Holy Family Reflection – Day 2 Between the Infancy Narratives and

the beginning of his public ministry as

an adult, Scripture is silent about the

life of Jesus, except for today’s gospel

passage about the 12-year-old Jesus

who is lost and found in the Temple

of Jerusalem. This story grants us a

glimpse into the Holy Family, as Mary

and Joseph search frantically for the

missing Jesus, are astonished to find

him teaching in the Temple, and then

are puzzled by his justification that he

must be in his Father’s house. Yet, like

his presentation to Simeon, this story

foreshadows Jesus’ ultimate mission

and identity as Savior. In a few years,

he will again head up to Jerusalem for

the Passover, and give himself over to

his Father’s will and service com-

pletely as he takes up the cross. His

obedience to his parents prepares his

heart for the dark night at Geth-

semane.

Honor Your Father and Mother

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14

“Kindness to a father will not be for-

gotten.”

Our first experience of family is de-

pendence. As children we get lots of

attention. We do not earn it. We just

receive it because of who we are.

Then our eyes are opened. We recog-

nize the sacrifice our parents have

made. We see how they thought less

of themselves in order to give us life.

Our respect for them grows.

On this first Sunday of the Christmas

season we remember the care that

Mary and Joseph gave to Jesus. We

recognize the sacrifice they made. We

imagine the many ways they thought

less of themselves to improve the life

of the son entrusted to their care.

Our respect for them grows too.

Sirach proclaims that those who

honor their parents atone for their sins

and keep themselves from evil. Their

prayers reach God’s ears. The benefits

of satisfaction return to those who

honor their father and mother.

Paul Turner, Liturgy Training Publications

Feasts of Wonder and Awe:

Christmas, Epiphany, and

The Baptism of Jesus each celebrating

a disclosure of Divinity! The whole

season invites us into a celebration of

these sacred mysteries.

Emmanuel, Our God is with us.

Jesus the Christ has come;

Hope dwells among us.

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

December 30 Pictures of the nativity usually show a

composed Mary and Joseph kneeling at

Jesus’ crib with shepherds and kings

worshiping in the background. It’s an

idyllic scene of peace—and probably

pretty far from the truth.

Mary and Joseph traveled in the last

stages of her pregnancy from Nazareth

to Bethlehem. On foot or donkey. It

was a dirty and exhausting journey.

Once there, they had nowhere to stay

except with the animals. After a short

time they escaped to Egypt with their

newborn son, and stayed there for sev-

eral years. In reality, the Holy Family

had a share of pain and hardship similar

to or beyond our own experience. The

difference is that Mary and Joseph took

strength from God and were guided by

God’s Word. They were not promised

an “easy ever after” when they said

“yes” to God’s request. What they and

we are promised is that if we lean on

God, God will always lead us to safety;

sometimes in mysterious ways.

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

God protects those

who trust in God’s promise.

The Sunday Good News Our Christmas Season St. John Bosco December 24—January 13, 2013

New Year’s Blessing—January 1 Mary, the Holy Mother of God

“The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!” Numbers 6:23-26

Today’s solemnity focuses on the In-

carnation from the perspective of

Mary. The first reading from the Book

of Numbers helps us see Mary as

deeply rooted in the ancient traditions

of the Hebrew people. Mary was a

faithful Jew. The words of blessing in

these verses were probably not far

from her heart. Just as many Jews and

Christians continue to hold them dear

today.

The three lines of the blessing ask God

to take care of his people, to reveal

himself to them, and grant them

peace. In Hebrew, the expression “let

his face shine” corresponds to our

word “smile”. To ask the Lord to let

his face shine upon us means to see

God happy. God’s divine pleasure and

contentment come because God is in

relationship with us. Even though God

does not need our companionship,

God is happy to freely choose a rela-

tionship with us. The Hebrew word

for “peace” (shalom) includes not only

a sense of serenity, but also happiness

and prosperity. The peace that comes

from God reaches into all areas of our

life and leads us to experience the con-

tentment that comes from living our

life in God.

REJOICE: God First Loved Us In the silence of eternity,

God spoke “Christ.”

THIS WEEK…

Solemnity of Mary Mass………...Monday, December 31, 4:00PM Miracle of Life” Benefit……….......Saturday, January 5, 9—3PM

Solemnity of Mary Masses……..Tuesday, January 1, 8:00AM, 10:00AM

Liturgy Committee Meeting………...Wednesday, January 2, 7:00PM Catholicism Series…..Wednesday, January 9, 10:00AM, 6:30PM

MARY, OUR MOTHER God sent his Son, born of a woman (Gal 4:4)

