CATHOLIC FAITH AT HOME RESOURCES
FOR ST. THOMAS MORE PARISHIONERS
September 19
Novena for St. Thérèse
Led by Dominican Friars

Starting SEPTEMBER 22

Join and learn why she is beloved by so many, including:

  • Thérèse’s insights into how the Father loves us with delight
  • How she was both a little daughter and
a great mother of souls
  • How she prayed for scandalous sinners with a love far mightier than sin
…and much more!
Wed. Sept. 22 - Fri. Oct.1 (Novena + Day of Thanksgiving)
9:25 pm – Login to Zoom (Register here for Zoom link)
9:30 pm – Hear about St. Thérèse
9:40 pm – Pray with Thérèse’s Act of Oblation to Merciful Love & Novena
9:50 pm – Go in peace...
And click the link below for a 9-day written novena:

YOU CAN WIN $10,000 FOR OUR PARISH?

Click below to see how!!
QUIZ! FOR THE WEEK
Why Did God Choose Mary?
Scroll down to find the answer!
UPDATE TO BEACONS OF LIGHT WEBSITE

Everyone is encouraged to explore the website
and become familiar with all being shared about Beacons of Light.

Check out the glossary of terms that help explain the process.

CLICK below to view the website:

And please pray for its success!
Archbishop Schnurr requested our prayer support and offered
a novena to use between September 22 - 30.

Click below for ways to pray and for the daily intentions:

NEW EVENT!!
WATCH PARTIES of THE CHOSEN SERIES

Come to our Kickoff Event! October 10th
after the 10:00 am Mass to learn about our next Faith Formation Event!
( with... free donuts! )

Director Dallas Jenkins's new original series, 'The Chosen,' is revolutionary.
 Offering a glimpse into the daily and extraordinary life of Jesus Christ
and his disciples 2,000 years ago,
Jenkins invites the viewer into His story,
through the eyes of those who knew Him.

A unique presentation - created outside of Hollywood.

Learn more and register for the party matching your schedule:
GOSPEL READING REFLECTION
FOR SEPTEMBER 19
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
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The Greatness of the Lowly

  • Just as in last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus asks his apostles a question. This time they do not answer, because they are ashamed to do so. Their reasoning might be something like this:

Jews are greater than Gentiles.
The disciples are greater than the Jews in general.
The Twelve are greater than the rest of the disciples.
Therefore, one of the Twelve must be the greatest among this select group.

  • One reason they are silent might be that the Lord’s greatness is so out of proportion to whatever favor or merit they might claim.

  • Also, they know Jesus well enough to intuit that there is something wrong about exercising greatness and power as the world does.

  • Still, Jesus’ response is as surprising and profound as His revelation in last week’s Gospel about each of us having a cross and that cross being our way to salvation.

  • “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

  • His example illustrates His meaning: Addressing a child is the epitome of unimportant; however, to receive Christ and thus the Father, one must first receive a child.

  • Stooping down to serve the most lowly is the way to reach the heights of Christ and God the Father.

  • This is an ambition of which Our Lord approves!
ANSWER TO QUIZ
From a theological perspective we can say that God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus because she, herself, was the Immaculate Conception. 
Mary was conceived in her mother's womb without sin when God gifted her parents to embrace in a unitive act of absolute, pure love.
This makes Mary the perfect mother of Jesus.

At her creation, God chose to bestow upon her a “preservative grace,” preserving her, with her cooperation, from all stain of sin, including Original Sin. Thus, she would be a fitting, pure vessel for God the Son to become incarnate, to "take on" flesh.
She was preserved by the grace from her Son's Cross, transcending time to free her at her conception. 
Thus, her Son was her Savior before He was born in time.

If that’s confusing, try to ponder it for a while.
It’s a great mystery of faith and a deep one also.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
FAITH FORMATION ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
CLICK THE LINK BELOW: