We continue through the month-long Gospel of John’s “Bread of Life Discourse.” In our first reading today the Prophet Elijah found strength for his long, dangerous journey in the food God sent him. We too can find strength in the “the living bread from heaven” Jesus, on our long, challenging journey to God’s Kingdom! Saint Paul reminds us that sharing in this gift requires us to be as compassionate and forging toward one another as God, in Christ, is to us.
This Wednesday, August 15 is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass here at Holy Cross will be at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, August 14 and 8:00 AM on Wednesday. The origins of the church’s belief in the Assumption of Mary into heaven, defined as a dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950, go back to an early tradition in both the East and West that Mary’s natural death was in fact a falling asleep (Dormition), and that bodily assumption and not burial completed Mary’s earthly journey to heaven. She is the Mother of God, mother of Jesus, and a sign to the whole church of the final destiny of all the faithful. The Church’s declaration of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary in 1950 was addressed to a world exhausted by war and the deaths of over 50 million human beings. The value of human life had been so subjected to mindless brutality and destruction; by affirming Mary’s dignity as the ultimate measure of every person, especially the poor, the church asserted something of critical importance. Every life is precious in the sight of God!
We send our congratulations and God’s blessing to Monsignor Lawrence T. Persico, the Vicar General and Pastor of Saint James in New Alexandria, as he was named Bishop of Erie last week by our Holy Father Pope Benedict. Please pray for all during this time of transition.
You will notice on the back of the bulletin that there are many empty spaces for ads. If you or your place of employment would like to place an ad to help defray the cost of printing the bulletin, please call Mary Ann Klingensmith at (724) 925-2480.
Our Respnsorial Psalm this week, "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord," urges us to acknowledge and give thanks for the refuge and joy we find in the Lord.
