Key Thoughts
  • Home
105 Market St.
Mount Clemens, M
586-468-4578

www.stpetermtclemens.weconnect.com

Gospel Reflection: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 1, 2017

6/30/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Jesus said to his apostles: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple — amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."
 
- Matthew 10:37-42 

​
What does it look like to live a Christian life? This is a question that we all must figure out how to answer. In this week’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a glimpse at the kind of answer we should give. He tells us that we must not love our family more than we love Him. On the surface, this seems like a strange standard to set. For most of us, our families are the people we love most in this world and are who we would do anything for. It seems strange that Jesus would judge us unworthy for holding them in such a place of honor. But if we look at it from His perspective it begins to make a little more sense. Jesus is not saying that we cannot love our families. Rather, He is showing us that even our families should not take precedence over our relationship with Him. He is reminding us that God must be the most important thing in our lives, and, if He is not, we need to reevaluate our priorities.
 
Similarly, Jesus reminds us that how we treat others will determine what happens to us at our final judgment. As Jesus tells us, each person we encounter is representative of Jesus. And if they are representative of Jesus, they are representative of the Father who sent Jesus. This is one of the most challenging parts of being a Christian – seeing Jesus is everyone that we meet. It is easy to see Jesus in our family and close friends. It is harder to see Jesus in those we don’t like. Even harder is to see Jesus in those we don’t even known and often try to ignore – the poor, the homeless, the sick, the imprisoned. And yet it is these people, these “little ones,” that we are called to have the most compassion for. These are the ones we are to go out of our way to offer a drink or a kind word, help with food or even just a smile. By recognizing them as fellow human beings and fellow travelers on this journey through life, we recognize that, just like us, they are created in the image of God and are worthy of all that entails. They, too, are co-heirs to the Kingdom. They, too, are Children of God. If we do this one thing, Jesus tells us that we “will surely not lose [our] reward.”

Comments

What's That Word?: Imprimatur

6/29/2017

Comments

 
Picture
The Latin term for "let it be printed," which signifies the approval by a bishop of a religious work for publication. Authors are at liberty to obtain the imprimatur either from the bishop where they reside, or where the book is to be published, or where it is printed. Generally the imprimatur, along with the bishop's name and date of approval, is to be shown in the publication. According to a decree of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1975), "the Pastors of the Church have the duty and the right to be vigilant lest the faith and morals of the faithful be harmed by writings; and consequently even to demand that the publication of writings concerning the faith and morals should be submitted to the Church's approval, and also to condemn books and writings that attack faith or morals." (Etym. Latin imprimere, to impress, stamp imprint.)
 
- From catholicculture.org 
​
If you look in the front of a religious book, you will usually find the term “imprimatur” with the name of a bishop next to it. The imprimatur is a signal to the reader that the book has been reviewed and allowed to be printed. It goes hand-in-hand with the nihil obstat, which is a certification that the book does not contain any moral or theological errors. These two certifications are intended to assure Catholics that there is nothing objectionable in the book. It is not intended to be an endorsement of the book or an indication that the bishop agrees with the information in the book. Rather, it is a way for bishops to ensure that what is published within their diocese or by members of their diocese is not going to lead people away from what the Church teaches.

Comments

Catholic Culture: Holy Cards

6/27/2017

Comments

 
Picture
By Wolfgang Sauber (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Holy cards are small, devotional pictures which are mass-produced for the use of the faithful. They usually depict a religious scene or a saint and are about the size of a playing card. On the reverse is typically a prayer. Prayer cards are used to commemorate many important events such as baptisms, confirmations and other religious events. One of the most common of these special cards are “In memoriam cards.” These are printed to be distributed at funerals and often contain a photo of the deceased person with details of the person’s life printed on the back. The circulation of holy cards is an important part of Roman Catholic culture. Prayer cards have also become popular among Orthodox and Protestant Christians.
 
Holy cards have their origins in portable woodcuts of old master prints. These portable prints served many of the same functions as holy cards in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. The oldest surviving example of these woodcuts is an image of St. Christopher from 1423. Later, engravings and etchings became more common. These were often created by monasteries and convents as a way to generate funds and to serve as mementos for visiting pilgrims. A special form of these cards was developed by nuns in France who would create elaborate lace borders for the cards. These elaborate holy cards became known as devotes dentelles.
 
The invention of lithography in the 18th century made it possible to mass produce holy cards easily, increasing their popularity. The development of chromolithography, which allowed multiple colors to be used, in the early 19th century led to an explosion in the popularity of holy cards. One of the earliest centers of manufacturing was at the Church of St. Sulpice in Paris. There cards were noted for their pastel colors and proved to be influential on later designs. As their popularity grew, Belgium, Germany and Italy also became centers of manufacturing holy cards. Catholic printing houses produced thousands of cards and, often, a single design would be printed by multiple companies in different countries. For a time, they even proved to be collectible, as companies would produce a series of cards about the life of a saint and package one card with a product such as a box of chocolates. The consumer would then try to collect all of the cards in the series.
 
