Author: St. Charles Borromeo

Messages from the Pastor

21th Sunday Ordinary Time – Isaiah’s Warning: Avoid Corruption; Unite the Community

| St. Charles Borromeo

A Plate of Cakes, Jehan Georges Vibert, circa 1840–1902, private collection (WikiArt)

FIRST READING:
August 25, 2019
Isaiah 66:18-21

Several weeks ago on July 7, we read a section from Isaiah (66:10-14c), which comes a few verses before today’s selection (66:18-21). We saw then that these verses were written by the third person to use the name Isaiah. The first lived in Jerusalem around the end of the 8th century BC, the second in Babylon about 540 BC, and this Isaiah sometime around 515 BC while Jerusalem was being rebuilt.

The Second and Third Isaiahs did not choose the name casually. Although they lived in different times and/or places, they all shared a few common beliefs. The most important was that the God of the Jews was the Lord of History. By the time of Third Isaiah, this meant that He was not only God but also that the Lord controlled world history from the beginning of time, not just the destinies of the Jews. This meant that He expressed Himself in concrete events and our relationship with Him was to be more than verbal.

To use the name Isaiah meant that the author understood that worship and justice were inseparable. This is the special theme of chapter 66. When we examined this last month, we emphasized that the call of the Jews and now indeed ourselves was to be the “light to the nations.” Now let us look at the corrosive effects of corruption on leaders. Continue reading “21th Sunday Ordinary Time – Isaiah’s Warning: Avoid Corruption; Unite the Community” →

Events

RSVP for Fall Parish Cookout on 9/15

| St. Charles Borromeo

You and your family are cordially invited to attend
the Fall Parish Cookout
on Sunday, September 15 after the 11:15 AM Mass. 

Join us for a cookout as we reconnect with those who have been away over the summer and welcome in the fall season. There will be activities for all ages, including games and story time with the St. Charles lectors.

To help us arrange for the appropriate amount of food, please let us know if you can attend by September 8. This event is free of charge thanks to your generous donations.

Please fill out the form below to RSVP:

Fall Cookout 2019 RSVP
reCAPTCHA
Events

Survey on Timing of 2nd Christmas Eve Mass

| St. Charles Borromeo

Planning on attending Mass on Christmas Eve at St. Charles Borromeo? If so, we’d welcome your input as we finalize our Mass schedule for the remainder of 2019.

On Tuesday, December 24, we will have a 5 p.m. Christmas Eve Family Mass and also plan to have a later Mass. Last year, the later Mass was said at midnight, but few of our parishioners attended. We are evaluating whether there is a better time. Provide your input via the below survey, which will remain open until September 2.

Christmas Eve Survey
Suggestions for 2nd Christmas Eve Mass Time
reCAPTCHA

 

Homilies

20th Sunday Ordinary Time – 11:15 AM (Fr. Smith Homily)

| St. Charles Borromeo

Last week’s Gospel spoke of the Master who returned to his household at an unexpected time and will need to reward or punish his servants. His measure is simple, “Are they doing their regular tasks justly and carefully?” This story is universally relevant to all followers of Jesus. The good disciple is one who builds up Jesus’ household, the church, most dutifully. So important is this that he will serve them – hopefully us – a wonderful meal. For the Jews this would have been especially significant as they believed the time of the Messiah was best seen as a great feast. Continue reading “20th Sunday Ordinary Time – 11:15 AM (Fr. Smith Homily)” →

Messages from the Pastor

20th Sunday Ordinary Time – Visions of Justice and Faith in God’s Covenant

| St. Charles Borromeo

The Prophet Jeremiah, Michelangelo, circa 1508–1512, Sistene Chapel (Wikipedia)

Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
Aug. 18, 2019

We read this Sunday from the Book of Jeremiah. He is called the weeping prophet of the Old Testament because he lived to see the city of Jerusalem destroyed. He might also be called its Cassandra as well. It was her curse to see the future of Troy and speak the truth, but never be believed. So it was with Jeremiah. Continue reading “20th Sunday Ordinary Time – Visions of Justice and Faith in God’s Covenant” →

Homilies, Podcast

19th Sunday Ordinary Time – 11:15 am (Fr. Smith homily)

| St. Charles Borromeo

Podcast transcript:

That young men would take up deadly force against innocent people is shocking and horrifying, but as a pattern is it all that surprising? The one common factor – other than being young and male – is that they have been loners. They are detached from society in general, but also even splinter groups of like-minded people. This is unusual in our history. Aging baby boomers like myself may remember the rash of bombings and politically motivated robberies in the 1970’s. Members of the Weather Underground or the Symbionese Liberation Army – however alienated from the general society – were at least able to join together in small groups. This seems to be no longer the case: we are dealing with people who belong to nothing. This is a more general trend in the whole society. We see attendance in churches declining, but also in civic organizations and even bowling leagues and the Boy Scouts. To rework a somewhat familiar saying, “A person who belongs to nothing will believe in anything.” As a church, we should be a home for all. St. Luke today shows us how.  Continue reading “19th Sunday Ordinary Time – 11:15 am (Fr. Smith homily)” →