Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Because the kingdom of heaven has come near, Jesus invites some fishermen to follow him. They immediately leave behind nets, boat, and father, and follow Jesus. Just like that! Jesus has four companions with whom to share his ministry.

Despite his manifest power and oratorical skills, Jesus is never a one-man show. The first executive decision he makes after his baptism and testing is to call a community into existence around the Word of God that he preaches.

This is the best tradition of how God relates to us. God always calls a people. God enters into a covenant with “us.” So around Jesus “we” are formed.

We have to change to become part of this new people. We have to leave some things behind in order to embrace our new identity and purpose. These four men collectively leave nets, boat, and father.

The boat represents our ability to come and go as we please. Boats allow us to be independent, unattached, floating, free, and flexible. A boat can take us anywhere on the water.

And one’s father may be the stories and traditions we carry with us. We come from somewhere and from some people. These give us our identities and sense of who we are.

Now there’s nothing wrong with nets and boats and fathers. They are essential to our needs for control and opportunity and roots. But when Jesus shows up with his announcement of God’s transforming reign, we will have to give up some control, some opportunities, and some rootedness in order to be grasped by a reality not of our own making. Perhaps we leave nets and boats and fathers to have them given back to us again. We will still be in the family fishing business. Only what we fish for will change.

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

On this third Sunday in Ordinary Time, the first reading from Isaiah contains the text of that marvelous bass solo of Handel’s Messiah, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.” In The Messiah, the bass solo sounds rather ominous. We have witnessed some ominous darkness in the past weeks—the slide at La Conchita; the tsunami in Southeast Asia. And we have the hope of bringing some light to suffering people. The benefit concert held in the church two weeks ago raised over $12,000, in addition to what looks like over one million dollars donated throughout our Archdiocese alone. We can and we do often bring some light to a darkness that seems overwhelming.

Most of the time, though, it is not the darkness that besets me so much as the gray. It seems that much of our lives are surrounded not by darkness nor by light, but by gray—some darkness…some light, too. It doesn’t matter what part of our lives we’re talking about, home, work, school, relationships, our society, our church, our innermost selves. Remember the image that St. Theresa uses in her Interior Castle? She talks about her innermost self as a castle filled with a great number of chambers though which she walks carrying the candle (light of Christ, faith, Baptism) to enlighten each room, even passing some by that seem too dark, to return to them at a later time.

Remember driving in a really thick fog, a fog so thick that you can’t see the dotted lines? And remember how happy you were to come up on the tail lights of a truck that you could see and follow with a sense that the truck would safely guide you. I remember following a truck once and the truck turned onto an off ramp and I had a terrible time getting back to the freeway. It was really disheartening! It happens, but rarely. There is also all the difference in the world in how I feel if I’m driving alone in that thick fog or driving with friends or family.

Who we are as Church is sort of a combination of being the tail lights of the truck and company in the car, all at the same time. Just our presence to each other each Saturday evening or Sunday can be sufficient light to let someone else really know that they’re not alone in the fog. Together with Christ and each other, you are good people doing good work.

Peace and all Good,

Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M., Pastor

PARISH CALENDAR
January 25 Pastoral Council 7:00 PM
January 30 Together in Mission Commitment Sunday
February 2 Baptism Class at 6:30 PM
February 5 Baptisms at the 4:00 PM Mass
February 6 Together in Mission Follow-Up
February 8 Mardi Gras Party
February 9 Ash Wednesday


DO YOU KNOW …

During the eucharistic prayer at Mass today, what were you thinking about? What was on your mind from the moment the presider invited everyone to “Lift up your hearts!” until you said the “Amen” before the Our Father?

We Catholics say that this is the most holy time. But what does “holy” mean here, and how do you spend that holy time?

Many of us would admit that we tend to wander off a bit at this time on Sunday. Yes, we sing the “Holy Holy” pretty well, perhaps, with a strong “Hosanna in the highest!” But sometimes we don’t focus back in until it’s time for the Our Father. Where did we go?

We’re pretty good at getting on board for the song that begins the liturgy, and sometimes very good at giving full attention to at least one of the readings and maybe the homily. But if someone were to tap you on the shoulder during the Our Father and say, “All right, where were you the last five minutes,” how would you answer that question?

This is not to ask: What did the priest just do? We know that! The crucial question is: After I said “yes” to the invitation to lift up my heart—after we all said “yes” to that invitation—what happened to those hearts? Did they stay “lifted up?”

