January 26th, 2023 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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January 26th, 2023
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
This weekend, we continue our journey through Matthew's Gospel and receive
the "good news" of the Beatitudes. This section of Matthew, known as the
Sermon on the Mount, is a distillation of Jesus's most salient teachings,
bringing the ideals of humility, sacrifice, and God's mercy to the fore of His
theology.
Given that Matthew wrote for a Jewish audience, contemporary readers would
have recognized a parallel between Moses and Jesus in the setting of this
teaching; this is the first time that Jesus delivers the outline of discipleship to
His new followers from Galilee. As Pope Benedict XVI said in a 2011 Angelus
address, when Jesus teaches that the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the
merciful, those who seek righteousness, the pure in heart, and the persecuted
are all 'blessed', He echoes the promises of the Old Testament and uniquely
transforms it into a new program for living. Benedict states: "It is not a new
ideology, but a teaching that comes from on high and touches the human
condition, the condition that the Lord, in becoming flesh, wished to assume in
order to save it."
A hallmark of the Beatitudes is that they express an exaltation of those that are
seen to be the lowest in society. Part of this is to illuminate the immense hope
that lies at the heart of our faith; for those that yearn for justice, peace, and
dignity, God will manifest it through His people in their works. Still, it is not
merely the position of the marginalized that makes them worthy of the kingdom
of Heaven, but the strength, sacrifice, and humility they must possess to carry
the crosses in their lives. This is echoed in our first reading from Zephanaiah,
where we are told those that will be sheltered are "a people humble and lowly,
who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD". The Beatitudes are not just a
statement on whom God values - they are, in a sense, a proclamation that
prepares us for difficulties that we will inevitably face if we walk the path of
Christ. Pope Francis spoke to this effect in a 2017 Angelus address:
"One starts from a condition of hardship in order to open oneself to God’s gift and enter
the new world, the 'Kingdom' announced by Jesus. This is not an automatic mechanism,
but a way of life in following the Lord, through which the reality of hardship and affliction is
seen in a new perspective and experienced according to the conversion that comes
about."
The Beatitudes offer reassurance that our struggle to do good in the world is
recognized, tempering the hard truths of the teaching through expressions of
mercy. The verses we hear this weekend from Psalm 146 embody this
tenderness in their proclamations. We are reminded that we are not alone in
hard times; God is with us in our struggles. For a brief reflection on the hopeful
meaning of the Beatitudes in Matthew's Gospel, check out this "Mercy Matters"
clip from Paulist Press President Fr. Mark-David Janus, CSP.
We hope you have a blessed week!
Upcoming Events
Committee on Advocacy, Support & Education (CASE):
LGBTQ Catholic Ministry: Past & Present
Sunday, January 29, 2023, after the 5PM Mass
Please join us for a book launch and discussion of parishioner Jason Steidl-
Jack’s LGBTQ Catholic Ministry: Past and Present. Recently published by
Paulist Press, the book chronicles the tenacious advocacy of LGBTQ Catholics
and their allies over the past three quarters of a century. At times, this history
reveals a painful relationship between the hierarchy and queer believers, but it
also points to hope for the Church's transformation. Of special interest to OSP
members and St. Paul parishioners are two chapters on the LGBTQ+
ministries at our own parish. Joining us for the launch will be Fr. James Martin,
SJ, who helped inspire the book and wrote its foreword. All are welcome for an
evening of thought-provoking discussion!
All Are Welcome Retreat
To continue engaging the community’s faith and LGBTQ+ identities, we are
pleased to announce the opening of registration for this year’s OSP Retreat, to
be held at the San Alfonso Retreat House in Long Branch, NJ. The Retreat will
be held from February 10th through February 12th, and transportation to and
from the retreat house will be provided. In terms of the time commitment, we
will be traveling down by bus after work on Friday, February 10th (as in prior
years, we expect to leave from Port Authority in the early evening) and
returning to the city by bus after lunch on Sunday, February 12th (we are
usually back in the city by around 3PM).
