November 16, 2008

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30 [157A]

“A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them... To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third, one – to each according to his ability. Then he went away. After a while the master returned to settle accounts with his servants. “Since you were faithful in small matters I will give you great responsibilities. Come share your master’s joy.”

How enjoyable it is to listen to Jesus teaching by way of parables. Sometimes the full meaning escaped the apostles and they needed a little help as He explained the parable to them. That is not the case today. Jesus paints the scene quite clearly. His gifts are offered in abundance, sometimes based on ability. But there is no escaping accountability.

Think for a moment. What are the five gifts He has entrusted to me, my talents and abilities, my family or my work? Do I treasure them as gifts? How well do I use them for those around me? Am I an enabler for others to grow?

Think for a moment. What are two special gifts that I have, not merited or earned but are gifts of God to me? They are the gift of life and the gift of grace. Am I able to recognize them as gifts and express my appreciation for them? How well do I use them?

Think for a moment. What is the most important gift that I have received? It is the gift of grace, the God life given me at baptism. Is it still present in my spiritual life? Do I need to seek forgiveness to restore it?

There are many ways to apply the parable of Jesus to our spiritual lives and as we do well with the five, the two and one, we await Jesus’ accounting as He says ‘Come; share your master’s joy.’

HIS WORD TODAY by Rev. William J. Reilly

BULLETIN CONNECTION

What does it mean to be blessed? What makes a good Christian? In the second reading, Paul calls us children of the light and of the day. The worthy wife in the first reading from

Proverbs and the good and faithful servants in Jesus’ parable in the Gospel of Matthew give us simple descriptions of the blessed children of light.

In contrast, we also have a picture of a man who was too lazy to live a blessed life. Yes, too lazy! There is nothing lazy about the worthy wife, but you might not recognize how hard the men in Jesus’ parable worked to invest their talents. The talents used as money in the Roman Empire were not small coins, but were large metal rounds each weighing ninety-four pounds! Go back and reread the parable with that picture in mind. The third man reported that he was “afraid,” but it looks like he was lazy. Is it possible that sometimes the gifts we have been given are just too much trouble? Not if we are children of the light and of the day!

Margaret Bowman

The collection for November 9 was $5829.95

Holiday Donations for the Soup Kitchen

The St Joe’s Soup Kitchen serves 400 to 500 meals every Saturday, and for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, the numbers increase. We offer a healthy and substantial meal to the homeless and hungry. And for the holidays we make it festive with special treats and decorations. Your donation at this time of year is especially important. Please help with a check payable to St Joseph’s Soup Kitchen. God Bless.
We also need volunteers to help over the holidays. Please call Steve Fanto: 917-754-8901.

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The New York Choral Society Chamber Singers will perform their inaugural concert Thursday, November 20, at St Joseph’s at 8:00pm.

Ministers of Hospitality

We are looking for ministers of hospitality to welcome parishioners at the Vigil Mass on Saturday, or the Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, or 6:00 PM. It will greatly help if you can volunteer one Sunday a month to help greet our guests, usher and pass out the bulletin.

There are sign up sheets in the Narthex, also speak to Chesterfield Tuso (Sunday 9:00 Mass) and Judy Kelly Magida (Sunday 11:30 Mass) for more information. They are the dedicated ministers who serve every mass for many years – won’t you step up and give them free time to participate fully at our liturgy? Thank you.

Lecture on “A Gift of the Third Age:

A Perspective on Wisdom and Spirituality”

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2008

Time: 1:30 – 3:00 PM

Presenter: Br. Anthony LoGalbo, OFM

Br. LoGalbo is the Director for the Franciscan Spirituality and Spiritual Direction at St Francis.