What happens in your life, with some regularity, that grabs and holds you? That’s what is asked when we are told to lift up our hearts. We are asked not simply to be quiet and attentive. For us as baptized people, we are asked to lift up and give to God our whole selves, engaged with all these other selves, around this altar. What’s it like to be totally involved in some deed even for a few minutes? Next time, can you enter into the eucharistic prayer in this way?


YOUTH ALTAR SERVERS AND ADULT ACOLYTES NEEDED

We are always in need of more youth altar servers and adult acolytes. Training sessions for youth and adults will begin during the month of January. For more information, please contact Bob and Claudia Chyla at (805) 683-4966.


2005 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONGRESS

The annual Religious Education Congress at Anaheim is ready to enrich and revitalize us once more. Sponsored by the Office of Religious Education at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Congress draws 35,000 participants over the course of this internationally acclaimed four day event. This year, there will be more than 270 workshops available to choose from, covering a vast range of topics and interests from spirituality, ethics, and personal development to biblical studies, theology, social concerns, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and whole community catechesis.

For more information or to register, you may stop by the Parish Office for a guidebook, or call the RE Congress info line at (213) 637-7346. Online registration is also available at www.RECongress.org.


YOUTH MINISTRY

Senior High “LifeTeen Mass” takes place Sunday evenings at 5:30 PM at our partner parish, St. Raphael’s. It is followed by “LifeNight” at 7:00 PM. The Junior High Youth Ministry “Tobiah Club” meets at St. Raphael’s on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 7:00 to 8:45 PM. For more information, please contact St. Raphael Parish Youth Minister, John Vasellina at 964-3466, ext. 1.


THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 12:45 PM. Our mission is to help and to serve the poor. Call our voice mail at 687-7547 and leave a message for more information.


TOGETHER IN MISSION 2005
A Time for Reflection

This week, you are asked to read and reflect upon the Together in Mission materials that you received today. Those of you who subscribe to the Archdiocesan newspaper, The Tidings, will receive more information about the campaign in this week’s edition.

Together in Mission provides substantial financial support to 32 parishes and 46 schools in our Archdiocese. These parishes and schools provide education, ministry and a Catholic presence for tens of thousands of people.

The theme of the campaign is “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:1). Together in Mission provides an opportunity to keep that light—the light of Christ—burning brightly in the parishes and schools that need your financial support.

If you received your pledge form in the mail, please complete it and mail it back or bring it to Mass next weekend. Also, we will conduct our annual Together in Mission in-pew pledge process at all Masses next weekend and the following weekend.

As always, what you give should be given in gratitude for what God has given to you. Thank you for your prayerful consideration and generous response.


THE FRANCISCAN MISSIONARY UNION

Next weekend you will be encouraged to support the Franciscan Missionary Union through a second collection that will be taken up at all the Masses. Throughout the year, Franciscan Parishes hold this second collection on fifth Sundays. If you have already made a contribution in it, we thank you for your support.

The Franciscans minister to God's needy all over the world. The missionary work of the St. Barbara Province has expanded over the years to include rural parishes, Hispanic and Native American missions and ministry among the poor of the inner cities. In other parts of the world, our friars work with church communities in the Philippines, Mexico, Thailand, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Holy Land.

Over the years, the Franciscans have been assisted in their missionary efforts by people sharing their spiritual and financial resources through the Franciscan Missionary Union (FMU). The FMU is an association of persons who help the missions by their prayers, alms, spreading knowledge and love for the missions and encouraging missionary vocations - all works of the highest charity.

The Franciscans invite you to become partners with them in this ministry of love and compassion. Through your support of the Franciscan Missionary Union, you become partners in the work of the Franciscan Missionaries. Please join us!


CONSIDER REMEMBERING YOUR PARISH IN YOUR WILL OR TRUST

For more information, please contact H. Richard Closson, Archdiocesan Director, Trust and Estate Programs (213) 637-7472, HRClosson@la-arch-diocese.org. The correct legal title for our parish is: Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles, A Corporation Sole for the Benefit of St. Barbara Parish.


HONORING OUR OWN WISDOM

Women of all faiths are invited to a day of spiritual renewal to be presented by Sr. Joann Heinritz, CSJ, at Holy Cross Church Hall (1740 Cliff Drive) from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM on January 29th. Pre-registration checks ($15) may be mailed to Jan Tedeschi, Theresians of Santa Barbara, PO Box 90317, Santa Barbara, CA 93190. Please contact Carol Spalluto at 966-7990 for further information.


VALENTINE TEA

The Catholic Daughters will host a Valentine Tea at 2:00 PM on Friday, February 11th, at Serra Hall. Advance tickets are only $20. For reservations, please call Yvonne Connolly at 563-3538 (days)/687-6746 (evenings) or Christie Green at 687-0497.


