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Our Lady Queen of Peace
4696 Notre Dame Lane, House Springs, Mo 63051 636-671-3062
www.olqpparish.org
November 23, 2014
PASTOR
Reverend Michael Murphy
ASSOCIATES
Reverend James Beighlie, C.M.
Reverend Donald F. Molitor, Retired
DEACONS
Reverend Dr. Thomas Gerling
Reverend Mr. Paul Turek, Sr.
5:00 pm
7:30, 9:30, 11:30 am
as announced
8:00 am
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
The Blessed Sacrament is exposed for prayerful
Adoration the last Wednesday of each month from
1:00 to 8:00 pm.
PERPETUAL HELP DEVOTIONS
Tuesday after 8:00am Mass
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Mr. Bob Ellison
GRADE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Mr. Curt Baker
PSR COORDINATOR
Mrs. Debra O’Donnell
YOUTH MINISTER COORDINATOR
Mrs. Terry Ostlund
PARISH COUNCIL
Bailey Alexander, Thomas Broadbent,
Cathy Carley, Joe Corio, Bev Gregory,
David Holmes, Mary Luebbert, Dave Mills,
Jan Schultheiss, Maria Webb, Tim Webb
Parish Office
School
Cafeteria
SCHEDULE OF MASSES
Saturday Evening
Sunday
Holy Days
Weekdays
636-671-3062
636-671-0247
636-375-5335
ROSARY
Monday through Friday after 8:00 am Mass
For vocations 2nd Monday of month after 8:00 am
Mass
Rosary before 5:00 pm Mass - Fatima Prayers
included on 1st Saturday
Before 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday evenings
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
First and third Sunday of the month after 11:30 am
Mass. Make arrangements by calling Parish Office.
SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
Saturday
4:00 - 4:45 pm or by appointment
SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
As soon as marriage is contemplated, contact one
of the parish priests.
Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish
Registration forms may be found on our website (olqpparish.org/parishregistration.htm), in the
Church lobby or you may stop by the Parish Office to fill one out. If you have recently changed your
status, married, moved out of your parents’ home or graduated from high school, you need to
re-register. Please help us keep our records accurate.
Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish
2014
November
Thu 27
December
Mon 1
Sat 20
2015
January
Sat 10
March
Sun 15
April
Sun 5
Sun 19
May
Wed 6
June
Sat 13
September
Sun 27
October
Sat 3
Thanksgiving
OLQP Holiday Blood Drive
All Day Confessions
What are you grateful for?
We will celebrate Thanksgiving Mass this
Thursday, November 27, at 9:00 am and you are
welcome to bring non-perishable food items for
Knights of Columbus Mouse
Races
the Peace Pantry or a cash gift for the St. Vincent
Red Hat/Ladies Bingo & Luncheon
our area. You will be invited during the offertory
Easter
First Communion
the poor at the altar. It’s during this time of year
Confirmation
in our lives. As you go through the week, every
OLQP Picnic
something or you find that you are happy, say
OLQP Quilt Social
THANK YOU to God!
OLQP Auction
DePaul Society. Both groups work with the poor in
at Mass to come forward and place your gifts for
that we are encouraged to make gratitude a habit
time you become aware that you are blessed with
Speaking of Grateful
I want to thank all the volunteers who showed up
last week to rake leaves, trim trees and work to
make the parish grounds look nice. We have
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Parish Office Closed
Wednesday, November 26
Thursday, November 27
Friday, November 28
many generous people in our parish and I pray
that God bless all of you for your dedication and
the gift of your time.
Advent Opportunities
I can’t believe it but Advent begins next weekend.
Preparations for the celebration of the birth of
Jesus will begin. I’m not talking about putting up
Parish Activities ~ November 24th to 30th
Mon Nov 24
Tues Nov 25
Wed Nov 26
Thur Nov 27
Fri
Sun
Nov 28
Nov 30
PSR, 6:15 - 7:30 pm
Perpetual Help Devotions after 8:00 am
Mass
Quilters, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm,
4:30 to 7:30 pm, Quilters Room
Eucharistic Adoration, 1:00 to 8:00 pm,
Church
Parish Office Closed
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Mass at 9:00 am
Parish Office Closed
Parish Office Closed
1st Sunday of Advent
the Christmas trees and lights and going
shopping,…etc. I’m talking about preparing your
“self”. In the midst of the so called holiday
madness that is about to begin, find time for
prayer, confession, and spiritual reading. The
Parish will be offering several opportunities to
grow spiritually. Look for more information in the
bulletin.
