SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
ST. NICHOLAS PARISH From the Pastor’s Desk This weekend we welcome Fr. John Stattmiller who will be celebrating the first two Sunday morning Masses. By now you may know that when Fr. Stattmiller is here, I am away. I am thankful for his willingness to cover for me while I am gone. Wednesday evening August 2, marks the beginning of our Annual Parish Festival. Please join us in this major parish fundraiser. Visit with friends, enjoy good food and refreshments. We have entertainment, raffles, games of chance and rides for the kids. Oh yes, did I mention good food and refreshments? Please join family and friends at this year’s St. Nicholas Parish Festival. I said it once before (like last Sunday) and I think it is worth repeating at this point. The sale of the raffle tickets for the Grand Prize is directly connected with the success of our festival. This, in reality, is true for all parish festivals. So I encourage you to help make our festival successful in this aspect by buying/selling your raffle tickets. Besides… who wouldn’t take a chance to win $5,000.00? Good luck. The benefits from the festival are a great asset to our parish as well as the school. The funds generated from this event are only one part of the overall benefits. Working together, visiting with family and friends, enjoying a good time all build relationships. People gathering and working together for a good and common cause always builds community. There is a twofold benefit, the building of relationships of our parish community and the necessary funds for our parish and school. Please plan on attending. Today’s first reading comes from the First Book of Kings. This passage is about the origin of the Wisdom of Solomon. God offered to grant one request from King Solomon. Solomon requested the gift of wisdom. This request revealed that Solomon was already wise: an example of grace building on nature. At first King Solomon used this gift well; however, he didn’t keep using his wisdom to serve God’s people well. He married too many wives and spent the country into bankruptcy, so much so that when he died the country split into two kingdoms: north and south. Like his father King David, although he was a gifted king, he was still human and had his weaknesses. Having wisdom does not mean we will always make good use of it. This week we again hear parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. The big question presented in the parable… is there one thing that we would be willing to give all we have in order to possess? What is our hidden treasure in a field or most valuable pearl? Certainly our answer should be Jesus Christ and his Kingdom. If we press in deeper into the story there is a subtlety here that we must not overlook. Notice the persons who discovered the treasure and the pearl and made it their highest priority. The persons spent their lives looking for such things. Through all their successes and failures this final discovery became the priority. Nothing else could be as important. I am sure that they had obtained many different things in their search, but this one thing became the be all and end all of their searching. In our lives we may attain many good things in this world but they only provide temporary satisfaction and happiness. The good and the bad things in our lives help us discern what we are truly looking for: the one true priority. A key to understand this part of the parable is to consider those who discovered the treasure and the pearl. They already had a sense of what they were looking for. The treasure hunter had a sense about treasures and treasure hunting. He had a “taste” for it. The one who was searching for fine pearls had a good sense about the value of pearls and exactly what to look for in pearls. He had
an eye for such things. Both we could say, had an experience, knowledge and insight into what they were looking for. Seeking the Kingdom of Heaven speaks to us about the goodness and ultimate value of the Kingdom revealed by Jesus Christ. We have experiences of goodness, happiness, joy, peace etc… These are all a foretaste and fleeting experiences of the Kingdom of Heaven. Although fleeting, there is a sense that there is something more. We develop a “sense” of the ultimate priority. The Kingdom is that complete and total fulfillment of all that is good. Pressing even further, the greatest human experience is the experience of love. The virtue of love points to the perfect faithful love we all desire. The perfection of faithful love is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the embodiment of the faithful love of God. The experience of true, virtuous faithful love is an experience of Heaven. It is an experience of Heaven; however in this life the experience of faithful love will always be a dim and fleeting experience in comparison to the perfection it points to. I would propose that the hidden treasure and the fine pearl are images of the Kingdom. They point to the perfect union with God in the eternal embrace of love. The Kingdom of Heaven is communion with God in and through Jesus Christ. As such, in this world the great treasure or the fine pearl is the discovery of Jesus Christ. This