ALWAYS OUR CHILDREN

The Catholic support group for parents of Gay and Lesbian Children from the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month. The next meeting is January 25th at 7:30 PM. This is a safe and comfortable environment where you can share your feelings and concerns and ask questions. The meetings are informal and confidential. For more information, please call Kathie and Joe Schneider at 687-4338.

A SPECIAL THANK-YOU

Dear Friends,

Giulio and I want to thank all of you concerned people. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your cards and messages. Giulio is now at Villa Bella (325 West Islay Street) and can receive visitors. I know he would love seeing you. God bless you all.

Gratefully, Giulio and Bernice Anfuso


LENTEN FAITH SHARING GROUPS

In a few weeks, our parish will be embarking on a Lenten process to celebrate the “Year of the Eucharist.” Pope John Paul II has asked Catholics throughout the world to spend time from October 2004 to October 2005 deepening their understanding of this important sacrament.

W will be using an adult faith-sharing program that takes its title from the Holy Father’s message to Catholics, Eucharist: Source and Summit of Life and Mission of the Church. Each week will focus on a different topic as small groups read the Bible and discuss the meaning of Eucharist in their lives today.

Small groups will meet on Tuesday mornings and evenings to offer the best opportunity for most members of the parish to be able to participate. We encourage you to plan now to be part of this parish-wide opportunity.


S.E. ASIA DISASTER RELIEF FUND

The Archdiocese has established a disaster relief fund with all of the proceeds going directly to Catholic Relief Services, an international agency that is providing emergency assistance in each of the countries affected by the tsunami. Checks should be made payable to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with the designation, “Southeast Asia Disaster Relief Fund” somewhere on the check. Please send your checks to:

Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Southeast Asia Disaster Relief Fund
3424 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010


MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION

There will be a training and formation workshop at the Cathedral on Saturday, February 5th, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. For information, go to www.laliturgy.org, and click on “Formation,” then “Formation Days.”

PREPARE FOR NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 18:15-20
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

REFLECTION ON NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY OF THE WORD

The Beatitudes, which we hear in next Sunday’s Gospel passage, are the heart of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says that the ones who will be “happy” are those who society has judged unhappy, even wretched. “The poor in spirit” see through the illusion of wealth and, with nothing else to rely on, come to depend on God. The sorrowing bemoan the sad state of a world that neglects God’s wishes. The meek and lowly do not presume to act independently of God. Christians seek happiness by striving to imitate God’s readiness to forgive. They are called to be single-hearted in doing God’s will, rather than making self-interest their primary motivation. They must make peace, doing everything in their power to bring this blessing that God holds out to people.


LIFE FOCUS

Which of the Beatitudes has the most impact on you? Why?

Who or what experience has helped you to value what money can’t buy?

What does society say makes people happy? What really makes people happy? What makes you happy?

In Matthew, Jesus’ recipe for happiness differs from the world’s. Share a time when you tried to live according to one of the Beatitudes. How did it affect you?

Readings for the Week of January 23, 2005

Monday:
Heb 9:15,24-28/Ps 98:1-6/Mk 3:22-30
Tuesday:
Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22/Ps 117:1-2/Mk 16:15-18
Wednesday:
2 Tm 1:1-8/Ps 96:1-3,7-8,10/Mk 4:1-20
Thursday:
Heb 10:19-25/Ps 24:1-4,5-6/Mk 4:21-25
Friday:
Heb 10:32-39/Ps 37:3-6,23-24,39-40
Saturday:
Heb 11:1-2,8-19/Lk 1:69-75/Mk 4:35-41


TRAVELING?

For nationwide Mass times and locations, visit www.MassTimes.org.


GETTING IN THE PARISH BULLETIN

For Parish announcements, call Laura in the Parish Office. Contact Mission Publishing at (888) 253-4358 for business ads.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

John proclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” These words have become enshrined in the eucharistic invitation to share in the Lord’s body and blood. But what an odd image! A Lamb of God.

This image recalls the servant so prominent in the Book of Isaiah who is led to the slaughter like a lamb. And it links Jesus with the lambs ritually slaughtered in preparation for the Passover meal. In the Book of Revelation, much is made of the Lamb who was slain but now sits in triumph on the throne.

The image of Jesus as the Lamb of God must have had a powerful impact on early Christianity. A weak and passive animal is made the image of God’s victory over sin and death. This would have contrasted markedly with those who longed for a warrior/king. We thought we needed Superman; we got a Lamb. How deflating!

