I have recently been meditating on the phrase pray always. As I reflected this led me to reading the Bible and praying about what God meant by the words from 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18. “Rejoice Always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Rejoice means to feel or show great joy or delight. The first Service Trip I ever attend was to Nazareth Farm in West Virginia. After arriving, we headed out on a hike up the mountain. I did not know we would be hiking that first day and it was not an easy hike plus there were tons of stranger. We all quickly learned that strangers are just friends we haven’t met yet. As we reached the top of the mountain, we read scripture together and sat in God’s beauty for a while before heading back down the mountain to begin our service to those in need within the valley. Throughout the week, I experienced joy while on the mountain top and also while serving the people and making new friends. I feel like this is a great way to understand the phrase “Rejoice Always.” It is easy to be filled with joy when we are on top of a mountain, in those moments when life is truly beautiful yet in the hard moments in the valley, we might not experience joy as easily but once our attitude is one of gratitude and openness to God, joy is easily accessible. Your perspective affects your experiences and therefore affects your ability to rejoice. When my grandfather passed away, all of my family was by his side but my husband, kids and I because we live four hours from them all. I found joy in the fact that as my grandpa was born into eternal life, he was surrounded by his family and we were there through prayer. Even in the difficult moments, we can experience joy with a grateful heart open to God’s will. If you continue to struggle to rejoice always, all you have to do is ask God to give you joy. - Kate Tyler - Pastoral Associate - Part two will be posted soon and dive into what it means to pray without ceasing.
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“Jesus calls us, as his disciples, to a new way of life – the Christian way of life. He calls us individually, by name. God intends each one of us to play a unique role in carrying out the divine plan. The challenge, then, is to understand our role – our vocation – and to respond generously to this call from God.” -USCCB- I would like to take a moment to introduce myself, I am Derek Jensen. Jill, our four children & myself have been parishioners of St. Matthews for around 8 years. About three years ago I had a desire to become more involved, it became very important for me to have a stronger relationship with my parish. I started working with Father Dave on where my talents might be best utilized. I first was asked to join the Stewardship Committee, where I have served for over 2 years. I then was appointed to the Finance Council by Father Dave and within a few months was asked to serve as the chairperson. I attend the monthly Pastoral Council meetings as part of my commitment to the Finance Council as well. Being a steward of the parish in my volunteer duties has allowed me to be closer to my faith, accomplish my personal goal of being more involved and allows me to feel better about myself. I have learned in the process that being a good steward of the parish means much more than monetary giving, it means giving my time and talents as well. By doing so, only now do I feel I am giving all I can to my parish. - Derek Jensen - “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” 1 Peter 4:10 “Christian Stewards respond in a particular way to the call to be a disciple. Stewardship has the power to shape and mold our understanding of our lives and the way in which we live. Jesus’ disciples and Christian stewards recognize God as the origin of life, giver of freedom and source of all things. We are grateful for the gifts we have received and are eager to use them to show our love for God and for one another. We look to the life and teaching of Jesus for guidance in living as Christian stewards” -United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) - All are welcome to share a short reflection (300 words or less). Please include how you live stewardship within your life, how you give back to God for the gifts He has given you, and why it is important for you to be a good steward.
I'm sure some of you are thinking that you are not a good steward or that you don't do enough to write a reflection but the truth is, you only needed to say yes to one thing in order to be considered a good steward. If you have any questions or would like to submit your stewardship reflection, please contact Kate Tyler at 363-5238 or [email protected] I really enjoy the St. Matt's Mingle because you're able to socialize with people you normally wouldn't have an opportunity to meet. You get to know a variety of affable St. Matthew's parishioners and share good food, drink, and great conversation! With the daycare option provided, it's nice to mingle and get somewhat of a night out, while still knowing your children are safe and secure in the church. I would highly recommend others join us at the St. Matt's Mingle on April 22nd after the 6 p.m. Mass for the opportunity to make new friends and strengthen a sense of community with our St. Matt's family!
- Emily Moses - Parishioner - Often we celebrate the Triduum focusing solely on Jesus, and for good reason. After all, this week is the height of our Faith. We reflect on the Passion of Christ with great sorrow and love. But even our fullest experience of the Triduum is nothing to what Mary experienced as she walked through these three days with her most beloved Son. This Triduum, I encourage you to reflect on the Passion of Jesus in light of Mary, His Mother.
This Easter season, let us walk with our Mother through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Let her be our spiritual guide, and let her take us to a deeper level of understanding and devotion. -Emily Gignac Director of Faith Formation If you would like to read more about Mary and Jesus' Passion, here are a few articles that I found very touching, and helped me in writing this article.
To Altar, Cross and Sepulchre with Mary: A Triptych for the Sacred Triduum The Mystical Sorrowful Mysteries The Importance of Mary at Easter Mary was Witness to the Whole Paschal Mystery |
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