~ fr. mike
Christ the King
November 23, 2014
Youth Council News
Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, December 1st
2:00 to 7:00 pm
To make an appointment call the Red Cross, 1800-733-2757, Margaret, 636-671-0627 or email
redcrossblood.org. Appointments will be
honored, of course, walk-ins are always
welcomed.
Giving blood is a vital community service. Without
dedicated volunteer blood donors, there would be
no blood supply. Give the gift of life by giving
blood regularly - it will be felt for a lifetime! Your
donation gives someone the opportunity to share
more time with family members and loved ones.
High School Youth Group
Sundays: December 7th and 14th
Get your homework done before
6:00 pm on Sunday evenings, invite
a friend and join us from 6:00 8:00 pm in the Cafeteria Meeting
Room. Strengthen your relationship
with Jesus and become the best version of
yourself. We also have time for fun and food.
Save The Date
High School Retreat
“Armor of God”
Camp Trinity, New Haven, MO
January 2-4, 2014
Cost $50 per person
Giving blood is an excellent way to show caring,
compassion and generosity toward your neighbor.
Junior High Youth Group, 7th and 8th graders
Friday, December 12th
Bethlehem Walk at Morse Mill Baptist Church
Thanksgiving Day Mass
November 27, 9:00 am
There is no 8:00 am Mass
Details and permission slips sent home through
Traditionally we bring can goods and donate them
Pro Life Bus Trip
to the Peace Pantry. All monetary gifts will be
donated to St. Vincent de Paul.
PSR and school.
Anyone interested in joining
Our Lady Queen of Peace youth and adults on a
Charter bus for the Pro-Life Trip to Washington,
Holiday Cards to Military
We would once again like to ask for addresses
of any family members who are in the Military.
We will publish them in the bulletin and give our
parishioners the opportunity to send them cards
over the Holidays thanking them for their service
to our country. Please call Mary Anne or Cliff
Brandt, 636-274-1838, with your loved ones
address.
D.C., January 21st - 23rd, please call, text (314566-8363) or email
(terry.ostlund@olqpparish.org) Terry Ostlund
so we can put your name on the list and get you
more detailed information. The cost of the bus
ticket is $140. Help us be a voice for the unborn.
Please return completed registration forms and
$140 to Terry Ostlund or the Parish Office no
later December 17th.
Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish
2015 – Year of Prayer
Are you Spiritually Healthy?
Monetary Donations for Christmas
Flowers and Decorations
The Key Concepts that the Archdiocese would like
to concentrate on next year during the year of
Prayer are: Prayer, Mass, Sacraments, Adoration,
and Spiritual Development. The objectives are to
If you missed our poinsettia fundraiser and would
teach Catholics how to pray and how to develop
like to make a monetary donation for flowers or
prayer routine, increase the number of individuals
decorations to be used for our Christmas season,
attending Mass each Sunday, to increase
please place your donation (in an envelope
participation in Mass and cultivate a proper
marked “flowers/decorations”) in the collection
understanding of the Mass, to increase
basket on Sunday or drop it off at the Parish
participation in the Sacrament of Penance and
Office. If you would like your donation to be used
increase Attendance at Eucharistic Adoration.
in memory of a loved one, include the printed
Below are suggestions for prayer times in your
names with your donation. As always we welcome
life. We would like you to take one day each week
any flowers you would like to be used for
and mark down the number of minutes you pray
Christmas. Please bring them to Church on
for that day. We have included suggestions on
December 21st by 1:00 pm.
how you can spend prayerful time with our Lord
each day. Each week we will ask you to increase
If you have any questions, please call Joanne,
your prayer time a little each day: one minute,
636-274-0590, Maryann, 314-660-9335 or
five minutes or even ten minutes per day. Please
Heidi, 636-575-8424.
fill out the form and return it in the collection
basket next Sunday. We will tally the number of
forms and minutes recorded each week and
hopefully by the end of Advent it will encourage
you to increase your prayer time daily.
Christmas Decorating
Suggestions for prayer:
Morning prayer
________
Daily Mass
________
Daily Rosary
________
Silent prayer time
________
Quiet prayer time in church ________
Prayer time while driving
________
Prayers before meals
________
Prayers after meals
________
Contemplative prayer
________
Reading the Bible
________
Maryann Turek has graciously
agreed to be the coordinator for
decorating our church for the
Christmas Season. She will be
needing volunteers to help decorate
on Sunday, December 21st,
immediately after the 11:30
Mass. Please mark your calendar,
the sign up book will be available
November 30th in the Church lobby.