The popularity of holy cards continued to grow into the 20th century. One of the most famous of these holy cards is known as the Head of Christ and is based on the famous painting by Warner Sallman. It was widely produced and distributed to soldiers during World War II, and its popularity increased during the early days of the Cold War. However, following Vatican II and the introduction of the Novus Ordo Mass led to a decline in the use of holy cards as the need for missals declined. However, in recent years, interest in holy cards has seen a resurgence, especially among collectors.

Comments

Gospel Reflection: 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time - June 25, 2017

6/23/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Jesus said to the Twelve: "Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."
 
- Matthew 10:26-33 
​
How comfortable are you sharing your faith with others? For many Catholics, we are fine with talking about religion with our close friends and family because we know what they believe. We may even be fine discussing faith with those we know are Christian or religious because we feel that we won’t be judged for our beliefs. Too often, though, when we get outside of those situations we leave that part of our lives at the door. Whether it is because we are uncomfortable talking about faith, fear being judged or ridiculed for what we believe or simply hold to the belief that it is impolite to discuss religion, we fail to share that part of our lives with those around us. Too often it can seem that we are ashamed to be too “Catholic” in public.
 
In this week’s Gospel, Jesus cautions us against this type of mindset. We should not hide our faith in God and love of Christ. No, we should be sharing it with all that we meet. In the words of the Gospel, we should “proclaim [it] on the housetops.” We would think nothing of telling people about our families or our jobs because they are an important part of who we are as people. We share details of our hobbies, our likes and dislikes, and what we think of the latest movies, books we’ve read or restaurants we’ve eaten at. If we can share these details with others, why should we be afraid of sharing that which should be at the heart of all that we do. If Christ is truly the center of our life, we should be burning with a desire to share Him with everyone.
 
Now does that mean every conversation we have needs to revolve around our Catholic faith? No. What it means is that when the opportunity presents itself we should not shy away from talking about our faith. We have all had times where, in the course of a conversation, it would have been natural to talk about our faith and yet we’ve neglected to do so. It is these moments when we are called to fearlessly proclaim Christ’s love. It means we should constantly be aware that these moments can come at any time and be watching for them so as to not miss them. If we do this, we can be assured that Jesus will reward us when we get to heaven. But this assurance also comes with a warning, for Jesus tells us “whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” It’s a choice we each must make and a choice that is entirely ours.

Comments

What's That Word?: Pilgrimage

6/22/2017

Comments

 
Picture
St. Peter youth on pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland for World Youth Day in 2016
A journey to a sacred place undertaken as an act of religious devotion. Its purpose may be simply to venerate a certain saint or ask some spiritual favor; beg for a physical cure or perform an act of penance; express thanks or fulfill a promise. From the earliest days pilgrimages were made to the Holy Land, and later on to Rome, where Peter and Paul and so many Christians were martyred. From the eighth century the practice began of imposing a pilgrimage in place of public penance. As a result, during the Middle Ages pilgrimages were organized on a grand scale and became the object of special Church legislation. In modern times, besides Rome and the Holy Land, famous shrines such as Lourdes, Fátima, and Guadalupe draw thousands of pilgrims each year from the Catholic world.
 
- From catholicculture.org
 

A pilgrimage is a journey taken to a place of religious significance. Pilgrimages are performed for many reasons ranging from venerating a particular saint to seeking a cure for an illness or as an act of penance. Pilgrimages have been performed by Christians from the earliest days of Christianity, especially to places in the Holy Land associated with the life of Christ. In this way, they recall the annual pilgrimages the Jewish people would make to Jerusalem for important feast days. Unlike a vacation, it is expected that a pilgrimage will involve some measure of sacrifice and that the pilgrim will be pushed outside of his or her comfort zone. In this way, pilgrimages serve as an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. While pilgrimages are often made to many of the famous shrines throughout the world, a pilgrimage can be made to any place that has a religious meaning. Consider taking the time with your family to make a pilgrimage to some of the important churches in our Archdiocese. You won’t regret it.

Comments

Catholic Culture: Camino de Santiago

6/20/2017

Comments

 
Picture
By jonathan jacobi (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
The Camino de Santiago, also called the Way of St. James, is the name of pilgrimage routes to the shrine of St. James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. It was one of the most important pilgrimage route in the Middle Ages, along with the Via Francigena to Rome and the pilgrimage route to Jerusalem. According to legend, following his martyrdom St. James’s remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to Spain where he had preached. The ship carrying his remains encountered a storm and sank, but St. James’s body washed up on the shore covered in scallops. For this reason, the scallop has become the symbol of the Camino. Scallops can be found along the route as a guide to pilgrims. Additionally, pilgrims would often receive a scallop at the beginning of their pilgrimage. This served as sign that they were a pilgrim and could also be used to scoop water or as a bowl for eating. Many also believe that the scallop represents the pilgrimage route itself, as the many grooves meeting at a single point represent pilgrims arriving at Santiago via different routes.
 
