St. Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church July 2

St. Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church July 2

St. Edward the Martyr Roman
Catholic Church
July 2-3, 2016
MASS SCHEDULE
Saturday Vigil 5:30 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m.
Monday—-Friday 8:00 a.m.
Reconciliation: Saturday 4:30 p.m.—5:00 p.m.
or by appointment
We of the parish of St. Edward the Martyr strive to foster a Christian, Catholic community by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, seeking
to manifest His Word through sacramental worship, with commitment and service to family and community.
Parish Office
123 Trinity Way P.O. Box 489
Sisters, OR 97759
Phone: 541-549-9391 Fax: 541-549-1057
Parish Staff
Pastor: Very Rev. Andrew Szymakowski, J.C.L.
E-mail: [email protected]
Residence: 541-549-0751
Pastoral Associate: Carol Neary
E-mail: [email protected]
Bookkeeper and Administrative Assistant:
Nanci Reuter
E-mail: [email protected]
RE Coordinator: Tania Rebolledo
E-mail: [email protected]
Parish Office Hours
Tuesday through Thursday: 9:00 a.m.—2:30 p.m.
or by appointment
Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction:
First Sunday of the Month 1:00 p.m.—4:00 p.m.
Church & Garden website:
www.stedwardsisters.org
Diocese website:
www.dioceseofbaker.org
Catholic Bishops website:
www.usccb.org
Infant Baptism: Parents and godparents are required to take a
preparation class. Please contact the parish office.
RCIA and Adult Confirmation: Adults and children are always
welcome to learn more about the Catholic Church and prepare
for full initiation. Call the parish office to learn more.
Marriage Preparation: At least six months in advance couples
must arrange for pre-marriage instruction before setting the
desired date. Contact the parish office for more information.
Communion to the Sick: Contact the parish office if you or a
loved one is unable to attend Mass but wishes to receive Holy
Communion.
Anointing of the Sick: Celebrate this healing sacrament before
your scheduled surgery or hospital stay. Call the parish office.
Catholics, Come Home: If you or someone you know has been
away from the Church and isn’t sure how to come back, please
contact the parish office.
Funeral Services: Please call the parish office at 541-549-9391.
Vocations: If you are interested in the priesthood or the religious
life, please call Fr. Jude.
Saturday Music: If you are interested in being a part of this
liturgical ministry, please call Anne Seile at 541-549-5702.
Sunday Music: Call the parish office if you are interested in
contributing to this liturgical ministry.
Send all bulletin announcements by Tuesday noon preceding the
requested Sunday to [email protected].
Saint Edward Email News & Prayer Request Network: If you have any contributions, would like to have your name added to the
distribution list or have a new email address, please send your information to:
[email protected]
Saint Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church, Sisters, Oregon
July 2-3, 2016, Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Sunday Reflection
Dearly beloved parishioners,
There is little need for an introduction since I substituted at St. Edward Catholic Church some years ago.
I just want to say that I am honored to be your Pastor
and look forward to serving you as a parish priest.
The term “parish” etymologically comes from the
Greek noun paroikia which means “those living near or
beside” a place and it describes people who are living in
the same neighborhood. Also, the Greek verb form
paroikein means “to dwell beside a place”. Also, it can
mean aliens or settled foreigners in a country.
The respected Canon Lawyer, James A. Coriden,
states that the Greek word was used in this sense by the
first Christian authors to describe local congregations
of believers. It carried a mystical sense for the early
Christians communities since they considered themselves pilgrims in foreign lands no matter where they
lived because they were awaiting their true homeland
that is Heaven, everlasting joy and life with the Eternal
Trinity.
In other words, the parish as a community exists to
help people reach heaven because no one can save
themselves in isolation from others. There is simply no
“do it yourself” Christianity. This is why St. John Paul
II calls the parish as the fundamental community of the
People of God which is founded upon baptism and
which has the particular duty of developing and nurturing the baptismal vocations of all its members.
So, each parish exists to develop the divine vocations of its individual members because “apart from the
parish community the vocations of its members could
never be discerned, and the individual qua individual
has no vocation.”
