6 T H S U N D A Y I N O R D I N A R Y T I M E Y E A R C 1 7 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

COMMUNION God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, so that all who believe may not perish, but may have eternal life.

yond their vision are the rewards, the crowns of victory—we hope to gain through the contest! When Paul said, We possess nothing, and yet we have every-thing, what did he mean by “everything”? Wealth of both the earthly and the spiritu-al order. Did he not possess every earthly gift when whole cities received him as an angel, when people were ready to pluck out their eyes for him, or bare their necks to the sword? But if you would think of spiritual blessings, you will see that it was in these above all that he was rich. The King of the universe and Lord of angels loved him so much that he shared his se-crets with him. Did he not surpass all oth-ers in wealth then? Did he not possess all things? Had it been otherwise, demons would not have been subject to him, nor sickness and suffering put to flight by his presence. We too, then, when we suffer anything for Christ’s sake, should do so not only with courage, but even with joy. If we have to go hungry, let us be glad as if we were at a banquet. If we are insulted, let us be elated as though we had been show-ered with praises. If we lose all we pos-sess, let us consider ourselves the gainers. If we provide for the poor, let us regard ourselves as the recipients Anyone who does not give in this way will find it diffi-cult to give at all. So when you wish to dis-tribute alms, do not think only of what you are giving away; think rather of what you are gaining, for your gain will exceed your loss. And not only in the matter of almsgiv-ing, but also with every virtue you prac-tice: do not think of the painful effort in-volved, but of the sweetness of the re-ward; and above all remember that your struggles are for the sake of our Lord Je-sus. Then you will easily rise above them, and live out your whole lifetime in happi-ness; for nothing brings more happiness than a good conscience.

Homily on Second Corinthians 12, 4.

FIRST READING

Jeremiah 17:5-8

The Lord says this: ‘A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands: if good comes, he has no eyes for it, he settles in the parched places of the wilderness, a salt land, uninhabited. ‘A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the wa-terside that thrusts its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green; it has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit.’

RESPONSE Happy are they who hope in the Lord.

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 15:12,16-20

If Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have per-ished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people. But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.

GOSPEL

Luke 6:17,20-26

Jesus came down with the Twelve and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said: ‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the king-dom of God. Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh. Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the proph-ets. ‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep. ‘Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’

COMMENT ON THE GOSPEL John Chrysostom (c. 347-407)

Only Christians have a true sense of val-ues; their joys and sorrows are not the same as other people’s. The sight of a wounded boxer wearing a victor’s crown would make someone ignorant of the games think only of the boxer’s wounds and how painful they must be. Such a person would know nothing of the happiness the crown gives. And it is the same when people see the things we suffer without knowing why we do so. It naturally seems to them to be suffering pure and simple. They see us struggling and facing danger, but be-

ACCLAMATION Alleluia, Alleluia!

Rejoice and be glad; your reward is great in heaven. Alleluia

Prayer for the divine mercy: Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atone-ment for our sins and those of the whole world. For the sake of his sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Jesus I trust in you.

PARISH OFFICE: 158 Katoomba Street, Katoomba 2780

Postal Address: P.O. Box 526, Katoomba NSW 2780

Phone: (02) 4782 2804 Hours: 10am-3pm Tuesday-Friday.

Parish Email address: mmparishubm@gmail.com

Weddings: Please call Parish Office for details. (Baptisms: upon request)

Parish Website at: www.marymackillopupperbluemountains.org.au

Parish School: St Canice’s Primary School, Katoomba Principal: Mr. Mark Geerligs

Phone: (02) 4780 6800 Email: stcanices@parra.catholic.edu.au

USUAL CONFESSION TIMES Monday: Katoomba 9:00am Tuesday: Leura 4:45pm

Wednesday: Wentworth Falls 10:30am

Thursday: Leura 4:45pm.

Friday: Katoomba 12:30pm Saturday: Katoomba 10am Leura 4:30pm Sunday: W. Falls 9am Kat 11am Leura 4:30pm

USUAL WEEKDAY MASS TIMES AND DEVOTIONS

MONDAY: Mass at Katoomba 8:30am. (On Public Holidays—10am)

TUESDAY: Mass at Leura 5.15pm. Exposition 4.45pm.

WEDNESDAY: Mass at Wentworth Falls 10.00am.

THURSDAY: Mass at Leura 5.15pm. Silent Exposition 4.45pm.

FRIDAY: Mass at Katoomba 12 noon.

SATURDAY: Mass at Katoomba 9.30am. Cenacle after.

SUNDAY MASS TIMES: Saturday Evening at Leura 5.00pm

Wentworth Falls Sunday 8.00am Katoomba Sunday 10.00am Leura Sunday 5.00pm

LEURA Reader Russel and Sharon

Server Zelko Livaic

Sacristans Pam LeBreton and

Natale Assanti.

