SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806 EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS: Celebrant Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
January 30, 2011 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Epistle: Rom. 13, 8-10
Gospel: Matth. 8, 23-27
Mass schedule January 31 through February 4
Monday-Saint John Bosco, Confessor—NO LATIN MASS
Tuesday—Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop & Martyr
Wednesday—Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday—Saint Blasé, Bishop & Martyr
Friday—Sacred Heart of Jesus
Your prayers are asked for the mother of James Gillet and the grandmother of Chad Koenig.
In order to keep God’s Commandments perfectly, we must rely on God’s grace to love Him and love our neighbor as well. Ideally, we should be motivated in all we do because of our love for God. If we truly love God it is much easier to love our neighbor. This is really the key to answering the “universal call to holiness” in the Church.
Turning to today’s Gospel, Christ works a miracle that has a huge impact on His disciples. The boat they are on is being swamped by huge waves. The boat represents the Church, which has always had to make its way around those who would attack her. From earliest times, Christians were persecuted and misunderstood. Jesus’ sleeping through the storm has been applied to the fact that sometimes God allows the Church to suffer persecution without coming to her aid. Just as the Apostles in the boat cried to Jesus for help, so should we. Christ will always show His power when it seems we can bear hardships no longer. He rebuked the winds and the sea and there was great calm. But He first rebuked His Apostles for their lack of faith.
If we want God to work miracles in our lives or answer our prayer requests, He always demands that we have faith.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
