I would like to urge you to attend the Faith in Indiana, St. Joseph County, Families First Town Hall this Saturday, August 18 from 11 AM – 12:30 PM at Holy Cross Parish Gym, 1050 Wilber Street, South Bend, IN. For more info, please see the announcement above. This should be a great event for families in our area.
I would also urge you to attend our annual Parish Picnic on Sunday, August 26, 2018. It will be held at St. Patrick’s Park but at a different pavilion. As mentioned above, the Fragomeni Pavilion is to the left instead of to the right. The gate keeper will give you the directions. Let’s have a great Family Picnic once again this year. Please sign up in the foyer, so we know the amount of chicken and drinks we need and of course remember to bring dishes to share.
Did you ever get so tired that you just wanted to sit down and forget about everything? That’s what happened to Elijah in today’s first reading. He was so tired of what he considered failure that he was ready to die. But God had other ideas and sent him an angel with food and drink and encouraged him to continue his mission.
In today’s Gospel we continue the St. John Bread of Life presentation. Jesus comes right to the point today when he says “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” We eat the Bread of Life at Mass in the Eucharist.
In our second reading, St. Paul tells us how to live when we eat the Bread of Life: “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us also pray for vocations to the church. Let us pray for the sick of the parish. Let us pray that all will come to respect life. Let us pray for one another and for the canonization of Father Tolton.
A Father Tolton Prayer:Father in Heaven, Father Tolton’s suffering service sheds light upon our sorrows; we see them through the prism of your Son’s passion and death. If it be your Will, O God, glorify your servant Father Tolton, by granting the favor I now request through his intercession (mention your request) so that all may know the goodness of this priest whose memory looms large in the Church he loved. Complete what you have begun in us that we might work for the fulfillment of your kingdom. Not to us the glory, but glory to you O God, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are our God, living and reigning forever and ever. Amen.