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March 4, 2012
Strength out of weakness For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. –– I Corinthians 1:25
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Luke 6:43-49
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o good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts
TODAY’S
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New International Version (NIV)
Romans 12:1-21 A Living Sacrifice 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God —this is you r tr ue and p ro per worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good,
them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God h as d istr ib uted to each o f you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, To page 9
Sunday Thoughts SURPRISED BY GRATITUDE (Part III) Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name; bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:1
aven’t you been surprised by the way some people express their gratitude? One of the surprises I’ve DR. PROCESO UDARBE had as a writer-preacher was when eight Physical Therapy boardpassers came to see me after the board exams. They told me they had gone to the board exams with some trepidation and lack of self-confidence. But they said they drew a lot of encouragement and inspiration from my sermon “Barking Up the Wrong Mountain.” My surprise: could a four-page sermon be that helpful? But to these young people, it was. I’m quite sure you yourselves have been amazed at what people thank you for and the way gratitude has been expressed. The main reason we are thankful, at least from my
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personal experience, is that we are kept alive daily by love. You and I know what it means to be loved on the human level, loved when we are difficult to live with, loved when often we don’t deserve it. Some of us are surprised by gratitude. And one reason is that when we have caused others to dislike us, when we have blundered, or are caught in a conflict with someone, we cannot love ourselves. Because we cannot love ourselves, we sometimes say, “I hate myself,” and it is impossible for us to accept the love of God or the love of others. But God’s love, we are assured, is constant.
ou’re probably too young to remember the Charles Atlas ads in the old comic books. They are where we get the phrase “ninety-seven-pound weakling.” Here’s this droopy little skinny guy at the beach with a fairly neat girl. Along comes a guy built like a professional wrestler on steroids. He deliberately kicks sand in the skinny guy’s face. The girl hops up and walks off into the sunset on the bully’s arm. Don’t let this happen to you, the ad says. Charles Atlas sold body-building. His philosophy was the stronger you were, the less sand you would have to wash out of your eyes. Weakness is unacceptable. forward with others so that you could impress Few, if any of us, enjoy being weak. them? The best foot forward includes elimiActually, we hate it. When it comes right nating any hint that you have a weakness or down to it, most of us will do anything we soft spot. can to avoid appearing weak. “Be strong,” Maybe, like me, you expend a lot of ef“Look confident,” and “Never let them see fort trying to appear to be something you are you sweat,” are just a few of the things we really not—strong. tell ourselves and others most days. UnMy moments of greatest personal weakderneath it all is the horribly mistaken ness came when I was trying to pretend I was notion that to acknowledge weakness is a self-sufficient and strong, and my moments sin. of greatest personal strength were when I was In our culture, there is such a tremen- able to admit to being needy and weak. Maybe that has been true for you as well. dous emphasis on being strong that we Christ wants to use those experiences to teach have become a culture of cover-up artists us to depend on Him rather than ourselves who put on the makeup of “I’m strong” when the real truth underneath is “I’m for the power to do what we do. When Paul depended on Him, the lives of thousands weak but I’m just too afraid to admit it.” When was the last time you honestly were changed. That can be true for us as well. let someone know how weak you were in We can have that kind of influence on others a given area of your life? Was there ever if we let Christ do it through us. Are you a weak person trying to pretend such an occasion? Most of the time, you are strong, or are you a strong person weren’t you trying to put your best foot because you know how weak you are?
Catholic schools must be distinctly catholic e have to state clearly the importance of a Catholic School for the future of the Church and Society. We have to be reminded that Catholic Schools should provide “an education that no other school can supply—excellent academics imparted in the context of FR. GAMMY TULABING JCD, VG Catholic teaching and practice.” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). Part of our vision for Catholic Schools is to make Catholic Schools distinctly Catholic. Schools are distinctly Catholic if their teaching is based upon the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Scripture, Catholic virtues and moral values. Schools are distinctly Catholic if doctrine and tenets of the faith are well taught and deeply integrated throughout the curriculum. Doctrine and Faith must be evident in all aspects of school life. Schools are distinctly Catholic if they provide regular opportunities for prayer, worship, and reception of the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. Schools are distinctly Catholic if a vibrant faith community is present at them and that community is connected to and relates well with the parish community. The school is distinctly Catholic if it is an effective vehicle of evangelization and ongoing faith formation. The school is distinctly Catholic if the centrality of the family is recognized. Efforts are made to evangelize parents and to support and involve them in the spiritual and academic formation of their children. The Catholic School must be guided by a clear mission that is Catholic and Christ-centered. The entire school and the parish community understand this clear mission that is Catholic and Christ –centered and work together to carry it out. Graduates know and understand the teachings of the Catholic faith. Their world view is shaped by Catholic teaching and moral principles. Teachers and administrators have a strong personal faith whereby they give witness to the Christian life and integrate Catholic teaching into all subject areas. While maintaining a strong Catholic identity, Catholic Schools welcome students of other faiths. Schools across the Diocese serve a diTo page 12
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Pigafetta in native king’s island ere’s an account of the first island that Antonio Pigafetta set foot upon the invitation of the native king: li mo(s)tro Corazine (s)pade et rodelle et fece fare a vno vna leuata poi Lo condu(ss)e (s)upª la tolda dela naue q(ue) he in cima de la popa et fece portare la (s)ua carta de vauigare et La REV. FR. ROMAN C. bu(ss)ola et li di(ss)e p(er) SAGUN, JR. linterprete como trouo Lo (s)treto p(er) vegnire alui et Quante lune (s)onno (s)tati (s)enza vedere terra Se marauiglio He showed the king cuirasses, swords, and bucklers, and had a review made for him. Then he led the king to the deck of the ship, that is located above at the stern; and had his seachart and compass brought. He told the king through the interpreter how he had found the strait in order to voyage thither, and how many moons he had been without seeing land, whereat the king was astonished. in ultimo li di(s)ce q(ue) voleua (s)e li piace(ss)e mandare (s)eco dui homini acio li mo(s)tra(ss)e algune de le (s)ue co(s)e re(s)po(s)e q(ue) era contento yo ge anday cõ vno altº Lastly, he told the king that he would like, if it were pleasing to him, to send two of his men with him so that he might show them some of his things. The king replied that he was agreeable, and I went in company with one of the other men. Quando fui in tera il re leuo le mani aL ciello et poi (s)e volta contª nuy dui face(ss)emo lo (s)imille ver(s)o de lui co(s)i tuti li alt(ri) fecero il re me piglio p(er) La mano vno (s)uo principale piglio laltº compag° et cu(ss)i ne menorõ (s)oto vno coperto de cane doue era vno balanghai longo octanta palmi deli mey Simille a vna fu(s)ta When I reached shore, the king raised his hands toward the sky and then turned toward us two. We did the same toward him as did all the others. The king took me by the hand; one of his chiefs took my companion: and thus they led us under a bamboo covering, where there was a balanghai, as long as eighty of my palm lengths, and resembling a fusta. To page 11
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