. Parents have the keys that can unlock for their children the security, the love and acceptance they need to establish themselves in positive self love. Parents have the power to lock out of their own lives and the lives of their children the corrosive power of prejudice and bigotry and at the same time unlock the doors that allow them to live with respect for people different from themselves.
We are shocked when we hear stories of parents who lock a child away, hidden in a room for years, subject to abuse of every kind. We wonder what kind of parent could do such an evil thing. But when parents lock a child out of their love and acceptance, when they fail to accept that child for what he or she is, they are locking such a child in a room of self doubt and life long isolation. The terrible power of the keys.
As we get ready for a new school year we can think about the power of the keys teachers possess to unlock the wonders of learning for their students.
Outside St. Peter’s in Rome there is that impressive, larger than life statue of St. Peter holding the keys that give the church the power to lock or unlock. Each one of us has such a key, a power to open or close our hearts and lives to other people, family, friends or strangers. Each of us has the key, the power to open or close our minds to new ideas and insights into our faith, into life itself.
As we continue to celebrate this Mass – in which God unlocks to each of us the treasury of His love and forgiveness, we can pray for ourselves and for each other that we use wisely and generously the power of the keys God has given to each of us.
August 17th, 2008
Back in the early 60s I witnessed the marriage of a young couple. She was from Spain and he was from England but living in Canada. They met while he was on vacation in Spain. He took instructions and I received him into the church just before he went to Spain for his wedding. By chance they were married in a Passionist parish in Madrid.
Her first years in Canada were very difficult. Her English was not all that good and coming from Franco’s Spain she found the openness of life in Canada to be a bit overwhelming. Her greatest difficulty was dealing with her husband’s friends. They were all Protestants. In Spain she’d never met a Protestant. Being a “good” Catholic she was convinced she should have nothing to do with them. She worried she was doing something wrong when her husband had his friends over to their home and she let them in. She was stunned by the number of Protestant churches in the area – she’d never seen one before and certainly had never been in one. Socializing with other people of other faiths was all new to her. It took her quite a while to feel at ease rubbing shoulders with them. I’m talking about over 40 years ago and about a woman who came from a very closed society. Things are quite different for her today; she’d be embarrassed by her attitudes of those past days.
I thought of this couple when I read today’s gospel.
The Jewish people were convinced they were the people of God. Time and again they were told. “I will be your God and you will be My people.” Israel jealously protected its sanctity as God’s Holy People, by excluding anyone from outside its borders; they were the “foreigners”, the Goi. Foreigners were to be avoided, lest the Jews be tempted to worship strange gods and take on pagan practices. They strove to be racially and ritually pure. When Jews returned from foreign lands they would clean the soles of their sandals lest they contaminate the soil of the ‘holy land’ with foreign soil. Jesus grew up with this kind of mentality; avoid the stranger, the foreigner. This was part of His culture. As he matured He saw the limitations of such a mentality. He came to know God’s love for all people. He scandalized His own disciples with the way He associated with the Roman centurion and other non Jews and with the way He associated with woman. Bit by bit Jesus was distancing Himself from His own cultural taboos.
Today’s Gospel makes Jesus and His disciples look quite guilty of prejudice and selective charity, even bigotry. Here we have this non-Jewish woman, a foreigner, calling to Jesus for help with her sick daughter. Usually we see Jesus responding quickly and with great compassion to such requests. But Jesus turns His back on her. Basically He tells her to get lost. His disciples want Him to grant her request, not because they cared about her daughter but just to get rid of her. She is a bother, an embarrassment. So there is tension. Jesus tells her, “I haven’t come for the likes of you; My mission is to recall, recover and rededicate the lost sheep of Israel. He has come to feed the Jews, not dogs. This desperate mother will not give up; she turns His words back on Him. ‘even the dogs eat of the crumbs from the master’s table.’ Whether Jesus was testing her or struggling with His own inbred attitudes toward the outsider we don’t know, but He gives in, “woman great is your faith”, a faith He found missing in so many of His own people. Her daughter is healed instantly.
