Ordinary Time, Extraordinary Grace

The Baptism of the Lord we celebrated last week is the first of thirty-four weeks of Ordinary Time in the Church liturgical year, which began last November with Advent. Compared to Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, Ordinary Time is the longest season in our sacramental life and worship. The color we use for clergy vestment and church decoration is green, except for special feasts and solemnities when we use red or white. The Church strives to celebrate the weeks of Ordinary Time in a simple but solemn manner. This comes from the age-old wisdom that in many cases, “less is more” and that God is found in our simple and quiet surroundings. My mother used to say, “Too many decorations destroy the beauty of the house.” This may also be true for churches. So, for Ordinary Time, it’s not a coincidence that we’re seeing fewer and simpler decorations. Less is more. The same can be similarly applied to life: the less “clutter,” the better. We don’t need to rush all the time, if we can help it. It also pays to slow down, especially when we’re stressed out.

Ordinary Time takes us through our personal joys, challenges, and struggles, which may come to us as a surprise, or when we least expect them. Every person and family in the “real world” knows this. Yet our faith tells us that we are only pilgrims in this life. This world is not our final home. We are on a journey of faith that will take us into various turns, twists, stops, and interruptions. It is in these times that God assures us that the Lord is always with us and that we’re not alone. He is our source of supernatural grace that comes to us through the Sacraments of the Church, especially the Holy Eucharist. As we each journey through life, it is important that we’re also doing our part in making our world the kind of world that God wants to see and dwell in. We owe God this much, not just as His creatures, but as His adopted children through Christ. We are accountable to God for the life He has entrusted, to us the people He sent along the way, and the world He gave us.

The hustle and bustle of Christmastime is over. We’re back to living our “ordinary” lives with extraordinary grace from God. But the journey and mission to spread the gospel of Christ continues. In whatever situation we find ourselves, our Gospel story this Sunday reminds us of three things.

First, we can’t successfully continue through our faith journey if the “wine” – the life of the Spirit within us, is missing or lacking. At the wedding at Cana, Mary noticed that the wedding party had run out of wine, which at that time would have been a cause of family embarrassment and disgrace. The family’s six jars of wine had become empty. Is our life empty of purpose and meaning? Is our life empty of the grace of God that comes to us through repentance of sin and acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior? Is our heart thirsting for God’s righteousness, which comes to us through His Commandments? Is our interior life lacking in love/charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity? Our Blessed Mother tells us to do whatever Jesus tells us. To do whatever Jesus tells us is the only way we can be filled to the brim. This means doing things His way. This means our focus will be on God’s will, not ours.

Second, at one point in our lives we must accept that Jesus is the seventh “jar” of grace, without which our life will be empty and incomplete. He is the only one that can give us superabundant life that must flow, and overflow, to meet the needs of other people. This superabundant life is not for our own satisfaction only because we can never earn it. It is given to us as a gift. Only by God’s grace can we accomplish anything in life. Only Jesus can turn water into wine. Only He can satisfy and quench our deepest hunger and thirst.

Third, our Blessed Mother Mary is here to help us. Just as She interceded at the Wedding at Cana on behalf of the groom and the bride, She will intercede for us and the Church, the bride of Christ. Holy Mother of God, our mother, pray for us.

SCL School Fund Update

We have so far raised $192,000 towards the $600,000 needed by March 2025 to keep our SCL School going. But we have a long way to go to reach the $1.2 million goal. Time is running out, and we need everyone’s help. Our big thank you to those who have already donated. To those who have not yet donated, please pray about it and see if this is something the Lord wants you to do on behalf of our students who are the future of our church.

Take careand keep up the good work!

Deacon Rod

Recognize God in Your Oridinary Moments - By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman

Mini Reflection: Sometimes we forget, or even refuse, to bring small concerns and inconveniences to God because we think we should be able to handle them on our own. What a ridiculous attitude that is — as if we could handle anything on our own.

Do Whatever He Tells You
I once ran out of pizza at my kid’s birthday party. Everyone told me it wasn’t a big deal but come on. It was a disaster. I had invited all these people over. They showed up with presents and sang “Happy Birthday” and stood around patiently while my kid ripped through his cache of gifts. The very least they were expecting was to be fed sufficiently. I’ll tell you what, I sure could have used the Blessed Mother that night.