The retreat is an opportunity for OSP members to spend a weekend in mutual
growth and shared reflection as a community. This year, the theme of the
retreat is "All Are Welcome." Feedback from prior retreats has always been
uniformly positive, and many members of the OSP community have found the
retreat to be transformational and affirming in their spiritual development as
LGBTQ people. If you are on the fence about going, you should definitely go;
please speak to a member of the Ministry Team or an OSP regular who has
gone in prior years.
To register for the retreat, click the link below!
REGISTER HERE
We will celebrate the Día de la Altagracia, or Altagracia Day, at our 12:30PM
mass on Sunday, January 29th. The day commemorates Our Lady of
Altagracia, the patronal image and protector of the people of the Dominican
Republic.
Weekly Bible Study
Join us on Sunday, January 29th at 4PM in the Parish Center for our weekly
bible study meeting. Hosted by the Apostolist Team, the group will enjoy lively
discussions and reflections on the upcoming Sunday readings.
Apostolist Homebase
Come grow your relationship with God while being surrounded by people your
age. We will gather every second and fourth Wednesday of the month in the
Parish Center from 6:30 to 8:30pm. See you there!
We wanted to remind you that next Thursday, February 2nd, and Friday,
February 3rd, are the Feasts of the Presentation of the Lord, and of St. Blaise,
respectively! We look forward to celebrating with you.
St. Paul's Book Club
Join us via Zoom on
Tuesday,
Tuesday February 7th at 6:30PM
for our discussion of
The Night Watchman
by Louise Erdrich
Please RSVP to
welcomecenter@stpaultheapostle.org
beforehand to receive our meeting
link! We will read through the book in
two sessions; our February meeting
will cover the book up to page 208.
Join us after the 10AM Mass on Sunday, February 12th for a book launch and signing of the latest work from St. Paul's priest and President & Publisher at Paulist Press, Fr. Mark-David Janus. The talk - and certainly the book - will be a great way to prepare yourself for the spiritual journey of Lent as we unpack the relationship of the season with God's mercy. Mercy Not Sacrifice is available through Paulist Press; it's also in stock now at our Welcome Center bookstore! Read a summary of the book below: Mercy Not Sacrifice: Lenten Daily Reflections by Fr. Mark-David Janus, CSP, PhD As Christians, we are often told that Lent is a time when we must sacrifice in order to be worthy of God. But as Mark-David Janus reminds us, it is important to reflect instead on what God wants most—mercy. "Lent is where we come face to face with mercy, our need for mercy, the experience of God's generous mercy, the challenge to be merciful to others, and perhaps hardest of all, be merciful to ourselves. It is through mercy we come to the knowledge of God." In this spiritual journey from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday, Fr. Janus invites us to take a little time each day with a short quotation from scripture (taken from the day's liturgy) and offers a thoughtful and thought-provoking reflection of his own that will challenge and enliven our faith.
Is God inviting you to consider the priesthood? Visiting the Paulist seminary is a significant step to answering that question. On this Come and See retreat weekend, you’ll live and interact with the men studying for the priesthood with the Paulist Fathers. You’ll hear stories and learn what is unique about being a Paulist seminarian. You’ll join the Paulist community for prayer, Mass, and meals. You’ll learn about the principles of discernment; how to discover God’s will for your life. This retreat begins in the evening onFriday, February 10th and concludes in the afternoon on Sunday, February 12th. Want to learn more or RSVP for the reteat? Visit our website here.
Sacred Song in the City
Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 7:30 PM
Our Music Ministry is excited to announce the next installation in our 2022-
2023 Concert Series!
St. Paul's will reunite alumni of the Notre Dame Folk Choir for the first time to
perform a special concert with the Music Ministry of St. Paul’s. Original
compositions by directors emeritus Steven C. Warner and Karen Schneider-
Kirner will be featured in the concert, Sacred Song in the City.