Christ the King
November 23, 2014
Christmas Poinsettia
Fundraiser for SVDP
It may sound too early to be
talking about Poinsettias for
The Giving Tree will be up in the Church lobby
next weekend, November 29th and 30th, with gift
tags on it to help make Christmas special for so
many of the needy in our area. We want to thank
our parishioners in advance for all to your
generosity. Please return all presents (tag with
number showing attached) under the tree no later
than Saturday, December 20th.
Christmas but we need to
plan early to get the order in
on time.
We will be taking orders for
Poinsettias to be used to decorate our church for
the Christmas Season. All proceeds will go to our
St. Vincent de Paul Society to help those in need
in our community.
We can make your shopping easier and you won't
Handyman Raffle
What a great idea that Greg Benefield
have to worry about the cold weather damaging
your flower in transport. And you can be
remembering your loved one with your donation.
has come up with to share his
Stewardship talents! If we could sell
All orders must be placed by December 1st. Please
out his raffle monthly, our parish
use this order form and include your payment.
would generate $4,800 per year with just this one
Checks should be made to "St. Vincent de Paul".
item!
Orders may be placed in the collection basket with
the envelope marked “Christmas Flowers” or
We would like to encourage anyone in our parish
dropped off at the Parish Office. For any questions
to follow suit and maybe donate some of their
please call Joanne, 636-274-0590.
talents – car repairs, cleaning, yard work, taxes
or financial consultation, electrician, painter,
6 INCH POTS WITH 6+ Red Blooms $10 _________
landscaper, seamstress, etc., etc.
Please use your imagination, see what “gifts” you
Cash or checks accepted, please make your check
payable to SVDP.
have been given, and donate your “talent” toward
helping out our parish.
General Handyman Raffle
Name____________________________
Phone____________________________
The cost is $5.00 per chance and when
100 tickets is sold we will draw a winner.
NAME_____________________________________
PHONE____________________________________
Amount Paid________________________________
If you wish to have your loved one remembered,
please add their name here (please print clearly)
__________________________________________
Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish
Care Notes
Please check the pamphlet rack in the Church lobby for new Care Notes to
help loved ones who are grieving during this holiday season.
“Grieving at Christmas: A Family Guide”
“How Christmas Memories Can Bring Healing to Your Grief”
“Celebrating the Holidays Despite Being in a Healthcare Facility”
“Getting Through the Holidays When You’ve Lost a Loved One”
“Pathways Through Your Christmas Grief”
Big Raffle Update
Last year, we heard numerous
Every Friday Night
Knights of Columbus Hall
Doors Open at 4:30 pm
Bingo starts at 6:45 pm
Everyone welcome!
parishioners suggesting that we
lowered the cost of the ticket so that
they were more affordable. Three
months have passed and we have not
sold the number necessary to cover the cost of the
raffle and begin the monthly drawing. Please
consider purchasing a raffle ticket (cost is $50) so
we can begin our monthly drawings at the end of
November. The magic number of tickets needed to
St. Vincent De Paul
Thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated
at 9:00 am. This is an opportunity to
give thanks to God for all our
blessings and to share our gifts with
those in need.
We would like to thank
All Our Advertisers
for advertising in our parish bulletin.
Because of their generosity we do not
pay for our bulletins to be printed.
Please patronize our advertisers and
thank them for supporting our parish.
be sold now is at 116. We made over $17,500 last
year on this raffle and are depending upon its
success to help balance our budget.
For Reflection…
Society is wrought by fear. Fear is the cause of
so many problems, so much anxiety, and even
illness. Could it be that there is a lack of love
in the world? Perfect love casts out fear. Could
it be that there is a lack of love in your heart?
Christ the King
St. Ignatius Loyola Church/School
19127 Mill Road, Marthasville 63357
Annual Thanksgiving Day Festivities
November 23, 2014
Seven Days of Inspiration
Take one a day…
and feel great all week!
The Annual Thanksgiving Day Festivities is our
major fundraiser of the year. We are a small rural
parish and we rely on this day of hospitality.