Perhaps this is how God operates. Love is vulnerable. It does not coerce. It is available and faithful. Perhaps to counter our desire for a quick and final fix, God sends a Lamb as a sign that love takes time to heal, to win over, to triumph. The paradox of a helpful Lamb who triumphs catches our attention and forces us to wonder about how God really functions on our behalf.

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Last Sunday’s Feast of the Baptism of Jesus concluded our liturgical celebration of the Christmas Season. We are now immersed in “Ordinary Time,” the designation the Church uses for the more quiet time in between the extraordinary seasons of Christmas and Lent, and Easter and Advent. For us, Ordinary Time is a good time to do a reality check on some of the things we do ordinarily. The question for us to ponder is, “Does this aspect of my life help me on my journey toward holiness?”

This particular year, our winter Ordinary Time is very short. Can you believe that it is just five weeks until the beginning of Lent? And speaking of Lent, be sure to circle the date of February 8th (“Fat Tuesday”) on your calendars so that you can join in the fun at our Mardi Gras party that evening at Serra Hall. Watch the bulletin for more information; but I can tell you that we are encouraging you to be creative—masks and costumes!

We ask that you mark your calendars as well for our annual, six-week Lenten faith sharing gatherings that will begin on Tuesday, February 15th. In October 2004, Pope John Paul II initiated the “Year of the Eucharist,” inviting all of us to rediscover the gift of the Eucharist. In response to John Paul’s call, our focus this year will be, “Eucharist: Source and Summit of Life and Mission of the Church.” Registration forms will be available in the next couple of weeks.

Lastly, please continue to pray for the tsunami victims and pray also for all the people in our own area who have suffered losses due to the heavy rains.

God bless! Pat

DO YOU KNOW …

Do you know what the words “Ordinary Time” mean? The “Ordinary” in Ordinary Time refers to ordinal—counted—time, not to a lack of something to celebrate. The Roman document, General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar, says: “Apart from those seasons having their own distinctive character (Advent, Christmastime, Lent, Triduum and Eastertime), 33 or 34 weeks remain in the yearly cycle that do not celebrate a specific aspect of the mystery of Christ. Rather, especially on the Sundays, they are devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its aspects.”

How do we celebrate “the mystery of Christ in all its aspects?” We gather every Sunday. Sunday is our original feast day. Christians have gathered every Sunday—the day of Christ’s resurrection, the first day of the week—ever since there were Christians.

Each year there are two blocks of Ordinary Time, one in the winter between Christmastime and Lent, and the other in summer and fall, from Pentecost through Christ the King. When we gather on Sundays in Ordinary Time, as always, we hear the scriptures proclaimed. The mystery of Christ “in all its aspects” unfolds.

What is at the heart of our Sunday celebration? We praise and thank God for all creation. We pray for the whole world as we remember Christ’s life, death and resurrection. We share the bread and wine, the body and blood. We are sent forth to be the body and blood of Christ in our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, cities, our country, our world.

What happens in our churches every Sunday is the fruit of our week. What happens as the fruit of the week past is the beginning of the week to come. Sunday is simultaneously a point of arrival and departure for Christians on their way to the fullness of God’s reign. This is not ordinary at all. This is the fabric of Christian living.

RECYCLE SIGHT

Donate used and old eyeglasses to the Lions Sight and Hearing Center. Call 569-8264 to receive a list of specially marked boxes in selected drop-off sites.


YOUTH ALTAR SERVERS AND ADULT ACOLYTES NEEDED

We are always in need of more youth altar servers and adult acolytes. Training sessions for youth and adults will begin during the month of January. For more information, please contact Bob and Claudia Chyla at (805) 683-4966.


DONATE YOUR OLD CHRISTMAS CARDS

Please leave your old Christmas cards in the Porter’s Office, with Linda Alderman’s name on them. Linda uses the cards to make gift tags, which she sells to benefit the Alpha Resource Center.


JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMITTEE

The primary purpose of our parish Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee is to educate the committee members and the rest of the parish about the principles of Catholic social teaching and to explore ways to put these teachings into practice in our personal lives and at every level of society.

During the coming year, the committee will be focusing on the principle of “the integrity of creation” (the care of the earth), as defined by Pope John Paul II. We plan to share the results of our study periodically with the rest of the parish via the Sunday bulletin and will occasionally ask our parishioners to support legislation designed to protect the environment.


ADOPT A POINSETTIA

Parishioners are invited to take home a Christmas poinsettia (or two!). The plants can be found on the patio behind the Porter’s Office kitchen.


