ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH
WHITESBORO, TEXAS
FEBRUARY 19, 2017
“IF YOU GREET YOUR BROTHERS ONLY,
WHAT IS UNUSUAL ABOUT THAT?”
by Fr. Jeremy Myers
Matthew 5:38-48
The Lord expects better from us. We learn that simple fact
today from that passage we hear from the Sermon on the
Mount. The Lord Jesus draws a contrast between the typical
and the perfect. While it may be typical behavior to “love those
who love you,” or “greet your brothers only,” Jesus asks for a
more perfect behavior, “Do not the tax collectors do the same?
What is unusual about that?” The perfection Jesus calls for
means more compassion, more kindness, more generosity. A
woman writing in a recent issue of Family Circle tells of an
experience she had. She tells us that the school where she
worked had organized a food drive. She was looking at what
had been collected. There was the usual mac-and-cheese
donations, but also some high-end items such as gluten free
crackers, rice pasta, artichoke hearts packed with seasoned
oil, and quinoa. Another woman walked by and seeing the
items that had been donated, smiled and said, “Too bad they
won’t know what to do with most of it.” The teacher asked,
“What do you mean?” “Those people won’t know what most of
that stuff is. I mean, really. Quinoa?” The teacher knew those
people better than most. Eight months before she had been
one of those people. It had been eight months since the last
time she had gotten groceries at the local food pantry. Eight
months since the long-overdue child support from her exhusband kicked in. Even though it wasn’t much, it made the
difference between being able to buy enough food for her and
her children to make it through the week—and for that she
was grateful. Those people. She remembered the first time
she had gone to the food pantry. She drove by several times
before working up the courage to pull into the parking lot. “I
can’t” she whispered and went home . . . to an empty
refrigerator and kitchen cupboards. She went back. Those
people. She finally worked through the door. She could feel
the heat on her cheeks as she filled out the paperwork, telling
complete strangers her life history, how much money she
earned, and what she spent it on. Those people. She quickly
learned that food pantries are hit-or-miss. Some days the
shelves were full and with really good things—and other days
when she could barely pull a few meals together from the
dented cans and spoiled produce. But beggars can’t be
choosers, right? Those people. She made five trips to the
pantry over eleven months. When she told her kids, she
expected them to get angry or be embarrassed. Instead, they
helped her put the groceries away, quietly. She remembers all
the meals she made with food pantry items: oven-roasted
chicken with quartered rosemary potatoes; turkey chili, and
French toast; and more mac-and-cheese than she cared to
admit. One of her favorites was an organic risotto, flavored
with mushrooms and olive oil. Those people. She wanted to
walk up to the woman in the hallway, grab her by the
shoulders, and shake her. “You don’t know how it feels to walk
into one of those places and be one of those people. You’ve
never looked at your kids and had to hide your tears because
you had no idea how you were going to feed them. Instead,
she just said, “I like quinoa.” The other woman answered,
“Well, yes, but you’re not one of those people.” If only she
knew. We do well to remember Jesus stood on the side of
those people and he asks us to do the same.
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A) What does
it mean to be perfect? Perhaps “well-rounded” is a
good way to describe the perfection which Jesus talks
about. We make mistakes; we commit sin. It’s
recovering and learning from these which gives us the
chance to grow in wisdom.
SÉPTIMO DOMINGO DEL TIEMPO ORDINARIO (A)
¿Qué
significa
ser
perfecto?
Quizás
“bien
redondeado” es una manera buena de describir la
perfección de la cual Jesús habla. Cometemos errores;
cometemos pecado. Se recupera y aprende de éstos
que nos da la posibilidad de crecer en la sabiduría.
Please join us for coffee and fellowship after Mass
today in the Parish Hall.
Por favor únase a nosotros para el café y compañerismo
después de Misa hoy en el Salón Parroquial.
STEWARDSHIP FOR FEBRUARY 12, 2017
$ 2,692.00
Blessings to you for your generosity.
“There are many in this world who have less than we do.
There are many in this world who have more than we do.
This makes no difference to our commitment to share our
own gifts and resources. It is not about who has less than I
do. It is not about who has more than I do. It is about ‘What
will I do?’”