My purpose as your parish priest is to help lead you
to heaven and to help you to lead a life of holiness according to the teachings of the Holy Roman Catholic
Church.
Everything else is for the sake of this, and sometimes
certain things we consider to be very important are in
truth insignificant.
God Bless, Fr. Andrew Szymakowski, J.C.L.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU: To all the people that
made my surprise retirement party wonderful including
especially Father Jude, Carol Neary, the Parish Council,
the Altar Society and Mary Richards, who made the
beautiful quilt for me, and all those who attended the
breakfast in my honor, I thank you from the bottom of
my heart. God bless and Go Ducks! - John Ries
WELCOME FATHER ANDREW, OUR NEW
PASTOR! Effective July 1, we welcome Father
Andrew Szymakowski as the pastor of our parish.
Please take time to say hello! We wish Father Jude a
fond farewell and many blessings.
CATECHETICAL CORNER: Catholic
Participation in Political Life Of her very nature, the
Church is missionary. This means her members are
called by God to bring the Gospel by word and deed
to all peoples and to every situation of work,
education, culture, and communal life in which
human beings find themselves. The members of the
Church seek to transform society not by power but by
persuasion and by example. Through participation in
political life—either as voters or as holders of public
office—they work for increasing conformity of public
policy to the law of God as known by human reason
and Divine Revelation. This they do especially by
showing the coherence of Catholic teaching with the
fundamental yearnings and dignity of the human
person. From its foundation, the United States has
maintained the freedom of its citizens to worship
according to their consciences and has prohibited
infringement upon religious freedom by the
government. For some, this leads to the conclusion
that religion is a purely private matter and should not
exercise a public voice in debates about moral issues.
That was not the intention of the founders of this
nation. Catholics must participate in political life and
bring to bear upon it—by their voice and their vote—
what they have learned about human nature, human
destiny, and God’s will for human beings from his
self-revelation. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is relevant
for all times and all places. -USCCB
THANK YOU to Zeferina Moreno, Gabriela
Mendoza, Tania Rebolledo, Kevin Neary, and
Carol Neary who helped clean the rectory
after Father Jude’s departure. Your selfless
gift of time is very much appreciated.
Thank you also to David Asson, Dave Asson,
Morgan McQuiston and Kevin Neary for
helping Father Andrew move in.
MANY THANKS to all the men and women who
came to the parish Tuesday to help seal the statues in
the garden and do various projects outside. It was
wonderful to see such a great turnout!
Iglesia Católica Romana, San Eduardo el Mártir
3 de Julio, Catorceavo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
SANTO DE LA SEMANA: LAS BEATAS MÁRTIRES
CARMELITAS DE COMPIÈGNE (m. 17 de julio de
1794) Ofrecieron sus vidas como sacrificio para restaurar
la paz en Francia y en toda la Tierra. A medida que la
Revolución arrasaba a su alrededor, desbordándose el
Reino del Terror, su oración llegó a su punto culminante
cuando dieciséis hermanas fueron sometidas a la
guillotina. Los revolucionarios veían a la Iglesia Católica
con desprecio, porque consideraban la institución
demasiado atada al orden social que procuraban
derrumbar. Las órdenes contemplativas, como las
Carmelitas, eran un blanco porque no eran activas en el
mundo. A los ojos de los revolucionarios, las carmelitas
no ofrecían nada útil a Francia. En 1792 la comunidad de
monjas carmelitas en Compiègne fue dividida, obligada a
abandonar los hábitos que usaban y sometida a vigilancia.
Las hermanas continuaban reuniéndose y rezando, y dos
años después de su expulsión del monasterio, los
revolucionarios las detuvieron y encarcelaron. El día
después de un breve juicio amañado, las dieciséis monjas
carmelitas iban a ser ejecutadas. Las desfilaron en sus
hábitos por las calles de París porque su ropa secular se
estaba lavando. A medida que llegaban al patíbulo
entonaron el Veni Sancti Spiritus y otros himnos. Una
por una subieron las escaleras, renovaron sus votos ante su
priora, la Madre Teresa de San Agustín, y luego, con gran
serenidad, colocaban la cabeza en la guillotina. Con cada
bajada de la guillotina, los cantos disminuían voz a voz.
