• Lord Jesus, you were a living sign of God’s presence to those open to you: Lord, have mercy.
• Christ Jesus, you call us to be open to that presence, however it may come: Christ, have mercy.
• Lord Jesus, you give us the freedom to respond in our own unique ways: Lord, have mercy.

SOURCE: CELEBRATION

# 1: Southern Marthas & Mary-Marthas: Like women of many other countries and cultures, Southern women in the United States are great Marthas and proud of it.    READ MORE

# 2: Glass Ceiling Effect? The glass ceiling effect is the pervasive resistance to the efforts of women and minorities to reach the top ranks of management in major corporations. It is unclear exactly who named the phenomenon, but the term was heavily used during the mid-1980s. Things were different for women in the First Century. READ MORE

# 3:  “Start each day with an hour of prayer. “A true story is told by an advertising executive at Reader’s Digest, who found her emptiness filled in by prayer, listening to God, as Mary did in today’s Gospel.  In spite of her successful career, she had felt emptiness in her life. READ MORE

 # 4: “I would like to be married to both of them!”:  Some single men in a Bible study group were discussing who would make the better wife — Martha or Mary. One fellow said, “Well, I think Martha would make the better wife. READ MORE

29 ADDITIONAL ANECDOTES

LIFE MESSAGES

SOURCE: Fr. Tony Kadavil

CHURCH – Pope, Bishops, Priests
WORLD – Peace
SPECIAL NEEDS – Pro-Life | Year of Hope
COMMUNITY – Families | Sacraments

Visitors at Mass

We often think of our responsibility to welcome the stranger, but we might also remember that strangers often bring gifts to us. Visitors increase the size of our assembly and may even increase the collection! But they also bring us gifts just by being themselves and sharing a bit of their lives with us. Some newcomers might not be travelers but people looking for a church home, and they have gifts to share with us on an ongoing basis if they are welcomed.

Attitudes Toward Immigrants

The same point applies to our attitudes toward immigrants. A view that sees immigrants as only a problem or a burden or a threat is simply false. Immigrants have enriched the United States and other counties in countless ways in every generation. Sure, there are a few bad actors in any group, but crime by immigrants is less frequent than crime perpetrated by longtime residents. Immigrants bring personal gifts and the gifts of their differing cultures. They keep society vibrant and creative. In most developed countries, immigrants are essential to the future, as birth rates no longer sustain current populations. We need workers and we need new citizens. Hospitality applies not just to church on Sunday but to our neighborhoods and cities, as well as to our regions, states and countries. Fearmongering and hatred should have no place among those who claim to follow Christ.

Tips for Parish Leaders and Planners

So how can parish leaders counteract the fearmongering that is increasingly shaping countries and the world? Preachers must reject timidity and preach God’s word fully. If our faith does not shape the way we treat other people, both personally and communally, then our faith is dead. We cannot stand by and let the forces of hatred have free reign.

Planners, too, must be willing to challenge people to embrace the word of God, even when that may bring opposition. When people are scared, they often react in unchristian ways. Leaders need to show them a better way and nurture a more honest and loving vision. Let the preaching and songs and prayers today guide people to a rich and deep hospitality toward all God’s people and all God’s creatures!

READ MORE

SOURCE: NCR Online Celebration Archive