Author Unknown
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
I would like to thank you for
your response to
the
Bishop’s Annual Appeal last
Sunday.
Envelopes
are
available in the Church for
those families who may
have been away last Sunday
and unable to participate.
We invite everyone to join
together in this important effort. Again, my thanks to you
for your generosity and outpouring of love.
Quiero darles las gracias por su respuesta al
llamamiento anual del Obispo el domingo pasado. Los
sobres están disponibles en la Iglesia para aquellas
familias que hayan estado fuera el domingo pasado y no
pudieron participar. Invitamos a todos los miembros de
la parroquia a unirse en este importante esfuerzo. Una
vez más, gracias por su generosidad y efusión de amor.
Fr. Jeremy
FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2017
†Jim Hubbell by Tina Hubbell
LITURGICAL ASSIGNMENTS FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2017
Lector
Anita Morales Servers
Eucharistic Ministers
Mike Maberry
Ana Baeza Ushers
Suzanne Cunningham
Manuel Labrada
Jesus Labrada
Alex Labrada
Gary Dale Lewis
Cleo Dreyer
Gift Bearers
Ministers to Homebound
Shawn Breidenstein Family
Mike & Lisa Maberry
Si desea patrocinar flores para el altar en honor de una
We want to wish a happy birthday to all in our parish family ocasión especial o en memoria de alguien especial, por
celebrating a birthday this week, especially Rosario Labrada favor contacte a Sally Ferguson a 903-821-4326 para
and Jacqueline Smith on February 22nd and Austin Sotelo hacer arreglos para ponerse en el calendario.
and Rebekah Urban on February 25th.
Need prayer for a special
intention, sick friend or
We want to wish a happy anniversary to all couples
family member, Catholic or
celebrating a wedding anniversary this week, especially
non-Catholic?
Contact
Sparky & Rita Gustafson on February 20th, Jim & Tonie Huff
Sharon
Kirkpatrick
at
on February 23rd, and Jesus & Cecilia Dominguez on
[email protected]
February 24th.
or 940-665-6825 and she will
notify members of St.
Have you been wondering what to do on Sunday afternoons
with the end of the football season? The Women's Guild will Francis of Assisi Prayer Group of your need.
host the next Sunday Movie Matinee on Sunday, February ¿Necesitas oración por una Necesitas oración por una
26th, from 2 - 5 p.m. in the St John Bosco Meeting intención especial, amigo enfermo o miembro de la
Room. The movie will be, The Chronicles of Narnia: The familia, católico o no católico? Póngase en contacto con
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The movie was created Anita Morales al [email protected] o 903from the book by a respected Catholic author, C.S. Lewis. 816-1519 y ella notificará a los miembros de San
Maybe you read it as a child and now your child is reading it. Francisco de Asís Grupo de Oración de su necesidad.
It is rated PG. Come and join us for an adventurous
afternoon followed by a lively discussion! Everyone is
welcome!
¿Se ha preguntando qué hacer los domingos en la tarde con
el final de la temporada de fútbol? El Grupo Gremio de
Mujeres será el anfitrión el próximo domingo matiné de
película el domingo, 26 de febrero, de 2-5 p.m. en la sala de
San Juan Bosco. La película será, las Crónicas de Narnia: el
León, la Bruja y el Armario. La película fue creado del libro
por un autor católico respetado, C.S. Lewis. Tal vez lo lee “For we bring nothing into the world
cuando era niño y ahora su hijo lo está leyendo. Es
and we will take nothing out.”
clasificada PG. Ven y Únete a nosotros para una aventura
por la tarde seguido por una discusión animada! ¡Todos son PLAN AHEAD. Your last will and
testament can be an eloquent
bienvenidos!
statement of what you appreciated
most in your life. A bequest to help
Would you like to sponsor flowers for
St.
St. Francis of Assisi Church is a
the altar in honor of a special occasion
Francis
good way to thank God for your faith
of Assisi
or in memory of someone special?
and to pass it on to those who follow
Catholic
Please contact Sally Ferguson at 903-821
you.
Church
-4326 to make arrangements to get on
the schedule.