I love the story of the wedding at Cana because it’s such a silly little miracle. I don’t mean to be disrespectful — of course it’s an incredibly important moment in Christ’s public life. But it’s not healing a leper. It’s not raising the dead. It’s not even walking on water. It’s saving a young couple from embarrassment.

I think sometimes we forget, or even refuse, to bring small concerns and inconveniences to God because we think we should be able to handle them on our own. What a ridiculous attitude that is — as if we could handle anything on our own. It’s so fitting that Mary, ever the observant Mother, is the one to bring the matter to Jesus’ attention. He asks her what this problem has to do with him. She doesn’t answer him, because, between you and me, I don’t think he’s asking her. I think he’s asking us. All she does is tell the waiters what I consider to be the best piece of advice in all of Scripture: “Do whatever he tells you.”

I’m so quick to throw up my hands and feel sorry for myself when I encounter a barrier in my life. What I should be doing is taking the matter to God, and then doing whatever He tells me.
©LPi

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of January

For the Right to an Education
Let us pray for migrants, refugees, and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected.

Honor Our Military

Please take time to give thanks for those who have served and are serving in our military and to pray for the safety of those who may currently be in harm’s way. In a special way, we thank and pray for these parishioners and relatives of parishioners.
Dear God,
We pray in gratitude for all of those who have defended peace, virtue, and justice with honor. We pray especially for those who have suffered in mind and body from the ravages of war. May Your peace reign in our hearts and in our world. Amen.

He Who Sacrificed His Life
†JOHN A. STONIS, Grandson of John & Dorthy Stonis
†CHRISTOPHER ZIMNY

Those Still Serving
JAY MARTIN, Nephew of Becky and Tom Brennan
JESSICA CAMERON, Niece of the Cameron Family
JOHN PODCZASKI, Grandson of Genevieve Podczaski
STEVEN TUMBARELLO, Son of Sylvia & Vince Tumbarello
CRAIG BEHRENDT, Grand-nephew of Sister Mary Helen
DANIEL BELZER, Nephew of Dave & Bev Belzer
MICHAEL KELLY, Nephew of Kevin and Kathy Kelly
MATTHEW NEUBAUER, Nephew of Dan & Judy Neubauer
EUGENE WALL, Nephew of Suzanne Lessner
NAILL SWIDER, Grand-nephew of Alice Swider
BRYAN DUFF, Son of Julie Duff
RYAN BLOCHBERGER, Nephew of Mae Grady
TIMOTHY DWORKIN, Grandson of Barbara Bouska
ALEXIS GONZALES, Great-niece of Eden & Lyle Gonzales-Nemzin
JACK MAHON, JR., Son of Jack, Sr. & Eileen Mahon
MICHAEL FOLEY
JOHN FOLEY
PETER MULLER
DANIEL FRAYNA
JOSEPH GULLO
SANG HOON LEE
ANTHONY PALMERO
MORRIS COREY MCMAHON, Son of Chris & Julie McMahon
RYAN FONTILLAS
MICHAEL T. HEHN, Grandson of John & Dorthy Stonis

To add or remove someone, please send the person’s name and relationship (optional) to bulletin@stcatherinelaboure.com

Please Pray for Ukraine

For our sisters and brothers involved in or affected by the war and devastation in Ukraine-- the deceased, the injured, the frightened, the displaced, the fighters, the protesters, the leaders. May God give them solace, healing, comfort, and hearts and minds directed toward peace.
Donations can be made here:

Knights of Columbus: https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html

Caritas: https://www.caritas.org/

Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philidelphia: https://ukrarcheparchy.us

"May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war" - Pope Francis

Neighbors of other Faiths
The Golden Rule

Excerpted from charterforcompassion.org/the-golden-rule-in-seven-major-religions
We may speak of great differences in religious beliefs and forms of worship around the world. Called by an endless number of names, all, however, recognize and worship a Supreme Being. And all religions, somewhere in their sacred literature, expound the fundamental philosophy of the Golden Rule.

Buddhism: Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
~ Buddha, Undanavarga 5:18

Christianity: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that all men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
~ Matthew 7:12

Confucianism: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
~ Confucius, Analects 15:23

Hinduism: Good people proceed while considering what is best for others is best for themselves.
~ Hitopadesa

Islamism: No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
~ Mohammed, Traditions

Judaism: And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
~ Leviticus 19:18

Zoroastrianism: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
~ Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29