The main route of the Camino follows an earlier Roman trade route called the “voie lactée,” French for “Milky Way,” because the Milky Way served to guide travelers along the route. Even today, a popular Spanish name for the Milky Way is “El Camino de Santiago.” Legend holds that the Milky Way was formed from dust raised by traveling pilgrims. The name “Compostela” even means “field of stars.” The earliest record of visits to the shrine date from the 9th century, and the earliest pilgrims from outside of Spain and Portugal are from the 11th century. By the early 12th century the pilgrimage had become a highly organized affair, due in part to the encouragement of Pope Callixtus II. He had the Codex Callixtinus published as a guide book for pilgrims. Even today, the 5th book of the Codex is considered the definitive source for modern guidebooks. The daily needs of pilgrims along the route were met by a series of hospitals, often run by Catholic orders and under royal protection. Although it was highly traveled in the Middle Ages, its popularity declined due to the Black Death, the Reformation and political unrest in the 16th century. While it never fully fell out of use, by the 1980s, only a handful of pilgrims arrived in Santiago each year.
 
The Camino has seen a modern revival, with hundreds of thousands traveling the route every years; many viewing it as a kind of spiritual retreat. Although pilgrims can take any route to Santiago, common routes include the Camino Primitivo, the oldest route originating in Oviedo, Spain; the Camino Francés, the most popular route beginning at St.-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port and part of the Via Regis; and the Portuguese Way, originating in Lisbon. Pilgrims traveling the Camino obtain credencials or “pilgrim’s passports” which provide access to accommodations in hostels. These hostels, also called refugios, are located along the route and are usually run by a local parish, government, private owners or pilgrims’ associations. Pilgrims are usually limited to a one night stay and are expected to leave by 8 in the morning. They receive a stamp in their credencial, which serves as a record of their journey. At the end, they present these stamps to the Pilgrim Office in Santiago as proof of their journey and can receive a “compostela.” This is a certificate of completing for pilgrims who have walked at least 100 km or cycled at least 200 km. A Pilgrim’s Mass is celebrated each day at Noon and 7:30 PM at which pilgrim’s countries of origin and starting points are announced. The Camindo de Santiago was placed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1993.

Comments

Gospel Reflection: Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ - June 18, 2017

6/16/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
 

- John 6:51-58 
​
The greatest gift we have been given as Christians is the Eucharist. Because of this gift, we are able to enter the presence of God whenever we enter a Church. Furthermore, we are not just able to be in God’s presence, but we are able to receive God whenever we go to communion. Think about that for a moment – we receive God. He becomes a part of us and strengthens us. Just as our parents showed their love for us by providing us with physical food, God shows His love for us by providing us with spiritual food. But even more than that, God doesn’t just give us any old food, He offers us Himself as a sacrifice. What an awesome gift which we, as flawed human beings, are completely unworthy of receiving.
 
Yet how many of us truly appreciate this gift? How many of us simply take it for granted that the Eucharist is just something we do on Sunday because that is what you are supposed to do? Do we take the time to think about what is happening during Mass and what we are receiving? When we receive Christ in the Eucharist, it should cause a change in us. It should change everything about us – the way we act, the way we talk, the way we interact with all those around us. In receiving the Eucharist, we are called to share in the work of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth. We should be striving to be worthy of the honor God has bestowed on us by allowing us to become a “walking tabernacle,” taking God with us wherever we go.
 
Take some time today to think about how you are allowing the Eucharist to affect your life? What can you do differently? Pray about it and then make a change in your life.
Comments

What's That Word?: Heresy

6/15/2017

Comments

 
Picture
"Religion Overthrowing Heresy and Hatred" by Pierre Legros the Younger (1695–1699). Marble, H. 3 m (9 ft. 10 in.). Church of the Gesù, Rome, Italy.
The deliberate post-baptismal denial or doubt by a Catholic of any truth that must be believed as part of Divine Revelation. Heresy, if formal, is the deliberate resistance to God’s authority, punishable by automatic excommunication. St. Paul warned strongly against those guilty of heresy. (From Greek heresis, meaning faction.)
 
