2314 Third Avenue, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361 (308)632-2541

Mailing address: PO Box 349, Scottsbluff, NE 69363-0349 Fax: 308-632-2146 Website: www.st-agnes-church.com

Parish Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9am - Noon & 1pm - 4pm

Rev. Vincent L. Parsons

Pastor

Sr. Vera Meis, C.S.J. Pastoral Minister

Mass Schedule:

(October - May) Saturday: 4:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 am (June - September) Saturday 6:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 & 10:00 am Mon, Tues, Wed, Friday 7 am

Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays one hour prior to evening Mass or by appointment (632-2541)

Sacrament of Baptism Please call the Parish Office

July 21, 2019 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Page 2 Year C July 21, 2019

The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In almost every discussion of the Gospel reading from Luke about Mary and Martha, Martha is disparaged for her acts when compared to Mary’s attentiveness to Jesus. Jesus’ words, when taken literally, seem very harsh and in discord with his merciful acts. Jesus says to Martha, “Martha, Martha you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it will not be taken from her.” Jesus’ words imply that Martha should immediately stop what she is doing and sit at Jesus’ feet and like Mary listen to him. Unless one looks deeper into his meaning, Jesus appears callous and unappreciative of Martha’s efforts. What did Martha do wrong, when Mary appears to have little regard for addressing the needs of her guests?

Mary’s focus on Jesus and his words, as he says, is “the better part” for she has chosen to direct her attention to him above anything else. Mary does this because of her love for him. Mary is in quiet contemplative awe as she listening to his words in absorbing them into her being. She realizes that his words bring the everlasting truth that is too valuable to ignore. Jesus is telling us that likewise our hearts must be in quiet reflection, for he speaks of our everlasting salvation. Unless we turn to his words and hold deep them in our hearts we will be easily distracted by the devil with his showy and sparkling objects that tempt us to disregard our real desire of eternity with Jesus in heaven.

But what about Martha; why is she in the wrong? She too loves Jesus as much as Mary for she bustles about the kitchen preparing a meal for Jesus and his disciplines. The efforts of hospitality are a cornerstone of the Jewish tradition. In the first reading today, Abraham takes great effort to show hospitality to three strangers who are passing by. God, in recognizing his generosity, promises Abraham a son. This promise coming at the end of the meal indicates pleasure of Abraham’s devotion to love of neighbor. Is not the act of opening one’s house and kitchen to care for others an example of such love, one that Jesus commands of us? Martha in her work certainly was saintly and was also much loved by the Lord. In welcoming Jesus into her home she is asking Jesus to make her home his home. Martha stresses need for service to the Jesus and others as she move about preparing a meal.

Then what wrong has Martha done that she was admonished by Jesus? St. Augustine, in several of his sermons, interprets Jesus words to Martha that she acting in the present where Mary is looking at the things to come. St. Augustine reflects that Mary has chosen the better part. Not that Martha made a bad choice, but Mary a better. In time, the burdens of these necessary worldly duties will be taken from Martha when she enters heaven. Then the toils of this world will be in the past for she then can join Mary in experiencing the sweetness of the truth that is everlasting.

This Gospel story is not meant to set one sister against the other. Each demonstrates her complete love for Jesus but in a different way. Mary shows the value of continual contemplation of Christ in our lives. Martha demonstrates the qualities of self gift her service to the Lord. The sisters symbolize side-by-side realities are meant to be in harmony. Therefore, although Christian history is fond of playing Martha and Mary against each other, the real task is to discover the proper relationship in our lives of service and reflection.

If one lives only a reflective life, then daily activities come to a standstill. A housewife, who only thinks about washing the sinkful of dishes throughout the day, will still have dishes to wash at the end of the day. The farmer, who stands leaning against a fencepost contemplating whether to disc a field, will still have a weedy field tomorrow. The student who reflects on the story that needs to written for class, still needs to type the words on the page, before it can be submitted. Contemplation without action can be a block to reaching the goals one desires.

Similarly, the workaholic who never stops to reflect on his or her relationship with others is focused more on the action than on the reason why the act is done. For these people they find themselves on a hamster wheel running and running not know that there is more to experience that busyness. Jesus does not dismissing the importance of hospitality in his words to Martha; he only asks her to discover more than can be found looking out the kitchen window.

The achievement of balance between a life service and contemplation is necessary in every aspect of our lives. For example, some individuals who come to Mass direct all of their attention solely on the word of God which is a holy act. In becoming so focused on prayer, however, one loses sight of the importance of the community that desires to develop a relationship with such a faith-filled person. Other parishioners volunteer regularly for ministries such as ushers, greeters, extra-ordinary ministers, cantors and instrumentalists, lectors, altar servers, and sacristans find it difficult to set time aside in the Mass for prayer because of their duties. The quality of contemplation is compromised one never learns to pray from the heart. The two ministries are complementary.

