February 24th, 2008
It’s all about water. Where would we be without it? Luckily in Canada we have an abundance of water. We can’t conceive of a situation of being without water. Here in Toronto we live on one of the great lakes, the inland seas. The Indian name for the Great Lakes was ‘the sweet water seas’. Right now the greatest sought after resource in the world is oil. Most of the conflicts going on in the world right now are around securing sources of oil. Some say the next great conflicts on the globe will be over water. For many people it will be a matter of survival. When you stop to think of it, we are paying more for bottled water than we are for a liter of gas.
But let’s back to the scripture. Imagine the anger and frustration of the Jewish people out in the arid desert following Moses to an unknown destination. In rage they ask Moses “Did you bring us out into this desert to die of thirst”? We know the end of the story. Moses struck the rock and there was water a plenty. Without this water they could never continue their journey. The water was a symbol of the sustaining presence and companionship of God on their journey.
In the gospel we find the thirsty Jesus standing by a deep well. He has no way of drawing up the water because He has no bucket. He needs someone else. So Jesus breaks two taboos: fraternizing with a Samaritan and a Samaritan woman at that. She was shocked by this encounter. “How is it that you a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria – for Jews did not share things in common with Samaritans.” Jesus is certainly thirsty, walking dusty roads on a dry hot day. But the water Jesus has in mind goes way beyond well water. “The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” Those who drink of the well water will come back time and time again to be refreshed. Those who drink the water Jesus offers will never be thirsty again, He is the living water. His presence, His love, His healing, His life quenches all our thirsts.
I read this thought recently. In John’s gospel there are a few instances where we are faced with apparent impossibilities. At Cana they had no wine – when faced with feeding an enormous crowd they only had five loaves of bread and two fishes, at the end of a long night Peter, James and John caught no fish. Jesus is thirsty, the well is deep and He has no bucket. Apparent impossibilities. But water is turned into choice wine – thousands are fed and there is much left over – there is a catch of fish that threatens to break nets – and at the well Jesus quenches a woman’s thirst for truth and love and acceptance.
How often do we face ‘apparent impossibilities’ in our own lives? How can I cope with this problem, resolve this conflict, let go of this anger and resentment? How can I forget and forgive this wrong done to me, what am I going to do with a son or daughter who is messing up his/her life? How can I cope caring for an invalid mother or father who is cantankerous and unreasonable? How can I cope with my own failing health, my own aching bones? How will I ever get over the grief of losing someone I loved? How do I handle my own doubts of faith in God or the meaning of my own life? Apparent impossibilities. The well is deep, we have no bucket.
We thirst for love, for understanding, for faith, for solutions, for patience, for wisdom, for the ability to forgive, for healing, for the capacity to accept the fact that things are not going to change. The well is deep, we have no bucket. We too meet Jesus at these different wells. He offers each of us in all our apparent impossibilities the refreshing, life giving waters of His life and His love. He offers us the refreshing waters of courage and patience, of insight and understanding, He offers us the refreshing waters of healing and forgiveness, He offers us the refreshing waters to trust in His presence to us, to trust that He knows and understands our ‘apparent impossibilities’ and He will see us through them.
| Posted in Homily |
Mass on Thursday, February 28 at 9:00 AM
St. Gabriel was a member of the Passionist Community. He was born Frances Possenti on March 1, 1838 in Assisi, and died February 27, 1862 at the age of 24. He had a special devotion to Mary and chose as his religious name Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin. He is remembered for his enthusiasm in life and his extraordinary generosity. Pope John XXIII proclaimed him as a special Patron of Youth.
Friday evenings at 7:30 PM.
While remembering the passion of Jesus, we also prayerfully reflect on the passion of Christ as it is experienced in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters today. Please try to join us at least once during this Lenten season.
During Lent we encourage your attendance at our weekday Masses on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at 9:00 AM.
Thursday, February 28, March 6, 13 at 7:30 PM
Join us on Thursday evenings as we watch and discuss a video series entitled “THE MYSTERY OF FAITH” presented by Father Michael Himes, a teacher at Boston College. If you are interested in attending, it would be helpful for set-up if you would phone and leave a message with Mary Landry at 416-221-8866, Ext. 224.
