a CACINA Parish
February 14, 2021
Volume 5, Issue # 7
Celebrants: Our Pastor - Father Victor Ray Chapel at 3803 Haines Road North St. Petersburg, Florida Sunday, Live Mass at 10:30 am Live Stream: YouTube and Facebook
Wisdom From Our Pastor Touching the Untouchable - Is that you? Leprosy in biblical times covered a wide range of skin diseases from ringworm or psoriasis to what is today known as Hansen’s disease – a truly horrific condition which, if untreated, can lead to loss of fingers and toes and other deformities of the body. Fear of contagion forced victims to live outside the community and endure a much more severe form of isolation than that endured by the victims of the Covid-19 virus today. Lepers were treated as outcasts, pariahs, untouchables. Their miserable plight was made even worse by the ingrained belief that their disease was a punishment from God for sin. Thus, to their physical affliction was added the psychological and mental affliction of feeling rejected not only by society but even by God. As our first reading from the Book of Leviticus makes clear, a leper was declared ‘unclean’ by one of the priests, compelled to wear ‘his clothing torn and his hair disordered’, to ‘shield his upper lip and cry, “Unclean, unclean”, and to ‘live outside the camp’ (Lev 13:45-46). Moreover, Jewish Law forbade anyone from approaching or touching a leper under the pain of incurring ritual defilement. Hence the life of a leper at the time of Jesus was nothing short of a ‘living hell’. Death would have been preferable to living with leprosy This context makes the story of Jesus’ cure of a leper in today’s gospel quite remarkable. First there is the extraordinary courage and faith of the leper. In spite of the frightful stigma he had to endure, he still has the courage to approach Jesus, trusting that he will accept and cure him. To come close to Jesus he had to risk the anger of the people around Jesus and the likelihood of been chased away with stones. With an exemplary combination of faith and humility he goes down on his knees before Jesus and pleads with him in words that must have wrung the very heart of Jesus: “If you want to, you can cure me” (Mk 1:40). Even more extraordinary is the response of Jesus, especially the manner in which he cures the leper. Moved with compassion for the leper, he says: “Of course I want to. Be cured”. And then, with a gesture not only forbidden by the Mosaic Law but profoundly counter-cultural, he reaches out and touches the leper with his hand. This gesture – touching the untouchable – spoke more eloquently than any words could and brought spiritual as well as physical healing to the unfortunate man. It was a gesture of acceptance and empathy that restored the leper’s humanity and sense of self-worth as well as curing him: ‘At once the leprosy left him and he was cured’ (Mk 1:42). One of the sad consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic is its proscribing the gesture of touch, in effect making lepers of us all. The sense of touch is at the core of what it means to be human. Far more than words, it conveys concern, empathy, support and affirmation. In his latest book, Let us Dream, Pope Francis reminds us that, while ‘social distancing is a necessary response to a pandemic, it cannot last without eroding our humanity…. The communication we most need is touch…. We yearn for the touch of those we love, which we must sometimes give up for their sakes and ours. Touch is a deeply human need’ (Let us Dream, 23). Pope Francis illustrates this truth from his personal experience. During his Wednesday audiences, he was often approached by blind children who wanted to touch his face with their hands so they could “see” the Pope. The love of God impels us to imitate the example of Jesus and bring his compassionate and healing touch to the lepers of our time: the isolated, despised and broken women and men longing for acceptance and love. So we pray: ‘Lord pour your Spirit into our hearts and make us effective instruments of your healing love in our world today’.
Father Victor Ray
Cream Cards available in the Pew Pocket to follow along with the Mass.
All of us at Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community want to take a moment to extend a Very Warm Welcome to everyone who is visiting us for the first time this morning. Whether you are just having a look, or are searching for a place to worship, we are delighted to have you here. Enjoy the rest of your worship time with us, and
May God Bless You!
The Daily Prayer of Saint Teresa Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with your spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of You. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. Amen.
Sunday, February 14, 2021 HYMNS GATHERING #Bulletin Alleluia! Alleluia! Let the Holy Anthem Rise A OFFERTORY #Bulletin Amazing Grace COMMUNION #Bulletin God So Loved SENDING #605 Your Grace Is Enough
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READINGS 1st Reading
P. 70
Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46
Responsorial Psalm: PS 32 (vs 1,3,4) RS: I turn to you in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation. 2nd Reading
1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Gospel
Mark 1:40-45
Reflections of the Week: Have you ever felt like a “leper” – segregated, isolated, estranged, misunderstood? Are we good at keeping confidences? Can we wait to share good news until the time is right to do so? A part of being trustworthy is being able to keep things in confidence when we are asked to do so. Why do you think Jesus asked the leper to tell no one of what happened? What happened when the leper told everyone of what happened to him?
