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In Thee, O Lord, have I put my hope. Let me never be confounded.
- St. Francis Xavier, S.J.
October 24th, 2021
30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 22ND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
St. Bede the Venerable says that Christians are to “reproduce in their lives, what they celebrate in the Sacred Liturgy.” We are encouraged by the Church that Christ began, to see the cross and Calvary as the model for our prayer as Christians. People frequently say, “I think I’m a good Catholic.” But then the next thing they say is, “but I don’t go to mass all the time. I hear it’s a sin not to go, but I don’t understand that. I guess I don’t see the point. Can you give me any reasons why I should go?”
And even among Catholics who attend Mass regularly, there is a common refrain: “What’s the point? Why should I bother?” This confusion and apathy about the source and summit of the Catholic faith is due to at least in part, a failure of teaching on what the Holy Mass actually is. So what is Holy Mass?
Let’s begin with what the Holy Mass is not. Holy Mass is not a community meal designed to strengthen our unity and bring us together. Feelings of unity and community can be strengthened at any number of events, including potlucks or Church picnics. At most, feeling unified with our brothers and sisters in Christ is a nice byproduct of Holy Mass, but it is certainly not its chief end. Second, Holy Mass is not about me, it’s not about you. It is not about having a wonderful “weekend experience,” as one new parish based program claims. Nor is its purpose to make you feel good about yourself, to encourage you, to inspire you, or to make you feel included and welcomed. You simply aren’t the audience—God is, and Holy Mass is all about Him. So what is Holy Mass essentially? It is first and foremost a sacrifice. In fact, it is the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, that transcends time and space, made present for us again in an unbloody manner. It is the perfect sacrifice that all the Old Testament sacrifices prefigured (See Malachi 1:11). In it, our Lord Jesus Christ lovingly offers himself in an act of oblation to God the Father on our behalf. He adores God the Father, he atones for our sins, he offers thanks and praise, and he intercedes for our needs. As Catholics, we have the privilege of attending this sacrifice, and uniting ourselves to Christ’s self offering. Put another way, we can imitate Christ by offering ourselves, souls and bodies, to God the Father as “living sacrifices,” as St. Paul says. This is what participation in Holy Mass really means. In the prayer Orate Frates, the priest acknowledges this participation of the faithful when he prays, “Pray brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.”
The parish staff knows of the following who are ill, in retired living accommodations, etc. If you are aware of
others, please let Father or the parish office know: Carl Burrell, Elvira Colistro, Rose Zinkgraf, Bella Mally,
Jane Soars, Eleanor Finley, Susan Fisher, Gerri Allen, Peggy Cloke, Kathy McCarthy, Christopher Pitner, Ken
Keyes, Shirley Anderson, Wayne Anderson, and the residents of Franklin Hills Care Center and Cherrywood
Place.
Prayers for the infirm and homebound are a work of mercy.
A COMMENTARY FOR THE 30TH SUNDAY
SEEING THE SON OF DAVID
Today’s Gospel turns on an irony—it is a blind man, Bartimaeus, who becomes the first person outside of the Apostles to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. And his healing is the last miracle Jesus per-forms before entering the holy city of Jerusalem for His last week on earth.
The scene on the road to Jerusalem evokes the joyful procession prophesied by Jeremiah in to-day’s First Reading. In Jesus this prophecy is fulfilled. God, through the Messiah, is delivering His people from exile, bringing them back from the ends of the earth, with the blind and lame in their midst.
Jesus, as Bartimaeus proclaims, is the long-awaited Son promised to David (see 2 Samuel 7:12–16; Isaiah 11:9; Jeremiah 23:5). Upon His triumphal arrival in Jerusalem, all will see that the everlasting kingdom of David has come (see Mark 11:9–10).
As we hear in today’s Epistle, the Son of David was expected to be the Son of God (see Psalm 2:7). He was to be a priest-king like Melchizedek (see Psalm 110:4), who offered bread and wine to God Most High at the dawn of salvation history (see Genesis 14:18–20).
