Our Lady Queen of Peace

Transcription

1 Our Lady Queen of Peace 4696 Notre Dame Lane, House Springs, Mo July 5, 2015 PASTOR Reverend Michael Murphy ASSOCIATES Reverend James Beighlie, C.M. Reverend Donald F. Molitor, Retired DEACONS Reverend Dr. Thomas Gerling Reverend Mr. Paul Turek, Sr. MUSIC DIRECTOR Mr. Bob Ellison GRADE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL Mr. Curt Baker PSR COORDINATOR Mrs. Terry Ostlund PRESCHOOL COORDINATOR Mrs. Laura Cortner YOUTH MINISTER COORDINATOR Mrs. Terry Ostlund PARISH COUNCIL Nikki Adams, Bailey Alexander, Cathy Carley, Joe Corio, Lawrence Giovanni, Mary Luebbert, Dave Mills, Rick Mraz, Julie Vermillion, Maria Webb, Tim Webb Parish Office School Preschool Cafeteria SCHEDULE OF MASSES Saturday Evening Sunday Holy Days Weekdays 5:00 pm 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 am as announced 8:00 am EUCHARISTIC ADORATION The Blessed Sacrament is exposed for prayerful Adoration every Wednesday after 8:00 am Mass PERPETUAL HELP DEVOTIONS Tuesday after 8:00am Mass ROSARY Monday through Friday after 8:00 am Mass Second Monday of month after 8:00 am Mass Led by Knights of Columbus for vocations Before 1st Saturday 8:00 am Mass Before 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 am Sunday Masses SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM First and third Sunday of the month after 11:30 am Mass. Make arrangements by calling Parish Office. SACRAMENT OF PENANCE Saturday 4:00-4:45 pm or by appointment SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY As soon as marriage is contemplated, contact one of the parish priests. Parish Office OLQP Web Site For Bulletin Articles Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish Registration forms may be found on our website (olqpparish.org/parishregistration.htm), in the Church lobby or you may stop by the Parish Office to fill one out. If you have recently changed your status, married, moved out of your parents home or graduated from high school, you need to re-register. Please help us keep our records accurate.

2 Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish July 5, 2015 Upcoming Parish Events 2015 July M/F 6-10 Hope Builders Summer Service Week August Sun 2 Sat 15 Home and School Quarter Auction Knights of Columbus Night at the Horse Races September Sat 12 Daughters of Isabella Tailgate Sale Sun 27 OLQP Quilt Social October Sat 3 OLQP Auction Sat 10 Hoedown 2015 April Sun 10 May Wed 4 First Communion Confirmation Are You Ready For Some Football? The 2015 NFL regular season starts on Sunday, September 13th, this year. Once again, we are planning on participating with St. John s parish in the Football Booster Program in order to raise funds for our parish. As I explained last summer; A football booster card costs $20. You can buy as many as you want. They are good for the 17 weeks of the football season. Our parish gets $10 for each card that we sell. Each week there will be at least 7 winners based upon the scores of that week s football games. First Sunday Breakfast moved to Sunday, July 12 Serving after 7:30/9:30 am Masses So all may enjoy the holiday weekend the 1st Sunday Breakfast is being moved to July 12th. This is an all-you-can-eat breakfast. All are welcome. Adult cost is $6.00 and children under 12 is $3.00. The Knights of Columbus men prepare and serve this breakfast. All proceeds benefit the Parish emergency repair fund. Parish Activities ~ July 6 to 12th Mon July 6 Hope Builders begins Service Week Tues July 7 Perpetual Help Devotions after 8:00 am Mass Quilters, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30-7:30 pm, Parish Office, Quilters Room Sat July 11 Mass For Healing, 9:00 am, Church PRIZES: Highest Scores Lowest Scores $400-First Prize $50-First Prize $200-Second Prize $25-Second Prize $75-Third Prize $10-Third Prize $50- Fourth Prize You do not have to understand football! You do not have to watch football! You do not even have to like football! Once you purchase your football booster ticket(s), you can throw it (them) in a drawer and forget about it. You will automatically be sent a check if you are a winner. Last year, 25 Football Booster cards, sold from our parish, won a combined total of $3, More information will be made available in the upcoming weeks. -fr mike

