8th Sunday in Ordinary Time - March 3, 2019
THIS WEEK’S REFLECTION
Bearing Good Fruit
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.” Luke 6:43
Conversely, it should be said that a good tree does bear good fruit. This must be our goal. By saying that “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,” Jesus is teaching us the supernatural effect of living a holy life. When we live a life grounded in Christ, the effect will be that good fruit is born from our lives. This is an important spiritual principle to understand.
Hopefully, we all want to live good lives. We all want to make a difference in our world and in the lives of others for the good. But the fundamental question to ask is how do we do this? The answer is that it’s not so much a matter of choosing the good actions we do; rather, on a more basic and fundamental level, we must choose to live a life grounded in Christ, thus becoming a “good tree.”
If you want to bear good fruit and make a holy and positive difference in the world, then you need to do one primary thing. Work at becoming holy. To use the image that Jesus gives, see yourself as a tree that is planted in the ground. See your roots stretching far and wide. See yourself being nourished and basked in the Sun. And see yourself growing and flourishing.
This is the life of grace and the effect is that good fruit automatically comes forth. The life of grace is accomplished by focusing upon your own health and spiritual well-being. You become this “good tree” by doing the basics well. First, pray, pray well and pray hard. Let your life be centered in prayer. Second, learn your faith. Listen to the Gospels, learn all that God has revealed through the Church, read the teachings of the saints, and learn from other holy people. Third, live a good sacramental life. Go to Mass, celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, understand the grace of your Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Ordination, etc. Know that the Sacraments nourish you in powerful ways and embrace that nourishment with your whole heart.
Reflect, today, upon the important mission you have been given to go forth and to bear an abundance of good fruit in our world. This mission can be accomplished only as a result of a life of holiness. This holiness is only accomplished when your roots are firmly grounded in the life of grace. Embrace this life of grace through the many means that God has set before you, and know that the commitment you make to holiness will bring health not only to your own soul, but also to the souls of those whom God will touch through you.
MyCathloicLife.com
HONEST CONVERSATIONS
The Latino Racial Justice Circle closes out a 3 week dialogue series on immigration to promote mutual understanding and collaboration between immigrants and people born in the United States tomorrow evening, Monday, March 4, at St. Ann's, in the Anchorage 6:30-8:00pm. A special thanks to the Latino Racial Justice Circle, Maryland Humanities and UMBC for this wonderful opportunity to share and discuss these important topics.
PASTORAL COUNCIL
The Pastoral Council meets this Tuesday, March 5 in the Anchorage at 6:30 pm. All members are encouraged to attend.
LENT
This Wednesday, March 6, is Ash Wednesday. Mass with blessing and distribution of ashes will be offered at 7:00 pm. Ash Wednesday Services will also be held St. Wenceslaus Church at 9 am and St. Francis Xavier at 10 am and 7 pm.
Soup and Scripture for our Pastorate will held at St. Ann’s. Each Wednesday, from March 13 to April 10, St. Ann’s Church will host a meal of soup and bread at 6:30 pm, followed by a presentation and discussion on the theme “Welcoming The Stranger”. There will be a guest speaker each week.
Devotional Materials. A Lenten prayer book “The Word Among Us” offers scripture readings, prayer and action for each day of Lent. We invite you to take a copy for you and your family.
Fast and Abstinence. As a communal witness to our Lenten penance we are asked to abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent and to eat only one full meal on Good Friday.
MINISTERS' RETREAT
Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and Ushers (Ministers of Hospitality) are cordially invited to the "Annual Ministers Retreat" for our Pastorate hosted by St. Francis Xavier Church, 1501 E. Oliver Street, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. (preceded with a continental breakfast and fellowship) on Saturday, April 6, 2019. The cost is $12 and includes breakfast, lunch and materials. Please sign-up with the sheet provided on the table in the back of the church.
CORE TEAM MEETING
The first meeting for the Pastorate Core Team will be held Saturday, March 23, 2019 at St. Ann’s Church 10 am – 2 pm. Breakfast will be provided beginning at 9:30 am.
SAVE THE DATE
Save the Date for Saturday, April 27th 7:00 pm as the St. Ann’s Choir presents a Gospel Music Celebration Concert, “I Came to Magnify The Lord.” This event will be performed at St. Ann’s Church. Donations are $10. Please join us!!!
ST. ANN’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISER
We are gearing up for our St. Ann’s Annual Fundraising Event Friday, May 31. We will celebrate with a Shrimp and Bull Roast which features an all you can eat menu. Tickets are currently available at $60 per person. Payment plans may also be established for the purchase of your ticket. Please see Bobby Jackson and our ticket captains for tickets and information. Tickets may also be purchased in church office.
Friday, May 31, 2019
Columbus Gardens
4301 Klosterman Ave.
Baltimore, MD. 21236
8:00 pm – 12:00 am
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please also continue to pray for all of our sick and homebound, especially Msgr. Lloyd Aiken (Sacred Heart Glyndon), Florence Barber, James Butts, Elaine Cousin, Elaine Edmonds, Gregory Epps, John Frederick, Pat Haley, Rita Hardy, Tom Lutz, Josephine McCoy, Penny Palmer, Bernadette Wallace, Nelson Outlaw, Rita Watkins, and ask that God grant them strength, comfort and healing.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019
Sun., Mar.3 8th Sunday In Ordinary Time
11 am Mass,
Sunday School 9:30 am
2nd Floor Youth Room
Adult Bible Study after Mass
Anchorage
Mon., Mar.4 The Latino Racial Justice Circle
Honest Conversations Dialogue
Series, St. Ann’s Anchorage
6:30 pm
Tue., Mar.5 Pastoral Council Meeting
Anchorage, 6:30 pm
Wed., Mar.6 Ash Wednesday
7 pm Mass, St. Ann’s
Thurs., Mar.7 Evening Mass (confession before/after) Bible Study 7-9 pm
Sat., Mar.9 KPC-Ladies Auxiliary Meet
Anchorage, 10 am
Sun., Mar.10 1st Sunday of Lent
11 am Mass,
Sunday School 9:30 am
2nd Floor Youth Room
Adult Bible Study after Mass
Anchorage
Tues., Mar.11 Sista Circle Meeting
Anchorage, 6:00 pm
Wed., Mar.13 Soup and Scripture
Special Guest Speaker
Dr. Patricia Fosarelli
6:30 pm, Anchorage
Thurs., Mar.14 Evening Mass (confession before/after) Bible Study 7-9 pm
READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY
1st Reading Deuteronomy 2:4-10
2nd Reading Romans 10:8-13
Gospel Luke 4:1-13