Bartimaeus is a symbol of his people, the captive Zion of whom we sing in today’s Psalm. His God has done great things for him. All his life has been sown in tears and weeping. Now, he reaps a new life.
Bartimaeus, too, should be a sign for us. How often Christ passes us by—in the person of the poor, in the distressing guise of a troublesome family member or burdensome associate (see Matthew 25:31–46)—and yet we don’t see Him.
Christ still calls to us through His Church, as Jesus sent His Apostles to call Bartimaeus. Yet how often are we found to be listening instead to the voices of the crowd, not hearing the words of His Church.
Today He asks us what He asks Bartimaeus: “What do you want me to do for you?” Rejoicing, let us ask the same thing of Him—what can we do for all that He has done for us?
-Dr. Scott Hahn
Mass Calendar & Mass Intentions
Sat Oct 23 30th Sunday, Ordinary Peter Schmitt +
Sun Oct 24 30th Sunday, Ordinary Pro Populo Oct 31 31st Sunday, Ordinary Pro Populo
Sun Oct 24 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Poor Souls Oct 31 Christ the King Poor Souls
Sun Oct 24 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Private Intention Oct 31 Christ the King Private Intention
Mon Oct 25 Weekday Merle Moberly + Nov 1 Weekday Faithful Departed +
Tue Oct 26 Weekday Molly K. Meekin Nov 2 Weekday Faithful Departed +
Wed Oct 27 Weekday Peter Schmitt+ Nov 3 Weekday Peter Schmitt+
Thu Oct 28 Weekday Monica Haines Nov 4 Weekday Nichole Thai
Fri Oct 29 Weekday NO MASS Nov 5 Weekday NO MASS
Sat Oct 30 31st Sunday, Ordinary Steven Kopczynski Nov 6 32nd Sunday, Ordinary Peter Schmitt +
Sun Nov 7 32nd Sunday, Ordinary Pro Populo
Sun Nov 7 5th Sunday post Epiphany Poor Souls
Sun Nov 7 5th Sunday post Epiphany Private Intention
To request the offering of the mass for your intention, please call the parish office or place your request in the collection
SFX DIRECTORY
Office Telephone: (509) 487-6363
Sacramental Emergencies: (509) 866-6098
Father Semple: [email protected]
Office Email: [email protected]
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Saturday
8am – Daily Mass followed by Confessions (St. Patrick)
3pm – Confessions (St. Francis Xavier)
4pm – Vigil Mass (St. Francis Xavier)
Sunday
7:30am – Holy Mass (St. Francis Xavier)
9:00am – Holy Mass (St. Patrick)
11:00am – Holy Mass, Extraordinary Form (St. Francis Xavier)
12:30pm – Holy Mass, Extraordinary Form (St. Francis Xavier)
On most Sundays, Confessions are heard during the 11am Holy Mass
INFORMATION
Daily Mass is celebrated at the following times:
Monday: 5:30pm, Extraordinary Form
Tuesday: 8:00am, Extraordinary Form
Wednesday: 5:30pm, Ordinary Form
Thursday: 8:00am, Ordinary Form
Daily Mass is celebrated in the Convent at St. Patrick’s
Monday through Friday at 7:00 a.m.
School Mass for Chesterton Academy is celebrated at
St. Patrick’s Monday through Friday at 12:00 p.m.
Confessions are heard on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m.
Please contact the parish office at to arrange a
baptism, marriage, or funeral, to schedule a Mass
intention, or to request a certificate
Please contact Jackie Silvey for prayer requests.
She can be reached at (509) 483-3109
St. Francis Xavier can be found online at
sfxspokane.org or at
facebook.com/sfxspokane
Our Mailing Address is:
P.O. Box 7179, Spokane, WA, 99207
REMEMBER OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED During the pandemic, we continue to dis-tribute food through the Missionaries of Charity and Caritas services. Please leave your donations of nonperishable items by the doors of the church.
