Censings

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Saint Cecilia Catholic Community March 03, 2019 – 10:30 AM Rev. David Justin Lynch Sirach 27:4-7 | Psalm 92:2-3; 13-16 I Corinthians 15:54-58 | Luke 6:39-45             + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.             Many of you have heard the saying, “that’s the pot calling the kettle black.” That’s what’s known as an “aphorism.” An “aphorism” is a short, compact observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” Another example might be, “the child is the father of the man.” Today’s Gospel is full of aphorisms. We hear Jesus tell us things like, "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit,” and, “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.” What the writer of today’s Gospel has done is to string several aphorisms together to form one coherent narrative whose underlying theme is one found

ASH WEDNESDAY – YEAR C March 06, 2019 7:00 PM Sung Mass Saint Cecilia Catholic Community Rev. David Justin Lynch Joel 2:12-18 Psalm 51:3-6; 12-14; 17 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18 + In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN. Last Sunday, I talked about how Jesus dislikes hypocrisy and hypocrites.  I mentioned how Jesus doesn’t like us to find fault with someone else when we ourselves are not without fault, and how bad trees cannot bear good fruit, a metaphor for the idea that you cannot get away with faking who you are. In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues his campaign against hypocrisy as he talks about the three traditional forms of Lenten observance: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. First, almsgiving. Ostensibly, Jesus implores us not to make a big deal out of our philanthropic endeavors. What Jesus condemns would be a donor using the media to announce how much is being donated to a particular charity. But