I n today’s Gospel, Jesus again presents Himself as the living bread that has come down from heaven. He promises us three times that if we eat this bread, we will live forever. That’s quite a promise, isn’t it? Eternal life! And since that promise is so important, we should understand it correctly.
When Jesus says that He is going to give us eternal life, He is not presenting it to us like a gift in a box that we will unwrap and possess. Jesus instead is telling us that He will work with us to see that the present life that we are living will continue forever. Eternal life, then, is something that we shape and build. Our forever is being determined by the life we live today. The daily decisions that we make are building blocks to eternity.
Ben Pattison, in his book, The Grand Essentials says, “I believe that when life has whittled us down, what will remain of us is what we have been all along - our essence, our inner spirit.”
He goes on to share an example of his grandmother in her nineties who had lost most of her mental faculties, and was deteriorating physically. Nevertheless, if she was asked to say grace before dinner, she would reach out for the hands of those sitting next to her, and with a broad smile on her face lifts her eyes to heaven pouring out her love: love for God, and love for the people around that table.
Pattison's grandma could no longer remember the names of those in her family. Life had whittled that away. But what was left was her essence, and that essence was love for God and people.
You and I are building our essence today. Who we are in our heart is being determined by the choices we make. So, if we choose resentment, if we choose anger or embrace prejudice or hatred, when life whittles everything else away, what will remain is anger and hatred. If we choose our own comfort and indulgence, if we choose pride over compassion or status over service, our essence will emerge as one of pride and selfishness.
You and I are building our essence today. Jesus promises us eternal life, but He can only work with the life that we give Him. So today we should choose to be people of integrity, justice, and love, so that when life whittles everything else away, those good things will emerge as our essence. And it will be that essence that will live forever.
Fr. Joseph
Sunday Reflection
2347 Inglewood Ave., West Van, Tel: (604) 926-6881
Website: stanthonywestvan.com Archdiocesan Website:
www.rcav.org
CONFESSION SCHEDULE
Mon - Sat 8:30 - 8:50 am Sat 3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
ONLINE GIVING
Link to make an offertory
gift to St. Anthony’s Parish.
ADORATION
Thursdays 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm Fridays 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
First Fridays 9:30 am – 4:00 pm 7:00 pm to Sat 8:00 am
Benediction Thursdays 8:00 pm
Fridays 4:00 pm First Fridays 4:00 pm and the following morning at 8:00 am
Sign-up sheets located in vestibule
Pastor: Fr. Gary Franken [email protected]
In Residence: Fr. Craig Scott
Parish Deacon: Mr. Tony Gray: [email protected]
PREP: Sr. Angela Marie: [email protected]
Accounting: Isabella Raynard
Admin. assistant: Cleiser Oliveira [email protected]
Office Hours: Mon - Fri: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Closed during lunch from 12:00 to 12:30 PM
St. Anthony’s Parish
West Vancouver
NEW MASS SCHEDULE
Sunday Masses Sat 4:30 pm
Sun 8:30 am & 10:30 am
Weekday Masses Mon - Sat 9:00 am
Also Tue & First Fri 6:30 pm
Live Streamed Masses Tue 6:30 pm & Sun 10:30 am
Link to the Live Streamed Masses
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - August 08, 2021
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time August 08,2021
Weekly Mass Intentions Parish Announcements
Sat - August 7 † Agnes Yeung
FOR PARISHIONERS
9:00 am
4:30 pm
Sun - August 8
19th Sunday in
Ordinary Time
Sp. Int. of Kathy Ng
Thanksgiving
8:30 am
10:30 am
Mon - August 9 Sp. Int. of Shu Florie 9:00 am
Tue - August 10 † Michael Torresan
† Anita McDermott
9:00 am
6:30 pm
Wed - August 11 St. Clare
† Maria Micallef 9:00 am
Thu - August 12 † Ewa Skapska 9:00 am
Fri - August 13 Sp. Int. of Jane Torresan &
Family 9:00 am
Sat - August 14
St. Maximillian Kolbe
Sp. Int. of Pat Battensby
FOR PARISHIONERS
9:00 am
4:30 pm
Sun - August 15
Assumption of the BVM
† Mark Bishop
† Marta Junker
8:30 am
10:30 am
Saint Anthony's PREP (Parish Religious Education
Program) for children not attending a Catholic School
will begin on September 22, 2021. Classes will run
every Wednesday, from 6pm to 7:15pm. Registration
Forms are available on our parish website and at the
parish office.
For more information, please contact Sister Angela
Marie Castellani, FSE (PREP Coordinator) at
[email protected] or the parish office.
I am the living bread!
Bible in a Year Social
Inspired by the Fr Mike Schmitz Podcast, I’m hoping to
connect those of us following the BIBLE IN A YEAR. No
matter where you are on the journey, let’s meet for a
light hearted social event to share experiences and en-
couragement. Curious?
Email Mary [email protected]
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time August 08,2021
Lectio Divina
Saturday, August 14, at 10 am
In Church
Praying with Scriptures with Fr. Gary.
All welcome!
Archdiocesan Announcements
Upper Room Conference - September 18, 2021
Upper Room is the Archdiocese of Vancouver's
largest ministry event of the year. This annual
conference, put on by the Proclaim movement,
inspires and equips Catholics on how to live on
mission in our homes and community. This year,
experience the Upper Room in one of three ways: in-
person at a parish host site, in-person at the live
stream site, or online. For more
information, visit www.upperroomvancouver.com.
The Men's Retreat 2021: Man in the Arena
We are in a struggle to become men. Good men.
Embrace the process. Find freedom. Face fear. Fight
for truth. Become solid in the most important
arenas. The Men's Retreat offers something for
everyone: powerful presentations, prayer time,
Sacraments, fellowship, adventure, rest, hiking, and
the rugged beauty of Rockridge Canyon in Princeton,
BC. This year's speakers include Bishop Scott McCaig,
CC, Military Ordinariate, Jake Khym, Brett Powell and
other great men from the Archdiocese of
Vancouver. This is not "just another retreat," this is
THE Men's Retreat you don’t want to miss. October 1
- 3, 2021. Registration opens August 7 at 9:00 am.
Register at beholdvancouver.org/events.
Spiritual Care Training Program
Registration is now open for the Spiritual Care
Training Program beginning September 2021. This 9-
week training course teaches skills in how to make
yourself more available to seniors and others who
can benefit from your genuine concern and
presence in their lives. Some of the topics covered
include aging, communication, boundaries, and self-
care. Receive your workbook and pay only $25 when
you register by August 11, 2021. The registration
price will increase to $40 after August 11, and we
cannot guarantee workbooks will arrive in time for
the training start date. Wednesdays, September 15 -
November 10, 2021, 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. Learn more
and register at beholdvancouver.org/events.
Stewardship Reflection
“Get up and eat or the journey will be
too much for you!”
1 Kings 19:7
God knows that committing to a
stewardship lifestyle is diffi-
cult. However, we were not designed
to do it on our own, we need His
help. Fortunately, God gave us the greatest gift of all, His son, Je-
sus. Through the gift of the Eucharist we join our sacrifice with the
sacrifice of the Holy Mass and receive the strength and courage to be
His joyful disciples.
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