Friday Evening Prayer at 5 PM

November 11, 2022 | Mike McGowan

Please download the worship aid to participate in Friday’s evening prayer, which will begin at 5 PM.

Evening Prayer for November 11

Instructions on how to join are available here.

Homily – Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo (obs.) (Fr. Smith)

November 7, 2022November 7, 2022 | Fr. William Smith

Charles Borromeo was born to be a footnote. He had all the signs of being a very important person of his time and place who would do the expected and conventional things well, be praised at his death, and then quickly forgotten. God however gave him a way to greatness.

Charles was born in 1538, the third son of the count of Arona on the southern bank of Lake Maggiore. He was destined for the church and by the age of 12 received a substantial income from church properties. As a young man, he excelled in both civil and canon law and received a doctorate at 21. Several weeks later, his uncle Cardinal Giovanni Medici, was elected Pope Pius IV and was summoned to Rome. He was made a cardinal almost immediately. This was not uncommon. Renaissance Italy was a treacherous place and only family, and not always them, could be trusted. The Pope would find his most talented nephew and bring him immediately into the papal government. As “Cardinal-Nephew” Charles was given many important duties including governing the Papal States. He also organized the third and last session of the Council of Trent which sought to reform the church. These were all signs of a safe future in every sense of the word.

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Events, Videos

Community Mass – St. Charles Borromeo

November 5, 2022November 5, 2022 | St. Charles Borromeo

On Sunday, November 6, 2022, join us in person or online for the celebration of our patronal feast day for St. Charles Borromeo.

Our current Sunday Mass times are:

9 AM EDT – Morning Mass
11:15 AM EDT – Community Mass
7 PM EDT – Evening Mass

Watch the video live by clicking in the window above.
Automated closed captioning is available.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel stcharlesbklyn at this link to watch on your Internet enabled TV or viewing device.

The readings will be from Cycle C.

Entrance: All People That on Earth Do Dwell – 853

Readings/Psalm – 1187

Offertory: Shepherd Me, O God – 35

Communion: Be Not Afraid – 683

Closing: Let There Be Peace on Earth – 829

The Gather 3rd Edition Hymnal/Missals are available for use in the church – pick one up as you enter and return it after Mass. Instructions on how to use the hymnal missal are available here: https://www.stcharlesbklyn.org/hymnal-missal/ .

Today’s readings are also available to read online at the USCCB website https://bible.usccb.org .

Support our Parish – Please contribute to our General Collection online here.
Help us support Catholic Charities Food Pantries in Brooklyn and Queens online

Scriptual Commentary

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Guided by Jesus

November 5, 2022 | Fr. William Smith

Center stained-glass window of St. Charles Borromeo parish
(About this Image)

The Church asks us to understand that Christ,
who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again.
When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come,
at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts,
bringing with him the riches of his grace.
(Pastoral Letter of St. Charles Borromeo )

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
2 Thessalonians 2:16–3:5
November 6, 2022

Last week, we began reading the “Second Letter to the Thessalonians” at Mass. This letter presents many complicated technical issues that may obscure a remarkably simple message about the afterlife, indeed, a very traditional one. Many Jews, most noticeably the Pharisees, believed that the Messiah would come, all the dead would rise from their graves and be divided between the good and bad. The 12 tribes of Israel would be restored and there would be an earthy reign of Justice. The early Church, most brilliantly but not exclusively St. Paul, adapted but did not fundamentally change this schema. Jesus would return, the dead would rise and be judged, but as he is more than the Messiah, all humanity would be brought into the kingdom which he would rule. Those who read this letter would have agreed with this. The problem was as Jesus has already been with us, why is he waiting so long to return and begin the kingdom and what are the consequences? A fuller account of this may be found in last week’s commentary.

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Events

Friday Evening Prayer at 5 PM

November 4, 2022 | Mike McGowan

Please download the worship aid to participate in Friday’s evening prayer, which will begin at 5 PM.

Evening Prayer for November 4

Instructions on how to join are available here.

Homilies

Homily – 31st Sunday Ordinary Time (Fr. Smith)

October 31, 2022 | Fr. William Smith

The image of the Good Shepherd is universally beloved. Christians see Jesus seeking out a stray. This was the most popular statue of Jesus in the ancient world partially because Romans used the image of carrying a sheep for Apollo caring for his devotees. A Christian could go to a sculptor and ask for an Apollo with lamb without causing suspicion. Jews saw the dutiful Shepherd as a sign of divine rule and care as we know from the 23rd Psalm. Also, the prophet Ezekiel used the image of the bad shepherd as the ultimate condemnation of the leaders of Jerusalem. These are particularly powerful passages and many of Jesus’ original listeners would have thought they condemned Jesus for reaching out to Zacchaeus. Luke would have understood this feeling, used it and we can understand the power of this passage only if we do as well.

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