Peace be with you. This is A Word on the Word recorded live at Saint Gregory the Great, the Diocese of Bridgeport - Connecticut USA. Our pastor is Father Angelo Arrando. We have the Homily, plus news from Saint Gregory the Great and the Vatican. Then we stand at the Crossroad, where generations meet, to reflect on the Word. We are so glad you could join us today.
This week please pray for Jean V., Virginia L., Victims of the Iraqi Conflict, Victims of terrorists, the miners in Utah and all sick and deceased members of the parish. At the Crossroad, An Unsettling Truth. Our prayer this week is for THE PASTORAL PLAN.
The readings for Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time are from Jeremiah, the Letter to the Hebrews and the Gospel according to Luke. But now here is Father Angelo...
- Hang in there.
- Today's readings hold a unique challenge, a challenge that is difficult to live.
- Jesus' message brings division among the listeners.
- Jesus came to bring peace but His message also brings division.
- Our world is: us and them
- In the end the message will bring unity
- God is Father to all of us.
- God loves us all the same.
- The divisions that humanity makes, keeps us apart.
- We are all priests of Jesus Christ.
- The task of Priesthood is to build a bridge between God and Humanity.
- Lord hear 'OUR' prayer.
Recorded at Saint Gregory the Great - Danbury, Connecticut August 19, 2007 Noon Mass. Thank you Fr. Angelo.
Announcements from the bulletin.
THANK YOU
The Dominican Sisters would like to extend their sincere thanks to the parishioners of St. Gregory’s for their generosity at the Bake Sale. Your donations will help them to buy many medical supplies for the leper community, which is their mission.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
We are again asking donations for LIGHTING and BATHROOM fixtures for a home being built in Danbury.
This weekend, August 18th and 19th there will be Housatonic Habitat for Humanity volunteers outside St. Gregory’s after Mass accepting donations. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
NEWS ALERT...
St. Gregory’s attic treasures returns to our winter craft fair on November 9 & 10! Why not do a fall clean-up and donate your discards to us. If you are an avid tag saler, make a donation so you can replenish by shopping at our booth! The times to Donate: clean items, in good condition are detailed in the bulletin. Sorry, donations will not be accepted after these times, so click on our link to set dates on your calendar. No damaged items, no furniture, and no exercise equipment please. Your support will be gratefully appreciated!
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For more information, details or questions, about Bulletin announcements go to the Saint Gregory the Great web site or contact us at and we will forward your request.
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Now here is a word from Vatican Radio...
We come to the Crossroad and find The Lord came to the aid of Jeremiah whose preaching brought him rejection and ill-treatment. For those who take the gospel seriously, misunderstanding and division must likewise be expected. So we ask Adults & Teens: When have I taken a strong stand on a moral issue that created division rather than healing in the short term? And Children: Is it important to do the right thing even if others are angry as a result? Why or why not?
Today’s gospel reading will most likely leave all of us feeling a bit uncomfortable. As Jesus gave His disciples some final instructions, they are realizing that discipleship is becoming a stormy affair. Conflict was reaching into families. Christians need to be fortified to remain strong and assert their priorities and we can be fortified by each other.
The peace that Jesus brings is not peace as we usually understand it. Peace means different things to different people and in different times. To some, peace means that everything is quiet - there are no disturbances - law and order prevail. These may be signs of real peace - yet maybe not. Underneath the surface tranquility, there may be injustice, racism, sexism, ageism, economic exploitation and other kinds of oppression. There may be laws passed to perpetuate violence disguised as respectability. The command to love our neighbor obliges us to protest against mistreatment and to struggle for justice. This can create division.
Our nation is united against terrorism but not in how to overcome it. When millions in our nation go without health insurance, minorities are treated differently by law enforcement, women paid less than men for the same kind of work, unborn children deprived of their right to life, special interest groups allowed to destroy our environment, gentrified neighborhoods leave whole families out on the street - our world is not just.
Jesus asks us to speak out against injustice. When we try to speak out, we are often treated as outsiders or ignored by the powers in our world. We shouldn’t be surprised. Prophets have always been treated this way. What would Jesus say about how we live today? He would certainly see much that is good, but also much that still needs to be done. What can you do to rally others to speak out about the injustice you see around you?
Our music is peace, war and happiness by Rory. Rory was born in 1989 in Rotterdam and arranges and composes his own songs. When he was 17 years old, in order to perform his songs live on stage, he formed a band. They are all members of the "school of art" in Rotterdam. To listen to more check out the PodSafe Music network. Follow the links at our site.
PRAYER FOR THE PASTORAL PLAN
This week our prayer is from Bishop Lori's BLOG, on August 16, 2007.
Father of love,
You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to proclaim the Good News, to redeem us from sin, and to call us to discipleship in Your Church.
Look with love upon Your family of faith in the Diocese of Bridgeport as we implement a Pastoral Plan for Evangelization.
In the power of the Holy Spirit, grant us unity, wisdom, and love so that we may follow in the footsteps of Your Son by bearing witness to the Gospel in word and deed.
Grant this through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
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Well that's A Word on the Word for Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. This PodCast is released under a Creative Commons license, some rights are reserved. Thank you for joining us.
A Word on the Word Executive producer is Father Angelo Arrando, and is produced by Gregory Bruce and his wife Patti. Please let us know what you think. If you have questions or answers, we want to include your comments. Please drop us a line. On behalf of Saint Gregory the Great parish, God bless and Peace be With you.
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