The towns were close together on Lake Galilee as they seem to be every place there is a large body of water.  For the most part these were fishing communities or wonderfully situated on the trade routes.  Jesus walked through these towns and as he spoke and walked people followed.  When at last he stopped there were over 5,000 people gathered on the hill side.  Some had been with him for some time and had run out of rations.  Could there be enough in the nearest village?   Would we ever have enough money to pay for this summer picnic?

Then Jesus told his disciples to feed the people.  They went around the crowd and found a kid with a Stop and Shop bag.  “What’s in the bag, kid?” they asked.  “My mother sent me to the store to get fish and bread, sir,” the boy replied. (John 6:1)  You know the rest of the story. They told Jesus about the kid and he said that was enough.

Jesus chose to need the kid’s fish and barley loaves to make this summer picnic.  The kid—with little attention—was a major factor in this whole event. He was there with what he had.  He was willing to give Jesus what he wanted.

Each of you has something Jesus could use to make good things multiply in the lives of other people.  You have time, talent, money, an understanding heart, patience, willingness to help, a hug, and a good example of a Christian.  God has chosen to need your willingness and generosity.  How willing are you to look inside yourself for the one gift Jesus needs in the building up of this community?

The story is told of Jesus ascending to heaven. Upon arrival in heaven, a vast host of angels greeted Jesus. After the formalities, they asked him whom he had left behind on earth to finish the work he had begun. Jesus replied, “Just a small group of men and women who love me.”  “That’s all?” asked the angels, astonished. 

We welcome you to Sacred Heart Parish.  If you are vacationing here or if you are new parishioner, we invite you to join us on the Rectory porch after the 10:00am Mass for coffee and conversation.  New parishioners, please introduce yourself to Father Colletti or any of the staff.  We will make sure you receive the census form so that you may become a part of our parish family.

This week we ask you to pray for those who are ill, including, Brianna Cimino, Rosemary Harvey, Regina Jones, Andrea Hynes, Joyce Amos, James Reilly, Regina Wingard, Elaine Ring, Erin McMehon, Maria Aguis, George Beck, Dr. Kenneth Spengler, Josephine Murphy, Peter Bugda, Norma Berstein, Camille Michals, Rob Morway, Patricia Hassett, Paul McCann, William Francis, Lillian Davenport, James Fontaini, Henri Fradette, William Blair, Agatha Pals, Richard Gaudet, Kath Rodriegas, Estelle Szalajeski, Nancy Driscoll, Dante DiManna, Margie Levine, Ruth Pike, Doug Phillips, Ralph Tatro, Andrew Day,  Peggy Sue Grow, Mary Serpa, Deborah Miller, Audrey Finn, Dorothy Lee, William MacKinnon, Mary Jefferson, Elizabeth Conte, Dave Rissmiller, Violet Calderoni, Ruth McAleer, John McAleer, Monica Cotter, Frank Cote, Kathy Smith, Harold Johnson, James Bresnahan, Ann Mulray, Chrysostom Blanchard, Bea Lingane, Rita Mahan, Paul Bentley, Connie Perrotta, Gerard Sarno, Dorothy Grant, Marisol O’Brien, Matthew Gablor, Ted Baird, Peter Bellini, Don Sabat, and Rita Laffey. 

Volunteers are needed for many of our ministries at Sacred Heart Parish.  We need people to be on our various commissions—the Worship Commission, the Religious Education Commission, the Youth Commission.  Please contact the office, 781-862-4646, and share your gifts with us!

Prayer Service

There will be another prayer service for Marisol O’Brien on Tuesday, July 29^th at 7:00pm at Sacred Heart Parish.  In preparation for the service we will say the Rosary at 6:30pm if you would like to come early.  Please come and support the O’Brien family as they travel through this journey with Marisol.

Living the Paschal Mystery

This gospel account is far more than an interesting “super size” story; it primes us to ponder the great mystery of Jesus himself as the Bread of Life (which we will hear about on subsequent Sundays) and his self-giving that enables us to share in it.  The challenge for us is far more than believing in Jesus’ power to multiply loaves and fishes; the challenge is recognizing Jesus’ self-giving as a sign of fulfillment and promise of eschatological glory that we share even now.  We Christians are to see our lives through the lens of God’s lavish abundance.  Do we?

