ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH WHITESBORO, TEXAS JUNE 19, 2016 “WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” by Fr. Jeremy Myers Luke 9:18-24 Some of you may have read or heard this story since it made the rounds several years ago. I share it with you today because it makes a good point, particularly as it relates to the gospel for today's Mass. As the story goes, a woman stops behind another car at a traffic light. The light turns green, but the driver in the car ahead of her is on his cell phone and doesn’t notice the light change. The woman, who is running late, begins pounding her steering wheel and screaming at the man to move. The man doesn’t move. The woman is now going ballistic, ranting and raving at the man. The light turns yellow. Now the woman blasts her horn. She screams a litany of obscenities and makes a certain hand gesture at the man. The man finally looks up, sees the yellow light, and accelerates through the intersection as the light turns red. The woman, left at the intersection, is beside herself. As she rants aloud in the car, she hears a tap on her window. She turns and looks up into the barrel of a gun held by a very serious looking police officer. He orders her to turn off the engine, to keep her hands in sight, and to exit the vehicle. The speechless and stunned woman does exactly what the policeman orders. Getting out of the car, she places her hands on the roof. The policeman replaces his gun in his holster and locks her wrists in handcuffs. She is hustled into the officer’s patrol car and taken to the station where she is fingerprinted, photographed, searched, booked, and placed in a holding cell to wait. She is too bewildered and frightened to ask any questions. A couple of hours later, a sergeant comes to the cell and opens the door. She is escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer is waiting with her personal effects. “I’m very sorry for the mistake, ma’am,” he explains as he returns her handbag. “But you see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, swearing, and making obscene gestures at the guy in front of you. Then I noticed the bumper sticker on your car that read, We worship at St. Joseph’s and I saw the What Would Jesus Do? license plate holder and I also saw the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. So, naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.” We probably chuckle at the officer’s mistake, but he makes a good point. How could the woman behave as she did on one hand and then on the other hand have all these Christian symbols on her car? There is a contradiction between words and deeds. Today, the gospel tells us how Jesus asks his disciples this pointed question, “Who do you say that I am?” We are told that Peter finally answers and says, “The Christ of God.” We know that Peter was right in what he said. The Lord Jesus asks us the same question. If we answer as Peter did, then everything about us should change. Every decision and choice we make should reflect our discipleship. Every action we take should mirror Christ Jesus. Every word we say should indicate that we believe Jesus is the Christ of God. In other words, every day we are given innumerable opportunities to answer the question posed by Jesus today. We should ponder seriously the answer that we give to that question. TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C) As we enter into worship, we take a moment to cast our cares upon our God. We ask that he will turn our confusion into the dawning of awareness that, in all of life’s twists and turns, we are loved. DUODÉCIMO DOMINGO EN EL TIEMPO ORDINARIO (C) Ya que entramos en adoración, tomamos un momento para echar nuestros cuidado sobre nuestro Dios. Pedimos que convierta nuestra confusión en el amanecer de conciencia que en todas torceduras de la vida y vueltas, somos amados. Please join us for coffee and fellowship after Mass today in the Parish Hall. Por favor únase a nosotros para el café y compañerismo después de Misa hoy en el Salón Parroquial. STEWARDSHIP FOR JUNE 12, 2016 $1,251.00 Thanks for sharing with others. “Lord, You have given me so much. I ask for one thing: a grateful heart.” George Herbert We want to wish a happy anniversary to all couples celebrating a wedding anniversary this week, especially Ken & Lois Essenburg today, June 19th, Toby & Bridgette Fuhrmann on June 20th, Gary & Amy Brenders and Bill & Pat Fennell on June 22nd, Andy & Phyllis Brazie on June 23rd, and William & Kim Merlyn on June 