Location: St. Francis Center, 139 West 31st Street

(212) 736-8500, ext 389

Please call the Rectory and inform us if you know of anyone who is homebound, feeling the effects of old age, or ill and not able to attend mass. We will be happy to visit them on a regular basis and provide them with the sacraments at home. Call 212 741-1274

PLEASE REMBER OUR PARISH IN YOUR WILL

No matter what the size of your estate, if you want to provide for relatives, friends and our Parish, you will need a WILL. If you die without one, you lose your ability to control the disposition of your assets. The law of the State in which you reside—and not you—will tell your family where your money and property goes. Further, income tax and estate savings, which might be arrange through a careful review of your alternatives in Naming our Parish as a charitable beneficiary in your Will is simple. For further information, you and/or your attorney may contact

Director, Planned Gifts

The Archdiocese of New York

1011 First Avenue, SI400

New York, NY 10022

Telephone: 212-371-1000, E3317

The Washington Square Music Festival Offers
Music á la Mode:
On Friday, Dec. 5, at 8pm, the Washington Square Music Festival offers Music á la Mode to begin the holidays – an aural plum pudding stirred up by “chef” Lutz Rath, containing such delicacies as Martinü’s La Revue de Cuisine, Adolphe’s Bitter, Sour, Salt Suite and works by Bach, Michael Haydn, Schnittke and Somary. For information, call 212-252-3621.

FEAST DAYS, SCRIPTURE CITATIONS

AND SPECIAL INTENTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

SATURDAY, November 15 Abert the Great, bishop, doctor

3 Jn 5-8/Lk 18:1-8

12:10 PM Catherine Greene

5:30 PM Mary & Frank Radice, Biaggio Maffei

SUNDAY, November 16

9:00 AM Borodzinski Family

11:30 AM Dorothy Southwell

6:00 PM Frank Makovic

MONDAY, November 17 Elizabeth of Hungary, religious

Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5/Lk 18:35-43

12:10 PM Ted Angerson

5:30 PM Michael John Orsini

TUESDAY, November 18 Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter & St. Paul in Rome, Rose Philippine Duchesne, virgin

Rv 3:1-6, 14-22/Lk 19:1-10

12:10 PM William Mazza

5:30 PM Vincent DeLucia (living)

WEDNESDAY, November 19

Rv 4:1-11/Lk 19:11-28

12:10 PM Margaret Bonitch

5:30 PM Louis Dupiton (living)

THURSDAY, November 20

Rv 5:1-10/Lk 19:41-44

12:10 PM Stanfanija & Joseph Cook

5:30 PM Mrs. Ogretta Massey

FRIDAY, November 21 Presentation of the Blessed Virgina Mary

Rv 10:8-11/Lk 19:45-48

12:10 PM Nancy Dello

5:30 PM

SATURDAY, November 22 Cecilia, virgin, martyr

Rv 11:4-12/Lk 20:27-40

12:10 PM Faith Griffin

5:30 PM Margaret Carey

·  1st. Monday/mo. Pax Christi Bd. Mtg. – 6:30 p.m. in the PCYMNY office

·  1st. Fri. of the mo. Novena to the Sacred Heart after the 5:30 p.m. mas

·  1st. Sat. of the mo. Blessings for the Sick after the 12:10 mas

·  2nd. Wed. of the mo. Altar Rosary 7:00 p.m. - Library

PARISH ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK

Please visit the new website often: washingtonsquarecatholic.org for the latest news on the NYU Catholic Center, St. Joseph’s Parish and links to lots of Catholic organizations and interests.

MONDAY

6:30 PM Centering Prayer Church

WEDNESDAY

7:00 PM Altar Rosary Library

FRIDAY

6:15 PM St. Egidio Prayer Church SATURDAY

10:00 AM or 1:00 PM Soup Kitchen Casserly Hall

6:00 PM Alcoholics Anonymous Casserly Hall

SUNDAY

9:15 AM Children’s Religious Instruction Farrell Hall

10:00 AM Sunday Scripture Discussion Library

2:30 PM Roman Forum Lectures Casserly Hall

7:00 PM NYU/Grad Law Dinner Catholic Ctr