3 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 5, 2015 Adoration of Our Lord Wednesday after 8:00 am Mass, ending at 8:00 pm Youth Council News High School Youth Group Wednesday Evenings (in the Summer) No Youth Group July 8th due to Hope Builders July 15th and 22nd August 5th 6:00-8:00 pm in the Cafeteria Meeting Room Invite a friend and join us! We meet from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Cafeteria Meeting Room. Strengthen your relationship with Jesus and become the best version of yourself. We always have time for fun and food. Pray for our Teens We know that Jesus is there in the Tabernacle: Let us open our hearts to Him, Let us rejoice in His Sacred Presence. That is the best prayer. ( St John Vianney) Please pray for our teens as they prepare for the Hope Builders Service Week, July 6th-10th and for the 23 youth participating in the Steubenville Conference in Springfield, MO, July 17th -19th. Please pray for all of our teens of the parish. We ask that God s grace cover them from head to toe as they grow stronger in their relationship with God. For more information about any of our Youth Ministry activities please contact Terry Ostlund at Mass For Healing Saturday, July 11, 9:00 am We will be having a Mass for Healing at our parish on Saturday, July 11, at 9:00 am. Anyone who is sick, dealing with an illness or is struggling with advanced aging is invited to attend. Please call the Parish Office, , if you need someone to drive you. For Reflection I can only think of one thing greater than being happy, and that is to help another to be happy, too.

4 Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish July 5, 2015 For Sale Queen head/footboards/rails and nightstand (blue), 2 youth desk and chairs. Call Emily, Parish School of Religion Registration Parents if you have not registered your children that will be in Kindergarten through 8th grade next year, you can do that by picking a registration form up at the Parish Office, have one ed to you, or register in person on one of the first three Monday evenings in August from 5-8 pm. I will be in the PSR office in the school building next to the Mary statue during those times. The first night of PSR will be Monday, August 31st, 6:15-7:35. We will gather in Church for a family prayer service at 6:15. We ask the parents to attend this with their children. We remind all parents of 1st graders to sign your child up for PSR this year so he/she will be ready to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist in 2nd grade. For more information Terry Ostlund at psr@olqpparish.org. Unclassified Ads in the Bulletin All ads will be posted on a first come, first served basis. The ads are restricted to 21 words (about 3 lines of text) and must be submitted by Friday (nine days prior to Sunday publication) at 4:30 pm. If an item is deemed inappropriate for publication in this forum, the $10 fee will be returned to the applicant. The ads will appear in the bulletin and on the parish website in the weekly posting of the bulletin. Unclassified Bulletin Advertisement Request Name Address Daytime phone Date Published Advertisement text (limited to 21 words) St. Vincent De Paul In today s Gospel the people ask: How is it such miraculous deeds are accomplished by His hands? Because of your gift to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul many miraculous deeds are accomplished for the poor. This week put a gift in the St. Vincent de Paul poor box, knowing that through your kindness someone who is suffering will be touched by God in a miraculous way. Publication subject to approval by the Fundraising Committee. All items must be submitted by Friday (nine days before requested publication) 4:30 pm. $10 fee must be paid when submitted. We would like to thank Bill Williams Construction, parishioners Bill and Mary Williams, for advertising in our parish bulletin. Because of their generosity we do not pay for our bulletins to be printed. Please patronize our advertisers and thank them for supporting our parish.