Dinner is served from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. It is
Day 1
Lean on someone when
you need to. It makes
you both stronger.
a buffet style all you can eat meal. Prices include
adults $12 (Seniors 62+ is $10); children 6 to 12
is $5 while age 5 and under eat free.
http://www.saintig.com will give you a map
location.
Day 2
An important day is
coming your way!
Day 3
Change a few things;
treasure a few more.
Day 4
St. Pius X High School Trivia Night
(sponsored by Alumni Association)
January 17, 2015
Doors open at 6:00 pm
Trivia begins at 6:30 pm
$20 per person/8 to a table
Includes beer, soda and water.
Please feel free to bring your own
refreshments.
Call Paula, 636-931-7488 ext. 144
or e-mail, pnapier@stpius.com
Greet the day with a
smile and it will smile back.
Day 5
Let yourself believe.
Day 6
Measure your success by
the smiles you make.
Day 7
You deserve compliments!
Marriage Encounter
Give the gift that keeps on giving – for the rest
of your life as a happily married couple! The
holidays are a perfect time to consider making
a gift of a Marriage Encounter weekend to each
other. Please call, 314-469-7317, or visit
www.stl-wwme.org to register for the
December 5-7, 2014 or February 6-8, 2015
weekend.
Parish Office email
parishoffice@olqpparish.org
OLQP Web Site
www.olqpparish.org
submit articles for bulletin
olqpbulletin@yahoo.com
Deadline Friday at 4:30 pm
(9 days before publication)
Welcome to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
OLQP Spiritual Recall
Our next Eucharistic Adoration
Wednesday, November 26,
from 1:00 – 8:00 pm
Our Gifts to God and Parish
778 registered members
192 online, loose and envelopes used this week
Thank you for your generosity!!!
Special Collections
Religious Retirement ........................... $10.00
New Building Fund.................. $762,473.47
Offertory
Sunday Loose ................................... $447.00
Sunday Envelopes .......................... $8,972.39
Parish Enrichment .............................. $40.00
Total Offertory ............................ $9,459.39
Weekly Offertory Goal .............. $13,000.00
As of November 17, 2014
Contributions Year To Date ..... $244,198.93
Projected Year to date ............ $260,000.00
Jesus will be also exposed for Eucharistic
Adoration during the Advent season, every
Wednesday after the 8:00 am Mass and conclude
at 8:00 pm with Benediction.
What Is Eucharistic Adoration?
In its fullest essence ... Eucharistic Adoration
is "God and Man reaching out for each other,
at the same time!"
During Eucharistic Adoration, we "watch and wait",
we remain "silent" in His Presence and open
ourselves to His Graces which flow from the
Eucharist ... By worshiping the Eucharistic Jesus,
we become what God wants us to be! Like a
magnet, The Lord draws us to Himself and gently
transforms us.
Stewardship
Start With Prayer
“…as you did it to one of the least of my brethren,
you did it to me”
Matthew 25:40
Optional grace before meals…
Lord, we thank you for the food we have and the
friends we have. We ask you to bless and console
those that have neither. Amen
Most of us are generous when it’s convenient for
us. We are generous when we have the time or
the money. But, generosity is the opposite of
that. It means giving of one’s time, money,
compassion, forgiveness, mercy when it’s not
convenient; when it’s not on our schedule, but on
the other person’s schedule. Christ the King
November 23, 2014
Please pray for those who are ill
(parishioners are in bold)
Maryann Barnett
Wally Freihaut
Jackie Nappier
Tim Lodes
Paul McDonnell
Betty Harness
Cheri Bridges
Danielle Enghauser
Joyce Stenger
Andy Nappier
Vicky Duckworth
Janice Robertson
Jan DeClue
Gail Stochl, former parishioner
Mary Stone, relative of Susan O’Shea
Ashley Bray, niece of Susan O’Shea
Lisa Gibson, relative of Al/Maryann Schuld
Dave Hays, brother-in-law of Bernie/Angie Henning
Cassie Clement, of our community
Carol Brennan, sister of Katie Tutass
Virginia Wilson, mother of Linda Gallion
Gene Barnett, husband of Maryann Barnett
Dave Landers, brother-in-law of Bernie/Angie Henning
Robert Bokern, brother of John Bokern
~those serving in the military, the homebound,
shut-ins of the parish and all in nursing homes. To add
a name please call the Parish Office, 671-3062. Names
will be removed after 3 weeks.
