The Sunday Good News The Exaltation of the Holy Cross The Church of Saint John Bosco September 14, 2014

HIS WORD TODAY BY Rev. William J. Reilly

First Reading: Numbers 21:4b-9

The Jews were complaining against God and Moses of the tiring journey

through the desert. The Lord punished them for such complaints with the

bite of deadly serpents. After hearing the prayers of Moses for his people,

the Lord instructed Moses to cure those who became ill with a bronze

serpent mounted to a pole for them to see.

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11

In this letter to the Philippians, Paul tells us how Jesus set aside his form of

equality to God and took on a humble, human form - obedient even unto

death. God the Father greatly exalted Jesus because of this.

Gospel Reading: John 3:13-17

As today’s first reading tells us of Moses raising the bronze serpent in the

desert for those to be cured, Jesus says, too, that the Son of Man should be

lifted up for all to see so the world might be saved and he who believes in

him might enjoy eternal life.

“Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and

whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze

serpent, he recovered.”… “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal

life in him”

For some the cross is a stumbling block, but for believers it is a sign of

triumph. The desert experience of the Israelites speaks of their need to be

freed from the evil inflicted by the serpents. Last spring we met the evil

one in the Garden of Eden and we were introduced to evil, defeat and

death. Today as we look upon the cross, which St. Pope John 23 called ‘the

sign of love’ we find strength and hope.

A friend who made beautiful crosses in his wood workshop once asked:

‘what kind of cross do you like, the suffering Christ or the victorious One’.

The first tells on the agony, suffering and death it took to regain our lost

lives. The latter tells us of the Christ supporting us in our need today. I live

with the joy and triumph of the resurrected Christ.

We were marked with the sign of the cross on our foreheads at our

baptism. We usually make the sign of the cross when we begin and end our

prayers. We see the cross on top of our churches and above our altars.

With gratitude may we today express our gratitude for the saving cross of

Jesus Christ, and may we make the sign of the cross devoutly and

thoughtfully.

To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it. R

Psalm 24 vs. 1-6

The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness;

the world and those who dwell in it.

The Lord founded it upon the seas and established it

upon the rivers . R

Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?

Or who may stand in this holy place?

Those whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,

who desire not what is vain. R

They will receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God their savior.

Such is the race that seeks for God

which seeks the face of God. R

“A mistake in our understanding of creation will necessarily

cause a mistake in our understanding of God.”

St. Thomas Aquinas

THIS WEEK & IN THE WEEKS AHEAD…

“Transforming Lives Together” 2014 Diocesan Annual Appeal Kick-off Weekend, all Masses ………………… September 13th & 14th

Adult Contemporary Ensemble Rehearsal New Members Welcome! …………. Monday, September 15, 7:00 PM

Confirmation Class …………Tuesday, September 16, 6:30—8:00 PM

Knights of Columbus ………………. Tuesday, September 16, 7:00 PM

Adult Faith Formation with Father Jack: “The Gospels—A Deeper Look” ………. Wednesday, September 17, 7:00 PM and Wednesday, September 24, 7:00 PM

2014-15 Faith Formation Classes Begin ……………… Sunday, September 21, 10:00 AM

RCIA Rite of Acceptance ………………………….. Sunday, September 21, 11:30 AM Mass

Rod Groce Benefit Pasta Dinner ………………………. Sunday, October 5, 1:30—6:30 PM

PAGE 2 The Sunday Good News

SUNDAY STEWARDS

1285 families receive envelopes

September 6th 320 people attended the 4:00 PM Liturgy:

144 families used their envelopes and offered $3,012.00

September 7th 214 people attended the 7:30 AM Liturgy:

107 families used their envelopes and offered $2,134.00

239 people attended the 9:00 AM Liturgy:

95 families used their envelopes and offered $1,955.00

285 people attended the 11:30 AM Liturgy:

88 families used their envelopes and offered $1,520.00

September 6th/7th’s Tithe from

434 families was $8,621.00

Our loose offering was $635.70

Weekly Operating Budget $12,019.08

Our “No Festival “ collection, to date: $10,127.86

Thank you for your support!

D A ILY R E AD I NG S

Sunday Nm 21:4b-9; Phil 2:6-11; Jn 3:13-17

Monday 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33; Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35

Tuesday 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a; Lk 7:11-17

Wednesday 1 Cor 12:31—13:13; Lk 7:31-35

Thursday 1 Cor 15:1-11; Lk 7:36-50

Friday 1 Cor 15:12-20; Lk 8:1-3

Saturday 1 Cor 15:35-37, 42-49; Lk 8:4-15

BENEFIT PASTA DINNER for OUR FRIEND, ROD GROCE

Volunteers and diners are needed for a Pasta and Meatball Dinner on Sunday, October 5th, 1:30—6:30 PM in the STJB Gym, to benefit our friend and parishioner, Rod Groce, who is undergoing treatment for Leukemia. Proceeds will help defray some of Rod and Jill’s expenses at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. Please show

your loving support by: selling dinner tickets after a Mass on the weekends of September 13/14, 20/21, or 27/28; donating baked goods or tricky trays; making a monetary gift. To offer your help, please call Lisa D’Amato, 570-401-4416. Thank you for your generous participation and for your continued prayers!

ADULT FAITH FORMATION with FATHER JACK

Did you know??? that Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence with similar wording? Join us on Wednesday, September 17th at 7:00 PM in the Parish Center as we resume our discussion of the Gospels. Why not invite a friend who would like to learn more about Catholicism or someone who has been away from the Church for a while? Only new attendees need register by calling Sister Marilyn, 570-788-1997, ext. 203. See you there!

