Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time reflection by Gabriel Mayhugh
Christians make many claims about God, who God is, what God is like. What God teaches, how God judges. We make big claims about God, some negative and some positive but the biggest of our claims is that God is Love. We sing songs about love, we preach about love and we profess to one another that our Christian identity is rooted in love. The scriptures speak of God’s love and we sing the scripture at Mass during communion: “God is love and where true love is found, God is always there.”
Parish Leaders Gather Together for Lay Leadership Day!
On Saturday, February 8th, over 75 lay leaders and parish staff gathered in Centennial Hall to discuss the role of lay leadership at Saint Clement. Guided by John Fontana, participants had an opportunity to share their personal stories of faith and explore how they feel called to leadership. Building from this foundation, participants worked to identify the greatest needs and challenges facing Saint Clement, then explored how their God-given talents and gifts can be utilized to meet those needs and serve our parish community.
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time reflection by Deacon Tim Sullivan
Today’s column has the possibility of being one of the shortest columns I’ve ever written. See the first reading from Isaiah and the Gospel reading according to Matthew. That sentence pretty much sums up Christ’s teaching and God’s wish for his people. But, as you might have figured out, there is more to be said in its interpretation.
The Presentation of the Lord reflection by Fr. Rex Pillai
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It commemorates how Jesus, as a baby, was presented to God in the temple in Jerusalem. Today’s feast is a combined feast that commemorates the Jewish practice of the purification of the mother after childbirth and the presentation of the child to God in the temple and his buying back from God. It is also known as the feast of Encounter because the new testament represented by the Christ child encountered the old testament, represented by Simeon and Anna.
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time reflection by Barbara Silva
In the second reading this Sunday, we hear Paul address the Christian community at Corinth, a community that Paul himself established during his missionary travels. He writes this letter having heard that the community has fallen into division. People are identifying themselves with individual religious leaders rather than as followers of Christ. By identifying themselves in this way, the Corinthians are proclaiming their spiritual loyalties, taking sides in a community that has become factional.
Thank You for your incredible support of our 2019 Jesse Tree!
Throughout Advent, Saint Clement parishioners generously supported 11 local organizations, fulfilling wish lists to assist their ministries during the Christmas season. Nearly all of the 1,400 tags were taken from the trees! Overall, as a parish, we were able to donate more than $12,435 in gift cards and donations, as well as more than 1,275 items of clothing, toys and more!
The following gives a breakdown of the distribution:
Second Sunday of Ordinary Time reflection by Patrick Sinozich
It’s the beginning of the calendar year, and we are already talking about “sacrifice,” that topic which will carry us through Easter and beyond:
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
But first this; John sees Jesus coming and once again, he faithfully points the attention of those around him to Christ. He says, behold, or look, the Lamb of God. What does this mean? This is something that would have been very familiar to the Jewish people, the idea of a sacrificial lamb.