Announcements:
New
Calendar!
The Just Life Program - Our Lady of Lourdes Church, in partnership with the Diocese of Raleigh, is sponsoring a parish-wide, year-long, coordinated program focused on living responsibly and faithfully in the modern world with particular emphasis on practicing personal and social justice* as it is understood and advocated by the Catholic Church. The Just Life Program is offered in support of the US Bishops’ call for action in response to the many moral and social challenges of our age. Click here for dates and more information.
Message
from the Social Justice Minister:
Written by Fr. John Bucki, S.J.
Quotes: … the Gospel is not merely a communication of
things that can be known—it is one that makes things happen
and is life-changing. --Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi
Three thoughts for your consideration:
Ahaz seems to be fearful of asking God for a sign.
Ahaz seems to be fearful of expecting something great from
God. Is this somehow analogous to the fear that some people
have about speaking up for justice and peace? Is this somehow
analogous to the fear that some people have about sharing what
they believe concerning justice and peace? Is this analogous to
the fear that some of us have that nothing can change? In the
case of Ahaz, God is weary of this fear. God is willing to make
a great and extraordinary promise. We are called to make the
assumption that great things can happen with God’s inspiration.
Are we willing to believe that social change is possible?
Are we willing to believe that we can put Catholic Social
Teaching into practice?
Paul reminds us that we are called to “belong to Jesus
Christ,” that we are called to be holy. We called to expect
something great – to be something great. We can be holy! We
can even have that type of holiness that is more than a conventional
piety or superficial holiness. We can be people who put
the faith into practice. Do you believe that we can be community
of faith, which works courageously for justice and peace?
In the gospel, Joseph is a righteous man. He seeks to
do with is right. Then, Joseph discovers that what is right is
not what he and the tradition had called for. God asks him for
something unconventional. “Take Mary as your wife.” Believe
that all this is happening by “the power of the Holy
Spirit.” Joseph is invited to think outside the box. Are we too
invited to think outside of the “box” of our culture and the conventional
value system of our country? We too are called to be
faithful to the vision of God and work for a new era of peace
and justice for all.
Questions for your reflection:
When have you acted with a confidence that change and
growth is possible?
Did this confidence bring about powerful results?
Actions – Links:
Pax Christi International invites people to send electronic
Christmas Peace and Justice Wishes & Prayers to the people of
Bethlehem at http://www.paxchristi.net/xm/index.php . You
can read the messages that others have already sent.
The National Religious Campaign Against Torture is a membership
organization committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture,
and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. You can
sign their statement of conscience at http://www.nrcat.org/
index.php .
