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Ordinary Time 1/29/2023

1/26/2023

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​Beloved brothers and sisters,
 
"When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain...He began to teach them..." (Matthew 5:1). There is something to say about the designation of the church building on 1840 Marshall Dr/ 904 Mill Rd as a "new" church in comparison to the Historical Church as the "old" church. From the beginning of my time here, I have always contested the original nomenclature. I prefer to call the "new" church "the church on the Hill." I think my preference for that terminology is connected to the connotation of "mountain" in the Bible. A mountain is a place of divine revelation.  Moses encountered God and received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Jesus, the new and more outstanding Moses, also goes to the mountain to talk to God and to teach new commandments.  In Matthew 5-7, Jesus went up the mountain, his disciples came up to him there, and he taught them about the blessings of the Kingdom.
 
Our parish church of St. Peter, the church on the hill (or symbolically, mountain), is the sacred place we come to encounter Jesus, who feeds us on his word and body. In our church, like on the mount of the Beatitudes, Jesus still teaches us about who He is and who He expects us to be. So he speaks to us this Sunday on the Beatitudes, meaning the blessed or the happy. If we pay attention, we will discover that Jesus is telling us how fortunate we are to be who and where we are. He is telling us we are his disciples, and he is our Lord. He also tells us the characteristics and attitudes expected of his followers. What should be our attitude to life and people?
 
As people who are in a good place in life and are blessed, our values should upend those accepted by the world. The attitude of a believer, no matter what circumstances they find themselves in the world, should be that of hope in the joy of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we should be meek, poor in spirit, peacemakers, righteous in our conduct, merciful, enduring, longsuffering, and so forth. Those values should always characterize us, no matter our situation.
 
The next time you drive up to the "church on the hill," or any Catholic church for that matter, remember that you are going to Jesus, who will teach you the right attitude to life. Jesus always teaches through the readings, especially in the Gospel and the homily. So listen attentively to what Jesus will teach you about the quality he expects of his followers in the world. For example, are you being called this Sunday to wear the attitude of humility, peacemaker, or mercy?
 
NB: The  Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Thursday will also be observed as World Day for Consecrated Life. Therefore, please endeavor to attend mass if you can. Mass will honor and offer an opportunity to pray for those who have chosen to follow Christ through the practice of the evangelical counsels. I fit into that category; I'm a religious order priest. Also, on Friday, on the feast of St. Blaise, I will give the blessing of throats after the 8:00 am mass in the historic church.
 
In His Joy,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 
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3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1/22/2023

1/19/2023

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Beloved brothers and sisters,
 
"The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen" (Mt 4:16). When you glance through our church narthex, you will see signs of spiritual light. The Pro-Life basket raffle and Pro-Life baby shower donation displays (thanks to Pat Minick, Evelyn Watson, Rachel Clark, and the CCW) signify the light of Christ. Jesus is a great light shining on those in darkness and overshadowed by death. Jesus as light brings hope; his great light surpasses the darkness of the culture of death that overshadows our contemporary world. The darkness of death manifests itself in abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, gun violence, poverty, and other anti-dignity of live acts. We must reflect the light of Christ. We are to be the light shining to overcome darkness. Jesus, the great light, calls us to work and pray to defend human life from conception to natural death.
 
In the United States, we usually celebrate "Mass for giving Thanks to God for the gift of Human Life on January 22, the anniversary of Roe v Wade (overturned by the US Supreme Court on June 24, 2022- a happy day). However, since it falls on a Sunday this year, we shall celebrate the Mass on Monday, June 23, at 8:00 a.m. Mass. For decades, many Catholics have been praying and marching for respect for life, and we must continue to do so. It calls for sacrifices. I remember my first march for life in Washington, DC, in 2004; it was a cold day for someone who lived most of his life in the tropics. But the advocacy for protecting the life of the unborn and all endangered life was worth the sacrifice made that freezing day. It is still worth it today as the Word of God continues to enlighten us.
 
On this Sunday of the Word of God, as declared by Pope Francis in his motu propio of September 30, 2019, Aperuit illis, I urge every one of us to seek the light of Christ in the Scriptures. The word of God is a light unto our feet (Ps. 119:105). Therefore, let us make it an ongoing, lifelong habit of studying God's Word. Some of us have studied the Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz; we can do it repeatedly. Fr. Schmitz is also leading us in a year-long study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Days 14-17 of last week focused on God's Word. These sections of The Catechism are beneficial in reading and interpreting the Sacred Scriptures. If you have not done so, please sign up for these podcasts and follow them religiously. Georgian Azzalina, our religious education coordinator, invites us to a discussion based on these podcasts. Please check the bulletin for directions for joining the discussion group.
 