A relationship with God grows the way any relationship grows - by communication.  Prayer is our communication with God.  Prayer like, any dialogue, involves listening, noticing, responding and a willingness to reconsider one’s values and perceptions.  But prayer is also just being with God, being aware of God’s presence in all the people and events of our everyday life.  There are times when this may seem to be a difficult task.  Times when we need some support, and encouragement.  Two realities confront our society today: extreme individualism and the separation of faith from ordinary family and social life.  Yet in the midst of these seemingly negative factors, a quiet revolution is taking place in the hearts of many: a longing for community!  Community and the hunger for community are not new phenomena.  The concept of community is deeply imbedded in the Christian tradition.  Think about joining a Small Faith Community. 

Mass Begins at Home

We refer to our arrival in the church before the celebration as “the gathering rite.”  Most of us think of it as the moment when we meet and greet our brothers and sisters in Christ early in the liturgy.  But we can think of it as a rite that begins much earlier: Even as we arrive on the church grounds and get out of our cars in the parking lot, as we greet and talk with the others about the weather or about which of our children caught the chickenpox—the gathering rite is in motion.  Even earlier, roused from our sleep, we have begun to gather our wits and collect our thoughts and intentions.  Hauled from our beds, we have migrated from all directions to form this gathering.  For we are hungry to break the bread that is Christ’s body and share the cup of our salvation.

The gathering rite is our invitation to hone our awareness of this migration we make on Sunday morning.  It gives the chance to make a transition from the sacrament of daily life to the sacrament of our gathered community. We do not want to find ourselves in this migration out of habit or duty—but we want to reach that level of awareness that knows our deepest yearning for an experience of the holy in communion.

Here are some ideas to make the gathering rite a joyful, rich and pleasant experience before you even arrive at the church: Get up an hour earlier and read over the scripture lessons for the day so that you can really hear them at the liturgy.  Make special coffee or hot chocolate and bring it around to family members inviting them to this Sunday rising with plenty of time to shower and dress in their Sunday clothes.  Allow that the family retains a Sunday silence—no idle chatter—just the peace of silence and a gathering of our inner selves.  Play “Sunday music”—to set the tone: chant or some meditative and beautiful religious music from our long heritage.  Retain the silence as you walk or drive to church.  When you arrive, make a point of greeting and engaging the others you meet. Greet someone you know already and greet and make the acquaintance of someone whom you have never met before.  “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of you.”

Copyright © 2001 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago IL 60622‑1101; 1‑800‑933‑1800; www.ltp.org. Text and art by Gertrud Mueller Nelson. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Coordinator of YM: Maureen McKeown

781/861-8385 X21 - email: nychick1@att.net

SCRIPTURE STUDY: A small group of teens have been meeting regularly for several weeks in a relaxed atmosphere to read Scripture (God’s word), reflect on the meaning of the passage in their lives and share a simple meal.  The Gospel of John is their focus.

Now that summer is finally here, they plan to continue their journey on Sunday morning at 11 AM (following the 10 o’clock Mass).  If you have ever thought about why the stories from scripture are still around, or how you might begin to look more closely at those passages you remember from your childhood – or if there is a message here for you – a teen in a community of faith in Lexington in 2003 – then perhaps this is the summer to set aside that time.  Come and see what it’s all about – no obligation, as they say! 

We need you – you are welcome.  Please give thought and prayer to how your gifts can enrich our entire community.

GREAT OPPOPRTUNITIES:  (Training provided!) 

Do you want to be a READER

                     a GREETER

                     a PEER MINISTER FOR RETREATS

                     a MEMBER OF A LEADERSHIP TEAM

                     a CUP MINISTER (After Confirmation)

Call Maureen and it can be arranged!

“CUT THIS COLUMN OUT AND POST IN ON YOUR BULLETIN BOARD”

Bulletins	Sacred Heart Parish Bulletin -July 27, 2003	Home