Después de la muerte de la hermana número dieciséis y
última, hubo silencio. Esto fue inusual. Por lo general,
una ejecución estaba precedida por un redoble, y después
de la decapitación, la multitud aclamaba, paradójicamente,
creyendo que aplaudía valores, como el de libertad,
igualdad y razón. Esta vez, el estado de ánimo era sombrío.
No hubo tambores ni alegría. La multitud se dispersó en
silencio. Las monjas ofrecieron sus vidas con la esperanza
de que Dios traería la paz a su tierra. Diez días después de
la ejecución terminó el Reino del Terror. Desde el
comienzo de la Iglesia, los cristianos han sido amantes de
la tierra donde nacieron, y han ofrecido su vida por su
país, incluso cuando enfrentan persecución. Estas
carmelitas su unieron al sacrificio de Cristo de la manera
más perfecta. Nos muestran cómo vivir y amar con gracia
y dignidad en un tiempo de agitación. ¡Beatas mártires
Teresa de San Agustín y compañeras de Compiègne,
rueguen por nosotros! - USCCB
MUCHÍSIMAS GRACIAS a todos los hombres y
mujeres que ayudaron en la parroquia el Martes
pasado para poner la estatua en el jardin y en otros
proyectos de afuera. ¡Fue maravilloso ver que todo
salio bien!
!BIENVENIDO PADRE ANDREW, NUESTRO NUEVO PARRACO! Día efectivo, 1o. de julio. Le damos la mas
cordial bienvenida a Padre Andrew Sxymakowski como el nuevo
pastor de nuestra parroquia. ¡Favor de tomar un tiempo para
saludarlo! Le deseamos a Padre Jude una ves más un buen inicio
en su nueva jornada y le mandamos todas nuestras bendiciones.
MUCHÍSIMAS GRACIAS a Zeferina Moreno, Gabriela
Mendoza, Tania Rebolledo, Kevin Neary, and Carol Neary
quienes ayudaron a limpiar la rectoría después de la partida de
Padre Jude. Su donación de tiempo y trabajo fué de mucho aprecio. Le damos las gracias también a David Asson, Dave Asson,
Morgan McQuiston y Kevin Neary por su ayuda a Padre Andrew
a moverse a la rectoría de nuestra parroquia.
NO HABRÁ ADORACIÓN EUCARÍSTICA hoy domingo, 3 de julio.
RE-ENROLEN SUS TARJETAS DE PUNTOS: a Saint
(community rewards) Edward the Martyr Catholic Church y
continúe acumulando puntos para donación a la iglesia en cada
compra que haga. Visite la página Web: www.fredmeyer.com/
community rewards.
¡LA FIESTA DE OCTUBRE ya está muy cerca en nuestra
parroquia! Necesitaremos voluntarios, artículos para rifar, y más!
Favor de contactarse a la oficina para donar de su ayuda y de su
tiempo! Habrá una junta de organización que se anunciará en la
sección del calendario. ¡Esté pendiente para marcar su calendario! Si cada uno dona de su tiempo por una hora, aún así
tendrá tiempo para disfrutar de éste bonito evento. De
antemano, ¡gracias comunidad!
BOLETOS PARA LA RIFA: Estarán en venta la próxima
semana, 25 de junio después de las misas. Ayudemos al grupo de
la Sociedad del Altar y ¡gane un bonito premio! La rifa se llevará
acabo el 17 de julio después de misa. Cada boleto es de $1.00 y
6 boletos por $5.00.
DESAYUNO EN LA SEMANA DE QUILT: Favor de
marcar su calendario para asistír al servicio que la Sociedad del
Altar efectúa cada año. Habrá desayuno todas las mañanas
comenzando desde el 4 de julio y terminando el 8 de julio de
6:00 a.m. a 9:00 a.m. Este desayuno es para toda la comunidad y
no sólo para los que hacen los quilters. Las misas del 4 de julio
al 10 de julio serán a las 9:00 a.m. durante la semana de Quilt.