5 2015 Tenta ve Calendar July 18 Retreat at Il Ri ro, 8 am to 4:00 pm September 7 Labor Day Mass at Byrnesville Cemetery Pavilion, 9:00 am September 13 The Prodigal You Love Invi ng Loved Ones Back to the Church - Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP, Author, 2:00 pm, cafeteria September 14 and 21 (Dates changed!) Explana on of the Mass, Fr. Don, 7:00 pm, church Oct. 7 and 14 Two evening discussion on discovering your personal Charism, 7:00 pm, cafeteria November 4 Lec o Divina discussion, 7:00pm, cafeteria Advent Begin 2016 Year of Study July 4th Prayer Father, I come to this July 4th, grateful for my country and grateful for the men and women who gave their lives so that I might be free. I proclaim my allegiance to my country and total dedication to you, my Lord. As I watch the magnificent explosions of color on this red, white, and blue holiday, I am reminded of my spectacular Lord and Savior who is great beyond my imagination. May the name of the Lord be praised and celebrated throughout our country on this our joyous national holiday! Amen Symbolon-Faith Formation for every parishioner Enjoy this program in the comfort of your home! For the parishioner code to sign up, please call the Parish Office, Signs of a Dynamic Catholic Schedule 2015 Year of Prayer 2016 Year of Study 2017 Year of Generosity 2018 Year of Evangelization Four Degrees of Prayer The Lord showed me that there are four degrees of prayer that are applicable to your life. The first is the Prayer of Strength. It comes when you begin to realize that God is your Father and you ve got this vacuum in your heart. You re full of sin, you re full of anxie es and frustra ons, and you have nowhere to go. The thirst you have gives you a sense of repentance, which enables you to open the door to God s heart. Then once you repent, comes a prayer of the heart. The Prayer of the Heart looks at God with a humble heart saying, Lord I leave everything to Your will. I love You enough to accept all the nos and all the yesses. The Prayer of the Heart demonstrates a deep commitment that you are going to live a Chris an life no ma er the tempta ons or obstacles. The next prayer is the Prayer of the Mind, where you begin to examine yourself. This is where dryness comes in that kind of empty feeling where you sense that God is far away and He s not listening. Did you ever feel that way? It s a good sign because it calls us to rise to a higher spiritual level. The Prayer of the Mind helps us dig into our own conscience and rid ourselves of all the junk. And finally there is the Prayer of the Soul, when you feel a very deep presence of God, a deep sense of love. You begin to sense God s presence in your neighbor. It s the Father in you loving Jesus in your neighbor. That s the highest form of prayer, because it s unceasing. Mother Angelica s Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality

6 Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace July 5, 2015 OLQP Home and School Sponsors Quarter Auction (to benefit Our Lady Queen of Peace School) Knights of Columbus Hall Sunday, August 2 Doors open at 1:00 pm Auction Starts at 2:00pm What is a Quarter Auction?...Well, it is a cross between an auction, a raffle and bingo, where vendors gather their products together and give you the chance to win them by placing bids with quarters. The money raised will be donated to OLQP School to support the cost of technology fees, bus cost for field trips, books, supplies, new equipment and many other items. In addition to the Quarter Auction, you can shop our many vendors, take a chance on winning some nice raffle baskets and possibly be the winner of the 50/50 drawing! Refreshments will also be available for purchase. Questions, please call Krista, (636) Hearing Devices Available at Mass We have hearing devices available in Church for those who have hearing disabilities. There are three devices, about the size of a cell phone, located in the server sacristy (the room to the left of the sanctuary). They are on top of the sound system. To use them, put the ear plugs in and turn on the device to the desired sound level. Each device is tuned directly into the speaker system. If you do not like using public ear pieces, you may bring your own. If you need help, ask one of the priests or the organist, Mr. Bob Ellison. Help the Parish/Help Each Other The parish is offering chances on 8 hours of general maintenance and repair labor for $5 a chance...or you can purchase the entire raffle for $400 for your personal project. The work will be done by Greg Benefield, a semi-retired Jack-of-all Trades Handyman. General Handyman Raffle Name Phone The cost is $5.00 per chance and when 100 tickets is sold we will draw a winner. OLQP Fish and Chip Dinners The OLQP Fish Fry Committee is planning to have Fish and Chip style dinners this summer on the last Friday of the month, July 31st, and August 28th; dinners will be served from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. The menu will be a simple Fish and Chip style dinner of: Fried Cod, French Fries, Coleslaw, and a drink. (Iced tea or Lemonade). There will be only one size dinner for dine-in or carry-out, no dessert will be included, all for a reasonable price of $7.00. Since the dinners will be so simple, we will not need the huge work force we have for the regular Fish Fries, we still will have during Lent, and no desserts will be served, our bakers will get a rest. There will be no signup board in the back of Church or on the olqpcodsquad.org website, since we need just a few workers, the committee will recruit workers from the regular Fish Fry worker list. Spread the word, what we do need is customers. If you have any questions contact Deacon Paul, , or Dave Mills,

