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We are called to be "ambassadors of Christ" (second reading). By virtue of our baptism we are meant to be agents and catalysts of God's message: "Be reconciled to God! God "has reconciled us to himself through Christ and ... has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us."
If reconciliation means "the process of coming to walk together again with God and with others," then it's our responsibility to remove whatever barriers there are in our lives which prevent us from achieving this reconciliation ourselves and from passing such reconciliation on to others.
The Lord says to Joshua in the first reading: "Today I have removed the reproaches of Egypt from you." In other words, God has forgiven his people and taken away from them the burden and enslavement of their sins.
This is precisely what happens to us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance. God's forgiveness is ever new, ever fresh, ever ready for us.
This is witnessed by today's wonderful story in the Gospel of the prodigal son, forgiving Father, and jealous and judgmental older son.
If we -- like the prodigal Son -- acknowledge God's mercy in our regard, admit our sins, affirm our change of heart, and accept the Lord's forgiveness (the open-arms approach of the forgiving Father in the story), there is no doubt that reconciliation will be ours.
The other brother (the "elder son"), however, is not somebody apart from ourselves, but rather is that tendency deep within us which is predisposed to resisting reconciliation. We all have the urge in some way or other -- even if we don't admit it! -- to hold grudges, to act out of rivalry or jealousy or revenge, to judge people's behavior just because of their color or choices or because of our feelings or fears. This urge prevents us from forgiving others or from receiving God's forgiveness.
So, how are you facing this subtle disposition toward a closed heart? How do you intend to reach out to forgive and be forgiven and hence achieve reconciliation?
--Father Benet OFM
This Week Cumulative
(3/15/98): (Week #37):
$ 5,453.06 $201,772.22
$ 4,877.13 $183,672.08
$- 575.93 $-18,100.14
"Let us eat and celebrate because this Son
of mine was dead and has come back to life. He
was lost and is found" (Lk 15:30). It is never
too late to return to God. We need to abandon our
selfish motives and let God embrace us with open
arms as we begin to center our lives around Him.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24: The next Good Grief Group will meet in the sacristy on Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30pm. Call our social worker Kate or our parish nurse Barb (353-7470) for details.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28: the Franciscan Mothers Club & Auxiliary and Men's Club will sponsor a Flea Market on Saturday, March 28, in St. Anthony Hall from 8:30am to 2:30pm.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28: At 10:30am the nominees for the renewal of the Parish Pastoral Council will meet in the Meramec Cafeteria.
SUNDAY, MARCH 29: At 9:00am in St. Anthony Hall will be held the Parish Pastoral Assembly on Sunday, March 29, to confirm the candidates nominated for the Parish Pastoral Council. (Special door prizes will be awarded.)
SUNDAY, APRIL 5: St. Anthony's Ladies' Sodality will be present as a body at the 8:00am Mass on Palm Sunday, April 5, and will hold its annual Communion Breakfast afterwards.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5: The Christian Churches of South St. Louis are together sponsoring a special Ecumenical Palm Sunday Service and Procession on Sunday, April 5, beginning at 9:15am at the Salvation Army (Arsenal and California) and moving toward the various churches. Come be part of this special celebration; call Br. Loyola for details.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9: On Holy Thursday
evening, after the 6:00pm Mass of the Lord's
Supper, we as a parish family will continue our
celebration of the Eucharist by breaking bread
together at table in a Parish Unity Potluck
Supper in St. Anthony Hall. The meat will be
provided, but you are asked to provide the
following:
Last Name: Food Item:
"A" through "E" Dessert
"F" through "K" Salad
"L" through "Q" Hot Vegetable
"R" through "Z" Potato, Rice, or Pasta
Call Gerry at 353-7470 to place your reservation.
LENTEN HOME MASSES on Tuesday, March 24, at 7:00pm. Hosts are Bernice Giljum (4250 Minnesota, Apt. G, 752-9988) and the Bob Petri Family (3104 Providence Place, 351-8761). Please come, but call before coming.
LENTEN HOLY HOUR: At the Friday Holy Hour of Adoration at 3:00pm on March 27 we will focus on the Holy Spirit's gift of Knowledge, and we will pray for true Peace in our Neighborhood. Come pray with us!
LENTEN FISH FRY: St. Anthony's sponsors a Fish Fry ($3.50 a plate) on every Friday of Lent from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Each one is hosted by a parish organization. The host group and the responsible person for Friday, March 27, are THE EIGHTH GRADE (Patty Penrose 773-1061). (Anyone who wants to bake a cake for one of the fish fries is to bring it to the Meramec Cafeteria any time after 1:00pm.)
LENTEN FOOD PANTRY GIFT: Each week of
Lent you are asked to bring a particular food item
for the Food Pantry as a lenten sacrifice. Place
it on the steps of the St. Joseph Shrine on the
east side of the church. For the Fifth Sunday of
Lent (March 29) the food item will be:
hygiene and soap products
LENTEN DEVOTIONS: Our Parish's "Mission of
Reconciliation" includes:
Sunday, 6:00pm, Evening Prayer, in the Friars'
Choir
Mondays, 6:00pm, Evening Prayer, in the Friars'
Choir
Tuesdays, 7:00pm, Mass in Parishioners' Homes
Wednesdays, 2:15pm, Stations of the Cross with
school children in church
Fridays, 7:00pm, Stations of the Cross and
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in
church
Saturdays, 5:30pm, "Soup 'n' Scripture" (studying
and reflecting on the Bible), sacristy
(We ask each parishioner to choose at least
ONE of these activities every week besides the
Mission Mass on Thursdays.
LECTORS:
Weekdays, March 23-28:
6:30 Alberta Stackle
8:00 Georgia Berry
Mission Mass, March 26:
7:00 George Schmidt
Sunday, March 28-29
4:30 LaVerne Duvall, Jackie Young
6:00 Georgia Berry
8:00 Ray Meurer, Beth Morgan
10:30 Lotar & Ramona Neumann
Weekdays, March 30 - April 4
6:30 Georgia Berry
8:00 Joe Sestric
Mission Service, April 2:
7:00 Georgia Berry
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS:
Mission Mass, March 26:
7:00 Hosts: Brother Richard
Cups: Jay Doolittle, Marie Mergel,
Arch Rutherfurd, Alberta Stackle, Mary
Ann Schmidt, Janice Leicht.
Sunday, March 28-29
4:30 Hosts: Joannie Medina*, Tony Minnick
Cups: Janice Leicht, Phyllis & Jerry
Forchee, Robert Donahue
6:00 Ken Dames
8:00 Hosts: Linda Kohne, Dave Bergfeld
Cups: Marie Mergel, Margaret
Schodroski, Mike Mount, Debbie Williams
10:30 Scout Mass
Hosts: Bev Ruzicka, Rich Busiek
Cups: Tom Moran*, Dorothy Schaefer,
Alberta Stackle, Mary Ann Schmidt,
Gloria & Steve Derickson
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