THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
ST. NICHOLAS PARISH From the Pastor’s Desk The second reading to this Sunday from St. Paul to the Galatians is cause for some reflections. “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery”. This reminds me of the old anti-Catholic bias about Catholics and sin. All you have to do is go to confession, get it forgiven and then go back next week and do your favorite sin and start the cycle again. I remember hearing this when I was a kid and again as a priest hearing the stories of those who converted to the faith. This was a silly accusation that was intended to be funny but became a king of truth leveled at Catholics about how we use confession in order to do whatever we want. The claim was that Catholics could go out and sin all they wanted (assuming that sinning is great fun) then go to confession on Saturday freeing them up to go to communion on Sunday as if nothing ever happened. The following week Catholics could do it all over again. This was also proposed as a pretty neat way to game the system. However this little scheme reflects a serious flaw in understanding sin and confession. This flawed thinking makes sense since sin corrupts our thinking and leads us to believe such nonsense. Sin makes us stupid. Sin is irrational and leads to irrational thinking. It is irrational because it is ultimately self-destructive. Sin is not open to the truth; in fact it rejects the truth. The truth is what we hear from St. Paul. The forgiveness of sin is intended to free us from the corruption of sin. A person who is set free from the corrupting effects of sin must not return to the slavery of that corruption. Forgiveness frees us from sin in order to pursue the good, the true and the holy. We are freed from all that separates us from God. It would not make sense to return to those things that keep us from God. One of the aspects of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the praying of the Act of Contrition is that we promise to amend our lives, do penance and avoid what leads us to sin. There is implied in the Sacrament of Reconciliation a desire to change our lives and to grow in holiness. The grace of the sacrament facilitates that change. However, there is a great temptation to only see Confession as about the past and not about the future. There is a sincere desire to receive forgiveness of our sins which are now a part of our past. This is good. But there is also the forward trajectory into the future. We desire to be freed from our sins so that we may move into the future; renewed and traveling on the path to holiness. This is what penance means; living our lives in a manner that reflects our desire to grow closer to God. There is a serious flaw in the above aforementioned way of thinking: sin, confess and then go back to sinning. This particular way of thinking is always backward looking. It is about cleaning up the past and not leaving a trail. It is not about the future. It has very little to do with where and what we desire to be at the end of our lives. It is all about not having anything in our past that can be held against us. It is not about our desire to become what God intended us to become: growing in His Image and Likeness. We desire to go to heaven at the end of our lives. We all want to go to heaven. Our desire is pointless if we do not act in a way that reflects that desire. It is very similar to hoping to win the Mega Millions Lottery. A desire, no matter how sincere, to win the lottery is pointless if we do not by a ticket. We have to do something in the present, buy a lottery
ticket, in order to have any hope of winning in the future. If we do not buy a ticket we have no reason to hope of being a lottery winner. The Christian way of life is a manner of living in this world with our eyes set on heaven. Our way of life must reflect the final destination. Consider this; if heaven is the absolute perfection of all that is good, true and virtuous, then it is important that we live by putting into action all that is good, true and virtuous in our daily lives. If we do not put into action the good, the true and virtuous in this life we have little hope for experiencing the perfection of the good, the true and the virtuous in the next. Not putting the good, the true and the virtuous into action today is like not buying a lottery ticket. If we do not grow in goodness we will not be prepared for the fullness of the good in heaven. We will simply not fit in. We will not be at home or comfortable in heaven. Heaven would be rather foreign to us. Again, it is tantamount to not buying a lottery ticket. All along the way, as we try to live a good Christian life we will quite possibly make mistakes or bad choices. Living the Christian life is a lot like the scientific method: trial and error. Many times we try and are successful and we cherish those times and learn from them. We delight in our growth as Christians and are thankful. There are also time in which we fail. The good news is that, even though we fail the grace of God helps us to learn from our failures. This is the important aspect of forgiveness: we learn more about life and goodness when we fail. As long as we are willing to grow in holiness we know that the grace of God is there to help us. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the way that we are able to take a good look at our lives, be freed from our sins through forgiveness, so that change is real and growth in holiness is possible. Sin is not the end, unless we let it and give up. In reality confession is more than about our past, it is about our future, if we are willing to leave the bonds of slavery behind, amend our lives, do penance and avoid whatever leads us to sin as we grow closer to God. This will set us on the path of holiness and help us to fit in and feel at home (comfortable) in heaven. “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” The good news here is that every saint has a past. And every sinner has a future. We are freed from all that keeps us from God. Let us take advantage of this awesome gift of forgiveness. Let us not empty the power of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross to save us. Have a blessed week. Father Ralko BAA Update as of 6/14/16: before I left town on June 14, the total for the Annual Appeal was $36,385.00. This total is above last year’s total contribution from the parish. That is good. We have also had 181 responses. Again this is better and good. Just the same, we are coming to the end of the BAA for this year. If you have not submitted an envelope please consider it and we will wrap this up this week.
JUNE 26, 2016
Church Support JUNE 19, 2016 OFFERTORY $12,756.00 Diocesan Tax $ (650.00) Fenwick Subsidy $(3,060.00) Rosecrans subsidy $ (290.00) Available for Parish Operations $8,756.00 Parish Operating Expenses $(8,200.00) Religious Education Expenses $(800.00) Other Income $2,300.00 Weekly deficit $2,056.00 May God bless you for supporting your parish This week we pray Week I of the Liturgy of the hours. We welcome into the Church this weekend through Baptism: Carson Alexander Paul, son of Mr. & Mrs. Scott Paul
BISHOP ROSECRANS GIRLS SOCCER NEWS Summer Fun Trail Run 5K, Thursday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m. Race day registration is $25.00 but does not include a shirt. The race will be held at Rucker Endurance Park, 4695 Rucker Rd., Mt. Perry, OH. Register online at www.ruckerendurancepark.com. On August 16, a percentage of Chipotle’s proceeds will benefit the girls’ soccer team. For additional details on either of these events visit the Bishop Rosecrans Girls Soccer Facebook page or email Coach Tom Hutcheson at
[email protected]. Bishop Rosecrans High School is in need of a Yearbook Advisor for the 2016-2017 school year and beyond. The stipend is $750.00 for the year payable 12/10 & 5/25. The advisor would meet with students after school on a regular basis. Please call or email Jennifer Mallett if you are interested in this position.