7 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 5, th Annual Cancer Fundraiser Saturday, July 18th Our 9th Annual Cruising for a Cure in Memory of Gary David to benefit cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center will be held at the Knights of Columbus from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Saturday, July 18th. We will have two events, a Car Show and a Pinewood Derby for both adults and kids. It will be cool inside with BBQ, raffles, and the Pinewood Derby Race. For more information contact Brian David at or adavidbdavid@gmail.com or visit us at 9th Annual Cruising For A Cure on Facebook. Thanks for your support and hope to see you there. Joanne David Rockwood Adult Education All Classes are Free...the Rockwood Adult Education and Literacy program want to help you prepare for a bright future. Classes meet year-round and are available for all adults age 17 and older. Our program offers free individual and group instruction. Contact Rockwood Community Adult Education and Literacy, or Seven Days of Inspiration Take one a day and feel great all week! Day 1 You are undeniably important! Day 2 You are beautiful inside and out! Day 3 You are already loveable. Day 4 Give yourself an instant beauty treatment. Smile! Day 5 Angels are always looking for work! Day 6 Revel in the little things that give each day meaning! Day 7 You mean so much to so many! Marriage Encounter Do you want a vacation that is more lasting in remembrances than being in Branson or Disney World? Give your marriage the best vacation of all by attending a Marriage Encounter weekend on August 7 9 or September Find out more or to apply, go to or simply call You will never regret this vacation. Every Friday Night Knights of Columbus Hall Doors Open at 4:30

8 Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish July 5, 2015 Understanding Mass Offerings and Memorial Gifts Did you know there are two ways to remember your deceased loved ones throughout the year? Many people like to have a Mass offered to remember a deceased loved on that person s birthday, anniversary of death or other special day. The offering for such a Mass is $5 and to schedule a Mass you simply need to contact the Parish Office, Another way to remember a deceased love one is through a memorial contribution. Like Mass offerings, memorial contributions can be made for any special occasion. They are also a great idea at the time of death. You simply need to state in the obituary, Memorial contributions to Our Lady Queen of Peace appreciated. The benefits of a memorial contribution include: Our Gifts to God and Parish 809 registered members 203 online, loose and envelopes used this week Thank you for your generosity!!! Special Collections Peter s Pence... $ New Building Fund... $769, Offertory Sunday Loose... $ Sunday Envelopes... $10, Parish Enrichment... $65.00 Total Offertory... $10, Weekly Offertory Goal... $13, As of June 29, 2015 Contributions Year To Date... $650, Projected Year to Date... $689, The gift may be as large or small as a donor wants it to be. While Mass offerings can only be used to cover the actual cost of the Mass, memorial contributions can be used for any of the many operating needs of the parish including scholarship assistance for school children, maintenance and upgrading of our facilities or support of our many ministries. For large memorial gifts the parish can work with the donor(s) to determine a way to use the gift that would be most appropriate to the interests and preferences of the individual who is being memorialized through the gift. If you would like to offer friends and family the opportunity to make memorial gifts to our parish when they visit the funeral home for a deceased loved one, simply contact the parish office for a supply of memorial gift envelopes. After the verb to love to help is the most beautiful verb in the world! Peter s Pence Collection Thank you for your generous support of our Holy Father s charitable works in the Peter s Pence Collection. Our contributions will be combined with those of our brothers and sisters around the world to help Pope Francis provide essential relief to people in need. Your generosity is an act of solidarity with the universal Church, answering the call to be a witness of charity. May God Bless you. Stewardship Start With Prayer As the Lord spoke to me, the spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me, Son of man, I am sending you Ezekiel 2:2-3 God asks each of us to do some special work for Him. He gives us the resources we need to do His work. However, do we listen to God when He calls? Do we get up on our feet and give our talent to do the work He asks of us? Remember, God doesn t call the equipped, He equips the called.