Wednesday, February 27TH at 7:30 PM
This is an opportunity to spend some time in peace and quiet, to reflect upon how we are responding to our call to be sons and daughters of God. Recognizing the fact that we are “good people,” we also accept the fact that good people can sin. Through an examination of conscience we face those sins, admit them and are reconciled to God. For those who wish, individual confessions will be celebrated after the service. We encourage you to take advantage of this celebration.
Tuesday evening, March 4 at 7:30 PM Topic: Catholics in Nazi Germany
Wednesday morning, February 27th at 10:30 AM Topic: St. Paul – Pastor and Theologian
Monday, March 3rd and Wednesday, March 5th from 7:30 – 8:30 PM
CRITICAL CHOICES – PASSION RESPONSES THEN AND NOW
Christ’s Passion can help us to grapple with and respond to the challenges of climate change. The difficult journey of his ministry reached a critical decision when he had to accept or reject a passion that he did not particularly want (Matt. 26: 37-39). A compelling urgency and necessity demanded that a choice be made so that salvation might eventually follow. The model of Christ’s action and the values that informed his decision can guide and inspire our response to the increasingly serious consequences of climate change. Join us for two evenings of reflection and prayer on March 3rd and 5th at 7:30 PM, guided by Dennis O’Hara.
Saturday, March 1 at 3:15 PM in the Library For information, please contact Linda Law at 416 -918-8029.
Sunday, March 2 at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room For information, please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
Sunday, March 2 at 11:30 AM in the Gabriel Room
On the first Sunday of each month, the Passionist Centre for Ecology and Spirituality facilitates a 30 minute reflection and discussion prompted by the readings for that Sunday’s liturgy. This guided reflection brings an ecological perspective to the readings.
Sunday, March 2 at the 12:30 PM MassCom e and celebrate with us.
Please remember in your prayers those who will be received into the Church at Easter.
Friday, March 7th at 2:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Church
The World Day of Prayer is an ecumenical service at which seven other local churches will participate with us. We need some volunteers to help us both before and during the service. We will be making crosses using palms (100 of them!) to hand out at the service. We also need a few greeters and four others to take up the collection which goes to various religious and social justice organizations. Please join us as we welcome our neighbouring Christian parishes.
Total: $8,230
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There will be a potluck dinner for newcomers to Canada on February 29th at 6:30 PM in the Gabriel Room. It will be an excellent opportunity to meet other new immigrants in the parish and to share with one another the experiences of settlement and perhaps even some strategies for adjusting to new life in Canada. Please join us if you can. For more information, contact Fatima Lee at (416) 221- 8866 ext 228.
Society of Sharing has been dedicated to serving seniors and the disabled since 1981. The Society seeks to serve isolated and disabled adults over 50 or frail elderly persons who may not have family and friends. A request for a volunteer may be made by a visiting nurse, social worker, parish or community worker, family, friend or self. The Society of Sharing provides support to enhance the quality of life and to extend independent living in the community. Volunteers make regular visits to shut-ins. They also provide telephone medication reminders daily.
ShareLife is now receiving funds for our relief partners at the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace as they respond to the crisis in Kenya. If parishioners wish to contribute to the relief effort, they can do so here at St. Gabriel’s or on the ShareLife website, www.sharelife.org
Your schedule for March 1 to June 29. 2008 and Holy Week is now available. Please pick it up as soon as possible.
Daria Morson Aidan Simms Murray Felin Czarina Therese Reye Lyliana Rene Jones Ella Benita Fernandes
The Marguerite Bourgeoys Family Centre will be selling Belgian chocolate Easter eggs for $3.00 each or two for $5.00 before and after the Masses on Sunday, March 2. Your support will help them promote and maintain their service in the Diocese to youth and couples.
There will be a Pot Luck Supper for all who cook casseroles or serve at the Good Shepherd Centre; those interested in becoming volunteers are welcome to attend. The Pot Luck Supper will be on Wednesday, March 12 at 6:00 PM. All attending are requested to bring a hot dish, salad or dessert to serve six people. A speaker from the Good Shepherd Centre will make a presentation on their activities and answer questions. If we have not contacted you, please call one of the following: Lily D’Gama at 416 733-3949, Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791, Fatima Lee at 416 221-8866, Ext. 228 or Neil Ahlberg at 416 223-9385
March 3 & 4, 2008 on VISIONTV
Father Ron Rolheiser, O.M.I. will be the guest preacher for this year’s National televised Mission. His topic: Keeping a Mellow Heart in a Bitter Time. A powerful testimonial on this topic will be given by a father and his daughter, Tom and Barbara Zanig. Monday, March 3 – Show #1: 7:00 PM, 11:00 PM (repeat) Tuesday, March 4 – Show # 2: 7:00 PM, 11:00 PM (repeat)
Registration begins in February 2008 for Kindergarten and French Immersion at all Catholic elementary schools throughout the City of Toronto. For more information, please contact the Catholic school nearest you or at 416-222-8282, extension 5314 or visit the Board’s website at www.tcdsb.org.