2005 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONGRESS

The annual Religious Education Congress at Anaheim is ready to enrich and revitalize us once more. Sponsored by the Office of Religious Education at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Congress draws 35,000 participants over the course of this internationally acclaimed four day event. This year, there will be more than 270 workshops available to choose from, covering a vast range of topics and interests from spirituality, ethics, and personal development to biblical studies, theology, social concerns, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and whole community catechesis.

For more information or to register, you may stop by the Parish Office for a guidebook, or call the RE Congress info line at (213) 637-7346. Online registration is also available at www.RECongress.org.


YOU CAN SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE

If your marriage has become troubled or stressed, unloving or uncaring, or if your relationship has grown cold and distant, if you are thinking of separation or divorce, or if you already are separated or divorced but want to try again—then the Retrouvaille Program can help you. For more information and a confidential brochure, please call (800) 470-2230 or visit their web site at www.retrouvaille.org.


THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 12:45 PM. Our mission is to help and to serve the poor. Call our voice mail at 687-7547 and leave a message for more information.


SOUTHEAST ASIA DISASTER RELIEF FUND

The Archdiocese has established a disaster relief fund with all of the proceeds going directly to Catholic Relief Services, an international agency that is providing emergency assistance in each of the countries affected by the tsunami. Checks should be made payable to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with the designation, “Southeast Asia Disaster Relief Fund” somewhere on the check. Please send your checks to:

Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Southeast Asia Disaster Relief Fund
3424 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010

CLERGY APPRECIATION DINNER

The Santa Barbara area Serra Club and the Knights of Columbus invite you to their annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner to be held at Bishop Diego High School at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, January 26th. Tickets are $10 and are available at the church rectory. For more information and tickets, please contact Cherif Khoury (569-2149).


OPEN HOUSE

Bishop Garcia Diego High is having an Open House for prospective families from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on January 23rd. Placement exams for all 8th students will given on January 29th or February 5th from 8:00 AM to 11:15 AM. Please call 967-1266 ext. 118 if you have any questions. Financial assistance is available.


MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION

There will be a training and formation workshop at the Cathedral on Saturday, February 5th, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. For information, go to www.laliturgy.org, and click on “Formation,” then “Formation Days.”


ALWAYS OUR CHILDREN

The Catholic support group for parents of Gay and Lesbian Children from the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month. The next meeting is January 25th at 7:30 PM. This is a safe and comfortable environment where you can share your feelings and concerns and ask questions. The meetings are informal and confidential. For more information, please call Kathie and Joe Schneider at 687-4338.


“RESPECT LIFE” MASS

The Annual Archdiocesan Respect Life Mass, which takes place each year on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, will be held at 7:30 PM on January 22nd at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles. This special Mass was written to capture the marvels and mystery of God’s creation in each human being. Since the commitment to life is such an important part of our ministry, the only way we will ever solve this divisive issue is through a conversion of hearts.


CONSIDER REMEMBERING YOUR PARISH IN YOUR WILL OR TRUST

For more information, please contact H. Richard Closson, Archdiocesan Director, Trust and Estate Programs (213) 637-7472, HRClosson@la-arch-diocese.org. The correct legal title for our parish is: Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles, A Corporation Sole for the benefit of St. Barbara Parish.


From Death to New Life

Dolores Mayer
(Sister of Marie Mocny)

May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace


VALENTINE TEA

The Catholic Daughters will host a Valentine Tea at 2:00 PM on Friday, February 11th, at Serra Hall. Advance tickets are only $20. For reservations, please call Yvonne Connolly at 563-3538 (days)/687-6746 (evenings) or Christie Green at 687-0497.


MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER

Upcoming weekends are January 21st-23rd in Ventura, and February 11th-13th in Hawthorne. For more information, please call Russ and Jeanine at (805) 648-4244, email info@wwme-la-north.org, or visit their website at www.wwme-la-north.org.


HONORING OUR OWN WISDOM

Women of all faiths are invited to a day of spiritual renewal to be presented by Sr. Joann Heinritz, CSJ, at Holy Cross Church Hall (1740 Cliff Drive) from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM on January 29th. Pre-registration checks ($15) may be mailed to Jan Tedeschi, Theresians of Santa Barbara, PO Box 90317, Santa Barbara, CA 93190. Please contact Carol Spalluto at 966-7990 for further information.



SECULAR FRANCISCANS

Secular Franciscans are a community of Catholic men and women who seek to pattern their lives after Christ in the spirit of St. Francis. This international order was founded by St. Francis of Assisi almost 800 years ago. For more information, please contact Bob Carman at 964-1042.