WENTWORTH FALLS Reader Maureen

8am Reader Margaret

Server Sylvester Simon

Sacristans Bev and Halina

KATOOMBA Reader Peter and Karyn Lawlor

10am Reader

Server John Czekanowicz

Sacristans

Annette, Matthew, Natale.

LEURA Reader Jenny Porter

5pm Reader Margaret Gale

Server Zelko Livaic

Sacristan Pam LeBreton

Counters Counter Jim Walsh

Counter John Grant

Counter Peter Marshall

Counter

Counter

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Cleaners (from February 14)

Kat Church & Hall

Harsh and Griffin Families

ROSTERS for February 24 (7th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

COLLECTIONS LAST WEEKEND

First - For the Diocese: Second - For the Parish:

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING: Sunday 17 at 11:00 am. REQUIREMENTS TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION: Friendly reminder: according to Church Universal Law these are the conditions: - A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to (…) receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession (Canon 916). - A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for on-ly water and medicine (Canon 919 §1). PRAYER TO ST JOSEPH: We invite everyone to join us in the 30 day prayer to St Jo-seph that we may be able to set up a Chapel of Adoration in the parish. The prayer takes about 5 minutes every day for a month and can be said anywhere. We will start on Sunday, 17th February to finish on 19th March, his feast day. You may pick up the prayer in the back of each church. 2019 LENTEN PROGRAMME: This year our Parish is offering the Lenten programme ‘TRUST’ to assist parishioners in their Lenten Journey. This programme is suitable for individual or group use and they are now available for purchase through the sacristans after Masses. (During Lent there will be Lenten groups running, using this programme, for those wishing to be a part of a face to face group, sign up sheets at the back of the church). Booklets are $10 each, Physical CD's are $9 each (there are a limited number available, however there are digital audio copies available for purchase through the Wollongong diocese website). All profits raised through the purchase of these pro-grammes will go towards supporting the Perpetual Adoration Chapel in our Parish! FR. TED: We wish well to Fr Ted and pray for his new mission in Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese. Fr Ted has left for his new post on Friday, 15 February. LENTEN MASSES: During Lent 2019 the Masses at St Canice’s will be celebrated Monday through Thursday at 8:30 am followed by a Holy Hour with the Blessed Sacra-ment exposed. On Fridays the Mass will still be at 12pm. A more detailed announce-ment will be made in the weeks ahead. SPANISH MASS THANK-YOU: We thank all those who made the Spanish Mass possi-ble on Sunday 10 February. There was an attendance of about 60 people followed by tea at the parish Hall. ST PATRICK’S DAY Wear your ribbons and join a celebration of St. Patrick’s day—Sunday 17th March at 11.30am in the Hall. Irish music, words, song & dance from members of our parish followed by morning tea. if there is anyone in the parish who plays the Uilleann pipes or the Bodhran, please inform Fr Sean. Rehearsal for St. Pat-ricks day program will be held on Sun March 11th in the Hall 11.30—1pm.

DECEASED and ANNIVERSARIES: ALAN LEATHWOOD, DAVID COOK, CHARLIE NAVARRO, ANTON NAVARRO, BILLY O’NEILL, ANTON LAZNIK, MARIE TEGAN, PHILIP ALBERT BOSCO STRONACH, MATTHEW LANCASTER, DANIEL LYNNE and ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED ESPECIALLY THOSE FOR WHOM YOU REQUESTED PRAYERS AND MASSES AND THE FORGOTTEN SOULS IN PURGA-TORY. SICK LIST: , Len Lambert, Florence Gardner, Wanda Heffernan, Diane Wood, Mary Rob-erts, Jacquelin Singh, John Egan, Kath Paine, June Way, Robert Sullivan, Natale Assanti, Alex Sharah, Susan Keegel, Eugenio Natonton, Emiliana Santiago, Pat Coyne, Inga Morphett, Amanda Peters, Alison Michaels, Aimee De la Motte, Gloria Trevallion, Margaret Esgate, Lorraine Rus-selle, Margaret Murphy, Joan Nolan, Pat Wolthers, Brenda Dore, Tricia Hogan.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Come to Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist. Come to Eucharistic Adoration.

“My joy, my pleasure, my delight is to be with

you.” (Proverbs 8:31).”

UPCOMING EVENTS: FIRST RECONCILIATION PREPARATION: sessions

run for six Sundays starting 10 February at 8:30am in the parish hall. If you would like to enrol your child (must be at least in Year 2/age 7) please contact the parish office 4782 2804. CATHOLIC FOUNDATION: The Bishop’s Lenten Appeal this year will take place on the weekend of the 23-24 of February. The appeal will support The Ephpheta Centre – a ministry which gives hope, compassion, connectivity and care to the deaf and hard of hearing. The Appeal will also support chaplaincy and pastoral care for the vulnerable and isolated - in homes, hospitals, prison and aged-care facilities - including people who are deaf or hard of hearing, migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.