At our Archdiocesan school renowned for it’s boys choir, auditions are now in progress for the 2008-9 school year. The Choir School forms young Christian gentlemen through a unique learning environment of musical and academic excellence. Entrance is normally at grade 3, but space may be available in upper years including the high school. For information, visit www.smcs.on.ca or call the Main Office at 416-393-5518.
| Posted in Bulletin |
February 22nd, 2008
| Posted in Events |
February 17th, 2008
Friday evenings beginning Feb. 8th at 7:30 PM. While remembering the passion of Jesus, we also prayerfully reflect on the passion of Christ as it is experienced in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters today. Please try to join us at least once during this Lenten season.
Thursday, February 14, 21, 28, March 6, 13 at 7:30 PM
Join us on Thursday evenings as we watch and discuss a video series entitled THE MYSTERY OF FAITH presented by Father Michael Himes, a teacher at Boston College. If you are interested in attending, it would be helpful for set-up if you would phone and leave a message with Mary Landry at 416-221-8866, Ext. 224.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH AT 7:30 PM
This is an opportunity to spend some time in peace and quiet, to reflect upon how we are responding to our call to be sons and daughters of God. Recognizing the fact that we are “good people” we also accept the fact that good people can sin. Through an examination of conscience we face those sins, admit them and are reconciled to God. For those who wish, individual confessions will be celebrated after the service. We encourage you to take advantage of this celebration.
Tuesday, March 3rd and Thursday, March 5th from 7:30 – 8:30 PM
A special thank you to all the wonderful people who volunteered their time and talent to help make this year’s celebration such a success. And a special thank you also goes out to all those who came to share and support us, helping to make this gathering so memorable.
There will be a potluck dinner for newcomers to Canada on February 29th at 6:30 PM in the Gabriel Room. It will be an excellent opportunity to meet other new immigrants in the parish and to share with one another the experiences of settlement and perhaps even some strategies for adjusting to new life in Canada. Please join us if you can. For more information, please contact Fatima Lee at (416) 221- 8866 ext 228.
Total: $9,372
Please remember those who will be received into the Church at Easter.
On Sunday the 24th of February, a woman will be offering religious articles made by Christian Arab artists in the Holy Land. We encourage your support of this sale, as this is one way of showing our solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters in the land of Christ. Fr. Paul
at St. Gabriel’s Church Friday, March 7th at 2:00 PM
Tuesday evening, February 19th at 7:30 PM Topic: The Passionists and their new project with Fr. Steve Dunn
Wednesday morning, February 27th at 10:30 AM Topic: Vocations by Father Michael Himes
Your prepared chicken rice casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses next weekend for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. More volunteers are encouraged to get a copy of the casserole recipe and a pan and give it a try. For more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791.
Monday February 18th 2:30 – 7:00 St. Gabriel’s Parish – Gathering Space. Please note that the date for February is a week earlier than usual.
March 3 & 4, 2008 on VISIONTV.
Mosaic has been invited to partner with the Bayview Corridor of Synagogues group in a Sunday, Habitat for Humanity Build on April 6th. This is open to anyone aged 16 on the day of the build and older. You must wear a hard hat and safety boots on the site at all times. If you do not own them, there are loaners available. It is suggested that you bring your own work gloves. The site is on Kingston Road. Participants are requested to raise $50 in donations to Habitat for Humanity. Tax receipts will be provided. Full details and the necessary pledge sheets and forms will be mailed to those interested. Contact thisisfran@yahoo.com. The deadline for registration is March 10th.
Tuesday, February 19th at 1:00 PM Special guest: Tom Hayes Topic: Women in the Bible Refreshments and social to follow. All are welcome.
