Tuesday, May 8, 2007

A Word on the Word for the Fifth Sunday of Easter 2007

To listen click here.

Hallelujah. This is A Word on the Word recorded live at Saint Gregory the Great, the Diocese of Bridgeport - Connecticut USA. Our pastor is Father Angelo Arrando. We are so glad you could join us today.

This week please pray for Frank D., Victims of the Iraqi Conflict, Victims of terrorists and all sick and deceased members of the parish. At the Crossroad, Jesus wants us to love one another. Our prayer this week is An Act of Love


The readings for this the Fifth Sunday of Easter 2007 are from the Acts of the Apostles, the book of Revelations and the Gospel according to John. To hear them click on our link to the left. But now here is Father Angelo.

Happy Easter

  • Where is Jesus now?
  • The risen Christ is in our midst's today.
  • You and I are a people who make Jesus present in the here and now in our actions.
  • We are part of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
  • We are the body of Christ.
  • Jesus' presence is a continuing presence in the life of the church.
  • "Love one another" is part of what it means to be a Christian.
  • You and I don't have to do great things to be great disciples.
  • Jesus tell us, "They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another."
  • The power of love is to know first and foremost that we are loved.


Recorded at Saint Gregory the Great - Danbury, Connecticut May 6, 2007 7:45 A.M. Mass. Thank you Father Angelo.


Announcements from the bulletin


OCTOBER PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND, EGYPT AND JORDAN
Our Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, still has openings available for 1 male, 2 females and 3 couples or double occupancies.
The cost of the trip is $2,850 per person for 15 days. Please call the Saint Gregory the Great parish office as soon as possible if you are interested in this once in a lifetime experience. See the itinerary enclosed in the bulletin.

MOTHER’S DAY
Mother’s Day is next Sunday, May 13th.
On the tables in the vestibules, you will find Mother’s Day Spiritual Bouquet cards for all Mothers, living or deceased.
Please pick one up and drop the offering in the collection basket. Nothing says “I love you” like prayer.

PERMANENT DIACONATE FORMATION PROGRAM
We are seeking men for preparation for the Permanent Diaconate. Men who are interested in applying for admission to the program must be between 31 and 60 years old. Applicants should be men of faith and of good character. They must be disposed and willing to give the required time and effort to the Diaconate Formation Program. Married and single men may apply. A married man must be validly married and must have the approval of his wife for acceptance into the program. Applications are to be submitted between now and August 31, 2007.
If you feel that the Lord is calling you to the diaconate, please discuss the matter with your pastor. Admittance into the formation program must be pursued through your pastor.
To learn more about the Permanent Diaconate contact Deacon Tony, Director of the Permanent Diaconate Formation Program at the Diocese of Bridgeport office.

For more information, details or questions, about Bulletin announcements go to the Saint Gregory the Great web site or contact us and we will forward your request.

--
Now here is a word from Vatican Radio.


We come to the Crossroad and find; At the conclusion of their missionary journey, Paul & Barnabas tell the Antioch community all that the Lord has accomplished. This kingdom will be marked by our love for one another. So we ask Adults & Teens: When have I seen the power of love overcome a bad situation? And Children: What can you do this week to show God’s love to others?

In today’s gospel, Jesus has made it very clear what kind of love He is passing on to His disciples: a love that requires the offering of our very selves to one another AND to the larger community. This selfless love is impossible without the conviction and commitment of faith as its foundation. Jesus is our model and example of this love.

Jesus’ command to “love one another” often calls us to work together to accomplish a greater good. We are called to work together, to collaborate, call forth, respect, recognize and encourage each other’s gifts. This kind of love is the product not of emotion but of conviction and will. We don’t necessarily have to like the other, but we do have to love him or her. We don’t have to love improper or immoral actions, but we still have to love the person committing these actions. By ourselves we cannot love in this way. But with prayer and help from others, God’s grace will give us the courage and commitment to do so.

The beautiful words in our second reading give us a message of hope for the future. They tell us that Jesus is our hope--He is the “One” who makes all things new. The way of life that God intended from the creation of the world and the way that Jesus came to show us is one and the same. And each of us is needed to “love one another” to make this happen.

In the first reading we hear how God helped the apostles “open the door of faith” for others, especially for the Gentiles. With God’s help, we can do the same thing. With your household, think of people you know who may be searching for the right “door” of faith. Invite the person to come with you to Mass or to a parish event. Listen to his or her ideas or questions about the Catholic faith. Be a loyal friend. Your actions as a loving person will speak louder than words!

This week the music comes from Michael Mucklow and his tune Loves Way. When asked about what inspired him to write this piece he said, "There are times when God expresses His love for us in a more gentle way. He is comforting and wooing us. When I began writing the lead melody line for this song it began to feel like I myself was being reminded of how gentle God's love has been toward me. I'm very thankful for those times." This selection is from the PodSafe music network. Additional selections can be found through the link on the left.


This week's prayer is an act of love.
O my God, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen
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Well that's A Word on the Word for fifth Sunday of Easter 2007. This PodCast is released under a Creative Commons license, some rights are reserved. Links to the Daily readings, Morning and evening prayers, music and more can be found to the left. The Saint Gregory Home page is here.
Thank you for joining us.


A Word on the Word
Executive producer is Father Angelo Arrando, and is produced by Gregory Wencek. Please let us know what you think. If you have questions or answers, we want to include your comments. Please drop us a line. On behalf of Saint Gregory the Great parish, God bless and Peace be With you. Hallelujah.