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING NFP uses the physical signs placed by God within each woman’s body to identify when preg-nancy can occur. Monthly classes for three months. Tuition $95.00 for the series. Classes are currently conducted virtually. Contact the Wom-en’s Health Center: 509-474-2400
Parish Events & Notifications
BEATRICE CO-OPERATIVE ACADEMY Do you have children in school? Do you have a subject you are passionate about integrating into Catholic living? How about exploring Beatrice Cooperative Academy (BCA) as we are in our de-velopment year? Please contact Michael d’Esterre, for addi-tional information and inquiry call 509-903-3315 or email at “[email protected]”.
NORTHSIDE CATHOLIC YOUTH MINISTRY Weekly youth group ministry is back on for the school year. High School meets on Tuesdays from 6:30-8pm at the St. Charles Youth Room. Middle School on meets on Wednesdays from 7-8:30pm at the St. Thomas More gym. Visit “ncymspokane.com” for more details, or contact the Youth Ministry Coordinator, JJ Nazzaro, at “[email protected]”
EXTRAORDINARY FORM QUESTIONS As interest grows in the Extraordinary Form Mass, we want to offer help for any who are confused about certain elements to the Mass, or who require help in navigating the Missal. If you ever have questions, please feel free to contact Miles in the parish office.
40 DAYS FOR LIFE The Fall 40 Days for Life Campaign will run from Sept. 22nd to Oct. 31st. St. Francis Xavi-er and St. Patrick parishes are signed up to pray in front of Planned Parenthood on Indiana from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons. Please join us.
Missionaries of Charity
If you desire consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, please contact the sisters at 487-3963. The sisters celebrate a Lady of Fatima Ro-sary Procession on the 13th of every month from May 13 through October 13 at 6:00 PM at St. Pat-rick’s Church. Every Friday evening at St. Patrick’s from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., the sisters pray for our families and friends who are not in full communion with the Catholic church and no longer practicing their Catholic faith Please join us.
SELECTIONS FROM THE IMITATION OF CHRIST, BY THOMAS KEMPIS
ON MEDITATION
THE kingdom of God is within you," says the Lord.
Turn, then, to God with all your heart. Forsake this wretched world and your soul shall find rest.
Learn to despise external things, to devote yourself to those that are within, and you will see the king-
dom of God come unto you, that kingdom which is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, gifts not given to
the impious.
Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if you prepare a fit dwelling for Him in your
heart, whose beauty and glory, wherein He takes delight, are all from within. His visits with the inward
man are frequent, His communion sweet and full of consolation, His peace great, and His intimacy
wonderful indeed.
Therefore, faithful soul, prepare your heart for this Bridegroom that He may come and dwell
within you; He Himself says: "If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him."
Give place, then, to Christ, but deny entrance to all others, for when you have Christ you are rich
and He is sufficient for you. He will provide for you. He will supply your every want, so that you need
not trust in frail, changeable men. Christ remains forever, standing firmly with us to the end.
Do not place much confidence in weak and mortal man, helpful and friendly though he be; and
do not grieve too much if he sometimes opposes and contradicts you. Those who are with us today
may be against us tomorrow, and vice versa, for men change with the wind. Place all your trust in God;
let Him be your fear and your love. He will answer for you; He will do what is best for you.
Why do you look about here when this is not the place of your repose? Dwell rather upon heav-
en and give but a passing glance to all earthly things. They all pass away, and you together with them.
Take care, then, that you do not cling to them lest you be entrapped and perish. Fix your mind on the
Most High, and pray unceasingly to Christ.
If you do not know how to meditate on heavenly things, direct your thoughts to Christ's passion
and willingly behold His sacred wounds. If you turn devoutly to the wounds and precious stigmata of
Christ, you will find great comfort in suffering, you will mind but little the scorn of men, and you will
easily bear their slanderous talk.
When Christ was in the world, He was despised by men; in the hour of need He was forsaken by
acquaintances and left by friends to the depths of scorn. He was willing to suffer and to be despised; do
you dare to complain of anything? He had enemies and defamers; do you want everyone to be your
friend, your benefactor? How can your patience be rewarded if no adversity test it? How can you be a
friend of Christ if you are not willing to suffer any hardship?
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