Father John J. Lombardi

Jesus Christ is our High Priest and gives us in every Mass His Body and Blood and Soul and Divinity. Come to Mass often; apply the Blood to others--those in sin, those in persecution and trial and tribulation­and help redeem the world by the Medicine of Immortality. You may spend time watching shows or sports for hours on the TV, so why not spend time in "the good race" and viewing Christ at Mass? You may go shopping for a long time, what about joining your brothers and sisters in Mass praying deeply for treasures of Eternal Life? You may play sports or recreate outdoors without thinking, why not frequenting and lingering at Mass, which is the prayer of Jesus Himself. He is giving us His Insides--His Life (see: Lv 17:11),His blood which is Sacred Oxygen and Solvent for life. Make a devotion to the Most Precious Blood, such as one on insert: This Devotion emphasizes Jesus Christ’s Agony (costly death); His very Blood-Essence (His Very Self-Soul) and His Redeeming character (He took our place for punishment), and Christ as Victim as Deliverance for us sinners (He "springs us away" from Sin, and Hell and Death) . We are in danger of losing this Devotional which is the Heart (sorry for the pun) of our Religion­due to apathy, rejection of deviational Catholicism, inappropriate emphasis on our good works, loss of sense of sin and sacrifice. So love Our Lord and Sacred Religion by praying the enclosed Litany…

Papal Letter: Did you get it? Every so often the Pope --now Benedict XVI-writes an "encyclical letter" to all the faithful--that’s you and I. This recent one is called "Caritas in Veritate--Charity in Truth". We will gloss on it sometime in the future, however, for now, a summation. Sunlit Publications characterizes his letter as dealing "with social and economic issues. The encyclical calls for a "Christian humanism" for the world economy, "a profoundly new way of understanding business enterprise," and a global economic system that values the common good above private profits." The Pope writes: " Love ­ caritas ­ is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. It is a force that has its origin in God, Eternal Love and Absolute Truth." We will have a special Mass and Sermon on: The Pope and Politics, this Thursday nite.

This Sunday’s Gospel (St.Mk. 6: 7-13) can be summarized in three ways: They went because they were sent: God sent the Apostles and sends you­obey Him! Don’t’ get lost on the hocus pocus but Focus­On God and His Kingdom-Message of Repentance and Salvation. Lean and Mean: Keep it Simple Saint and watch out for the Devil! Christianity is a movement and spiritual force as well as a Church and institution so let’s get out there­we’re all called to become apostles, which means "to be sent": The Gospel (cont’d from Bulletin) Think of heroic missionaries who went to deliver The Message because God sent them. Remember­don’t be too attached to your present world but to The presence of God everywhere: "God is the One Whose center is everywhere and Whose circumference is no-where"… "Stay on Message" –Remember the ABC’s of Life and Evangelization

• A=God is the Author-Creator of life­and we are His creatures.
• B=We have broken our covenant relationship with Him and the world as well is wounded and needs His His Redemption.
• C=Christ came to deliver us from sins and gave us New Life­and extends this Life in His Church and Sacraments.

Don’t be embarrassed about the Message of Jesus Christ as Savior of the World! And remember it is also a Message of Repentance­turn away from sin and turn to Him the Lord. I recently heard The Most Broken Commandment is against the Fourth­lack of worshipping on the Sabbath. Remember your responsibility to come to Church and fellowship with others. I’d add another one--breaking thou Shall not kill­which also means hurting persons thru unnecessary words, slander, useless talk and speculation gossip. Build up others and share your enthusiasm with them! Lastly, don’t forget--Lean and Mean: stay away from the Devil, and go simply thru this world so your Treasure may be Jesus Christ the Lord!

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