[email protected]
YOUTH GROUP NEWS CoCo Key Water Resort Newark, Ohio FRIDAY JULY 8th 4:30 – 9:30 p.m. Tickets must be ordered in advance. They are $10.00 each Please make payment to St. Nicholas church no later than noon, WEDNESDAY, July 6TH. Permission Slips Required! Bring money for snacks & refreshments. We will meet at the St. Nicholas Teen Center Parish Office, Lower Level .
Summer Movie Under the Stars! Joint High School & Middle School Event Wednesday, June 29th, 8:30 - 11:00 p.m. Bring a blanket or chair. St. Nicholas Parish Office Courtyard. JOIN US!
BIRTHDAY CARD SHOWER Deacon Gene Staker’s 80th birthday is on June 27th. If you would like to wish him a happy birthday, please send greetings and well wishes to Mr. Gene Staker, 2850 Wayne Ridge Road, Zanesville, OH 43701.
ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH PARISH FESTIVAL August 3-6, 2016 CHINESE AUCTION ITEMS It is that time of the year when the Chinese Auction for St. Nicholas Parish Festival, asks for donations and help for the booth. We have placed the tags in the back of the church on a table to help get it started this year. Please purchase your new items and return them to the parish office by July 25, 2016. Contact Jennifer Baker at 740-607-0618 with questions. CAKESTAND 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 (2016 cake stand leader) at 740-2251961 or Diane Hoffer at 740-303-3920. Thanks & Happy Baking!
CAPITAL PRIZE DONATIONS Don’t forget that a $100.00 Capital Prize donation will place your name on the back of the church bulletin for a year. HELP NEEDED A fellow parishioner is in need of some furniture after being released from a nursing home recently. Needed items include: bedroom dressers, a recliner, living room furniture and kitchen table and chairs. If you have any of these items you would like to donate, please call Deacon Pete Peterson at 740-453-5288.
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME LITURGICAL MINISTERS SCHEDULE It is your responsibility to find a substitute if needed. July 3, 2016- Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
What’s Happening in Our Parish
Saturday, July 2 @ 5:15 p.m. Lector: Nancy Susa, Patty Barnes Server: Luke Pratt, Libby Pratt Eucharistic Minister – Coord: Don Susa Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Nancy Hoffer, Mike Hoffer Eucharistic Minister: Tom Durant, Dottie Durant, Dodi Sealock, Karen Robinson
MONDAY, June 27, St. Cyril of Alexandria 8:00 a.m., Mass: Stella Tomson, Church 7:00 p.m., Catholic Divorce Survival Guide, Parish Office
Sunday, July 3@7:30 a.m. Lector: Stephanie Bridwell, Sue Hillis Server: Justin Ewart, David Eppley Eucharistic Minister- Coord: Nancy Thompson Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Patrick Durant, Jim Hillis Eucharistic Minister: Philip Kocoloski
8:00 a.m., Mass: Blaine Kocoloski, Church
Sunday, July 3 @ 9:30 a.m. Lector: Diane Hoffer, Bernard Budde Server: Nicholas Hoffer, Judi Peterson Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Rosalyn Headington Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: John Haswell, Cheryl Sylvester Eucharistic Minister: Linda Haswell, Dan Sylvester, Janis Maziar, Robert LaPrad Sunday, July 3@ 11:30 a.m. Lector: Wendy Hart, Bill Sullivan Server: Justin Hart, Nathan Hart Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Mary Mirgon Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Molly Ritchey, Paul Ritchey Eucharistic Minister: Larry Taylor, Marianne Hall, Mary Lou Staker, Karen Hardman
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.
TUESDAY, June 28, St. Irenaeus 8:00 a.m., Mass: Donald Sigrist, Church
WEDNESDAY, June 29,St. Peter and Paul THURSDAY, June 30,The 1st Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church 8:00 a.m., Mass: Margaret Nelson, Church
FRIDAY, July 1 8:00 a.m., Mass: Marjorie Michel, Church
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time SATURDAY, July 2 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Confessions, Church 5:15 p.m. Mass: Irene Dillon, Church SUNDAY, July 3 7:30 a.m., Mass: Jeanette (Jane) Durant, Church 9:30 a.m., Mass: Carol A. Smith, Church 11:30 a.m., Mass: St. Nicholas Parishioners, Church
Readings for Week of June 27, 2016 Mon. . . . . . . . Tues. . . . . . . . Wed . . . . . . . .
Thurs. . . . . . . . Fri. . . . . . . . . . Sat. . . . . . . . . . Sun . . . . . . . .
Am 2:6-10,3-16 Am 3:1-8,4:1112 Acts 12:1-11 2 2 Tm 4:6-8,1718 Am 7:10-17 Am 8:4-6, 9-12 Am 9:11-15 Is 66:10-14c Gal 6:14-18
Mt 8:18-22 Mt 8:23-27 Mt 16:13-19
Mt 9:1-8 Mt 9:9-13 Mt 9:14-17 Lk 10:1-12,1720