REFLECTION ON NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY OF THE WORD

In next Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus begins his public ministry in Capernaum, a seacoast town in Galilee. There, the light of God’s saving action begins to shine. Matthew also tells the story of the call of the first disciples. They seem to answer right away and leave everything behind.


LIFE FOCUS

What did you let go of in your life in order to bring light and healing into the life of another recently?

Describe a time this week when you made an effort to change. Share an experience when you were asked to make a change in your life.

Describe your struggle when asked to do something that took you from familiar surroundings or routine.

Name an experience—difficult or pleasant—when you noted God drawing your attention.

Describe the specific areas or activities in your life that are obstacles to following the Lord.


Readings for the Week of January 16, 2005

Monday:
Heb 5:1-10/Ps 110:1-4/Mk 2:18-22

Tuesday:
Heb 6:10-20/Ps 111:1-2,4-5,9-10/Mk 2:23-28

Wednesday:
Heb 7:1-3,15-17/Ps 110:1-4/Mk 3:1-6

Thursday:
Heb 7:25-8:6/Ps 40:7-10,17/Mk 3:7-12

Friday:
Heb 8:6-13/Ps 85:8,10-14/Mk 3:13-19

Saturday:
Heb 9:2-3,11-14/Ps 47:2-3,6-9/Mk 3:20-21



PREPARE FOR NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Isaiah 8:23-9:3
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:12-23



TOGETHER IN MISSION 2005

“The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light” (Is 9:1)

Cardinal Mahony is sending a letter this week to most past contributors to the Together in Mission Campaign. Next weekend, at all Masses, we will provide additional information about this campaign that provides funds to 32 parishes and 46 schools that would find it difficult, if not impossible, to operate without them.

As each parish household prayerfully reflects on the amount of the pledge to be made to help these parishes and schools, please reflect on the following questions:

• All that I have and all that I am I received as gifts from God. Do I return a reasonable portion of those gifts to my parish, my Archdiocese and other Catholic charities for the work of God’s Church?
• Is what I give to the work of the Church enough to show how grateful I am for what God has given me?
• Do I appreciate how important every contribution to Together in Mission is to the people in the subsidized parishes and schools?

Please pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you consider the above questions and give generously, according to what God has given to you.

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY

Feast of the Nativity $27,363.00

Sunday, December 26th $6,300.00

Sunday, January 2nd $10,150.00

Sunday, January 9th $11,448.00
-

Thank you for your continuing generosity!



TRAVELING?

For nationwide Mass times and locations, visit www.MassTimes.org.

GETTING IN THE PARISH BULLETIN

For Parish announcements, call Laura in the Parish Office. Contact Mission Publishing at (888) 253-4358 for business ads.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

Isaiah was called the fifth evangelist by the early Church scholars because he delineated so many facets of the personality of Jesus. Today’s reading is no exception. Isaiah talks of the suffering servant who is called by God for the “victory of justice.” Until that justice is established, the servant/messiah is “Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street.” Then, in two striking images Isaiah says of the servant, “A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench.”

Have you ever seen a broken branch holding on by the most fragile of threads? The servant, Jesus, will bind it up in a symbol of binding and healing God’s people. Like the poet Hopkins, he will not lose this last strand of humanity.

As a further image, think about a sputtering candle. Even a mild wind will blow it out. Jesus is pictured as cupping the tiny flicker, and ever so gently breathing it back into a flame. We are called by our baptism in Jesus Christ to be God’s instruments: to bind, heal and breathe life into the wounded and discouraged people. The justice of the servant/messiah, Jesus Christ, begins with our being the servant/church.

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Liturgists seem equally divided on whether today is the beginning of Ordinary Time or the end of the Christmas season. Since I tend to enjoy Christmas along with ice cream, chocolate and a really good hamburger, I always like to try to make them last as long as possible. What is interesting is that the feast of the Lord’s baptism is a bridge between the Christmas season (read celebration of gifts: God’s gift of becoming one with us, our giving gifts to celebrate the event) and the season of Ordinary Time (read discipleship: focusing on how to live as followers of Jesus).

Each year during the month of January we begin the annual Archdiocesan “Together in Mission” campaign. Later this month you will receive a letter from Cardinal Mahony on behalf of the Together in Mission Appeal, which brings yearly support to the Catholic schools and parishes throughout the Archdiocese that cannot continue in ministry without your generous support. These are difficult times for people and for our Church. Strength is required to keep the vision. Together in Mission reminds all of us that we are not alone in seeking salvation. We are one part of the Body. It is a reminder that we are stronger when we gather in community. As each of us fulfills our part, the entire People of God become stronger.