25th. TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME FOR JUNE 26, 2016 †Jim Hubbell by Mary Burkhart LITURGICAL ASSIGNMENTS FOR JUNE 26, 2016 Alex Labrada Lector Deb Teuscher Servers Kelli Cunningham Eucharistic Ministers Kyle Cunningham Jean Podborny Don Kolash Margaret Pack Ushers Sharon Kirkpatrick Toby Fuhrmann Gift Bearers Ministers to Homebound Gary Dale Lewis Family Deb T and Margaret P First-time altar server Luke Jaresh (front left) is pictured above with his brother Jayce, along with (back row) Tony Morrell, Fr. Antonio, and Markos Morales. Thank you to Luke and to all altar servers for giving of your time and talent to our community of faith. Primera vez monaguillo Luke Jaresh en la foto arriba (frente izquierdo) con su hermano Jayce, junto con (la última fila) Tony Morrell, el Padre Antonio y Markos Morales. Gracias a Luke y a todos los servidores del altar por dar su tiempo y talento a nuestra comunidad de fe. Habrá una segunda colecta el próximo domingo para el óbolo de San Pedro. La colecta de Óbolo de San Pedro permite que el santo padre responder con asistencia financiera de emergencia a las solicitudes para ayudar a los más necesitados en todo el mundo, quienes sufren como resultado de la guerra, la opresión y desastres naturales. Además proporciona los fieles una oportunidad tangible para no fortalecer a los débiles, indefensos y sin voz, sino también mantenerlos que sufren. We want to wish a happy birthday to all in our parish family A PRAYER FOR FATHERS celebrating a birthday this week, especially Sheila Gooden God our Father, we give you thanks and praise for fathers on June 20th. young and old. We pray for young fathers, newly embracing Please join us for our 2016 Vacation Bible School program, their vocation; May they find the courage and perseverance SUPERHEROES OF OUR FAITH, this Saturday, June 25th, to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice. We pray from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. All children ages 3 - 12 are welcome for our own fathers who have supported and challenged us; to attend. To go along with our Super Power topic, Serving May they continue to lead in strong and gentle ways. We Others, we will be having a VBS food drive. Please bring remember fathers around the world whose children are lost some non-perishable food items to VBS, which will be or suffering; May they know that the God of compassion donated to Your Neighbor’s House. For more information, walks with them in their sorrow. We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and please contact Hannah Ferguson at 903-271-7362. Por favor acompáñenos para nuestro programa de escuela advice. We remember fathers, grandfathers, and great bíblica de vacaciones 2016, SUPERHÉROES DE NUESTRA grandfathers who are no longer with us but who live forever FE, el sábado 25 de junio, de 9:00 a.m. hasta la 1 p.m. Todos in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen. ORACION PARA LOS PADRES los niños entre las edades 3 - 12 son bienvenidos a asistir. Dios, Padre nuestro, te damos gracias y alabanzas para los Para ir junto con nuestro tema de superpotencia, servir a los padres jóvenes y viejos. Oramos por padres jóvenes, recién demás, tendremos una colecta alimentos alimentación VBS. abrazar su vocación; Que encuentren el valor y la Favor de traer algunos alimentos no perecederos a VBS, perseverancia en equilibrar el trabajo, la familia y fe en que serán donados a la casa de su vecino. Para más alegría y sacrificio. Oramos por nuestros propios padres que información e inscripciones, por favor póngase en contacto han apoyado y desafiado; Que ellos puedan seguir con Hannah Ferguson al 903-271-7362. conduciendo de modos fuertes y suaves. Recordamos a los There will be a second collection next Sunday for Peter’s padres de todo el mundo cuyos hijos están perdidos o Pence. The Peter’s Pence collection enables the Holy Father sufriendo; Que sepan que el Dios de la compasión camina to respond with emergency financial assistance to requests con ellos en su dolor. Oramos por los hombres que no son to aid the neediest throughout the world—those who suffer padres pero todavía son mentors y nos guía con amor as a result of war, oppression, and natural disasters. It paternal y asesoramiento. Recordamos a padres, abuelos y likewise provides the faithful with a tangible opportunity to not tatarabuelos que ya no están con nosotros pero que viven only empower the weak, defenseless, and voiceless, but also para siempre en nuestra memoria y nos alimentan con su amor. Amén. sustain those who suffer.