PILGRIMAGE for PEACE

A day of Pilgrimage for Peace will be held at the Holy Dormition Monastery/Friary in Sybertsville on Sunday, September 21, beginning at 11 AM. The day will offer a full dinner, outside food stands, The Blessing of Pilgrims, Moleben and Healing services, along with Confessions, traditional hymns, Panachida, a procession and Divine Liturgy. Everyone is welcome!

FAITH FORMATION CLASSES BEGIN NEXT SUNDAY!

Our first evening Confirmation class will meet on Tuesday, September 16th from 6:30—8:00 PM.

Faith Formation for grades 1—8 begins on September 21st, immediately following the 9:00 AM Mass.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word (C.L.O.W.) will begin on September 28th during the 9:00 AM Mass for all children, ages 3 through third grade.

High School Faith Formation will begin on October 5th from 12:30—1:30 PM.

DO YOU NEED TRANSPORTATION TO A VALLEY CHURCH EVENT or ACTIVITY?

Emmaus Road Transportation Ministry, an initiative of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, in

cooperation with the Valley Interfaith Council, can help! Upon referral and enrollment in the program, volunteers will provide rides for those who have no transportation to ministry events or community activities that are sponsored or hosted by a Valley Interfaith Council member congregation or by the VIC, itself. For all the details or to volunteer, please call Arlene Stagg, 570-926-7144.

Here’s a super activity for our Faith Formation families to do together, in honor of St. Vincent de Paul, who dedicated himself to serving the poor and whose feast day is September 27th: Look around your room, house or pantry for items or food to donate to the poor. Our St. Vincent de Paul Fund helps many needy people!

SYMBOLS SPEAK ! ‘...let us listen with the ear of our heart.’

PAGE 3 The Sunday Good News

WE REMEMBER...

TABERNACLE CANDLE

The Tabernacle Candle burns this week in memory of Vivian Kupiec by Kathie Schreffler.

Saturday, 4:00 PM September 13 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Paul Fisher By The Bromiley Family

Sunday, 7:30 AM September 14 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Priest’s Intention

Sunday, 9:00 AM September 14 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Marian Papinsick By The Skawski Family

Sunday, 11:30 AM September 14 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Living & Deceased Members of Saint John Bosco Parish

Monday, 8:00 AM September 15 Lucia & Pasqualina Lamberti By Mr. & Mrs. Lorenzo Ruggiero

Tuesday, 8:00 AM September 16 Mary & Edward Stanek By A. Mahasky

Wednesday, 8:00 AM September 17 Phillip Gillies By Gene & MaryAnn Miller

Thursday, 8:00 AM September 18 Stanley Kowalski By The Zapotocky Family

Friday, 8:00 AM September 19 Louis & Rose Matuella By Bob & Dorothy Peak

Saturday, 4:00 PM September 20 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Wilbur Shuman By Pat & Patty Raico

Sunday, 7:30 AM September 21 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Priest’s Intention

Sunday, 9:00 AM September 21 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Living & Deceased Members of Saint John Bosco Parish

Sunday, 11:30 AM September 21 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Anthony Taylor Matteo By Marcy & Rick Marchetti

CELEBRATE the RITE of ACCEPTANCE WITH US

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the primary way in which adults are received into the Catholic Church. The Rite of Acceptance is the liturgical celebration within the RCIA in which a candidate who has expressed his or her desire to become a Catholic, is formally welcomed into our church community. At next Sunday’s 11:30 AM Mass (September 21st,) we will welcome Patty Collum, who has completed the first stage of the RCIA process (Inquiry) and is now ready to move into the next stage, the Catechumenate. She is preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) at the Solemn Easter Vigil in April of next year. With the Rite of Acceptance, she has official standing in the church community, although she is not yet a full member.

Please welcome Patty by participating actively in this rite. Let her hear your enthusiastic responses during the ceremony. Greet her when you see her at church in the coming weeks and welcome her personally into our community. Most of all, please keep her in your prayers as she journeys toward the Easter sacraments!

TRANSFORMING LIVES TOGETHER

Today we join parishes throughout the Diocese of Scranton in launching the 2014 Diocesan Annual Appeal: “Transforming Lives Together.” Each year at this time, we are asked to renew our

commitment to support the local Church, and the greater community, by sharing God’s gifts with those in need. All our blessings are gifts given to us from God to be blessings to others. Please be generous when making your pledge, payable in installments. On behalf of all who will benefit from your contribution, thank you for your kindness.

PAGE 4 The Sunday Good News

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, commemorating St. Helena’s discovery,

according to tradition, of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. For us, the cross is the universal image of

Christian belief, the symbol of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection; the means of our salvation. But for

centuries, crucifixion was used as an instrument of terror. The definition of the word ‘paradox’ is seeming

contradiction. The paradox of the cross is that, from God’s point of view, the cross is an instrument of

extravagant love, through which the greatest demonstration of mercy, compassion and forgiveness was

accomplished. Where we see what appears to be humiliation, weakness, disgrace, defeat, and complete

destruction, God shows us his power, victory, and glory. Following are some reflections on the cross . . . . .

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians 6:14

One cannot desire freedom

from the cross, when one is

especially chosen

for the cross.

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

(Edith Stein)

Christians must lean on the

cross of Christ . . . They must have

the passion of Christ deeply

embedded in their minds and hearts,

because only from it can they derive peace, grace and truth.

St. Anthony of Padua

The cross is not an ornament . . . . but it is the mystery of God’s love who takes our sins upon himself. Pope Francis

The Paradox of the Cross

The Cross at Ground Zero ~ Despair and Hope