9 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 5, 2015 Please pray for those who are ill (parishioners are in bold) Wally Freihaut Jackie Nappier Janice Robertson Butch Turek Cathy Gansmann Richard Reis Bernice Grimwood Thom Ecker Vicky Duckworth Andy Nappier Lenore Burns Addie Corbett Maryann Barnett Lillian Brune Richard Martin Janet Pruneau, sister of Alyssa Pruneau Marcia Moore, sister of Rhonda Malin/Mary Mottert Mary Ellis, daughter of Christine Dower Barbara Mattler, sister of Patty Broadbent Shelby Watson, friend of John/Laura Williams Norman, friend of Becky Douglas Velasco, father of Shannon Velasco Moses Gene Barnett, husband of Maryann Barnett ~those serving in the military, the homebound, shut-ins of the parish and all in nursing homes. To add a name please call the Parish Office, Names will be removed after 3 weeks. Mass Intentions Mon July 6 8:00 am Warren/Bernice Dierks Tues July 7 8:00 am Dorothy Grither Wed July 8 8:00 am Paul Haen Thurs July 9 8:00 am Reverend James Pavlik Fri July 10 8:00 am Dorothy Rudloff Sat July 11 5:00 pm Wallace/Katherine Brumfield Sun July 12 7:30 am People of the Parish 9:30 am Hilda Bowler 11:30 am Dave/Angel McDowell Intentions July 11th and 12th Special Ministers of the Eucharist 5:00 pm Donna Thomas, Peggy Mikko, Jan Hussman, Bev Gregory, Ralph Munzlinger 7:30 am Mary Bjornstad, Tom Johnson, Cathie Frede, Marie Strayhorn, Ruth Haen 9:30 am Anastasia Shaffrey, Jeff Grimes, Carl Boyer, Tom Broadbent, Christine Camden 11:30 am Gary and Carol Freihaut, Greg Love, Lynette and Patrick Rawlins Volunteers God Bless Them Many will be shocked to find, when the day of judgment draws near, that there s a special place in heaven set aside for volunteers. Furnished with big recliners, satin couches and footstools; where there s no committee chairperson, no group leaders or car pool. No eager teams that need a coach, no bazaar And no bake sale: nothing to staple, not a thing to fold or mail. Telephone lists will be outlawed but a finger snap will bring cool drinks, gourmet dinners and rare treats fit for a King and Queen. You ask who ll serve these privileged few and work for all their worth? Why all those who reaped the benefits and not once volunteered one earth. Proclaimers 5:00 pm Terry Soer, Bev Gregory 7:30 am Jim England, Ken Bohnert 9:30 am Joanne Sauer, Helen Salamone 11:30 am Carol and Gary Freihaut Servers 5:00 pm Tyler Wilson, Madison Stephan, Cooper Dutton 7:30 am Haley Yates, Maggie Hardesty, Alyssa Jones 9:30 am Peter Kenney, M. Schleeper, Rebecca Sudholt 11:30 am M. Bruggemann, K. Dorenkamp, Kate Marting Ushers 5:00 pm Dixie Garrett, Dave Mills, Darleen Allmeroth, Ken Ganey, Ben Slodkowski, Bart Heinzer 7:30 am Ted Hempen, Tim Webb, Jerry Terry, Butch Mattingly, Lou Bartoloni, D. Bjornstad 9:30 am Dale Sudholt, Steve Freihaut, Mike Harris, Chuck Phillips, Patrick Craig, Robert De Long 11:30 am Al Schuld, David Witt, John Holmes, David Holmes, Kevin Huss, Paul McDonnell Thank you for cleaning Church July 10 Theresa Haug Darleen Allmeroth Margaret Gerling Sandy Million

10 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B their kingdom by creating shrines to rival the centrality of Solomon s temple in Jerusalem. Amos has been called the prophet of social justice, a man who spoke out against the abuses of power encountered in the northern kingdom, a man who saw that the taxing of the poor to maintain the power structure would eventually subvert the whole structure of the northern kingdom and bring it crashing down. Amos was a simple farmer, a resident of the south, but God s call to him was to leave home behind and take up the cause of the covenanted brothers and sisters in the northern kingdom. He was called by God to respond to injustice inflicted on others who claimed to be part of God s Chosen People. His call was uncomfortable, even unwelcome. He was not the cause of the injustice suffered by the common people of the north. Yet his relationship with our revealing God impelled him to speak out, to decry injustice, to point to the inevitable end that a corrupt system would always meet. When he spoke out, his words did not fall on receptive ears and his message won him scorn. But when people hurt, especially when people hurt because they were victimized by others, the prophet Amos could not be silent. THEME: To Follow Jesus Involves Sacrifice. A young couple anticipates the birth of a first child with joy. Changing diapers, midnight feedings, caring for a sick child are the hard realities that follow. A high school graduate looks forward to college, to following a course of studies and preparing for a successful and happy career. Along the way there are papers to write, exams to pass, long sessions of study. The readings for the Fifteen Sunday in Ordinary Time ask us to consider and again commit to the difficulties in living our decision to follow Jesus Christ. We are reminded that the joy and peace we experience as members of the believing community are bought at a price, the price of saying yes to God and His will for us, even when saying yes involves sacrifice, involves stepping outside of ourselves and our comfort zones for the sake of following Jesus and continuing His mission. THE READINGS: FIRST READING: Amos 7:12-15 The first reading is from the Book of the Prophet Amos. Amos was a simple farmer from the southern kingdom of Judah. He lived in the time of the divided monarchy, a time of division between brothers. He lived in a time when leaders in the northern kingdom of Israel attempted to consolidate their power and forge a unity for SECOND READING: Ephesians 1:3-14 The second reading is taken from the Letter to the Ephesians. The reading from Ephesians is a kind of Christological Hymn, a celebration of who Jesus Christ is for us. In Christ, we have been endowed with all blessing so that through Christ we are destined for adoption, we become God s sons and daughters. The reason for our blessing and election is that, through Christ God may bring all things into a unity, that all may enjoy the blessings we share in Christ. The Ephesians hymn stresses our oneness in Christ, but this oneness is not a matter of private enjoyment. Rather, it is a step along the way in fulfilling God s plan to bring unity to all creation in His Son. If the hymn celebrates what Christ has accomplished for us, if it celebrates our oneness in Christ, then, in that oneness with Christ, we can also expect that God will work through us to bring all creation to unity according to His will and plan. We, too, have a role to play.