¡Venga y disfrute de un rico desayuno todas estas mañanas antes
de la Santa Misa! ¡Cooperemos con el grupo de la Sociedad del
Altar!
UN AGRADECIMIENTO ESPECIAL PARA TODOS
USTEDES: quines atendieron a mi despedida sorpresa. ¡Fué
un honor para mí! Agradesco en especial a Padre Jude, a Carol
Neary, al Consejo Parroquial y a la Sociedad del Altar.
PARISH CALENDAR: JULY 3– JULY 16, 2016
Sunday
July 3
9:00 a.m. Mass
Pro Populo
Altar Society Raffle
tickets on sale
10
9:00 a.m. Mass
Deceased buried in St.
Winefride’s Garden
Altar Society Raffle
tickets on sale
Monday
Tuesday
4
9:00 a.m. Mass
The U.S.A.
Wednesday
Thursday
5
6
7
9:00 a.m. Mass 9:00 a.m. Mass
9:00 a.m. Mass
Vern Heiman Family
Walt &
Haasl Family†
(Thanksgiving)
Marlene Shuey
Friday
8
9:00 a.m. Mass
Junker† Ullyot †
Quilt Week Breakfast—All are invited— 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
6:30 p.m.: Sunday
Choir Practice
11
12
13
8:00 a.m. Mass
8:00 a.m. Mass 8:00 a.m. Mass
Heiman†Bergman† William† &
Earl Richards†
Marianne
Fettkether
Office Closed
6:30 p.m.: Sunday
Choir Practice
June 25-26, 2016 Collection: $ 3,056.74
Attendance: 5:30 p.m. Mass: 93 9:00 a.m. Mass: 299
Thank you for your participation and support!
SAINT OF THE WEEK: Martyrs of Compiègne (d. July
17, 1794) They offered their lives as a sacrifice to restore
peace to France and to the Church. As the Revolution
raged around them, boiling over to the Reign of Terror,
their prayer came to a climax when sixteen sisters fell victim to the guillotine. The revolutionaries regarded the
Catholic Church with scorn, because they saw the institution as too tied to the order they sought to upend. Contemplative orders, like the Carmelites, were targeted because they were not active. The Carmelites offered nothing useful to France, in the eyes of the revolutionaries. In
1792, the community of Carmelite nuns at Compiègne
was split up, forced to abandon the habits they wore, and
kept under watch. The sisters continued to meet and
pray, and two years after their expulsion from the monastery, they were apprehended and jailed by the revolutionaries. On the day after a brief show trial, the sixteen Carmelite nuns were to be executed. They were paraded
through the streets of Paris wearing their habits, because
their secular clothes were being washed. As they approached the scaffold, they chanted the Veni Sancte Spiritus and other hymns. Each one ascended the stairs, renewed her vows before her prioress, Mother Teresa of St.
Augustine, and then calmly placed her head in the guillotine. With each fall of the blade, the singing diminished,
voice by voice. After the sixteenth and final sister had
died, there was silence. This was unusual. Typically, an
execution was preceded by a drumroll, and following the
beheading, the crowd erupted in cheers, paradoxically
believing that they were cheering for values such as freedom, equality, and reason. This time, the mood was somber. There were no drums nor cheering. The crowd dispersed in silence. The nuns offered their lives in the
hopes that God would bring peace to their land. Ten days
after their execution, the Reign of Terror ended. These
Carmelite sisters shared in Christ’s sacrifice in a most
perfect way. They show us how to live and love with grace
and dignity in a time of upheaval. -USCCB
Office Closed
14
15
8:00 a.m. Mass
8:00 a.m. Mass
Beryl & Louise
Vern & Mary
Rupp (thanksgiving)
Heiman
Office Closed
Saturday
9
4:30p.m.-5:00 p.m.:
Reconciliation
5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass
Pro Populo
Altar Society Raffle
tickets on sale
16
4:30p.m.-5:00 p.m.:
Reconciliation
5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass
Haasl Family†
Altar Raffle tickets on
sale
MORNING MASS WILL BE AT 9:00 a.m. DURING
QUILT WEEK, July 4 through July 10 due to the Altar
Society’s Quilt Week Breakfast. Why not come early
and enjoy a delicious breakfast prior to Mass.