Mass Intentions
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
Nov
Nov
Nov
Nov
Nov
Nov
Nov
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
8:00 am Joseph/Mary Smentkowski
8:00 am Ray Wieschhaus
8:00 am Margaret O’Neill Scofield
9:00 am John D. Grady
8:00 am Frances Stewart
5:00 pm Richard Theiss
7:30 am Barb Rocchio
9:30 am Gene O’Brien
11:30 am People of the Parish
November 29th and 30th
Special Ministers of the Eucharist
5:00 pm
7:30 am
9:30 am
11:30 am
Mary Copeland, Dixie Garrett, P. Hoskins,
Janice Hussman, 1 needed
Jo Jahnsen, Ken Bohnert, Ruth Haen,
Mary Bjornstad, 1 needed
Carl and Patsy Boyer, Trish Guethle,
Jan Schultheiss, Barb Perez, H. Salamone
Thom and Angie Ecker, Carol Freihaut,
Greg Love, Joan Ross
Proclaimers
5:00 pm
7:30 am
9:30 am
11:30 am
Servers
5:00 pm
7:30 am
9:30 am
11:30 am
Ushers
5:00 pm
7:30 am
9:30 am
11:30 am
We offer sympathy and the assurance of
our prayers to the family of
Audrey Hastings,
mother of Donna Beaird
Bev Gregory, Peggy Mikko
Jim England, Frieda Siebel-Spath
Jo Ann Vess, Helen Salamone
Don Moeller, Margaret Gerling
Matthew Grimes, Amanda Kohne, M. Mikko
Maggie Hardesty, Ethan Pulic, Haley Yates
C. Gaddy, J. Grosvenor, Peter Kenney
K. Dorenkamp, Lexi Schmidt, Ava Stagner
Jeff Heibeck, Dixie Garrett, D. Allmeroth,
Don Brooks, Ken Ganey, B. Slodkowski
Steve Morlock, J. Eschbach, Ted Hempen,
Vince Rocchio, Tim Webb, Jerry Terry
Robert De Long, Greg Love, Carl Boyer,
Terry Filicsky, Ray Graf, Sam Pierceall
Jim Robertson, Al Schuld, David Witt,
Larry Bottchen, John and David Homes
Thank you for cleaning Church
November 28
Theresa Haug,
Ed Kelemen,
Darleen Allmeroth,
Margaret Gerling
Sandy Million
November 30, 2014
First Sunday of Advent
Cycle B
now, are meant to strengthen the community for the
coming day of the Lord. In this reading, then, the focus
shifts to that future culmination of God’s plan. The
Gospel reading continues this focus on the future with its
call to be alert.
THE READINGS:
FIRST READING: Isaiah 63:16b-17, 64:1-7
The first reading from the Prophet Isaiah comes from late
in the book, a section that many critical scholars date to
the time of restoration after the Babylonian
Exile. Whether or not that is the case, the passage
celebrates God’s action on behalf of His people in history
and longs to experience that mighty presence of God
again. As is consistent with Isaiah theology, the people’s
experience of God would impact all other nations. The
notion of “fearing” God is prominent in this reading. Here,
we have to remember that “Fear of the Lord” does not
mean trembling and trepidation before a vengeful God,
but a right relationship with God. The passage speaks of
a right relationship with God that will spill over and invite
all nations to a similar relationship. Moreover, the lack of
a right relationship, the sin and iniquity spoken of is
systemic, societal, cultural, not merely individual sin. The
passage addresses a context that we might call a
“Godless society” and longs for God to make His
presence felt in ways that would call people back to what
is good, right and just, that would correct the errors of a
“Godless society.”
SECOND READING: I Corinthians 1:3-9
THEME: All Humanity Yearns for the Presence of
God.
