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July 26, 2020—Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
From Our Director of Outreach & Justice Ministry: Claire DesHotels In today’s Gospel, we hear a few metaphors for the kingdom – a treasure buried in a field, a pearl of great price, a net thrown into the sea to catch fish. The first two metaphors convey to us that the kingdom of God is worth more than we can fathom – more than our money and all our possessions. They also express that the kingdom requires sacrifice. The person who sells all he has and purchases the field with the buried treas-ure does not simply make an exchange – he sacrifices everything else for the treasure, for the reality of God’s kingdom. This is also true of the pearl merchant. This notion of sacrifice rather than exchange is what really stands out to me from this passage. In what ways are we making exchanges, hoping for the kingdom, when what is required of us is actu-ally sacrifice?
Of course the kingdom usually doesn’t come to us as clearly as buried treasure or pearls in a shop. The kingdom looks a lot more like justice, mercy, and love – the right-relationship Jesus preaches so often. Last weekend we had the opportunity to hear from Brian Greenfield, prominent Catholic speaker who spoke to our community about racism and how to refocus on Christ as we navigate 2020 and beyond. Something he said that is still sitting with me is that many of us have taken a political ideology for a lifestyle that makes us comfortable and tried to fit loving Christ into that lifestyle. In reality, to follow Christ – to seek the kingdom – means we sacrifice any part of our lifestyle that does not fit into God’s kingdom where justice, mercy, and love abound for all. Christ cannot come second to our own comfort. What in my life gets in the way of God’s kingdom? What in my life prevents justice and mercy from being a reali-ty for all of us, rather than just some? Growing up in the Church, I was taught to ask these questions of my indi-vidual life. However, as an adult, I find it equally if not more critical to not only ask these questions of my life, but of this life we have built together throughout history. What within our American system gets in the way of the kingdom? Clearly, racism has no place in the kingdom. As Brian reminded us, racism desecrates the victim and the victimizer. It denies the humanity of everyone involved. In the third kingdom metaphor in today’s Gospel, the net thrown into the sea to catch fish, surely racism is a fish thrown out with the wicked. But racism does not exist solely within individuals. Racism exists within the reality we have built collectively. So we must not only condemn individual racism as wicked, but also collective racism – the racist ideals baked into our systems, wheth-er we see them or not, that make justice and freedom unattainable for black, indigenous, and people of color. When I think of the Gospel in this way, what is it that I need to sacrifice – not simply exchange – for God’s king-dom to reign? It might be my own pride. It might be my resistance to listen to those I disagree with. It might be my comfort in a world designed to make me comfortable as a white person. It might even be my own under-standing of the systems we collectively live in – systems I feel safe in while others feel no mercy from. I must sac-rifice my resistance to and fear of change, both in our world and within my own understanding of it. I must sacri-fice these for something much greater. As Jesus illustrates in today’s Gospel, the kingdom is well worth the cost.
Thanks to the many generous volunteers we are now able to welcome you back for in-person participation for various Liturgies. Please note that in order to attend any of the services pre-registration is required. You may do so by going to our website or by calling the parish office at 773-280-7700.
Saturday Vigil Mass 4:30 pm In-person registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0444aba723a4f49-430
Sunday Mass Schedule 10:30 am
In-person registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ca8a728a0fe3-10301 Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa2qcAfSEa_rDBwLtUGRM6g
12:00 pm (Español) In-person registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ca8a728a0fe3-1200pm
Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa2qcAfSEa_rDBwLtUGRM6g
Daily Mass (Monday– Saturday) 9:00 am
In-person registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ca8a728a0fe3-900 Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa2qcAfSEa_rDBwLtUGRM6g
Reconciliation (Confessions) Tuesdays 7pm-9pm │ Saturdays 9:30am-11am
In-person registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ca8a728a0fe3-reconciliation1
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament/ Private Prayer in the Church Mondays 9:30am-10:30am │ Thursdays 7pm-8pm
In-person registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ca8a728a0fe3-private
From Our Parish Resident: Fr. Anthony Gittins, CSSp
JESUS: MIRACLE WORKER OR FAITH HEALER? Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” It is the question for us all (Mt 16:14f). Down the ages people have had very different views, from the extremely positive (a divine person) to the extremely negative (Beelzebub, prince of demons). So, it is probably worth looking at the way in which Jesus presented himself and was (mis)understood.