makes the parable very specific. The Christian faith life is based upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the treasure or the pearl. He came to seek us, because he loves us. In response to that love we in turn lovingly seek Him. Throughout our life, as a Christian people, we are exposed to the person of Jesus Christ. We encounter him in the Scriptures and the Sacraments. We have acquired a “taste” or an “eye” for what we are looking for. Thus we keep the Lord ever before us as we go about our lives. Hopefully, like the parable, at an unexpected moment, we come upon that encounter with the invaluable treasure or the extremely fine pearl in which Jesus Christ overwhelms our lives. It is then that we must refashion our lives in order to obtain that treasure or that pearl. We give all that we have, even our very lives to have Jesus Christ. If we think about it, this is the experience of many of the Saints of the Church. They gave everything they had, and in some cases their very lives, to have Jesus Christ. Looking at the disciples, they were around Jesus during his ministry. They were captivated by him and followed him everywhere. We could say that from Jesus’ teachings they acquired a sense of what they were to look for. However, it was only after the powerful experience of the death, resurrection and the Gift of the Holy Spirit, that it “hit” them and they were willing to give their lives to live for Jesus Christ. At first they did not know exactly what they were looking for, but with all the time they spent with Jesus they acquired and idea, they had a sense of it. It was at the most surprising experience of the Resurrected Lord that they found that hidden treasure: it was Jesus. They found that fine pearl: it was Jesus. As we continue to pray, gather to worship God and receive the sacraments we continue to gain a sense of what we are looking for and leave ourselves open to that surprising moment of encounter with that great treasure or that fine pearl: Jesus Christ and his kingdom. Desire, persistence, openness and the Grace of God will lead us to Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven. See you at the Festival Father Ralko Note Well: Weekday masses for this week. Fr. Thomas will be here on Tuesday, August 1 and Thursday, August 3. There will not be a morning mass on Monday, Wednesday or Friday.
Church Support JULY 23, 2017 OFFERTORY $7,406.00 Diocesan Tax ($650.00) Fenwick Subsidy ($3,060.00) Rosecrans subsidy ($290.00) Available for Parish Operations $3,406.00 Parish Operating Expenses ($8,200.00) Religious Education Expenses ($800.00) Other Income $2,300.00 Weekly deficit (3,294.00) May God bless you for supporting your parish
Thank you and God Bless. This week we pray Week I of the Liturgy of the hours.
St. Vincent DePaul will “hold the hat”, this weekend. Please be generous. Thank you.
ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH PARISH FESTIVAL August 2-5, 2017 CAPITAL PRIZE Capital Prize tickets are available in the front pews and in the back of church. You may also purchase them at the festival. Don’t forget that a $100.00 Capital Prize donation will place your name on the back of the church bulletin for a year. For questions, please contact Tony Palandrani at 740-891-8200 or by email at
[email protected]. CAKE STAND ATTENTION BAKERS! We are in need of cakes, cookies, pies, candies, breads & more. We will need new items every day of the festival. HUNDREDS of people will take home baked goods made by our wonderful St. Nicholas parishioners. Please drop off items in the St. Nicholas cafeteria before festival hours and at the booth anytime during the festival. If you have any questions, please call Brandie Scott at 740-225-1961. Thanks & Happy Baking! ST. NICHOLAS FESTIVAL SET-UP DATES Set-Up continues on July 31 Aug 1 at 6:00 p.m. All Booth Leaders need to plan on being on the Festival grounds one or both nights to make sure your booth is ready to operate and you have all of your supplies to open Wednesday night. We will need many volunteers to get the Festival ready to open on Wednesday evening.
JULY 30, 2017 RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, is a conversion process for those who want to deepen their relationship with God and learn more about the Catholic tradition. Some who come to RCIA are un-baptized and have little or no formal religious training; others have been baptized in other Christian denominations, but seek information about the Roman Catholic Church and are considering membership. Still others were baptized but never raised Catholic, or were not confirmed in the faith. RCIA at St. Nicholas will begin on Wednesday, September 6 at 7 p.m. in the Parish Office Building, 955 East Main St. (enter on the Silliman St. side). Those seeking information about RCIA, please call Mary Lou Staker at 740-4537141. WOMEN’S SPIRITUALITY We will resume our gatherings on Monday, September 25 at 3:30 p.m. in the parish office. We will meet on the last Monday of the month until spring. This year we will use Heaven Starts Now Becoming a Saint Day by Day. Fee for the book is $10.00. If you plan to join us or just want the book, please phone Judi Peterson at 740-453-5288. Books will be ordered September 1.