Perhaps it is our own baptism that forms the bridge between acknowledging that we have received everything from God and giving in return, and living as people who proclaim the good news and look for Jesus to return again. Christmas and Baptism and Discipleship all come together in January. Let’s trust the Holy Spirit is working in all of us.

Peace and all Good,

Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M., Pastor

PARISH CALENDAR

January 9 Baptisms at the 12:00 Noon Mass

January 9 Benefit Concert for Tsunami Victims, 3:00 PM in the Church

January 12 Baptism Class at 6:30 PM in the Social Room

January 16 Baptisms at the 10:30 AM Mass

January 23 Together in Mission Begins

January 25 Pastoral Council 7:00 PM

January 30 Together in Mission Commitment Sunday

February 6 Together in Mission Follow-Up

DO YOU KNOW …

What it means to receive communion? What happens when we take and eat Christ’s Body and drink Christ’s Blood? Many of us would answer, quite correctly, that communion joins us personally to Christ. But, there is more than what happens individually. Indeed, in communion, we are joined more deeply to Christ’s body in the world—the Church. This great eucharistic unity exists at the universal level as well as the local level.

A perfect example of the local level is the parish’s care for those who cannot be present at Mass because of health, age, or disability. Even though these people are unable to participate physically, they are still part of the parish family, and it is the responsibility of the family to see that the homebound remain part of their “communion.”

One way a parish expresses its oneness with them is to designate people to take them the Body and Blood of Christ from the Sunday celebration. Another way is for the parish family to remember them in prayer at Eucharist. This care is not simply a matter of charity. Pope Paul VI stated that the sick and homebound contribute to the welfare of the whole people of God by associating themselves willingly with the passion and death of Christ. In receiving communion, they are in the company of the eucharistic community from which they are physically separated. The shared Eucharist is the Church’s symbol of unity within the whole Church, including the sick, the homebound, and all those who suffer. “By their witness they show that our mortal life must be redeemed through the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.” By their sharing in Eucharist, the oneness in Christ is complete.

CALLING ALL MARRIED COUPLES

The Office of Family Life’s Marriage Preparation Program is looking for couples that were married in the Catholic Church to help engaged couples prepare for the Sacrament of Matrimony at their One Day Marriage Preparation classes. If you are interested, please call Candy Metoyer at (213) 637-7250.


RECYCLE SIGHT

Donate used and old eyeglasses to the Lions Sight and Hearing Center. Call 569-8264 to receive a list of specially marked boxes in selected drop-off sites.


YOUTH ALTAR SERVERS AND ADULT ACOLYTES NEEDED

We are always in need of more youth altar servers and adult acolytes. Training sessions for youth and adults will begin during the month of January. For more information, please contact Bob and Claudia Chyla at (805) 683-4966.


BAPTIZED INTO NEW LIFE

Yesenia Katherine Collins
Daughter of Maria and Thomas Collins



SECULAR FRANCISCANS

Secular Franciscans are a community of Catholic men and women who seek to pattern their lives after Christ in the spirit of St. Francis. This international order was founded by St. Francis of Assisi almost 800 years ago. For more information, please contact Bob Carman at 964-1042.


DONATE YOUR OLD CHRISTMAS CARDS

Please leave your old Christmas cards in the Porter’s Office, with Linda Alderman’s name on them. Linda uses the cards to make gift tags, which she sells to benefit the Alpha Resource Center.

THE 2005 CALENDARS HAVE ARRIVED

The 2005 Religious Art Calendars have arrived. Please be sure to pick up your copy in the Parish Social Room or the Porter’s Office.


ATTENTION LECTORS AND EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

A new ministry schedule for the months of January and February is now available. You may pick up your copy in the Sacristy or in the Porter’s Office.


MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER

Upcoming weekends are January 21st-23rd in Ventura, and February 11th-13th in Hawthorne. For more information, please call Russ and Jeanine at (805) 648-4244, email info@wwme-la-north.org, or visit their website at www.wwme-la-north.org.


2005 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONGRESS

The annual Religious Education Congress at Anaheim is ready to enrich and revitalize us once more. Sponsored by the Office of Religious Education at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Congress draws 35,000 participants over the course of this internationally acclaimed four day event. This year, there will be more than 270 workshops available to choose from, covering a vast range of topics and interests from spirituality, ethics, and personal development to biblical studies, theology, social concerns, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and whole community catechesis.

For more information or to register, you may stop by the Parish Office for a guidebook, or call the RE Congress info line at (213) 637-7346. Online registration is also available at www.RECongress.org.


