<TW>Weekend of 19 and 20 June 2010

.=:  T H I S    W E E K E N D  :=.
     from Father Pat Umberger 

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H A B E M U S    E P I S C O P U M !
On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (11 June 2010), our Holy
Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has given to La Crosse a new Shepherd. Bishop
William Patrick Callahan, OFM Conv.,  auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee, is
named the Tenth Bishop of La Crosse. For more about Bishop Callahan, visit
our Diocesan Web Site: www.dioceseoflacrosse.com. And keep him, the clergy
and people of the Diocese of La Crosse in your prayers!

I R E L A N D    2 0 1 0
$2799 from O'Hare, $2859 from La Crosse - 18-28 October 2010 - Brochure and
Sign-up Form are available now. Check www.frpat.com for details, hotels and
links. Brochures are available at the entrances of Saint Pat's Church as
well. 

__________________________________________________ 

.=:  V O L U M E   2 0 1 0 , Number 06-20 :=.

.=:  T H I S   W E E K E N D ' S   S C R I P T U R E S  :=.

The Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C.
Weekend of 19 and 20 June 2010

.=:  R E F L E C T I O N    Q U E S T I O N S  :-.

The Scriptures for this weekend are found here:
   www.nccbuscc.org/nab 

"I rescued you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your lord's house and your
lord's wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And
if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more. Why have you
spurned the Lord and done evil in his sight??  When have we been ungrateful
and unfaithful?  How can we count on the Lord for forgiveness and strength
to do better?

"Lord, forgive the wrong I have done."  Why is it hard to say this to God?
To one another?  How can we become better at asking forgiveness?

"I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for
me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through
the law, then Christ died for nothing."  How is the grace of God active in
our lives?  How can we accept and utilize this precious gift?

"If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this
is who is touching him, that she is a sinner." When have we been as
judgmental or jealous as this? How can that be a barrier to deeper faith?

But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." How are
these words comforting and helpful to us?

How are these Scriptures comforting?  Challenging?

.=:  S P I R I T U A L   R E F L E C T I O N   :=.

"Who do people say that I am?"  We have grown up with many answers to that
question.  We believe Jesus is God.  Jesus is the Word of God made flesh.
Jesus is the second person in the most Holy Trinity.  Jesus is the Son of
Mary.  Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus is Lord of both the dead and the
living.  Jesus is the Christ.  Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is all those
things and much more.

Jesus disciples were not particularly nervous about answering the question
"Who do the crowds say that I am."  All that took was reporting to Jesus
what they heard others say. That wasn't threatening or challenging at all.
Anybody could answer.  When Jesus asked them "Who do you say that I am?"
their attitude changed.  Their answer would mean a profound change in their
lives.  Who would say something?

We know Jesus' disciples had a hard time understanding the things he was
trying to tell them.  They saw him live is faith.  They saw the sacrifices
he made and witnessed his calmness and fearlessness many times.  They were
quite comfortable as he answered their questions and the questions of
others.  He was in charge. But then came the most profound question.

Peter was a fisherman.  He was a good soul, that's for sure.  Jesus must
have been greatly heartened as Peter so often professed his faith in Jesus.
Still, the same day he claimed he would die with Jesus if need be he told
others three times that he never knew Jesus.  When Jesus comes walking
across the water Peter walks out to meet him and then falters when he thinks
about what he's doing and realizes it is impossible.  He tries to help Jesus
by saying "God forbid any such thing should happen to you."  Jesus says to
him, "Get behind me you Satan.  You are judging by man's standards, not by
God's.  

But Peter is the one who takes center stage.  Jesus says, "Who do you say
that I am?"  Peter answers, "The Christ of God."  His life was forever
changed, along with the others who believed the same thing.  They would come
to see that Jesus would have to "suffer greatly and be rejected by the
elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third
day be raised."

Their answer also became their mission.  As Jesus tells them, "If anyone
wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for my sake will save it." And they'd be faithful to that
mission.

Because of those disciples who live their faith Christianity spread.  We
gather to celebrate the Eucharist and recall that Jesus is not only alive
but nourishes us with his very Body and Blood.  And he calls us to deny
ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. 

This week we can offer our pain and sacrifice to the Lord.  We can live
simply and humbly, looking out for the needs of those around us.  We can
allow ourselves to diminish as Christ increases within us.  We can continue
the work of building up the Kingdom of God.  We can trust that we'll follow
Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven, and that by following our example those we
love will walk in the very footsteps of Jesus as well.  What a glorious day
it will be, as we enter God's kingdom and understand those things that
continue to baffle us.  This week we can follow Jesus.  Have a good week!

(c)MMX Fr. Pat Umberger.  This Spiritual Reflection is found each week at
the Web Site www. frpat.com.  Feel free to link to this page or reproduce
them for parish use as long as this credit remains.


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<TW>This Weekend is free, and comes from:
Father Pat Umberger, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse
in Wisconsin U.S.A.
Web Site: www.frpat.com   
Evangelization (reaching out): www.cmonback.com  

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