The great theologian Karl Rahner, S.J., once reflected that the reason the church has lost so much of its devotion to Mary is that we have forgotten how much we need our mother. This insightful observation highlights how important it is that we begin our year placing ourselves under Mary’s guid-ance, under her motherhood. In today’s second reading, from the Letter to the Galatians, Paul tells us that we are truly children of God, as the Holy Spirit informs our souls to cry out to God, “Abba, Father.” To the degree that we know this, that we know our-selves to be co-heirs with Christ, taking on his very dignity, is the degree we have also internalized the fact that the Blessed Mother of the Lord is our mother too. We are God’s children, but only if we are sons and daughters of Jesus’ mother. It can work the other way around too. By our continued attention to Mary, by taking her to ourselves as mother, we can discover her Son as our brother. Mary’s ongoing role as mother and intercessor for our souls is one of forever drawing us closer to Christ. The Second Vatican Council teaches us that the “motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterrupt-edly...until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect.... By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth” (“Dogmatic Constitution on the Church,” No. 62). In the first reading, the Lord tells Moses how priests are to bless Israel, with a threefold blessing in which God’s name is invoked that he might bless us, keep us, let his face shine on us, be gracious to us and give us peace. The in-struction ends, “So shall they invoke my name…and I will bless them.” To receive the actual name of God is extraordinary, since it implies great trust and intimacy. Earlier we learn that God told Moses that he had never before revealed his name, not even to Abraham (Ex 6:3). To bless means to pour forth life and flourishing, and to have someone’s face shine upon you means to receive favor from that person. This same naming and these same blessings are connected to the Gospel reading, where Mary and Joseph take Jesus up to the Temple to be circum-cised and formally named. “He was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” Jesus (Yeshua) means “God saves.” It is from Jesus that we receive the ultimate blessings of God, as Christ incarnates God’s peace and graciousness and the very face of God shining on us. We look to Christ to see the face of God (Col 1:15). Mary bore these blessings in her womb; she delivered these blessings to the world; and she guides us to receive these blessings even today. The very Spirit that St. Paul says makes us children of God (today’s second reading), was given to Mary in her great fiat, accepting God’s will for her, and over-shadowed Mary in the conception of her Son. She is first in discipleship in time, in mission and in her ongoing ministry of drawing us to her Son. In Mary we have gone from being cursed children of Eve to blessed children of the second Eve. St. Hildegard of Bingen described it this way: “Today a closed portal has opened to us the door, which the serpent slammed on a woman. The flower of the maiden Mary gleams on the dawn.” To think of Mary as the new Eve is not merely a lovely metaphor, but a necessity. God’s self-gift necessarily had to be received within the human race. Mary is the very point in the history of redemption in which the saving grace of God en-tered our own history, our own concrete lives. We do well to begin this year deepening our love and devotion to Mary. She is responsible for showing us the face of God in her Son, and she continues to lead us to him daily. At the end of the day, we need our mother.

Peter Feldmeier is the Murray/Bacik Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of Toledo

PAGE 2

LITURGICAL MINISTERS

January 5th & January 6th

4:00 PM Lectors………… Amelia Bergeron Daniel Jorgenson

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Altar Servers

Pamela Synoski George Mellon Joe Tizekker Daniel Synoski John Zikoski Ruth Zikoski

7:30 AM Lector…………. Frank Polidora Jack Fellin

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Altar Servers

Alice Powell Nina Zola Pat Fellin George Fadule Lisa Fadule

9:00 AM Lector……………. Barbara Campagna Marie Guza

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Altar Servers

Nino Campagna Julia Riggiero Joyce Boyle Audrey McNelis Annetta Williams Phil Guza

11:30 AM Lector……………. Connie Muir

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Altar Servers

Jan Kelly Jack Oswald Jeffrey Fendrick Ben Oswald Mary Beth Tedesco

Personal Home Care Ministry December 30 Donna Pesansky January 6 Janice Palubinsky January 13 Walter Skawski

The Sunday Good News

PAGE 3

TABERNACLE CANDLE

The Tabernacle Candle burns this week in memory of Robert Wallace by Pat & Tom Rusnock.

No Faith Formation 12/23 and 12/30. Classes resume 1/6. The Faith Formation Office wishes you a very Merry Christmas.

Thank you to Mrs. Mahalick's K Level, Mrs. Younger's First Level and Ms. Pekala's Second Level students for decorating the tags for the Giving Tree.

To our new parishioners: James, Mary Ann, Leigh & James

Antonelli Robert & Mary Jane Strock

The Sunday Good News

WE REMEMBER...

DAILY READINGS

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

Sunday

Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 or 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28;

Col 3:12-21 or

3:12-17 or 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24; Lk 2:41-52

Monday

1 Jn 2:18-21; Jn 1:1-18

Tuesday

Nm 6:22-27; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21

Wednesday

1 Jn 2:22-28; Jn 1:19-28

Thursday

1 Jn 2:29, 3:6―4:6; Jn 1:29-34

First Friday

1 Jn 3:7-10; Jn 1:35-42

First Saturday

1 Jn 3:11-21; Jn 1:43-51

In recognition of our need to give, the many needs of our church and parish, and in gratitude for God’s gifts to us, we de-clare our willingness to return a portion

of our Treasure to our parish, as a part of our total Christian stewardship.

Due to the holiday schedule, our our Sunday Stewards’ report for the weekend of December 22/23 will be

in next week’s bulletin.