YOUTH MINISTRY

Senior High “LifeTeen Mass” takes place Sunday evenings at 5:30 PM at our partner parish, St. Raphael’s. It is followed by “LifeNight” at 7:00 PM. The Junior High Youth Ministry “Tobiah Club” meets at St. Raphael’s on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 7:00 to 8:45 PM. For further information, please contact St. Raphael Parish Youth Minister, John Vasellina at 964-3466, ext. 1.


CATHOLIC CHARITIES OFFERS PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES

Catholic Charities Santa Barbara offers professional psychological counseling to individuals, couples and families. A very reasonable sliding scale is available. The office is located at 609 E. Haley. Call (805) 965-7045 x102 for English; Spanish speakers or bilingual call 965-7045 x114.


YOU CAN SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE

If your marriage has become troubled or stressed, unloving or uncaring, or if your relationship has grown cold and distant, if you are thinking of separation or divorce, or if you already are separated or divorced but want to try again—then the Retrouvaille Program can help you. For more information and a confidential brochure, please call (800) 470-2230 or visit their web site at www.retrouvaille.org.


THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 12:45 PM. Our mission is to help and to serve the poor. Call our voice mail at 687-7547 and leave a message for more information.


MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION

There will be a training and formation workshop at the Cathedral on Saturday, February 5th, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. For information, go to www.laliturgy.org, and click on “Formation,” then “Formation Days.”


SOUTHEAST ASIA DISASTER RELIEF FUND

The Archdiocese has established a disaster relief fund with all of the proceeds going directly to Catholic Relief Services, an international agency that is providing emergency assistance in each of the countries affected by the tsunami waves. Checks should be made payable to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with the designation, “Southeast Asia Disaster Relief Fund” somewhere on the check. Please send your checks to:
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Southeast Asia Disaster Relief Fund
3424 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010


THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IN THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR

For most of us, Christmas is long over, but for the Church, the celebration goes on! The core celebration of the Christmas season in the Church is made up of the three great solemnities of the manifestation of Jesus Christ in the world: Christmas, the Epiphany, and the Baptism of Jesus. At Christmas, Jesus Christ is born. The glory of God is revealed in the humility of a baby. On the Feast of the Epiphany, Christ is symbolically revealed as the messiah of all people in all times and places. And, on the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, he is revealed by God as the source of illumination and renewal. Christ’s work of redemption is symbolically begun through Jesus’ baptism.


JUSTICE, PEACE AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION

We will be attending a workshop on “JustFAITH,” presented by the program’s creator, Jack Jezreel, on Saturday, January 22nd from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM at Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo. The “JustFAITH” process is intended to develop and foster a passion and thirst for justice, and to empower participants to move themselves and others toward integrating personal spirituality, Church teachings and social ministry—serving the person of Jesus in others. Integral to this ministry is both a response to immediate needs, and long-term actions aimed at affecting reform of unjust social structures. If you would like to join us, please contact Michelle Paschen, 484-6042 or Nick Pena 482-8087 to register.

PREPARE FOR NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:1-3
Gospel Reading: John 1:29-34



REFLECTION ON NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY OF THE WORD

In Christ, God shows the saving plan for the human race. We begin to understand that plan when we appreciate who Christ Jesus is. The first reading speaks of a servant God who will not only restore the survivors of Israel after the Babylonian exile, but will also be a light for all peoples and nations. The early Church saw Jesus as this servant who gives his life for all, and brings about a new world. John speaks of him as the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of the world.


LIFE FOCUS

Share a time when God was working in your life, but you did not realize it until later.

When or how have you been slow to recognize God in a particular person?

Tell of a person in your life whom you came to understand as special.

Describe a time in your life when God’s activity surprised you.

Where does your world need to be remade and recreated?



Readings for the Week of January 9, 2005

Monday:
1 Heb 1:1-6/Ps 97:1,2b,6,7c,9/Mk 1:14-20
2

Tuesday:
1 Heb 2:5-11/Ps 8:2ab,5-9/Mk 1:21-28

Wednesday:
1 Heb 2:14-18/Ps 105:1-4,6-9/Mk 1:29-39

Thursday:
1 Heb 3:7-14/Ps 95:6-11/Mk 1:40-45

Friday:
1 Heb 4:1-5,11/Ps 78:3, 4bc, 6c-8/Mk 2:1-12

Saturday:
1 Heb 4:12-16/Ps 19:8-10,15/Mk 2:13-17

GETTING IN THE PARISH BULLETIN

For Parish announcements, call Laura in the Parish Office. Contact Mission Publishing at (888) 253-4358 for business ads.


TRAVELING?

For nationwide Mass times and locations, visit www.MassTimes.org.