St. Peter Catholic Church
  • Home
  • From The Pastor
  • Online Streaming
    • Mass Archives
  • Parish Info
    • Welcome
    • Mass & Reconciliation
    • Sacramental Information
    • Register With Parish
    • RESOURCES
    • Parish Team
    • Photo Gallery
  • Education
    • OCIA
    • Guardian Angel
    • Religious Education >
      • RE Registration
      • RE Online Payment
      • Sacrament Information
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Catholic Education
    • SCRIP
  • Ministry
    • YOUTH MINISTRY
    • Ministry Schedule
    • CAMPUS MINISTRY
    • Parish Ministries
  • News
    • Parishioner News
    • DIOCESAN NEWS
    • Weekly Bulletin
    • Weekly Calendar
    • Monthly Look
    • Upcoming Events
    • St Peter Columbarium
  • Stewardship
    • Online Giving
    • Opportunities

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 07/17/2022

7/14/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Beloved brothers and sisters,
 
                                       Listening to Jesus

 
Our gospel reading for this Sunday is about Mary and Martha. Mary listened with delight to the sweet wisdom coming from the words of Jesus, the Word who took flesh (Lk 10:39), while Martha was more attentive to hospitality toward Jesus. We need to stress that Jesus does not condemn the hospitality displayed by Martha. Instead, Jesus draws our attention to the more important act of listening to his words rather than getting anxious or worried over the cares of the body and temporal affairs. Jesus’ remonstration of Martha is not a case of raising the act of contemplative listening to the Word of life and putting down an active life of hospitality. Instead, Jesus instructs us to do both. We heard in our Gospel on the Good Samaritan last week that Jesus cares for service and acts of hospitality. He, however, does not want our preoccupation with the latter to lead to worries and anxiety to the point of ignoring the more critical act, that is, listening with our whole heart to the words of Jesus.
 
We have the example of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the second chapter of Luke’s Gospel ( 2:19). The Bible says that Mary pondered the words of Jesus in her heart. We must find time and place to listen to Jesus speak to our hearts. God wants us to keep his words with a generous heart (Lk 8:15). It is vital to discipleship to spend time with Jesus in silence listening. We should set aside time and place daily to listen to Jesus speak to our hearts. We must cultivate the art of silence to be enriched by this spiritual practice. Scriptures are also of vital importance in attempting to listen to Jesus. We can engage in spiritual exercises of Lectio Divina. We have one planned for the parish in Fall. Be on a watch out for this.
 
I am writing this message from Lagos, Nigeria. In a few days, I will return home to the United States. I have had one of the best vacations of my life. After being away from my home country, from family and friends for six years, these past three weeks have been refreshing and reassuring about the importance of family and friends in living a healthy life. I am thankful for your prayers and support. But, it is now time to get back to action. But, listening comes first.
 
 
In Christ,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Parish Office Hours

Monday - Thursday

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
  • Online Streaming
    • Mass Archives
  • Parish Info
    • Welcome
    • Mass & Reconciliation
    • Sacramental Information
    • Register With Parish
    • RESOURCES
    • Parish Team
    • Photo Gallery
  • Education
    • OCIA
    • Guardian Angel
    • Religious Education >
      • RE Registration
      • RE Online Payment
      • Sacrament Information
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Catholic Education
    • SCRIP
  • Ministry
    • YOUTH MINISTRY
    • Ministry Schedule
    • CAMPUS MINISTRY
    • Parish Ministries
  • News
    • Parishioner News
    • DIOCESAN NEWS
    • Weekly Bulletin
    • Weekly Calendar
    • Monthly Look
    • Upcoming Events
    • St Peter Columbarium
  • Stewardship
    • Online Giving
    • Opportunities