The Servant of All

This Sunday, we read more from Mark chapter 9. To read this week’s Sunday readings, click here.

More Wisdom from James

How much are we comparing each other on social media? How much are we looking at our neighbors and wishing that we had what they had? James says, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.” It’s a powerful message. He tells us not only what’s wrong, but how to right it. This message is as meaningful today as when it was written. God brings us all the things we need. We need not be jealous.

The Greatest

One of the things that has never changed in the centuries is our need to be great. We measure our success and failures in every way. How do we measure our success? Money? Job promotions? How do we measure our Church? Attendance? How much is in our collection? All of these things come into focus when reading this section in the Gospel. The disciples came from their very real world, where their success was measured by their work and their net worth. They, as we often also do, try to use the same measurement with our spirituality. Jesus is telling them (and us) that this doesn’t work. Mark 9:39 states, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” This is the secret sauce. To be great in the church is to serve. Serving others, using Gospel principles, becomes as rewarding to the giver as the receiver.

Let the Children Come to Me

Mark Chapter 9:37 states, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” In the context of today, this passage in Mark is very enduring and affirming to us. Modern society prioritizes children and rightly so. This was not true in Jesus’ time. Children were considered a burden until they could prove their worth. If they could not, well, they could labor, and if they couldn’t do even that, they were often neglected or cast out. It is important to note that Mark does not say the gender of the child. A person reading this in Mark’s time would want to know that, because boys were more “valuable.” To Jesus, however, this is not important.

Ministry Minute – Christian Women

The MPH Christian Women Organization meets in the Notre Dame Room at the East Site on the second Tuesday of each month between September and May. The objective of the Christian Women Organization is to unite the women of the parish in religious, educational, and social activities. The organization participates in both spiritual undertakings (such as leading the parish vigil at funerals for members of the organization) and in educational opportunities (such as having speakers at the monthly meeting). Additionally, the organization is responsible for crafts, Christmas cookies, and ham and rolls sales at the parish sites. All women of the parish are invited
to join the organization by attending any of the monthly meetings, all of which are announced in advance in the parish bulletin. Contact Debbie Peterson throught the contact form on mphwa.org (our parish website) to join the Christian Women.

Upcoming Events

Who is Jesus?

This Sunday, we read more from Mark chapter 8.  To read this week’s Sunday readings, click here.

Faith Without Works is Dead

This week’s second reading is from James, and it has been controversial among Christians for centuries.  James is correcting a problem with understanding faith.  He is showing that faith is alive, and the works we do show our faith and help build it up.  In Jas 2:15-17, James says: “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?  So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Faith is never alone; the love God gives us compels us to do His work.  The Council of Trent describes this as our human cooperation with grace.

The dispute over Justification between Catholics and Protestants started with Martin Luther and was mostly put to rest on October 31, 1999 with a document called Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.  Over time, more Christian organizations have signed the agreement.  It is now a five-way agreement between the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Methodist Council, the Anglican Communion, and the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The declaration agrees with both Paul and James;  Yes, we are justified through faith, but we grow in grace and reveal our faith through works.

Who Do You Say I Am?

Jesus asks his disciples who people think he is. The responses they give — John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets — reflect various opinions circulating among the people at the time about Jesus’ identity and his role. These are significant figures in Jewish tradition, indicating that people viewed Jesus in the context of past prophetic figures. When Jesus asks the disciples directly who they believe he is, Peter responds with a profound declaration: “You are the Christ.” The term “Christ” means “Anointed One” and is equivalent to “Messiah” in Hebrew. It signifies that Peter recognizes Jesus as the long-awaited Savior and the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah.

Foot in Mouth, Peter

Just after Peter recognizes Jesus as the Christ, the poor guy puts his foot in his mouth.  In Mark 8:32, Mark reports, “Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke Him.” In Matthew 16:22, we get more detail of what he said: “Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, ‘God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.'”  

It is super easy to have empathy with Peter in this moment.  We have all had those times in our life, where someone hands us some really troubling news, and we try to deny it as a means of comfort.  We want to say: “That won’t really happen; it will be okay.”  It’s natural to do.  

Jesus reply of “Get behind me, Satan, You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do,” in Mark 8:33, was probably quite the shock to poor Peter.  Jesus is buttressing his human self, and he has to, from being tempted to not do His Father’s will.  Peter meant well, but Jesus knew what He had to do, and Peter needed to know it had to be done.  In our lives, we can see how we can prepare for difficult moments, not by denying them, but by facing them.  

Look Here for More

For more reading, check out the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification here:

Ministry Minute

Prayer Shawl and Loomer’s Ministry

We are a group of women who either knit, crochet, or use a loom to create either shawls, hats or scarves.  Shawls are given to anyone in need of prayers for surgery, illness or comfort.  The Shawls are prayed over as we begin them, continue as we create, and then receive a final blessing.  Each month, when we gather, we start the meeting in prayer, blessing the finished shawls and praying for the recipients of the shawls.

Our Loomers create hats and scarves.  Once a year, near December, they are given to various groups.  These groups include:  New Berlin Lionesses Club, Hope House, and meal programs in the Milwaukee area. We also have members who make items in their homes for the ministry.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry started in 2008, and the Loomers started in 2011.  The ministries merged in 2022.

For more information, either to volunteer or to receive a prayer shawl, Select Prayer Shawl and Loomer’s Ministry in the contact form at mphwa.org. 

Sitting on the couch, left to right are Jeanne Erceg, Karen Fuchs, Mary Thysell, standing Nancy Dloughy, Ethel Stueck and Kathy Moscicki and sitting wearing a shawl is Dolores Iannantouoni.

Prayer warriors at the looms! On the couch is Sharon Evenson, on the chair is Linda Dulka and in the mirror is Anne Gaska (prayer shawl).

Upcoming Events

Pickleball is tomorrow!

***SAVE THE DATE!*** PILGRIMAGE

Monday, October 28 (all day by bus)

National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion & Lambeau Field Watch for the Details in the next bulletin!

HAM AND ROLL SALE THIS WEEKEND!