Today’s Gospel speaks clearly about Jesus’ mission: “…they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door.” I often wonder if Jesus was ever overwhelmed at times like this. It would seem that he would be. The Gospel continues: “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.”

This is what gave him the strength and energy to continue on with the mission that had been given to him by the Father. We can learn something from this. We cannot fulfill our daily “mission”, our daily work and responsibilities without being refreshed and renewed. Each of us has to figure out how we can do this, but to take time to allow God to be our “higher power” is a necessity.

Lent is coming, but don’t wait until then.

Next Sunday, February 11 at 3 PM, Kevin Tuerff will give a presentation on his experience of being stranded in Newfoundland for five days with 6,500 other airline passengers. It all began on the evening of 9/11 when 38 trans-Atlantic flights were forced to land in this little town of 10,000 people because of the attacks on America. What ended up happening was remarkable. Come and hear this inspiring story. His inspiring book, Channel of Peace, will be available for purchase. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Click HERE to RSVP to the event Channel of Peace

Remember: Ash Wednesday is Wednesday, February 14 (Valentine’s Day).

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

“With respect to the autonomy andculture of every nation, we must never forget that the planet belongs to all mankind and is meant for all mankind; the mere fact that some people are born in places with fewer resources or less development does not justify the fact that they are living with less dignity. It must be reiterated that ‘the more fortunate should renounce some of their rights so as to place their goods more generously at the service of others.’

To speak properly of our own rights, we need to broaden our perspective and hear the plea of other peoples and other regions than those of our own country. We need to grow in a solidarity which ‘would allow all peoples to become the artisans of their destiny’, since ‘every person is called to self fulfillment.’”

Last Sunday we heard Jesus say, “the kingdom of God is at hand.” In today’s Gospel he shows that the kingdom is indeed at hand: he teaches with authority and he drives out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue. The kingdom is happening before the very eyes of his listeners. Jesus is using the authority and power that has been given him to broaden their idea of God and to teach them that they don’t have to be afraid of unclean spirits and the power of evil because they have a greater power available to work with them. He uses his power to make lives better. It is so important to make the ways and the attitude of the Lord Jesus our way of handling the various situations that we come across daily.

On Sunday, February 11 at 3 PM, we will host a presentation by Kevin Tuerff who was on Air France heading to the US the evening of 9/11. His plane and 67 others were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. 7,000 people were fed and housed by the people of this small town. Kevin will relate his story and what he learned from it. The story is the basis for the Broadway musical, Come From Away. His book will be available for purchase. It will be an inspiring presentation and is free. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Don’t forget that next week we will have a Week of Prayer in honor of Our Lady, Untier of Knots. There will be special prayers after the 11:30 and 4:30 Masses. If you have any intentions that you would like included during these Week of Prayer, ll out one of the envelopes in church and drop it o at the reception desk.

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

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“Ordinary Time” began for us this week. On the old calendar, the feast of the Presentation, still more than two weeks away, was the last day of the Christmas season.

Sadly, Bethlehem is hardly a place of peace on earth these days. The ancient Christian community has been largely uprooted by political strife. The Church of the Nativity stands (barely) in remarkable disrepair and disorder in Manger Square. The roof is crumbling, the major doorways are blocked, the wiring is faulty, and the worship life is disrupted by quarrels among Eastern Christians.

The church was founded by the Emperor Constantine in 325, destroyed in a Samaritan revolt in 539, and rebuilt by the Emperor Justinian. When the area came under Muslim control in 638, the holiness of the church was respected, and in return Christians allowed Muslims to pray in the south aisle, a right still upheld. Earlier in that century, invading Persians were ordered to destroy all churches, but when they saw the magi carved over the doorway of the Church of the Nativity, they spared it out of respect for their ancestors who bore gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the same city.

The Crusaders restored and redecorated the church by the twelfth century, and it is their plan that survives. Down a few stone steps is a stone grotto with a silver star marking the place of Christ’s birth: when the star was stolen in 1847 it triggered an international crisis that exploded into the Crimean War. Since 1852, the church has been shared by the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian Churches. The Greeks are in charge of the grotto, but don’t enjoy the best of friendships with the Armenians. Catholics have the care of the Chapel of the Manger, and avoid the squabbles by a separate entrance to the Franciscan monastery church of St. Catherine.

Pray for peace in Bethlehem!

-Rev. James Field

Starting this month we made a small change in our weekday Mass schedule:

The noon-hour Masses are now celebrated at 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM
(the 1:15 Mass will be eliminated).

So since Tuesday, January 2, 2018, the Mass schedule for Monday to Friday is:

7:00, 7:45, 8:30, 11:30 AM, 12:30, 4:30 and 5:30 PM.

We are back to Ordinary Time and it is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. We hear about Samuel being called by the Lord, but it takes Samuel a while to know that it is the Lord calling him. In today’s Gospel, Andrew hears John the Baptist say “Behold the Lamb of God” as Jesus walks by. This causes Andrew to go to his brother, Simon Peter, and tell him that they have found the Messiah.

The good news about Jesus spreads from person to person. We hear how God them – some individually, others through another person. Each of them responds, willing to cooperate. God continues to touch our lives – what is your reaction?

On Monday, January 15, we celebrate the holiday in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. His following of Jesus and Jesus’ message brought about his death, but what he did stills shines forth like a light in the darkness. His dream is still unfinished and his message continues to remind us that there is more to be done.

I want to thank our Security personnel, the police, the MTA, the TV channels, and the woman all involved in the return of our monstrance last week. We are all shocked when a church is violated or something is stolen. When it happens in your own church, it is happening “right here.” We read: “If you see something, say something.” That is true here at St. Francis too.

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.