Christ called us to spread the light of faith, hope, joy, unity, and peace. How are you called to be a light in your family, parish, and community at large? Can you be a light of unity in a world fragmented by disagreement over the meaning of life? Let us pray for unity among all Christians and all people of the world. Make the light of Christ shine on those dwelling in darkness.
 
In His Light,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 
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2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1/15/2023

1/12/2023

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Beloved brothers and sisters,
 
                                                "Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will" (Ps 40:8).
 
The Christmas season  may be over, but the Word-made flesh continues to appear in our Liturgy during the Ordinary Time. Jesus, "the Lamb of God" and the "light of the nations," reveals himself as one who came to do his Father's will. As he said somewhere else in the Gospel, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me" (Jn 4:34).
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2824) elaborates on Jesus doing the father's will: "In Christ, and through his human will, the will of the Father has been perfectly fulfilled once and for all. Jesus said on entering into this world: Lo, I have come to do your will, O God" (Heb. 10:7; Ps 40:7). Only Jesus can say: I always do what is pleasing to him (Jn 8:39)."
 
Jesus, who baptized us "with the Holy Spirit" (Jn 1:33), empowers us to be like him by obeying God's commands. Jesus calls and sends us to do God's will, loving and serving him. We must learn to listen to God speak to us in His Word and respond to his instruction in deeds. Like the Blessed Mother Mary, we must dedicate ourselves to doing God's will in all aspects of life. As St. Paul reminds us, we have been called and sent by the will of God to be holy (1 Cor 1:2). We achieve holiness by doing God's will. Are you doing God's will for you in our parish?
 
Reflect on these questions: How do I discern God's will for me? What are the obstacles to doing God's will, and how do I overcome them?
 
In His Will,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 
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Epiphany of the Lord 1/08/2023

1/5/2023

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Beloved brothers and sisters,
 
                                                 “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you” (Ps 72:11).
 
The magi, also referred to as the wise men, came from the East, from the land where the sun rises, to pay 
homage to Jesus. It is clear they are not from Israel but from the gentile world. They came seeking Jesus, the Messiah who will deliver all people held in darkness of sin, both Jewish and gentiles alike. On one hand, the
Magi came bearing gifts from a far distance place and bowed down in worship to Jesus when they came into his presence. On the other hand, Herod’s wise men who helped the wise men identify the location of the Messiah-King, did not go and pay him homage. They chose not to adore the Lord, the savior of humankind.
 
This past Monday, we had our parish monthly adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist. A relatively good number were in attendance to offer worship to Jesus. Like the wise men, they offered gifts of their time, mind and body. They defied the harsh weather to pay homage to Jesus who revealed himself to us under the sacred species. Our knowledge and acceptance of Jesus as the incarnate word of God must lead to his worship. As Jesus revealed himself to us through his Incarnation and in other amazing ways, our minds, hearts, spirit, soul and body must yield to him in worship. The Eucharist is one of the extraordinary ways Jesus shows himself to all peoples from all over the world. In the Eucharist, Jesus makes himself present so that we may offer ourselves to him in worship and become united with him. In our encounter with Jesus in worship, we receive grace upon grace to help us live a holy life.
 
Jesus awaits us daily in the Eucharist. The word who became flesh and made his dwelling among us invites us to seek him and worship him. When we worship him in truth and in spirit, when we are devoted to him in
Eucharistic adoration, we can say we are following in the steps of the Magi, the wise ones who endured hardship and long journey to surrender themselves to the Lordship of Jesus. We are part of the nations, the gentiles who have been blessed by the revelation of God-man whose purpose is to save all from darkness of sin and death. Let us make a firm resolution this year to come adore Jesus frequently, Jesus, our redeemer, whose epiphany we celebrate today.
 
Can you make a resolution with the aid of God’s grace to attend masses on all Sundays and holy days of
obligation in year 2023? Will you intentionally seek the light of faith by assiduous study of the bible and
Catechism of the Catholic Church this year? Let’s do it. Let is adore Jesus.
 
In Christ’s Light,
 
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
 
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Parish Office Hours

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9:00am - 4:00pm

Fridays: Closed



Address

Mailing Address:  
1840 Marshall Drive
Elizabethtown, PA 17
022

GPS Address:
904 Mill Road
Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Contact Us

Phone: 717-367-1255
Fax: 717-367-1270

Email: bulletininfo@stpeteretown.org



© St. Peter Catholic Church. 2019. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • From The Pastor
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  • Education
    • OCIA
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