Bulletin 135

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

January 13th, 2013 Holy Family

Epistle: Col. 3: 12-17; Gospel: Lk. 2: 42-52

Mass schedule January 14th through January 18th

Monday-Saint Hilary-Bishop, Confessor & Doctor-NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday-Saint Paul, the First Hermit

Wednesday-Saint Marcellus I-Pope & Martyr

Thursday-Saint Anthony, Abbot

Friday-Votive Mass of the Chair of Saint Peter


The Feast of the Holy Family offers us a chance to reflect upon God’s eternal truths and the true meaning of life. We are a pilgrim people and the true home we were born for is in heaven. In this world filled with temptation and the pride of life we must learn the great value of silence. We should ask God for the gift of meditation and reflect upon that which is spiritual. We should pray each day for a well-ordered and disciplined life of prayer. We must first be rooted deeply in Christ if we hope to fulfill our duty as Christians to bring Him into a world where so many are in desperate need of His grace.

The Feast of the Holy Family should also help us to understand the importance of family life. The family is the basic unit of society. However, it is rapidly deteriorating and in many places almost completely vanquished from our culture. The family is the context in which children were meant to be raised.

We should also reflect upon the value of work. Jesus Christ chose to become the Son of a carpenter. He was never too proud to embrace an honest day’s work. Saint Paul writes in his Epistle: “All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Jesus Christ our Lord.” We should put all our hearts into everything we do and do all for love of God alone. If we can truly say that love of God is our motivation then we are on the path to holiness.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

The Real Presence Continued

When some of those present heard these words they were shocked and murmured among themselves, “This kind of talk is hard to endure. How can anyone take it seriously? Eat this man’s body? Drink His blood? Does He think we are cannibals?” Seeing their reaction, Jesus cautioned them that His words are not to be taken in a crudely carnal sense. Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. In other words, when they see Him ascend into heaven, they will not find it so difficult to believe that He gives His Body and Blood in a spiritual way that they cannot now imagine.

Even with this explanation, many of Jesus’ disciples found His words too much to believe; they “broke away and would not remain in His company any longer” (6.66). But instead of retracting His words or explaining them away, Jesus let the unbelieving disciples depart. He is even prepared to let the Twelve leave Him if they will not believe: “Do you also want to leave me?” Speaking in the name of the others, Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Peter and the other disciples do not understand how Jesus will give His body as real food and His blood as real drink, but they believe in Him, and that is all that Jesus requires of them.

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching