Armed Forces Prayer Book

Our Armed Forces Prayer Book is now located in the greeting area at the front entrance of church. If you have a member of your family, or extended family, that is serving in the Armed Forces, you are invited to bring a picture of that person and put it in the prayer book, or to simply write in their name. Our parish is praying in a special way for them.

Weekend Scripture Helps

Twenty-fourth Sunday in ordinary Time

First Reading: Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
The book of Exodus tells of the Israelites' escape from Egypt and their covenant with God at Mount Sina. In today's passage, Moses has been up on the mountain for 40 days conversing with God. In his absence, the Israelites have despaired and built a golden calf to worship as a god.

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
The first letter to Timothy was written about 30 years after Paul's death. It was written in Paul's name, a practice common in the ancient world. In today's portion of this letter, the unknown author sketches a protrait of Paul as someone we should imitate.

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Wisdom 9:13-18
The book of Wisdom was written by a teacher who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, a center for Greek philosophy in the ancient world. Fearful that the Jewish people might be captivated by this secular wisdom, the author contrasts it with the rich spiritual wisdom found in Jewish religious traditions. The ninth chapter presents a prayer of Solomon for wisdom, and today's reading is an excerpt from this prayer.

Second Reading: Philemon was a rich man with many slaves, one of whom - Onesimus - escaped. Onesimus reached Paul in prison and converted to Christianity. In sending Onesimus back to Philemon, Paul gave him a letter to take with him, a protion of which we hear today.

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
The book of Sirach was written by a wise teacher who lived 200 years before Christ. Sirach ran a school for young people in Jerusalem. In today's section, he gives his students a string of wise sayings to guide them in their conduct.

Second Reading; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24
In today's reading from the letter to the Hebrews, the author contrasts two covenants. He begins with the covenant at Mount Sinai, which was ratified amid fire and darkness. Then he speaks of the new covenant established by Jesus at Mount Zion (which is another name for Jerusalem).

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Isaiah 66:18-21
when the Jews returned from exile in babylon, they found their beloved Jerusalem in shambles. In today's passage, the prophet looks ahead to better days when people from foreign lands will flock to Jerusalem as the city God built.

Second Reading: Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13
The letter to the Hebrews was written to people who had become discouraged and were losing faith. Today the author quotes a text from the Old Testament book of Proverbs, and finds in it encouraging words.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
In 597 B.C., Babylon (located in modern-day Iraq) defeated Jerusalem, and thousands of jewish leaders and citizens were taken into exile. The prophet Jeremiah was among those left behind. When he preached trust in God rather than armed revolution, the people considered him a traitor.

Second Reading: Hebrews 12:1-4
Commonly referred to as a letter, Hebrews is really a lengthy sermon that encourages people to remain faithful in difficult times. In the previous section of this book, the author cited Old Testament witnesses who had done just that. Now, the author points out the greatest example of fidelity.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Wisdom 18:6-9
The book of Wisdom was written by a teacher who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, a center of learning for the ancient world. He addresses his writing to a group of Jews in that city who were being tempted to abandon their religious practices and beliefs. To bolster their faith, the author speaks of the memorable night of passover when the angel of the Lord destroyed the enemies of the Jews.

Second Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Today and for the next three Sundays, the second reading will be from the letter to the Hebrews. This document was written by an author we do not know to a community we cannot identify. In today's section, the author encourages the community, whose faith is faltering, by calling to mind Old Testament heroes such as Abraham and Sarah.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23
Ecclesiates is one of the seven books in the Old Testament referred to as Wisdom books. Wisdom literature reflects on how to live in this world in a way that is pleasing to God. The author of this book calls himself Qoheleth, a term that perhaps means "teacher." Qoheleth has a pessimistic view of life, in part because he doesn't believe in life after death. The wisdom he teaches is that one should not be burdened by anxieties, but rather live each day as a gift from God.

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
In our previous readings from Colossians, we have seen how Christ is the only mediator between God and the world, and how our baptism has made us one with Christ. The author will today remind us of the heights to which Christ has raised us, and then call upon us to live up to this.