QUILT WEEK BREAKFAST: Mark your calendars
now to come to the Altar Society’s annual
quilt week breakfast July 4 through July 8
from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. This breakfast is
NOT just for quilters. All parishioners are invited to
attend! Come and enjoy a delicious breakfast and support our Altar Society.
RAFFLE TICKETS are on sale this weekend
after the Masses and are available for
purchase in the parish office during
office hours. Support the Altar Society and
win a terrific prize! The drawing will be after
Mass on July 17. Tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00.
REGISTER NOW! ONE DAY RETREAT AT ST.
THOMAS: Whether you’ve been married for one year
or 50 years, learn new tools for living out God’s joyful
plan for your marriage with a one-day Couples Retreat at
St Thomas in Redmond on August 6th. For parents with
children wishing to attend, Free Childcare with kids
planned activities are provided. Registration forms are
available in the hall. For more information, call St.
Thomas or go to stthomasredmond.com.
OKTOBERFEST, our parish fundraiser, is back and just
around the corner! We need volunteers,
silent raffle items, and more! Please contact the parish office if you can help in any
way! If everyone assists for 1/2 hour, everyone will have
time to enjoy as well. An organizational meeting will be
July 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the church hall. Please call the
parish office if you plan to attend.
Saint Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church, Sisters, Oregon
July 2-3, 2016, Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
MERCY IN MOTION: JULY MEDITATION ON MERCY
1 Jn. 4:7-12; MV, no. 8 “Beloved, let us love
one another, because love is of God; everyone
who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God,
for God is love. In this way the love of God was
revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we
might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have
loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation
for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one
another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in
us.”
Our response of love toward God is inspired by
God’s love for us. Our worship, participation in the sacraments, acts of charity, and mercy, etc., are all tangible
expressions of our hearts turning toward God and responding to the love that he always offers us. The way
we choose to live out our life—in particular, the way we
live out our identity as baptized Christians—reflects the
things we hold as spiritually important. One of the most
important of these spiritual realities is that God is love.
Pope Francis points out that this truth is manifest in
Jesus and in Jesus’ life: “The signs he works, especially in
favor of sinners, the poor, the marginalized, the sick,
and the suffering, are all meant to teach mercy. Everything in him speaks of mercy. Nothing in him is devoid
of compassion” (MV, no. 8).
While Jesus is no longer visibly present with us, we
still interact with the love of God on a daily basis. For
example, the love of God is present when we have dinner with our family, when we let someone go in front of
us in line at the grocery store, or when we visit someone
who is sick or homebound. In the First Letter of John,
we are reminded of our role in our communities—that
even though we have not seen God, when we love one
another, God’s love is lived out on earth. We can spread
the love of God by loving others as Christ loved us.
Christ gave us the example to follow by his ministry to
the poor and suffering and his ministry to us in his
Death and Resurrection. The saints and martyrs of the
Church serve as reminders and witnesses of this love.
We also serve as witnesses to God’s love in our families,
workplaces, and communities. Through the acts of mercy and compassion by God’s faithful, God’s love is present here on earth. -USCCB
REFLECTION: That They May Worship “That
they may worship me.” Liberation is bound up with
worshipping God and obeying his commandments.
Today, the issue is often framed as if people of faith
merely want to be left alone. That’s only one side of
the matter. People of faith—Catholics, Protestants,
Jews, Muslims, and others—are seeking the space to
live out their faith, to serve God according to the dictates of their respective traditions. It’s easy for those
of us who care about religious freedom to focus primarily on laws, lawsuits, and government mandates.
