July 21-28, 2024
Friar's Footnotes by Fr. John Prenger, OFP
Blessings to all.
Our upcoming weekend scriptures are 2 Kings 4: 42-44; Psalm 145; Ephesians3:20-4;6; and John 6: 1-12. We now begin reading and meditating on John chapter 6 for 5 weekends. The 6th chapter of John is Jesus' teaching on Himself as the Bread of Life. I recommend 'living in this chapter' by prayer and meditation these days to encourage its full effect. We are a sacramental part of the whole Church right there with all of our Catholic and Orthodox friends. We believe in Jesus' Real Presence in our sacraments, especially our Eucharistic assembling. In these days, we need to take in the Real Christ by His Word and Table in order to carry Christ in our own selves.
The first reading tells of a 'miracle of loaves' in the Hebrew scriptures. The second reading continues with our tour of Ephesians. I recommend reading all of Chapter 3, even though our lectionary has us hearing the last part of the chapter leading into chapter 4.
Chapel Schedule
Noon Eucharist Tuesday July 23, Fr. John presiding
Noon Eucharist Thursday July 25, Fr. John presiding
5 pm Eucharist Saturday July 27, Fr. Jim presiding
SAYINGS OF THE SAINTS:
"One plus God is a majority" Martin Luther
"We are the victims of the age, and we ought to sacrifice ourselves to obtain its return to God" The Carmelite Sisters who offered their whole convent community to martyrdom by the French Revolution (1794)
"To Christ, God and Man, sick in the person of the Poor, I offer homage of love" St Camillus
That does it for me. God bless you and keep you! Serve Jesus Christ well in all you say and do. Much love,
Fr. John ofp
Padre’s Pontifications by Fr. Jim McNeely
June 2024
1. Spiritual Formation Moment: If you have not read Dr. Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline, please add it to your reading list. It is a wealth of information on how to develop a life focused on holy living.
2. Reflections on our Life Together: We’ve had many conversations over the past few weeks about what our future holds. I want to contribute just one thought to the ongoing conversations: The concept of paradigms. I first learned about these from Dr. Stephen Covey’s seminal book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. A paradigm is a mental model of how we believe things are. For example, one of the paradigms we have is what it means to be married. We have “role expectations” for ourselves and our partner. The problem, of course, is that our partners have their own paradigms that are somewhat different from ours. Often, the first years of marriage are about adjusting our marriage paradigms to better fit our specific marriage situation. Paradigms can and often do change…it’s called a “paradigm shift”.
Our life in the Order and chapel community also has a paradigm – a group of mental beliefs about the way things should be and are. Those mental models are not without consequence for us as individuals and as a group. So, let’s examine our paradigms! What are your beliefs here? How is our community living up to your paradigm? What do our beliefs and actions create? What adjustments need to be made?
3. Events: As of now, I have no one who has responded to coming for the Cubs v. Royals game in Kansas City on July 28. So…I am gonna give one more chance because I am a softy. Deadline is JUNE 15.
4. Humor: In the spirit of a paradigm shift, here is a little story about Fr. John. The year after his priestly ordination, he worked in a parish that had a children’s sermon just before the homily. After the children’s sermon, the children would go out for a children’s church experience. So, John’s first Sunday with the children’s sermon went like this:
John: “Okay everybody, what is a little creature with a bushy tail that goes up and down trees?”
Children: *Silence*
John: “Okay, what is a little creature with a bushy tail that goes up and down trees and eats acorns?”
Children: *Silence* Then a little boy raises his hand.
John: Charlie, yes!
Charlie: “Father? I know the answer is supposed to be Jesus, but it sounds like a squirrel to me…”
Dr. Jim McNeely+
Parent, Priest, Person