11 GOSPEL READING: Mark 6:7-13 The Gospel reading is Mark s story of Jesus sending out the Twelve to participate in His mission. There are a number of significant features in this reading. Jesus sent His disciples out two-by-two. Ministry in the Church is not a private matter, but a communal endeavor. Secondly, He gave the Apostles authority over unclean spirits. In the Gospels, the unclean spirits regularly function as symbols for all that is opposed to God and His will for salvation. Power over unclean spirits is typically conjoined with the ability to heal. Mark, with the other evangelists, suggests that what is evil in the world, what opposes God s revealing and saving Word is that which hurts people. Followers of Jesus are sent to ease suffering, to stand against what hurts people and, in so doing, with Jesus, to announce the nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven. Thirdly, Jesus' instructions to those He sends seem strange. They are told not to take along on their journey what travelers would normally carry. Being sent in pairs to support each other, they can only wear sandals and bring along a walking stick, those things that provide basic support for a traveler. For the rest, they are to find support among those whom they visit. There is a subtle implication here the apostles are to be one with those to whom they are sent to minister. They are not to carry along those things that would make them independent of those to whom they are sent. It isn t preparation, credentials, material goods that can set us apart from others that bring success to our mission, but rather identification with other people, oneness with them as people seeking the truth, seeking God s love and salvation. And finally, the success of our mission does not depend on us. We go to do what Jesus did, just as the apostles did, but the possibility remains that people will not accept what we have to say, that they will not accept us as one with them, that we will find no reception and support among them. In the end, the apostles went off just as Jesus commanded them and had success. They made a stand against the forces of evil in the world. But we can also understand that they were not universally successful, that some people and some towns did not want to listen to them. Not everyone accepted Jesus either. Still, Jesus always understood what He said and did as a ministry and partnership with His Father and the mission of the apostles here is presented as a ministry of the believing community in partnership with Jesus. In concrete terms, we are told how to stand against injustice and evil, we are told how to work together within the believing community, we are told how to approach announcing the Kingdom of Heaven by identifying ourselves with those to whom we are sent, by identifying ourselves with them, not only in terms of our common humanity, but by the realization that in God s will and plan we are children of a common Father, that we are one with others as brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. The readings today offer a meditation on the call to discipleship, the call to be prophetic voices against those things in the world that stand against God s will and plan for universal salvation and reconciliation. We are asked to consider that evil in our world is that which hurts other people and we are called to be God s voice speaking against such suffering and oppression. But we are also called to recognize that being a follower of Jesus, that accepting His summons to be sent forth into the world in His name involves paying a price, the price of accepting responsibility for our world, the price of leaving what is safe and comfortable behind, the price of putting aside whatever sets apart from others for the sake of reaching people on the common ground of shared human experience and the belief in our common humanity as children of God. Only in this oneness with others can the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven be advanced. FOR REFLECTION: What are experiences in my life that I began with great anticipation and joy and then discovered that they demanded commitment and work? Were these experiences worth what they demanded? What, in me, did I have to let go of to have these experiences? When, like Amos, have I been asked to stand against injustice and evil in the world? How did this set me at odds with others? Did I accept the challenge? Did I have success? What evils in the world now could I be speaking out against? Would I be heard? Have I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior? Who is Jesus Christ for me? Am I tempted to see my relationship with God as a purely private matter? Do I accept that challenge that saying "yes" to God brings me into a relationship with others and gives me responsibility for others? St. Vincent de Paul once said, "May the poor forgive us for the good we do for them." How do I understand this saying in the light of Jesus' strange instructions to His disciples as He sent them out?