These past weeks and in the weeks to come we will be reading from the Gospel of John, the sixth chapter.  This one chapter has caused a lot of trouble for the believer.  Some of the Protestant commentaries do not know what to make of Jesus’ saying “I am the bread that came down from heaven….  I will give my flesh for the life of the world.”  Some Catholics also have a problem with Chapter six of John’s Gospel.

Some feel that the Eucharist is a meal that gathers us together and “where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in their midst.”  In other words, in simply coming together Jesus is present.  Some think that Jesus is present in the Eucharist if the person receiving Communion really believes he is there.  This would mean that we would not know who is actually receiving Jesus because we do not know their particular belief at the time. We have seen many people go to Communion at a funeral or wedding who are of various faiths or no faith.  Did they receive Jesus?  We could not tell.

The Catholic belief is that Jesus is present whether we believe it or not.  He re-presents his sacrifice, his offering to the Father, so we may be offered.  It is not acting as if we were there at Calvary—we are there!  It is not as if we were at the Last Supper—we are there!  Liturgy transcends time so we may partake of the moment of redemption, of covenant making and union with the Father.

Americans love the movies so movie studios produce 400 to 500 movies a year.  We go to the movies and watch television so much we really don’t know the line between fantasy and reality.  We see and believe, but we don’t really believe because “it’s just a movie.”  We have to come to the point we believe the words of Jesus.  This is no fantasy.  He is here in this bread and this wine to nourish us on the journey.  As one minister said to me: “If I believed that Jesus was present in the Eucharist, I would crawl to be there.”  In another place Jesus said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and who have believed.”

Offertory for August 2^nd & 3^rd                  $5496.00

Envelope Offerings       $4964.00

Loose Cash                          $  532.00

St. John/St. Hugh               $559.00

Many thanks to all who use the parish envelopes each week.  You are the mainstay of our parish support.  This week we received 121 envelopes from the 650 families that are sent envelopes each month.

FIRST COMMUNION PICTURES ARE IN!!

Pictures may be picked up in the Lower Hall classroom #2 (where you ordered them).  If you forgot to order yours, they may still be ordered—go to the same classroom.

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, Jo Ciccarelli, Gerard Sarno, Dorothy Grant, Marisol O’Brien, Matthew Gablor, Ted Baird, Peter Bellini, and Don Sabat.

9:00 – Tuesday, August 12^th                       Vito Pierro

The Feast of the Assumption

The Feast of the Assumption is Friday August 15^th.  The holyday Masses are

9:00AM and 7:30PM.

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is blessed because she believed in God’s word.  Mary is blessed because her body gave life to the Word Incarnate, Jesus.  This is why we believe that her body is assumed into heaven: hers was a blessed body.  Mary had the singular privilege of nourishing with her body the Bread of Life. Body and soul, she was assumed into heaven to enjoy eternal life with the divine Word, her Son Jesus.  Like Mary, what has been “spoken to you by the Lord” that you need to believe and live?

In what ways have you been blessed by believing?

Virtus Training

If you currently serve as a volunteer in our parish or plan to serve as a volunteer this coming year, you are required to participate in VIRTUS PROGRAM: PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN

UPCOMING DATES

Sacred Heart Parish in Lexington

Sunday, September 14 from 1:30 – 4:30pm

Sunday, October 19 from 1:30 - 4:30pm

Held in the lower level of the Parish Center

St. Brigid Parish:

August 26, 9am-12:30pm or 7:00 – 10:30pm

The above workshop will be held in Keilty Hall

St. Julia’s in Weston:

Sunday, September 28^th from 6:00 – 9:30pm

September Is Stewardship Month

for Sacred Heart Parish

Watch for announcements in the coming bulletins about sign-up opportunities for parish service. 

The Center for Grieving Children & Teens

Consider being a volunteer at The Children’s Room, Center for Grieving Children & Teenagers located in Arlington and Framingham, MA.  Being present and listening with your heart to a child who has lost a parent, sibling, or other significant person is a wonderful gift you can give the community.  Training begins September 10^th. 

For more information call Judy Oliver at the Center: 781-641-4741.

Lazarus House Ministries

On Sunday, October 5^th Lazarus House Ministries is sponsoring a five-mile pledge walk, The 4^th Annual Hike for Hope.  The Hike for Hope begins and ends at Merrimack College and winds through beautiful downtown Andover followed by an afternoon of fun, great food and entertainment for all Ages.  Call 978-689-8575 for further information.

Walking Meditation

There is a Buddhist exercise that teaches us to appreciate the sacramentality of nature and living in the present moment.  It is called “walking meditation.”  It is designed to stop us from hurrying, pacing, dashing, and rushing, when our “steps print anxiety and sorrow on the Earth.”  In this meditation we walk slowly, alone or with a friend, preferably in a beautiful place.  We walk as though we were the happiest person on earth.  We walk, not thinking about the past or worrying about the future.  We walk, not trying to get from here to there.  We stop our minds from darting around.  We transform our walking path to a field for meditation—our feet taking every step in full awareness.  Breathing and stepping are in harmony.  Then we can pray, perhaps, with the poet, Gerard Manly Hopkins:

The world is charged with the grandeur

of God.

It will flame out, like shining from

shook foil:

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze

of oil

And for all this, nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep

down things

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 here, they will 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 OPPORTUNITIES:  (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 - Aug 10, 2003	Home