We rightly want to challenge infringements on religious liberty. But we need to keep in mind that our
aim, as people of faith, is not merely the space to live
faithfully. The goal is also the actual living out of
faith. We are not merely seeking freedom from coercion but freedom for serving God and others. To live
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK OF
OUR PARISH AND THEIR FAMILIES:
Mary Poncy, Bernadine Wood, Shannon Rackowski, Michelle Milne, Angeles Rojas, Evelyn Wolfe,
Kevin Kuney, Steve O’Leary, Rema Bedaywi, James
Steinthal, Fr. Jim Radloff, Joyce Browning, Fr. John
Waldron, Anne MacTavish, Eileen O’ Brien, Rick
Vaughn, Juvenal Robles-Ortiz, Karen Miller-Cecil,
Audrey Murphy, Emilia Escobedo, Tetra Ramon,
Jobita Alonzo, Ron Thorn, Jim Smith, Marilyn Jo,
Marie Jose, Lorena and Greg Smith, Kevin and Kelly
Imming, Mary Holm, Gwen Berry, Cheryl Mundell,
Richard Kellogg, McKenzie Leary, Wendy Shoop,
Kevin Berger, Barbara Marshall, Brian Greene, Margaret Huni, Trisha MacTavish, Ron Cole, Walt
Shuey, Peter Fuchs, Mary Alsup, and Jim Ozouf
Prayer of Pope Francis for the Jubilee: Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that
whoever sees you sees Him. Show us your face and we will be saved. Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money; the
adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal, and assured Paradise to the repentant thief.
Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman: “If you knew the gift of God!” You are the visible face
of the invisible Father, of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: let the Church be your visible face in the
world, its Lord risen and glorified. You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error: let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God. Send your Spirit
and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and your Church,
with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed, and restore sight to the
blind. We ask this of you, Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy; you who live and reign with the Father and
the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.
Señor Jesucristo, tú nos has enseñado a ser misericordiosos como el Padre del cielo, y nos has dicho que quien te ve, lo ve también a Él.
Muéstranos tu rostro y obtendremos la salvación. Tu mirada llena de amor liberó a Zaqueo y a Mateo de la esclavitud del dinero; a la
adúltera y a la Magdalena del buscar la felicidad solamente en una creatura; hizo llorar a Pedro luego de la traición, y aseguró el Paraíso al ladrón arrepentido. Haz que cada uno de nosotros escuche como propia la palabra que dijiste a la samaritana: ¡Si conocieras el don de Dios!Tú eres el rostro visible
del Padre invisible,del Dios que manifiesta su omnipotencia sobre todo con el perdón y la misericordia: haz que, en el mundo, la Iglesia sea el rostro visible de Ti, su Señor, resucitado y glorioso.Tú has querido que también tus ministros fueran revestidos de debilidad para que sientan sincera compasión por
los que se encuentran en la ignorancia o en el error:haz que quien se acerque a uno de ellos se sienta esperado, amado y perdonado por Dios.Manda tu
Espíritu y conságranos a todos con su unción para que el Jubileo de la Misericordia sea un año de gracia del Señor y tu Iglesia pueda, con renovado entusiasmo, llevar la Buena Nueva a los pobresproclamar la libertad a los prisioneros y oprimidosy restituir la vista a los ciegos. Te lo pedimos por intercesión de María, Madre de la Misericordia, a ti que vives y reinas con el Padre y el Espíritu Santo por los siglos de los siglos. Amen.
THIS SPACE IS AVAILABLE!
CATHOLICS COME HOME: IF YOU or someone you know has been away from the church,
come home! God is calling you to be a part of His
universal family. We are Catholic. Welcome
home! Please be sure to call or stop by the parish
office so you can experience your true home.
RE-ENROLL (OR ENROLL!) YOUR REWARDS CARD to Saint Edward the Martyr Catholic Church and continue earning donations by
shopping. Go to www.fredmeyer.com/community
rewards.
THIS SPACE IS AVAILABLE!
YEAR OF MERCY QUESTION
OF THE WEEK:
(Independence Day) What does it mean to be
“free” in a marriage? Certainly as Christians we
don’t believe that it means being free to have an
affair or do whatever we please. In marriage it
means you freely chose your spouse and freely
choose to continue loving.
Where do you see the message
of Christian faith being rejected
in the world today? What is your response
to that? Do your friends and acquaintances
make fun of the way you practice your faith?
How do you respond to them?