The readings for the first Sunday of Advent all speak to a
deep human longing, the longing for the presence of our
God. This longing is expressed not so much in individual
terms but as the yearning of all humanity. The readings
also make clear the dual focus of the Advent season, the
longing for the presence of God in the life of the
community of believers now and the anticipation of the
final coming of Christ to bring to fulfillment God’s
relationship with His people. In the first reading from
Isaiah, there is a sense that the perceived absence of
God has caused people to lapse into sin, that God’s
presence is needed to guide the people in right ways. In
Isaiah, the longing for God’s presence is seen in the
current lived situation of the people. These sentiments
are echoed in the responsorial psalm, a psalm that
celebrates God’s saving activity on the part of His people
in the past and calls on God to rekindle His relationship
with His people so that they will be renewed in that
relationship. At the beginning of his letter to the
Corinthians, Paul gives thanks, as is customary in his
letters, for the gifts that are present in the Corinthian
community. But these gifts, celebrated in the here and
Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians continues the
communal focus. Today’s reading is comprised of the
usual thanksgiving with which Paul began his
letters. However, in the context of the whole letter, it will
emerge that this thanksgiving is highly ironic. There were
major problems within the Corinthian community, not the
least of which was the tendency of members of the
community to credit themselves with wisdom, knowledge,
sophistication, an enlightened approach to life and faith at
the expense of the very Gospel message that formed
them as a community. Paul’s message was
clear: whatever gifts were to be found in the community
were not given to create distinctions and drive people
apart but to build up and strengthen the whole community
for the coming of the Lord. The celebration and use of
the various gifts were not for their own sake, but for the
sake of furthering the Gospel message. The time to put
our gifts to use in the service of readying ourselves for the
coming of the Lord is now.
GOSPEL READING: Mark 13:33-37
The reading from Mark’s Gospel comes late in the
Gospel from Jesus’ final public words before His arrest
and trial. Mark’s whole Gospel is a call to discipleship
that is marked by a sense of urgency and that urgency is
reflected in Jesus’ words before His death. The
communal aspect of the readings is maintained in the fact
that Jesus’ call to be awake, alert and ready is addressed
to all. As part of Jesus’ eschatological teaching, the
Gospel reading has that future focus on the final
establishment of the Kingdom, but the time to ready
ourselves for that future coming is, again, the present
moment.
A yearning for God’s presence and a call to readiness for
the coming of the Lord certainly function as themes in
today’s readings, but more central is idea of a dulled and
lifeless community, a community living at odds with the
Gospel message. Isaiah pleads for God to rend the
heavens and come down, to make Himself manifest in a
way that people can’t ignore, to enliven their faith. He
speaks in a context in which the community looks to what
used to be, whether from the perspective of the restored
community after the exile or another community looking
at what was, and settles into patterns of the here and
now that are somehow less – less faithful, less aware of
God, less committed. The Psalm, as a lament, calls for
God to turn us back, to fill up what is lacking and keep us
faithful. Paul addresses a community where there are
divisions, where faithfulness to the Gospel message and
its unifying call is ignored under the guise of supposed
enlightenment. And Mark stresses the urgency in being
alert to the presence and call of God now.
Today’s readings speak to those communities who long
for and wonder what it would be like if Jesus were
walking in our midst today. If God would just make
Himself known tangibly, rend the heavens and come
down, we could respond and live faithfully. But in that
absence or perceived absence, communities, societies,
turn back to themselves. They seek self-reliance and
proclaim this as enlightenment. The depiction of nudity,
sex, and violence in literature and movies is an
expression of art, an enlightened approach. From there it
is a small step to tolerating gratuitous portrayals of sex
and violence, devaluing humans. Children should be
protected from pornography, but what consenting adults
do in the privacy of their homes is their business. In the
world of finance, the bottom line is king; workers are only
a means to an end, expendable. Scientific research
looks to what we can do without ever asking whether or
not we should. In this context, the Jesus of Mark’s
Gospel, towards the end of His earthly life, proclaims,
“You have what you need. If you want to experience
God’s presence, be alert and awake to what is right and
live it now. Live in a way that makes it possible for God’s
presence to appear.”
FOR REFLECTION:
 I can identify the things I want, that I wish for, but in
my connectedness with others in my world, can I
identify our common longings? Can I see God as
the answer to all that we yearn for together?
 In what tangible ways can my efforts to live a right
relationship with God have an impact on others
around me? In what tangible ways can our common
yearnings for God's presence and our common
efforts to live a right relationship with God impact
the whole world?
 Where do I encounter a misuse of my gifts and the
gifts of others in my community in setting up
distinctions, dividing people? How could my gifts
and the gifts of others in my community be used,
rather, for the building up of the whole?
 How does the sense of urgency in Jesus' words of
teaching from today's Gospel reflect the sense and
meaning of the Season of Advent. What is it urgent
for me to do during this Advent Season to be ready
to find the presence of God?
 In what areas of my life and the life of my
community does God seem distant or absent? How
am I tempted to substitute some form of selfreliance to fill that sense of what is missing rather
than wait for the presence of God to become clear?