February 10th, 2008
There is a story told of a young priest asking a senior priest, ‘when do temptations cease?’ The senior priest answered, ‘a half an hour after you’re dead.’
Today’s scripture reading are all about temptations. A temptation is an allurement to something wrong under the aspect of it being good. In giving in to a temptation we are deluding ourselves into thinking that what we are about to do or say is really a good thing when in truth it is the wrong thing. We heard in our first reading that the fruit of the tree of good and evil was a delight to the eye, it was desired to make one wise and the really alluring part of this whole drama was that if one ate this fruit one would be like God, knowing good and evil. Surrounded by so many blessings the woman wanted more. She was not satisfied with being herself, who she was, she wanted to be someone else – she wanted to be like God.
So often our unhappiness comes when we fail to recognize how blessed we are, when we fail to appreciate our own selves and we try to be who we are not. We allow ourselves to be enticed into trying to be who we are not in the hope that this will fulfill us, bring us happiness. And it doesn’t work. We end up betraying ourselves, our own integrity. We allow ourselves to be enticed into relationships that are really not life giving but become the source of guilt and unhappiness. Someone described temptations as ‘truthy lies’.
After His baptism in the Jordan by His cousin John the Baptist, Jesus went into a time of prayer and fasting to sort out the full meaning of the words ‘this is my son the beloved with whom I am well pleased.’ In this self searching Jesus comes to realize that what His Father calls Him to be and do will not be easy. It will cost Him. He is to bear witness to the truth and justice of God to powerful people who will not want to hear what He has to say. He is to bear witness to the truth that the people need to change their ways of living life, change their external religious observances into something more of the spirit. He is to bear witness to the truth of the evil of political and religious oppression.
From the very beginning Jesus wondered, could His Father’s will be done in another way, a less demanding, less painful way. Even the night before He was to die Jesus prayed, ‘if it’s possible let this chalice pass me by.’ Jesus is tempted; He is enticed by the possibility of doing His Father’s will differently. Maybe He would change stones into bread and feed the hungry of the land. This would certainly bring the people back to God. Maybe He could bring the people back to God by doing spectacular things, do amazing feats that would mesmerize the people. This could be a way of bringing people to the Father. Or power, maybe He could have such a power, even political power among the people that He could overpower the powers that be. This would certainly attract the people and then He could lead them to God.
Jesus saw through these allurements. They called Him to be someone He was not. They would lure Him away from being the suffering servant of God Who would be faithful to His Father’s will to preach the good news, the challenging news, the demanding news of God’s love and mercy. Jesus rejected these enticing ideas. He saw through their emptiness. He would be what He was meant to be, God’s faithful Son. He would do what He was called to do, call the people to change their lives and return to God no matter the cost.
Temptation is part of all our lives. Every day we are conditioned to be consumers. We are enticed into believing our lives are not fulfilled if we don’t have the latest gadget, or wear the latest fashion, dine at a trendy restaurant, drive the latest automobile, use the latest ipod or blackberry. We are conditioned every day through the TV programs we watch to believe that uncommitted relationships are perfectly normal and can be easily trashed. No commitment means no one gets hurt. In work and social situations we can be tempted to look the other way, not get involved, and keep our thoughts to ourselves, when we see good people hurt by injustice or unfairness.
I read this little thought just recently, “we sit at our desks working hard, worrying about meetings and deadlines, wondering if we can live up to our own expectations and those of others. Right now we are important, everyone needs us.” I see this as the usual temptation to a god complex. It’s a temptation that has brought on many a heart attack. In so many ways, some subtle, some blatant, we will be tempted into relationships, lifestyles, attitudes, thoughts and actions that lure us away from who we really are, that diminish our true selves – under the guise of being good. It’s our reality.
Our second reading is a link between the tragedy of Eden and the faithfulness of the desert. Paul sees Jesus as the new Adam and His obedience, his faithfulness to the Father stands in sharp contrast to the disobedience of the first Adam. Where sin abounded grace did more abound. We are told Christ was tempted in all things, but did not sin. This is our hope and strength. We are not alone; Christ is with us in all our struggles. As we continue this Mass, we pray for ourselves and for each other that no matter what the allurement of the day or the hour, by God’s grace we find the strength to be faithful to who we are and what we are, brothers and sisters of the Christ Who was obedience, faithful, even unto death, even death on the cross.
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