Let Us Pray For
Rick Hamilton, Bp. Peter Hickman, D.A. Marx, Dee Spano, James Meeks, Mark Talboom, Greg Reuss, Melvin Baker, Jose Mejias and Roy, Paula and Buddy Baker
PRAYERS RECEIVED BY THE AIR WAVES Bruno Fernanda, Jack/Susan/Billy Fabien, Wesley, Javier, AnnMarie Shahana, Eugene, Eoghan, Nelson, Annette/Don Husband, Beverly, Victor Adolfo, Mike Ifeanyi, Daughter/Sister Tequila, Ann, Aditya, Amanda
DEVOTIONAL CANDLE LIGHTED FOR Earl “Bud” Miller,
For all those that need a Prayer, raise your Right Hand Toward Heaven and know that the Parish of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community is beside you in your Prayer. For all of our Parishioners that follow us through Electronic Media. Prayers for your specific request that you have sent us have been place in our Prayer Basket!
Upcoming Celebrations
BIRTHDAYS FEB 6 JENNIFER STOUT FEB 9 ELLIE OSPINA FEB 10 BECKY BYRLEY
ANNIVERSARYS FEB 2 BUDDY AND PAULA BAKER
For all those Celebrations that I have missed, Forgive Me and I sincerely hope they were all Wonderful. Wishing you all the Happiness and Repeat of your Special Day!
SPLISH/SPLASH A CELEBRATION! BIRTHDAYS: APRIL 2 REV. DR. MARY FOLEY, MAY 28 ARYN ZAHNOW, SEPTEMBER 9 CINDY GIDDENS, OCTOBER 16 PAULA BAKER, NOVEMBER 7 DENNIS GIDDENS, JANUARY 17 COLLIN STOUT, ANNIVERSARIES: OCOTBER 10 REV. DR. MARY FOLEY-ORDINATION, OCTOBER 27 DENNIS AND CINDY GIDDENS,
SPLISH/SPLASH IS A CELEBRATION THAT FATHER VICTOR RAY PERFORMS DURING THE SERVICE TO BLESS THE SPECIAL BIRTHDAY OR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONGREGANT/S.
church calendar Rosary Prayer Video on the Zoom Zone Calendar every Sunday • Sunday, February 14, 10:30 am, Mass– Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time LIVE STREAM AND LIVE MASS • Sunday, February 14, Rite of Blessing Palms to Ashes after Mass • Sunday, February 14, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY • Wednesday, February 17, 12:00 pm, Chapel Courtyard - Ash Wednesday • Wednesday, February 17, 6:30 pm, Chapel - Ash Wednesday • Friday, February 19, 6:30 pm, Chapel - Stations of the Cross • Sunday, February 21, 10:30 am, Mass– First Sunday of Lent LIVE STREAM AND LIVE MASS
• Sunday, February 21, 2:30 pm, F.A.S.T. joint AUMC/STOCCC Meeting on Zoom • Friday, February 26, 6:30 pm, Chapel - Stations of the Cross • Sunday, February 28, 10:30 am, Mass– Second Sunday of Lent LIVE STREAM AND LIVE MASS • Sunday, March 7, 10:30 am, Mass– Third Sunday of Lent LIVE STREAM AND LIVE MASS
Online Giving Use Online Giving our online giving platform to make paperless donation to our church. You can give, through this website by using your credit card, debit card or electronic checking, and set up one-time or recurring donations. -To Access our Online Giving AccountVia Smartphone: Our app at Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community click on “Online Giving” Via Website: www.stoccc.org click on “Online Giving” MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2/07/21 – 14 COLLECTIONS: $1,060.00 INTERNET: $ 102.66 ACTUAL MONTHLY EXPENSE: $2,062.61 MONTHLY INCOME (PLUS/MINUS) -$899.95
BULLETIN SUBMISSIONS DUE THURSDAY BY MIDNIGHT
GATHERING
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OFFERTORY
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COMMUNION
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