What is this means is that our parish community suffers when we are exclusively a Mary or a Martha. It is not appropriate to set the two sisters and their acts against each other. In the ministry of caring for our neighbor, we learn the expansive nature God’s love that cannot be kept to oneself. In the ministry of contemplation, we discover the depth God’s love in our hearts. Thus there is a balance to be achieved in our lives between Mary and Martha.

S a i n t A g n e s

C a t h o l i c C h u r c h

Today’s Readings Genesis 18:1-10a

Psalm 15 Colossians 1:24-28

Luke 10:38-42

Parish Administration (308) 632-2541 / (308) 632-2146 (Fax)

office@st-agnes-church.com www.st-agnes-church.com

Pastor

Rev. Vincent L. Parsons (ext. 2) pastor@st-agnes-church.com

Church Office Manager Theresa Trevino (ext. 3)

office@st-agnes-church.com Pastoral Minister

Sr. Vera Meis (ext. 4) srvera@st-agnes-church.com

Director of Religious Education Mrs. Terri Calvert (ext.5) dre@st-agnes-church.com

School Head Teacher Mrs. Julie Brown (632-6918) office@st-agnes-school.com

School Office Manager Teresa Johnson (632-6918)

office@st-agnes-school.com

Page 3 July 21, 2019

Finance Corner Sunday Collections

& ATW Giving

July 14, 2019 Actual $9488.75 ATW $4308.00 Budget $9000.00 Surplus (Deficit) $4796.75

July Totals Actual $19281.88 ATW $8378.00 Budget $27000.00 Surplus (Deficit) $659.88

Thank you for your continued giving!

Next weekend’s 2nd collection is

for Haiti/Uganda

Important Dates To Remember In 2018

Aug 15 The Assumption of Mary Aug 19 First day of St. Agnes School

Monday, July 22, 2019 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: †Jerry & †Don Young by Eileen Young Communal Rosary (4:45 pm) Liturgy of the Hours (5:10 pm) Tuesday, July 23, 2019 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: †Kay Busekist by Phyllis Temple Tuesday Discussion Group (8-9 am) Liturgy of the Hours (5:30 pm) Wednesday, July 24, 2019 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: All Priests & Religious Life by Eileen Young Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Contemplative Prayer Group (6:00pm)

Thursday, July 25, 2019 Daily Mass (9:30am) at Heritage Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Friday, July 26, 2019 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: Rosie Porter by Friends Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Saturday, July 27, 2019 Weekend Mass (6:00pm) Intention: For the Parish Sunday, July 28, 2019 Weekend Mass (8:00am) Intention: †Kay Busekist by Gene & Mari Schwarzkopf Weekend Mass (10:00am) Intention: †James Wolf by Robert Wolf

This Week’s Schedule

Nicholas James Esselstein

July 14, 2019

Son of

Michael & Beth Esselstein

Server Schedule July 27 6pm Osiris Saucedo Tea Hill July 28 8am Mitch Moravec Bernadette Pieper 10:00am Emma Casillas Raymond Palmer

Lector Schedule July 27 6pm Chris Burbach July 28 8am David Nash 10:00am Mark Loose

June 2019 100 CLUB WINNERS $200: Paul Tyler; $100: Phyllis Blanco, Jack Copsey, David &

Kerri Schaff; $75: Mike & Sarah Zeiler; $50: Joe/Michelle

Lissolo, Steve/Chris Lunniss, Elizabeth Skiles, Kirk/Vicki Begley, Paul/Jane Pieper,

Deborah Moore, Margaret Mary Bush, Jeff Pickering,

Mandi Adams

CONGRATULATIONS!

This Week’s Readings

Monday: Sg 3:1-4b or 2 Cor 5:14 -17; Ps 63:2-6, 8-9; Jn 20:1-2, 11-18 Tuesday: Ex 14:21 — 15:1; Ex 15:8-10, 12, 17; Mt 12:46-50 Wednesday: Ex 16:1-5, 9-15; Ps 78:18-19, 23-28; Mt 13:1-9 Thursday: 2 Cor 4:7-15; Ps 126:1bc-6; Mt 20:20- 28 Friday: Ex 20:1-17; Ps 19:8-11; Mt 13:18-23 Saturday: Ex 24:3-8; Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15; Mt 13:24-30 Sunday: Gn 18:20-32; Ps 138:1-3, 6-8; Col 2:12-14; Lk 11:1- 13

Mark your calendars!

Please join us to celebrate Fr. Jim’s birthday

and to say “Thank You” for being here this summer while

Fr. Vince is away at school. We will serve coffee and rolls

after all 3 masses next weekend, July 27th & 28th.

