Page Three .Ss. Cyril & Methodius Parish. February 26,

He goes on to show that ministers must come to the realization that presenting the Gospel to today’s culture is “when we arrive at the ‘proof’ that some [become a customized] to it, and others will reject it,” therefore we must not quit at the first indication of resistance. Much of the negative connotations of the gospel, he surmises, are the result of the consumerist culture in which we live. Societies at large have for all intent and purpose become a replacement for the church. The days are well past when the churches are considered a driving force of moral influence, therefore, what we experience today is an indifference exhibited by many in the church pews, and a general manipulation by the populist segments of society to the extent that the Ecclesia is viewed as impotent in the engagement of that society.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” -Matthew 25:35

The empty pews on regular Sundays exaggerated an ancient Jewish custom of reserving an honored place at the dinner table for potential visitors. Just as eating with gentiles once scandalized the early Jerusalem Church, St Timothy's congregation never truly welcomed newcomers as they really were. The parish rhetoric regularly proclaimed that message loud and clear: "Don't try to change us. We are happy just the way we are. If you don't like us, then why come here in the first place? Why don't you go back to where you came from or go somewhere

God’s grace is a word frequently used to refer to “gift from God”. In many circles, it is theological defined as God’s unmerited favor (Hughes, 1998, Ryrie, 1963). Within this

135:6]. Because he willed to be present, though under the figure of bread and wine, it must be believed that after the consecration these are entirely nothing other than the flesh and blood of Christ. Whence [Jesus] spoke the very Truth to the disciples, saying “This is my flesh for the life of the world” [Jn 6:52]. And, speaking more marvelously, [this flesh in the Eucharist] is none other than that which was born from Mary, suffered on the cross, and resurrected from the tomb” (Prusak, “Explaining Eucharistic ‘Real Presence’”

Why is the language so strong? What is the severe consequences of such a reality? All these possibilities have huge “pastoral and liturgical implications.” In verse thirty, there are the consequences mentioned. “…you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.” How do we counsel a person that may have ailments as a result of the taking of communion unworthily?” What diagnostic questions would even be asked to probe this reality? If a person was actually found dead as a result of taking it unworthily, how should that ceremony be performed? More questions come to mind, but answers are too many to entertain in this paper. How do people perceive this issue and what should be considered in thinking through the process.

Julian of Norwich stated “God looks at human sinfulness and brokenness 'with pity and not blame. '” She went on to say “and by the same judgment I understood that sinners sometimes deserve blame and wrath and I could not see these two in God.” Instead of blame and wrath there was something else. That something else is grace, the invisible working of God. Grace is “a power that is deeper than sin, that heals all wounds, a love that binds humanity to God forever.” Grace opens us to our true self, the sinner we have become, and the good creation made in the image of God we were meant to be. It opens our eyes allowing us to see that we are sinners in need of forgiveness and that God is waiting for us to receive it. Grace is our hope reminding us that “Christ died for us while we were yet sinners and that proves God’s love for us…For we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.” The work of grace awaken in us this understanding, reconciling us to God in Christ through the Holy Spirit, washing away our sin, and allowing us to walk in new life and in right relationship with God. On our own, we have no hope of finding or knowing righteousness or what it means to be the good creation of God, and so this creates the necessity for divine grace.

After Christians have received the Eucharist they become apart of God’s family and must obey and follow his teachings. They are meant to assist those people on the fringe of society by encouraging other people to accept who they are. Christians can reach out to these people by donating to the poor, being apart of community groups and accepting everyone into their life. In the Luke 22:7-38 The Last Supper, Jesus said “do this in remembrance of me,” when he was giving thanks. This indicates that Jesus wants

For the sake of this study, Luke’s Gospel plays an important role in establishing the identity of the members of the community. Indeed, “without Luke’s Gospel our visual images of the Christian story would be impoverished” because “Luke’s Gospel [can be considered] the aesthetic teacher of Christian senses in hearing and speech through story and song and in sight through the many artistic renderings of his stories.” Luke accomplishes this feat by using cultural conventions surrounding hospitality and banqueting to “illustrate such important facets of Jesus’ teaching as generosity to the poor, forgiveness of sinners, humility rather than social power, and the priority given to the word of God.”

In many ways, the ministry of Jesus Christ can be understood through his interactions with other people. In particular, Jesus’ interactions with others while sharing a meal often reveal the heart of his ministry. The simple act of eating with another is mentioned in all four of the Gospels, especially in the gospels of Luke and John. Luke and John’s Gospels use stories of Jesus eating with others to highlight the most important aspect of his ministry, sacrificial and radical love for the other.

As a result, demonstrating the ecclesial communion through the practice of the sacrament, a visible reality, emphasises the new relationships that have been developed in order to reinforce the participants’ faith in Christ, their place in the Christian family and, hence, their duty that coincides with this (CCC. 1302-1305, 1316-1317).

The word of Jesus found in Luke 6:20-26 are the opening statements of His Sermon on the Plain. As with any other passage there are translation differences, literary, historical, linguistic, economic and sociological backgrounds for this passage. It is sometimes difficult to discern the original, or real, meaning of biblical passages and Luke 6:20-26, and beatitudes in general, are no different.

Abraham’s seriousness and dedication in regards to his covenant with God control tense actions and events between Abraham and Isaac. Abraham is compelled in his actions by his understanding and faith that his belief in God will reap benefits. Without hesitation, he considers doing everything that God tells him to do. Abraham’s willingness and sacrifice of Isaac show the great power that God has over Abraham. Abraham’s desire for God’s approval and blessings compel him toward grave actions without the concrete command from God. Abraham merely implies God’s intentions from the limited conversations held between Abraham, God, and the angel.

...obedience to Christ must be our chief aim, for he alone pronounces words of life. When faced with complex and difficult questions, we would do well to step back from the brink, and once again listen with keen determination to the still, small voice of our Lord, for he alone “will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms,

To proclaim the message of Jesus Christ is vital to an organic catechesis. As catechists, it is our vocation to bring others to know of the personal relationship that God is seeking to have with each one of them. A relationship in any facet of the human life requires conversation through both listening and responding. Our catechesis should be no different. As Pope Francis states in Evangelii Gaudium, “It is the message capable of responding to the desire for the infinite which abides in every human heart” (EG 165). As we actively listen to the word of God, we should be “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) in the same way as those who heard Peter’s Pentecost speech as he boldly proclaimed the kerygma.