What has all this got to do with us? We are a parish family made up of people from many different lands and cultures. Some of us are cradle Catholics; some are converts to the faith. St. Paul described the first Christian communities as ‘neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but all are one in Christ.’ But we all have an innate tendency to be selective, exclusive. We are comfortable with conformity, people of our own kind. We can resent the demands of people new to this land that their faith, their culture and customs be accepted and respected. If they want to live here then let them be Canadians, be like us.
Having heard the words of today’s Gospel and seeing Jesus’ own struggles with His own culture of exclusiveness, can we hear Him asking us to hear the requests of the Canaanites of our own families, our neighbours, our parish to be accepted for who they are and what they are. Jesus kept crossing boundaries with His welcoming words and healing touch. Can we do the same, not just within our parish family but in the living of our daily lives?
Are we willing to overcome our annoyance, our impatience with Canaanites of our own lives – people who intrude into our set ways of thinking and living and make demands on us to accept and respect them as they are – regardless of their faith or culture or life style?
In today’s gospel we see Jesus having a change of heart, we see Him overcoming His own culture of exclusiveness and superiority. As we continue to celebrate this Mass we can pray for ourselves and for each other for the grace to open our lives to all those men, women and children who come into our lives and accept and respect their many differences, differences that in many ways make us one – one as people embraced and loved as God’s own people.
August 3rd, 2008
The very first words of today’s gospel set the scene of the gospel. Jesus has just heard the shocking news that His cousin, John the Baptist, had been murdered by Herod. He needed time and space to take all this in. He went with his friends to what He thought was a deserted place to grieve the death of this good man.
Things didn’t go as planned. When he got out of the boat He was confronted by a large crowd. These people had no idea of what Jesus was going through, probably they didn’t even care. They had their own problems and they needed Him.
We hear that Jesus had compassion on them, in other words, His heart went out to them. Forgetting His own feelings of loss, His own need for peace and quiet, He reached out to these needy men, women and children. His listened to their sad stories, He spoke to them of God’s love and proved that love as He cured those sick in mind and body. At the end of the day He took what little food He had and shared it with them, encouraging them to share with others the food they had with them.
There can be times in our lives when we are convinced God really doesn’t have time for us, that we really are not that important. Maybe we feel God has a grudge against us because of our past neglect of Him. We are convinced God knows we only come to Him when we are in trouble or want something, otherwise we seldom think of God. Or we’re sure that God resents us because of our past sins.
So often when we let such feelings color our ways of thinking about God what we are really doing is projecting our ways of thinking and relating to others unto God. We imagine God treats us the way we treat others. We imagine God is at tightfisted with His love and His forgiveness as we are with ours. We forget that we are cursed with memories while God is blessed with amnesia. It has been said that in the beginning God made us in God’s image and likeness and ever since we have been making God in our image and likeness and that’s why our God is too small. Our small God cannot grasp our true God.
If we want a good image of God’s love for us we can imagine a tsunami. Remember those TV images of that tsunami that hit Indonesia, a gigantic wall of water sweeping up everything in its path? This is a perfect image of God’s love for us, an eternal, unstoppable surge of love that sweeps up and carries along everything in its path – never in a destructive way but in a loving, life giving way.
It was that tsunami of love that gave Jesus the patience and the strength to put aside his own need for a time to grieve over John the Baptist, a time for peace and quiet and to empathize with the needs of the people who came looking for Him. It was that tsunami of love that washed Jesus up on Calvary, where in his final act of love, He died for us.
Last week’s gospel told the parable of the pearl of great price. Can we imagine ourselves as that pearl, a pearl Christ finds and gives up all that He has, His every life, to purchase us?
As we continue to celebrate this Mass we can pray for the grace to appreciate the powerful words of St. Paul in our second reading – I am convinced that neither death nor life, no angel, no rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation – including or faults and failing, we ever separate us from the love God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord, Who loved us and gave His life for us – pearls of great price.
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.
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Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk