August 29th, 2021
Today’s scriptures are very relevant to the times in which we live. We’re living with a death dealing virus and its mutants and we’re in the midst of a snap election.
In both these instances we’re called to be ‘doers of the word and not hearers only.
In living with the virus being doers of the word means we care for those around us, we are our brothers and sister keepers, we do unto others what we would have others do to us and so we wear masks, we get vaccinated, we wash our hands. We’re mature enough not to buy into; no one’s going to tell me what to do; I have my rights. Government get out of my life.
In this time of elections, we are to be doers of the word not just hearers. Be doers of the word and elect men and women who are willing to face the realities of climate change, the need for a living wage and equitable health care. Be doers of the word and elect those who take seriously the need for affordable housing and the reality of our aging population.
It is not my business to tell you how to vote. It is my business to remind you of your civic duty to vote. It is a privilege many man and women in too many countries do not have.
As voting Christian men and women we follow the example and teachings of Jesus; feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty – clean safe water is a human right – welcome the stranger. Be doers of the word.
Here in Canada we vote for a political party and it’s political platform, not for the individual. Check and see how close the political platform comes to what we consider to be ‘gospel values’.In our opening prayer we asked God; to nurture in us what is good and keep safe what God has nurtured.
As we continue this Mass we pray for ourselves and each other for the courage to be doers and not just listeners of the basic teaching and example of Jesus; love one another, especially the least among you, as I’ve loved you.
| Posted in Homily |
August 21st, 2021
Download the Garden Retreat Poster
September 18th, 2021 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
St. Gabriel’s Parish 670 Sheppard Ave. East
Participants will engage hands-on with the plants and soil. Dress for the weather.
Visit: stgabrielsparish.eventbrite.ca Or Call: 416-221-8866 Reserve early as space is limited.
Cost $30. Please pay registration fee at the door.
Fr Stephen Dunn, Passionist, Ecotheologian – Changing Perspective –
Dennis Patrick O’Hara, PhD – The Garden in Architectural Context –
Maria Montejo, Indigenous Maya Popti’, Traditional Knowledge Holder – An Indigenous Perspective on creating a way of life that is in Harmony, Balance and Respect with All Our Relations –
Sponsored by St. Gabriel’s Parish in collaboration with the St. Gabriel’s Garden Ministry, The Eco Sabbath, The Youth Ministry, and the Congregation of Passionists.
Event will operate under the COVID-19 protocols of Toronto Public Health.
| Posted in Events |
August 16th, 2021
Meetings in preparation for the R.C.I.A. (Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults) will begin in October. These meetings are for persons interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith. The exploration may lead the candidate to seek baptism, and become a member of the Catholic Christian community; or for Christians already baptized into another Christian denomination, the reception into the Catholic Church.
Adult Catholics who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation but who wish to do so are also encouraged to attend these sessions.
As well, these meetings may be an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of our faith. Very often, especially for those of us who received our religious instruction at an early age, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but the understanding of our faith does not grow correspondingly. The RCIA may serve as a good opportunity for us to ask questions and to develop a more adult understanding of our faith.
Registration will continue until September 18th. If you are interested in joining the RCIA meetings or if you would like to have more information about it, please contact Sr. Maria Lucia by email at StGabrielParishRCIA@gmail.com or by phone at 416-221-8866.
| Posted in Notice |
August 14th, 2021
St. Paul describes Jesus in this way; He did not consider his equality with God as something to be clung to but he emptied himself becoming as we all are, though without sin and took to himself the form of a slave, the least of human beings, a slave obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Because of this diminishment God exalted him and gave him a name above all others, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The life of Mary parallels the life of Jesus. As a young girl Mary is invited to play a major part in the plan God had for humanity. She would conceive and bear a child by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and name him Jesus. Mary was promised her son would be great and the Lord God with give him the throne of his ancestor David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will have no end.
Mary must have remembered these promises as she stood by the cross of Jesus on Calvary. Saw her son robbed of all human dignity, robbed of his reputation as a good man. Jesus’ throne was his cross, his crown was woven thorns, his royal robe was his flesh ripped by whips, his banner the mock title nailed to his cross; Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews.
Jesus called out, my God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Mary sharing in that sense of abandonment must have questioned, what happened to all those promises? But Mary’s trust in the promises of God never faltered.
God the Father vindicated Jesus in Jesus’ resurrection. God the Father vindicated the faith of Mary in her assumption into heaven.
Like the Immaculate Conception the Assumption was not always a dogma of our Catholic faint until Pope Pius 12 rules it so in 1950. It is longstanding tradition in the Orthodox churches of the East. They celebrate the feast of the dormition, the slumbering of Mary.
In his dogmatic decree of 1950 Pope Pius made it a matter of our faith that Mary, having completed her earthly course was taken body and soul to heaven to share in the glory of her risen Son. The Father did not let his holy one see corruption.
This feast celebrates Mary’s un shakable trust in God’s promises.
Despite all odds Mary trusted God to be faithful to God’s promises. Mary’s example challenges us to question ourselves, how trusting are we to God’s promises to us? Jesus promised us; seek and you will find, ask and you will receive, knock and the door will be opened, and especially, when we fret over our past mistakes, there’s the promise, tho your sins be as red as scarlet they will be white as snow, tho they be red as crimson they shall be white as wool.
On this great feast of Mary’s Assumption into heaven we pray for ourselves and for each other for the gift to have share in Mary’s trust that the promises made to her by God would be fulfilled and trust so will God’s promises to us.
August 1st, 2021
Last Sunday’s gospel told of Jesus feeding a crowd of close to 5000 men, women and children with five barley loaves and two fish. The people were so impressed they want come by force and make Jesus king. Jesus left them and took the disciples with him and went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. But the people followed and found him. He chides them that they want more food. Then he introduces them to the reality we know as the Eucharist, Holy Communion.
Jesus cautions the people not labor for food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life which the son of man will give them.
Once again this dubious crowd demanded a sign – give us a sign so that we may believe. They remembered their ancestors were given Manna to eat in the desert, what does Jesus offer them. Jesus challenges their imagination and their faith by his claim; ‘I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Now that the restrictions on our social lives are being lifted we anxious to get together with family and friends. We are at ease having friends over for a meal or a drink. It lifts our spirits getting together with others to break bread. We nourish one another with companionship and conversation.
For the next couple of Sundays the gospel will be centered on Jesus Christ as our bread of life come down from heaven as did the Manna. He makes this promise, I am the bread of life, and whoever eats this bread will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty
Later on Jesus makes another promise. Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you cannot have life in you.t the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you cannot have life in you.
This virus has caused Havoc to our Sunday celebrations; only so many people can attend, they have to register beforehand, they have to wear masks, the way we share communion is so controlled, there is no greeting of peace, we can’t sing, we can’t spend any social time in our gathering space.
It’s all so controlled, contrived, so not Holy Communion.
Hopefully when people are more comfortable with crowds and come again to our Sunday Masses we can again be nourished by the body and blood of Christ. We are hungry, not just for Holy Communion but also for company of our fellow parishioners. We need their presence, we need their faith.
Our common faith tells us that the Word made flesh; the incarnate Christ is present as our bread of life. The crucified Christ gives his flesh and blood as food to all of us
At this Mass, at every Mass we are nourish, strengthened, supported and encouraged by the scriptures we hear, sometimes by the sermon we hear but always the bread of life we receive in communion, in oneness with all those around us.
Bread is more than bread, it is the body of Christ, wine is more than wine, and it is the blood of Christ. Take and eat, take and drink, never be hungry.
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