Page 4 The Sixteenth Sunday in ordinary time

ST. AGNES CATHOLIC SCHOOL HALL OF FAME NOMINATION FORM

Please use this form to select your nominations for these two prestigious awards. These awards will be presented at the 2019 St. Agnes Premiere Dinner and Auction at the Civic Center in Gering, Nebraska.

Distinguished Alumni Award

This prestigious award is bestowed to a former St. Agnes student in recognition of outstanding achievement through his or her contributions to the arts, business, education, government, humanities, science and philanthropies. The recipient must be an individual who, in deed or action, has brought honor to themselves, to St. Agnes School and to their community. Nomination Criteria:

Must have attended St. Agnes School Must be at least 25 years old Nominee may be deceased Nominee’s Name:_______________________________________________ Age: _______ St. Agnes Student: YES______ NO_____ Attendance Dates:____________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________ City, State, ZIP:_____________________________________________________________ Phone:________________________Email:_______________________________________ Qualifications/Achievements: (Please use additional paper.)

Friend of St. Agnes Award

This service award is given in honor and recognition of an individual that has provided extraordinary service through volunteerism and support to St. Agnes School. The recipient can be alumni, faculty, support staff, clergy, parents, parishioners or community members. Nomination Criteria: Must be at least 25 years old Nominee may be deceased

Nominee’s Name:_______________________________________________ Age: _______ Address:___________________________________________________________________ City, State, ZIP:_____________________________________________________________ Phone:________________________Email:_______________________________________ Dedication & Service to St. Agnes: (Please use additional paper.) Nominator’s Name:_______________________________________________ Address:_______________________________________________________ City, State, ZIP:__________________________________________________ Phone:__________________________Email:__________________________

Return form by August 30, 2019 to:

St. Agnes School Foundation * PO Box 2214 * Scottsbluff, NE 69363-2214

Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

On the Way to Mass: In what way was I too busy for God last week? On the Way Home From Mass: What is one worry I could let go of, eve if it is just for a day? Living the Word: Gather the family and ask each member to pick a worry or concern and talk about how they feel when they think about it. Family members can describe the feeling with words or by how their body reacts when they think about the concern. They could also use a metaphor or color to describe the feeling. Then, ask each person to think of what it would feel like if that worry were given over to God for one day.

Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families 2018-2019

Find Us On

Facebook Twitter: st_agnes_church

Instagram: st.agnescatholicchurch Parish Website

www.st-agnes-church.com myParish App

In the App Store on your phone or tablet

Page 5 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

R_ligious E^u][tion Progr[m Email—dre@st-agnes-church.com Religious Education Office—308-635-1362

The high school CYM program will have a new name, Life Teen Ignite. The peer ministry team chose the theme of “Ignite, Kindling the Light” for the 2019-2020 program year.

If you are not familiar with Life Teen it was launched in 1985 as a parish-based

youth ministry in Mesa, AZ focused on the Mass and gathering teens together at a Life Night. This national organization

continues to be focused on bring teens to Christ in the Eucharist and gathering them to be formed in the Roman Catholic faith.

The mission of Life Teen is: As a Eucharist-centered movement within the Roman Catholic Church, Life Teen leads teenagers and their families into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. With the Blessed Virgin Mary as our intercessor and guide, Life Teen seeks to unleash the fullness of Sacramental power present within the young Church.

Life Teen Ignite program and will be meeting every Wednesday at 7 p.m. beginning in September and running through April, so no changes in the day of the week or the time that families and youth are accustomed to.

On Wednesday evening youth will come to explore their faith in a new and exciting way. The high school youth will see how they really CAN live a faithful, Catholic life every day, and strengthen their spirituality and relationship with God. High school youth will have the opportunity to get those answers that they have been looking for, all while having fun with their friends and classmates!

Enjoy a Holy Summer with these family daily activities! Sunday - July 21st Light a candle for the Holly Father’s intentions today after Mass. Monday - July 22nd Have an A-Z scavenger hunt. Find things starting with every letter. Tuesday - July 23rd Promise one another only to make positive comments. Wednesday - July 24th Clip paper to an upright surface outside. Fill squirt guns with liquid watercolors. Try spraying at different distances. Thursday - July 25th Celebrate Christmas in July. Read the story of Christ's birth (Luke 2:1-19). Friday - July 26th Honor Jesus’ grandparents St. Joachim and St. Anne and pray for your grandparents. Saturday - July 27th Attend Confession as a family, then have ice-cream afterwards to celebrate clean souls.

Partners in Faith - June 2019

Page 6 July 21, 2019

If you haven't’ signed up yet go to: www.saintagneschurch.formed.org

and sign up today!

Page 7 July 21, 2019