St. Paul’s has long welcomed music by both composers into their weekly
Sunday liturgies. Their songs have been composed to inspire assembly singing
and have become an integral part of our worship experience. The Notre Dame
Folk Choir and The Music Ministry at St. Paul’s share the same love for singing
and the desire to experience God together through music. The choirs will be
lead and accompanied by directors Warner and Kirner, and joined by St. Paul’s
Director of Music, Joey Chancey. Sacred Song in the City will be presented in the church at 7:30PM on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public; all are welcome to attend! If you can't join us in-person, the concert will be live-streamed to our website, our YouTube page, and our Facebook page. Check out the video below to hear a beautiful rendition of "Perfect Praise" from the Notre Dame Folk Choir:
EL GENIO FEMENINO: Brunch de mujeres
Sábado, 25 de febrero a las 9:30AM
Eastwood Manor, 3371 Eastchester Rd, Bronx
¡Ven a descubrir el plan de Dios para tu máximo florecimiento espiritual y
personal!
Regístrate y reserva tu puesto antes del 21 de febrero:
https://adnyfemininegeniusbrunch.eventbrite.com
Faith Formation
Adult Confirmation Class will begin on Tuesday, January 31st and will be held
at the Parish Center in the evening. Associate Pastor Fr. Paul Rospond will
teach the class. Please reach out to Fr. Paul at paul@paulist.org for more
details.Mass Intentions
Flower Donations
Donate flowers for weekend
masses and special occasions to
beautify our sanctuary!
Make a gift in honor of or in memory
of a loved one. Their name - and even
yours, if desired - will be
acknowledged on our weekly
newsletter and social media. Our
parish staff will order the
arrangements on your behalf in order
to coordinate with the liturgical
seasonal colors.
Click Here to Learn More
Parish Information
Thank you to everyone who has supported our church and its ministries
throughout the year. Your generosity helps us to serve the local St. Paul'scommunity, Catholics in New York, and all of those that we reach online.
If you have donated to St. Paul's through Faith Direct this year, you can
download a PDF of your annual tax statement using your Faith Direct online
account. Online statements are available year-round through their secure
website; you can also opt-out of mailed statements if you would like to
exclusively access them online. To log into your account and download this
year's tax statement or change your statement preferences, click here.
here
Make a Donation & Support Our Church
Your support is the primary means through which we can continue to serve.
To donate online go to stpaultheapostle.org and click on "Make a Donation" in
the top right corner. Please remember that you can have your donations go
directly to the ministry of your choice!
Or with the Faith Direct Text-TO-GIVE platform, you can text a donation to
make a quick gift to help support The Church of St. Paul the Apostle.
Just text NY539 to the number (646) 859-1860 to enroll.
You can also find us on Venmo. Just scan the QR code above,
or search for @stpaulsnyc to donate now!Take St. Paul's With You Wherever You Go
Whether you're home sick, enjoying a long weekend, or just need a spiritual
vacation in the middle of the workday, you can always pray with us on Virtch
Church.
Join us Monday-Friday at 12:10PM, or on Sunday at 10:00AM and 5:00PM.
Our masses are live-streamed to our website,
website, our YouTube page,
page, and our
Facebook page.
page.
These services, along with the readings and hymns for the day, can be found
on our SPA app - you can download it by scanning the relevant QR code
below!
Mass Schedule
Monday - Friday: 7:30AM, 12:10PM*: Daily
MassSaturday 5PM: Jazz
Mass
Sunday 8AM: Mass of Quiet
Meditation
Sunday 10AM*: Traditional Choral
Mass
Sunday 12:30PM: Misa en Español; Coro
Hispano
Sunday 5:00PM*: Young Adult Mass,
Contemporary
The Church of Saint Paul the Apostle | 405 West 59 Street, New York, NY 10019
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