- From Catholic Dictionary, page 375 

Since the earliest days of the Church, heresies have arisen. Essentially, a heresy is a denial of a truth which the Church teaches must be believed. Often, a heresy will arise out of a misunderstanding of what we believe as Catholics. Over time, these misunderstandings will grow as more people become confused about what we believe, and, eventually, the Church calls a Council at which the bishops declare what Catholics are required to believe. As Catholics, we trust that the Holy Spirit will guide the Church and not allow it to fall into error. Because of this, we are called to respect the teaching authority of the Church when she tells us what we are required to believe. When people fall into heresy, they reject that authority and, as a consequence, reject the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is the true problem with committing heresy – you end up not just rejecting the Church but God Himself.

Comments

Catholic Culture: Incense

6/13/2017

Comments

 
Picture
By Ajuntament de Sant Vicenç de Montalt (Ajuntament de Sant Vicenç de Montalt) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Incense is an aromatic substance made from plant materials that, when burned, releases fragrant smoke. It has been used by many cultures and religions throughout the world, both for its religious symbolism and for various health reasons. Incense has been used in Christian worship since antiquity. It has been particularly used in Eastern Christian churches, Roman and Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic Church and some Anglican and Lutheran Churches. The practice is rooted in the traditions of Judaism in the time of the Second Temple. Its use is interpreted as both a form of sacrificial offering to God and as a symbol of the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. It is also used as a form of purification. The use of incense during liturgies is intended to remind the faithful of the sweet smell of the presence of God and that our worship transcends the gap between heaven and earth.
 
A type of censer called a thurbile is used to contain incense as it is burned. During the liturgy, the thurifer, a server carrying the thurible, approaches the minister conducting the service, often with a boat bearer carrying the boat, a receptacle which contains the unburned incense. Incense is taken from the boat and, after being blessed with a prayer, is spooned on red-hot coals. The thurible is then swung toward the people or objects being reverenced. In the Latin Rite, the thurible is swung in groups of three to represent the Persons of the Holy Trinity. The number of swings depends on the sanctity of the object being reverenced and whether the person is alive or dead, clergy or laity and a cleric’s rank within the hierarchy. Traditionally, incense can be used to reverence the bread and wine offered for the Eucharist, the consecrated Eucharist, the Gospel during its proclamation, the crucifix, icons in Eastern Churches, clergy, the congregation, the Paschal candle and the body of the deceased person during a funeral. It is also used during processions. Additionally, five grains of blessed incense are placed in the Paschal Candle as a reminder of Christ’s wounds.

Comments

Gospel Reflection: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity - June 11, 2017

6/9/2017

Comments

 
Picture
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
 
- John 3:16-18 


John 3:16. We have all seen this verse written on signs at sporting events or other public occasions. It is seen so often that it has become part of our culture to the point where if someone says John 3:16 it brings with certain associations – someone who is a faithful Christian and devoted to what they believe. But how many of us actually know what that verse says? Today’s Gospel gives us the opportunity to find out.
 
This famous verse contains two statements. This first tells us about God’s great love for us. We are all children of God and, just as a father loves his children, God loves each of us. It is an unconditional love that knows no boundaries. God loves us so much that He sent us His Son, Jesus, to suffer and die for our sake. This is a kind of love that we simply cannot imagine. Most of us would do anything for our children or family. How many of us would be willing to let one child suffer for the sake of the others. This is the level of love that God has for us.
 
But the second part of this verse helps to make since of the first part. Jesus is not being sent to suffer for us. Rather, He is being sent so that might have eternal life. In the end, because of the love of the Father and the sacrifice of Jesus, we will be able to live with God forever. Again we see God’s love for us – a love that is so great He wants to be with us forever. God could not bear the thought of His children suffering for all eternity, so He came down Himself and took the punishment so that we might enjoy life in the Kingdom.
 
The passage continues with words of hope for each of us. As long as we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we will be saved. Could it really be that simple? Yes, but that simplicity does come with a caveat – if we truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God, than that belief will totally reshape our lives. We will do everything we can to radically transform our lives to mirror that of Christ. We will love everyone completely and go out of our way to serve all those around us. As we read in the Letter of St. James: “So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:17). So our faith is shown through the way we live our lives. It is by living out a life of radical discipleship – caring for all of God’s children – that our faith is revealed. If we do all this, we can be assured we will reach our ultimate reward.

Comments
<<Previous

    ABOUT

    St. Peter Parish is a Roman Catholic faith community.  The purpose of this blog is to help parishioners and community members come to a better understanding of our Catholic faith and traditions.


    For more information about the parish, visit our website.


    Spotify Top Christian Tracks


    Archives

    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All
    Catholic Culture
    Catholic Teachings
    Catholic Traditions
    Church History
    Daily Readings
    Evangelization
    Feasts & Holy Days
    Gospel Reflection
    Little Black Book
    Little Blue Book
    Little Burgundy Book
    Little White Book
    Liturgical Year
    Pop Culture
    Prayer
    Saints & Heroes
    Spiritual Life
    VCAT
    What's That Word?

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.