Jesus lived at a time when many people’s only hope in life was a miracle. Most had no chance of raising their status or improving their lot, so reports of Jesus’ healing ministry and miraculous deeds drew a lot of attention. But this was not how Jesus wanted to be remembered, though it might be a first stage in a process. Above all else, his message was a call to faith. Faith makes miracles; miracles rarely make faith. He would often remark sadly, even of his closest followers, “O you of little faith” (Mt 8:26); but when he did meet a person’s deepest need, he would say things like, “Go, your faith has saved you (Mk 19:51, to blind Bartimeus); or “daughter, your faith has made you well” (Mk 5:34, to the bleeding woman). And to the Syrophoenician woman – deemed a no-body and an outsider – he said with wonder and admiration, “O, woman, great is your faith. I have not found faith like this in Israel” (Mt 15:28) – almost the same as he said to another outsider, the centurion pleading for the life of his servant, “I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this” (Mt 8:11). Faith makes miracles happen.
But when Jesus returned home to his extended family, “they would not accept him… and Jesus could work no miracles there … he was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mk 6:4-6). And in his account of the Walking on the Water, referring to the Twelve, Mark says (Jerusalem Bible) “they were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed (Mk 6:52).
What are we to make of all this? Jesus insists on faith as a fundamental response to his teaching and healing, and often rebukes people for their little faith and commends those – especially the gentiles –for their fierce faith. I suggest that rather than thinking of Jesus as a miracle worker, a more appropriate title would be a “faith heal-er.” Unfortunately, this phrase has connotations of charlatanry or quackery. But the dictionary definition of faith healing fits very well with the Jesus approach: ”healing effected through prayer or religious faith: divine healing.”
What questions arise from this reflection? When I get bad news about myself or a dear one, is my first instinct to ask for a miracle, or to pray for greater faith? Jesus commends those who do the latter, and challenges those who are primarily miracle-seekers: “O, you of little faith” is his frequent response. So, when I face serious health or personal problems, can I ask for an increased faith before I pray for a miracle?
Remember the man who came to Jesus seeking a miracle for his son? The Twelve could do nothing, and Jesus called them a “faithless generation.” To the father he said: “Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.” “I do have faith,” said the man. “Help the little faith I have.” And the son was cured (Mark 9:14-29).
Anthony J. Gittins, CSSp. [email protected]
Prayer Requests for Week of July 26 2020
PRAY Readings for the Week of July 26
Sunday, July 26 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52 [44-46] Monday, July 27 Jer 13:1-11; Dt 32:18-21; Mt 13:31-35 Tuesday, July 28 Jer 14:17-22; Ps 79:8, 9, 11, 13; Mt 13:36-43 Wednesday, July 29 Jer 15:10, 16-21; Ps 34:2-11; Jn 11:19-27 or Lk 10:38-42 Thursday, July 30 Jer 18:1-6; Ps 146:1b-6ab; Mt 13:47-53 Friday, July 31 Jer 26:1-9; Ps 69:5, 8-10, 14; Mt 13:54-58 Saturday, August 1 Jer 26:11-16, 24; Ps 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34; Mt 14:1-12 Next Sunday, August 2 Is 55:1-3; Ps 145:8-9, 15-18; Rom 8:35, 37-39; Mt 14:13-21
The following are prayer requests we have received from the Saint Mary of the Lake community. Please keep them in your prayers.
Deceased
+Guido & Dora Badino +Helen Scott +Gloria Carrasco +Brian Schumacher +Leo Kilbride +Peter Wojtala
Health Reid Grainger Jesus & Maria Quezedas
Other Miguel & Liliana Arrellano Sulivan Finnerty Darlene Kelly Ana Rosendo
To request a prayer intention please visit https://
www.saintmarys.org/candle.html
It has been one year since Fr. Manny arrived at Saint Mary of the Lake to serve as pastor. As we look towards the future, would you please take five minutes to give us some feedback on Fr. Manny’s first year and what we need to do to strengthen our community? Please click here:
https://smol.wufoo.com/forms/x1eygy6y0m2i58f/
Serve Pop Up Pantry Statistics
16,581 individuals in our City have been served over the last seven weeks through the generosity
of people in our community. THANK YOU!