Saturday, 4:00PM December 29 Joseph Salata By Ann Marie Zack

Sunday, 7:30AM December 30 Living & Deceased Members of St. John Bosco

Sunday, 9:00AM December 30 Alan Bailey By Angelo Dellaverde

Sunday, 11:30AM December 30 Priest’s Intention

Monday, 4:00PM December 31 Solemnity of Mary Vigil Agnes Welkie By Sharon & Christina McGowan

Tuesday, 8:00AM January 1 Solemnity of Mary Paul Scarloto By Dan & Madge Jorgensen

Tuesday, 10:00AM January 1 Solemnity of Mary Hugh Shemany By Al & Marie Wolk

Wednesday, 8:00AM January 2 Jacqueline DeMoraes By Zapotocky Family

Thursday, 8:00AM January 3 Frank Liotta By Knights of Columbus

Friday, 8:00AM January 4 Curry Family By Family

Saturday, 4:00PM January 5 Rosalie Luchi By Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Altar & Rosary

Sunday, 7:30AM January 6

Priest’s Intention

Sunday, 9:00AM January 6 Living & Deceased Members of St. John Bosco

Sunday, 11:30AM January 6 Joan Mattioli By Lou & Marge Mattioli

YOUTH GROUP NEWS The Combined Youth Ministry of GS/SJB meets on the 2nd & 4th Sunday from 6—8PM. All those in grades 6—12 are welcome to come. For more information, call Scott Higgins at 570- 406-9953. There is a gathering at SJB on Sunday, January 13th from 6—8PM and at GS on Sunday, Janu-ary 27 from 6—8 PM.

All high school students are wel-come to attend the International Stu-dent Leadership Institute (ISLI) Feb-ruary 22—24 hosted by the Dio-cese. For more information, con-tact Scott Higgins or check out the Diocesan website at:

www.dioceseofscranton.org

BENEFIT A LOCAL MILITARY COUPLE

who will celebrate “A MIRACLE OF LIFE” in January, 2013. The

infant will be delivered at Children’s Hos-pital Philadel-phia and un-dergo surgery after birth.

WHEN: Saturday, January 5th WHERE: St. John Bosco Church TIME: 9:00AM—3:00PM Tricky Trays, Bake Sale, 50/50 Stop by to win one of over 25 beautiful Tricky Trays and help out a military family in need.

GREY DOG SUPER BOWL

TICKET Need that last minute gift –

how about a chance on our Super Bowl Drawing, it would make a great stocking stuffer for that hard to buy person!! Tickets are available after all masses.

Holy Family Reflection—Day 6 A prayer for peace in our time.

Lord, Jesus Christ,

make us people

of Your peace;

In the furrows

plowed by hate,

let us sow love;

Let us bathe the

injured with mercy;

Be a sign of faith to

the doubting;

Open the door

for the desperate;

Strike a light

in darkness;

And teach the sad

to laugh again. ~ Amen

Finding Christ in Christmas...

The good news about Christmas is that it

does not need to meet our expectations.

It does not have to be big. It does not

have to be the same as it was ten years

ago, or even last year. It does not have to

compare to someone else’s Christmas.

At the heart of this feast is the good

news that God comes to us in whatever

circumstances we find ourselves, even if

they are ones that we were not expect-

ing. We must forget the things we cannot

have and claim the good things in our

life that are ours. If we can do that, we

will find Christ.

If we find Christ, we find Christmas. Adapted: Living with Christ, 2009

Holy Family Reflection—Day 5 Teaching you how to climb

And God said: “I will not move the

mountain. I will teach you how to climb.

I’ll be there right beside you if you put

your hand in mine.”

Response: As the rain hides the stars

and the clouds veil the blue skies, so the

dark happenings of my life hide the shin-

ing of Your face. Yet, if I may hold Your

hand in the darkness, it is enough. Since

I know that, though I may stumble in my

going, YOU DO NOT FALL.

Amen Traditional Gaelic Prayer

Holy Family Reflection—Day 4

What Do We Expect of Christmas?

Blest are you if you take no offense.

Of all the times of the year, none places

more expectations upon us than Christ-

mas. We want it to be a calm and joyful

season. We want our gifts to be perfect.

We want our family to be at peace. We

want our hearts to be filled with love

and hope. There is nothing wrong with

any of these expectations. But from

year to year, life does not always coop-

erate.

If we are worried about our job or our

future, it is hard to have a heart that is

filled with joy and hope.

If we are dealing with the loss of some-

one in death or a serious illness is

affecting someone whom we love, we

may not have the energy for Christmas

shopping or the desire to celebrate with

family and friends.

When our families are marked with

anger or divorce, it is unlikely that we

will find peace under our Christmas

tree.

Christmas this year will be…

In those circumstances we can ask

Christ, “Is this really the Christmas that

I have to celebrate this year? I would

prefer to wait for another.”

Jesus in his own patient way responds

to us, “This is how it is this year. But I

hope that you can see the good things

that are still happening in your life.

Blessed are you, if you can see them.

Blessed are you, if you do not take

offense that the Christmas you ex-

pected is not the one you have.”

PAGE 4 The Sunday Good News

On the weekend of January 5/6, part of our parish celebrating Epiphany will be to offer each family a piece of chalk and a

traditional door blessing.