Five reasons why I love going to Church and being part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church:
1. Jesus established and preserves the church.
Jesus said, "On this rock I will build my, Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her." (Matthew 16:18)
2. To reject the Church is to reject Jesus as king.
When Jesus came, he preached, "The Kingdom of God is at hand." (Matthew 3:2) Elsewhere, he preached, "The kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:21) Jesus is a king who established a kingdom, and the kingdom he established is the Church.
3. By loving each other, we show Jesus' love to the world
Before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed, " I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." (John 17:20-23)
4. To love the Church is to love Jesus
Paul writes, "In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:28-32)
5. We cannot love God if we do not love our brother
John writes, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." (1 John 4:20)
I love going to Church, because I love God. God has asked me, and each of us to love God by loving the Church, precisely because it is difficult.
The homily this Sunday will be the first in a series of TOUGH TOPICS. It will dive into the problem of sinners and scandals in the Church. Question and Answer will follow the Liturgy.
- Ladies' Sodality Prayer Group Wednesday, September 19 6 pm with liturgy and a focus on forgiveness.
- Anyone interested in going to play paintball? The young adults are planning an event. Speak with Fr. Alex if you are interested. - Camping trip Saturday, September 29th, and Sunday, September 30th. We have tents, come for all or part.
- House of Bread volunteering 9 am - 2 pm Tuesday, October 23rd.
- Parish improvement feedback. What can we do better? Please anonymously write your comments and turn them in over the next few weeks.
- St. Vincent dePaul First Saturday of Every month 6:30 pm- 8 pm serving meal at men's Gettysburg shelter 1921 S Gettysburg Ave, Dayton, OH 45417. - Special festival thank you September 8th after both liturgies.
-Pastoral Council Meeting Tuesday, September 18th 7pm.
- Maronite Young Adult Convention in Washington, DC October 5-7.
- Bishop Elias visit Friday through Sunday December 7-9. With meet and greet, spiritual talk, liturgies, Saturday Night Dinner, and raffle.
- Initiatives- To what is God calling you? What are your hopes, dreams, and ideas for our parish? What do you want to do? Mission, charity, prayers, work, fundraisers, or maintenance? How can we support you?
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