Week 1 – April 19: 3,420 people served from 85 different zip codes by 70 community volunteers
Week 2 – April 26: 3,022 people served from 88 different zip codes by 80 community volunteers
Week 3 – May 3: 3,013 people served from 97 different zip codes by 86 community volunteers
Week 4 – May 10: 1,427 people served from 60 different zip codes by 80 community volunteers
Week 5 – May 17: 1,388 people served from 52 different zip codes by 69 community volunteers
Week 6 – May 24: 956 people served from 52 different zip codes by 65 community volunteers
Week 7 – May 31: 879 people served from 52 different zip codes by 65 community volunteers
Week 8 – June 7: 698 people served from 31 different zip codes by 33 community volunteers
Week 9 – June 14: 706 people served from 28 different zip codes by 29 community volunteers
Week 10 – June 21: 577 people served from 31 different zip codes by 16 community volunteers
Week 10 – June 28: 495 people served from 31 different zip codes by 18 community volunteers
To support our work visit: www.saintmarys.org/give.html
PRAY
Join us for our Live-stream masses and reflections:
https://www.facebook.com/ SaintMaryOfTheLake/
https://bit.ly/349Knww
Weekday Mass Mondays through Saturdays
Live-stream at 9am CST Sunday Mass
Live-stream at 10:30am CST in English Live-stream at 12pm CST in Spanish
LENT ALMSGIVING Before Covid-19 hit, Saint Mary of the Lake had se-lected the Kolbe House, the Prison Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago, for our communal Almsgiv-ing during Lent 2020. We distributed cans for your collection. You can now return those cans with your donation during Mass or they can be dropped off at the office Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 2pm.
Thank you!
VIRTUAL ROSARY Monday—Friday 5:00 pm
Pray the rosary via Zoom:
Weekend Associates Fr. James T. Baraniak, O. Praem.
Fr. Jim Prehn, S.J. Fr. Michael Knotek
Resident: Fr. Tony Gittins, CSSp Deacons
Ubaldo & Socorro Muñoz William Pyrek
Outreach & Justice Ministry Claire DesHotels
[email protected] Music Ministry
Connor Ford [email protected]
Administrative Assistants Mary Carravallah
Diego Garcia, [email protected]
Darlene Kelly [email protected]
Bookkeeper Marie Palczewski
Fr. Manuel Dorantes, Pastor [email protected]
4220 North Sheridan Road Chicago, IL 60613 Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am—5pm
773-280-7700 │ www.saintmarys.org
June 27-28, 2020 10:30am Mass $ 1,580 12pm Spanish Mass $ 540 E-giving $ 2,110 TOTAL: $ 4,230
July 4-5, 2020 4:30pm Mass $ 1,912 10:30am Mass $ 1,124 12pm Spanish Mass $ 1,011 E-giving $ 1,834 TOTAL: $ 5,881
July 11-12, 2020 4:30pm Mass $ 153 10:30am Mass $ 3,586 12pm Spanish Mass $ 514 E-giving $ 2,780 TOTAL: $ 7,033
June 20-21, 2020 4:30 pm Mass $ 688 10:30am Mass $ 780 12pm Spanish Mass $ 445 E-giving $ 3,015 TOTAL: $ 4,928
WEEKLY NEED: $ 10,561.00
WEEKLY OFFERINGS
Since COVID19 an average of 68 Parish Families Contribute towards the Mission of
Saint Mary’s on a weekly basis.
With the cancellation of all in-person liturgical celebra-tions, we continue to receive donations via regular mail or online. Before the stay-at-home mandate, we almost reached 70% of our weekly need. Currently, our weekly need is not being met—but our bills remain. Please consider joining these 68 generous parish families in supporting our Mission.
TO DONATE ONLINE To donate directly from your bank account at no cost to you
and no cost to our parish please use Zelle Quick Pay.
Send your donation to [email protected]
To donate using a Credit Card please visit our website or sign up at https://abundant.co/stmaryofthelake/give
Summer Pastoral Assistants: Hunter D’Armond, S.J. │ Justin Kelly, S.J
Danilo Mendoza Rugama, S.J. | Marco Machado, S.J.
