February 1, 2009
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35;Mark 1:21-28 [71B]
The Centurion of Capernaum Who Begs Jesus to Heal His Paralyzed Servant
Artist:Paolo Veronese
EXEGESIS
In the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear how the people ofCapernaum watched Jesus as he commanded the unclean spirits to obey his voice. The people asked each other in amazement, “What is this a new teaching with authority? He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
The readings for today point to Jesus as the one who speaks with divine authority, a true prophetic voice.
The first reading is taken from a section in the Book of Deuteronomy where Moses expounds upon the law given by God to Israel at MountHoreb (12:1—26:19). Within the immediate narrative context of today’s reading,
Moses is discussing the role that judges, kings, priests, and prophets will have in the life of Israel. We hear today about Israel’s prophets, and the promise that “a prophet like me [Moses] will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin.” This prophet will speak for God, according to Moses, offering a true prophetic voice, telling Israel “all that I [God] command him.” But Moses also warns against false prophetic voices; a prophet who “presumes to speak in my [God’s] name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak.” This prophet, Moses tells the Israelites, shall die.” The Gospel reading today concludes by saying that as a result of his miraculous activities in Capernaum, Jesus’ fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
God would “raise up” among their own kin in the tradition of Israel’s greatest prophet, Moses.
Dr. Daniel J. Scholz, Connect
BULLETIN CONNECTION
Today’s first reading and Gospel set usthinking about where we get our information andwhom we should believe. The Israelites travelingthrough the desert decided they had seen andheard enough directly from God. The noise ofhis voice and the heat of his fire were too muchfor them to bear. So God agreed to raise up aprophet from among them and put his wordsinto that prophet’s mouth. All the people had todo was listen to those words and follow them.
A fine plan, except that from the start there wasa caveat—this human prophet might speak amessage that was not from God.
The Gospel passage from Mark offers someirony: Jesus spoke with such authority that peoplewere spellbound by his teaching and amazed bythe results. Yet it was the unclean spirit in thepossessed man who identified the true identityof Jesus, calling him “the Holy One of God.” Didanyone else in the crowd know who Jesus was?
Can we today identify a person who is speakingwith God’s authority versus someone speaking amessage that is not from God?
Margaret Bowman
The collection for January 25 was $6,128. ParishPay reports that our monthly donations average $2000. Thank you. Please consider using ParishPay the electronic donation service for your weekly support.17th Annual Mass for
ROBERT W. HOVDA
Thursday, February 5, 2009
at 6:15PM
For information 845-424-3671 ext 3505
A concert dedicated to the National Day of Lithuania
Fri., Feb 6, 7:30 pm @ St Joseph’s
A program of Franz Schubert, Osvaldas Balakauskas, & Cezar Frank
Seats: $30, Senior/Student: $20. Reservations: 212-982-1335
Presented by the Consulate General of the Republic of Lithuania in New York, and the Manhattan Chapter of the Lithuanian American Community
St Francis of AssisiChurch offers numerous adult education programs. For details go to:135 W. 31st Street
New York, NY10001
212-736-8500
Here are some upcoming talks and discussions:
RESTING IN THE HEART OF GOD
Saturday, February 14, 2009
THE REFORMATION
Tuesdays: February 17 & 24
COMMUNICATING THE PARABLES OF JESUS
Tuesdays: February 17 – March 10, 200
ABANDOMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE
Wednesdays: February 18 – March 25, 2009
PLEASE REMEMBER OUR PARISH IN YOUR WILL
No matter what the size of your estate, if you want to provide for relatives, friends and our Parish you will need a WILL. If you die without one, you lose your ability to control the disposition of your assets; the state law in which you reside—and not you—will tell your family where your money and property goes. Further, income tax and estate savings, which might be arrange through a careful review of your alternatives in naming our Parish as a charitable beneficiary in your Will is simple. For further information, you and/or your attorney may contact
Director, Planned Gifts
The Archdiocese of New York
1011 First Avenue, SI400
New York, NY10022
Telephone: 212-371-1000, E3317
Love, Life and Death in “The Tidings Brought to Mary” by Paul Claudel
Date: Friday, February 6, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM
Earl Hall Auditorium, ColumbiaUniversity Main Campus
117th Street and Broadway, New York
The conference is open to the public and free of charge.
For more information please contact:
.org
125 Maiden Lane, Suite, NY, NY 10038. Tel: (347) 713-5146
E-mail:
FEAST DAYS, SCRIPTURE CITATIONS
AND SPECIAL INTENTIONS FOR THIS WEEK
SATURDAY, January 31, John Bosco, priest
Heb 11:1-2, 8-19/Mk 4:35-41
12:10 PM Lucio Terrazzer
5:30 PM Peter & Stephen Cossu
SUNDAY, February 1
9:00 AM Stephanja Borodzinska
11:30 AM
6:00 PM Margaret Davenport
MONDAY, February 2The Presentation of the Lord
Mal 3:1-4/Heb 2:14-18/Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32
12:10 PM Gilda Courrier (10th Anniversary)
5:30 PM
TUESDAY, February 3Blaise, bishop & martyr, Ansgar, bishop
Heb 12:1-4/Mk 5:21-43
12:10 PM
5:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, February 4
Heb 12:4-7, 11-15/Mk 6:1-6
12:10 PM
5:30 PM Kate & William Lehman
THURSDAY,February 5Agatha, virgin & martyr
Heb 12:18-19, 21-24/Mk 6:7-13
12:10 PM Rose Arias
5:30 PM Luigi Donati
6:15 PM Memorial Mass for Robert W. Hovda
FRIDAY,February 6Paul Miki, martyr, & his companions, martyrs
Heb 13:1-8/Mk 6:14-29
12:10 PM
5:30 PM
SATURDAY, , February 7
Heb 13:15-17, 20-21/Mk 6:30-34
12:10 PM
5:30 PM Bill Seplesky
- 1st. Monday/mo. Pax Christi Bd. Mtg. – 6:30 PM in the PCYMNY office
- 1st. Fri. of the mo. Novena to the Sacred Heart after the 5:30 PM Mass
- 1st. Sat. of the mo. Blessings for the Sick after the 12:10 Mass
- 2nd. Wed. of the mo. Altar Rosary 7:00 PM - Library
PARISH ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK
Please visit the new website often: washingtonsquarecatholic.org for the latest news on the NYUCatholicCenter, St. Joseph’s Parish and links to lots of Catholic organizations and interests.
MONDAY
6:30 PM Centering Prayer Church
WEDNESDAY
7:00 PM Altar Rosary Library
FRIDAY
6:15 PM St. Egidio Prayer Church
SATURDAY
10:00 AM or 1:00 PM Soup Kitchen Casserly Hall
6:00 PM Alcoholics Anonymous Casserly Hall
SUNDAY
9:15 AM Children’s Religious Instruction Farrell Hall
10:00 AM Sunday Scripture Discussion Library
2:30 PM Roman Forum Lectures Casserly Hall
7:00 PM NYU/Grad Law Dinner Catholic Ctr