SAVE THE DATE! It’s time! It’s time for us to update our photo directory. We know you are all busy. For now, we just need you to save the date. We will photograph all families September 11-15 and 25-29 right here at the St. Nicholas Parish Office building. Our directory won’t be complete without you. Watch our bulletin and your mail for more information in the coming weeks. The online scheduler is up and ready now for those who are ready to choose their appointment time at https://booknow-lifetouch.appointmentplus.com/y3x6hqnc/ or call the parish office at 453-0597 for scheduling help. FROM WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER “We should have done this a long time ago!” That’s what you’ll be saying after a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend. Marriage Encounter is 44 hours where married couples can get away from jobs, kids, chores, and phones— and focus on one another. The next weekend for central Ohio is September 15-17. For more information or to apply, contact Paul and Marilou Clouse at (614) 834-6880 or visit www.wwmecolumbus.org. Introducing the Mother Teresa Award of Charity, Compassion, and Service! To recognize those special women in our Diocese who exemplify the life of Christ and the spirit of St. Teresa, the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) will host a reception for the inaugural class of award recipients on Sunday, August 27, at Immaculate Conception Parish, Columbus. For nomination, table, and ticket information, please visit columbuscatholic.org/mother-teresa-award or contact Mickey McCormick at 614-228-8601, 614-783-5555, or at
[email protected].
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME *If you do not receive your schedule via email, please pick one up this weekend.
LITURGICAL MINISTERS SCHEDULE
What’s Happening in Our Parish
It is your responsibility to find a substitute if needed.
MONDAY, July 31, St. Ignatius of Loyola
August 6, 2017- Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
8:00 a.m., Mass: NO MASS
Saturday, August 5 @ 5:15 p.m. Lector: Nancy Susa, Mike LaPlante Server: Ronald Davis, Wesley Nestor Eucharistic Minister – Coord: Molly Ritchey Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Charlotte Snider, Dan Snider Eucharistic Minister: Paul Ritchey, Karen Robinson, Margaret Kronenbitter, Don Susa Sunday, August 6 @7:30 a.m. Lector: Stephanie Bridwell, Susan Thompson Server: Luke Pratt, Libby Pratt Eucharistic Minister- Coord: Corinne Musselman Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Jim Hillis, Mike Musselman Eucharistic Minister: Sue Hillis Sunday, August 6 @ 9:30 a.m. Lector: Robert LaPrad, George Kopf Server: Christina Rozsa, Rex Hankinson Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Mary Mirgon Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Tom A. Durant, Jane Durant Eucharistic Minister: Cheryl Sylvester, Judi Peterson, Sandy Black, Dan Sylvester Sunday, August 6 @ 11:30 a.m. Lector: Keena Hansel, Bill Sullivan Server: Nathan Hart, Justin Hart Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Carolyn Arnold Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Judy Hamilton, Diana Dunn Eucharistic Minister: Dodi Sealock, Larry Taylor, Jeff Shawger, Janis Maziar
TUESDAY, August 1, St. Alphonsus Liguori of Vercelli 8:00 a.m., Mass: Joy Larson, Church
WEDNESDAY, August 2 8:00 a.m., Mass: NO MASS 6:00p.m.-11:00p.m.: St. Nicholas Parish Festival
THURSDAY, August 3 8:00 a.m., Mass: Sara Reichart, Church 6:00p.m.-11:00p.m.: St. Nicholas Parish Festival
FRIDAY, August 4, St. John Vianney NO ADORATION 8:00 a.m., Mass: NO MASS 6:00p.m.-12:00a.m.: St. Nicholas Parish Festival
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time SATURDAY, August 5, The Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major1 4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m., Confessions, Church 5:15 p.m., Mass: Mary Jo Dooley, Church 6:00p.m.-12:00a.m.: St. Nicholas Parish Festival
SUNDAY, August 6 7:30 a.m., Mass: Chuck Durant, anniversary, Church 9:30 a.m., Mass: Dr. Holly McAllister, Church 11:30 a.m., Mass: St. Nicholas Parishioners, Church
Readings for Week of July 31, 2017 Mon. . . . . . . .
Our thoughts and prayers remain with those serving our country at this time and with their loved ones at home. We pray for a safe homecoming and that the world may one day be at peace. PLEASE REMEMBER ST. NICHOLAS PARISH IN YOUR WILL. CALL THE PARISH OFFICE AT 453-0597 FOR MORE DETAILS. Please join us each Monday at St. Nicholas Church at 2:00 P.M. as we gather to pray the Rosary asking Our Lady’s Intercession for the many needs of our nation, community, and parish.
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Ex 32:15-24, 30-34 Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9,28 Ex34:29-35 Ex 40:16-21, 34-38 Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37 Lv 25: 1, 8-17 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
Mt 13:31-35 Mt 13:36-43 Mt 13:44-46 Mt 13:47-53 Mt 13:54-58
Mt 14:1-12 Mt 17:1-9
