4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 The Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi

800yrs ago Sister Death came for St. Francis. 

Death was not the grim reaper for Francis;

But his sister who came to carry him home. 

Francis so loved the world, 

More than anyone 

Except God !

Francis played under Brother Sun. 

And danced beneath Sister Moon. 

He bathed in sister Water

He breathed in Brother wind and air

And walked barefoot on Sister Earth. 

Everyone and everything was brother and sister and mother to Francis. 

Even Death;

And that is why Francis welcomed Death as his sister. 

Because as much as Francis loved this world

He knew he was only a Pilgrim passing through. 

And that Sister Death would carry him home. 

Sister Death therefore is not the end

But the beginning. 

Not a separation but a reunion;

And that as we play in this world

The evening will come

When sister Death calls out to us

That it is time to come home;

For dinner is ready;

And everyone has gathered;

Around the Supper of the Lamb. 

Plenary Indulgence for the Jubilee of the Transitus of St. Francis

Jan 10,2026-Jan 10 2027

Pope Leo is granting a Plenary Indulgence for the 800th anniversary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi 

What is a Plenary Indulgence?

While sins are forgiven, restitution for the damage which sin has caused must in Justice be repaid. Mt. 5:26

The Church which has the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven given to Her by Jesus Mt. 16:19, offers to unlock the treasury of her graces and pay the restitution through the gift of a Plenary Indulgence If a person seeks an honest conversion and repentance of their life through Confession, Communion and prayer and make Pilgrimage to a Franciscan Church or shrine.

This Plenary Indulgence may be applied to one’s own life or be offered as a gift of restitution for someone who has died. 

One may receive more than one Plenary Indulgence if one fulfills each time the requirement of visiting a Franciscan Church, Confession, Communion and prayers for the Pope’s Intention with the desire of one’s own personal conversion and repentance. 

After the Jubilee Year of 2026 is over, one may receive a Plenary Indulgence every August 2 on the Franciscan Feast of Our Lady of the Angels, by visiting a Franciscan Church on that day, going to confession, receiving Communion and praying for the Pope’s Intentions within 8 days. 

Franciscan Churches of St. Bonaventure Province

Marytown : 1600 W. Park Av. Libertyville IL

St. Ita :  1220 W. Catalpa Av. Chicago, IL

St. Josaphat Basilica : 2333 S. Sixth St. Milwaukee, WI.

St. Patrick 420 E. 6th St. Minonk

St. Ann 311 W. Santa Fe Toluca

St. Mary 207 W 3rd S. St. Wenona

St. John the Baptist 301 S. Sheridan Lostant

Friday 3rd Week of Ordinary

A mixed bag. 2Sam. 11

David was a mixed bag. 

He is so in love with the Lord that he dances before Him in the Ark of the Covenant. 

And then He turns around and is so in love with a married woman that he has her husband killed. 

David knew this conflict within himself

And in Psalm 51 cried out to the Lord

To Have mercy on him. 

And the Lord in His goodness

Washed away his sins. 

How often do we come to the Lord with the best of intentions

Only to throw them all away in the face of temptation?

When we do, ask the Lord for Mercy

For His goodness which endures forever

Will wash away our sins as well. 

Thursday 3rd Week of Ordinary Time

 What is your measure Mk. 4:21-25

Jesus tells us,

“ The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” Mt.  7:2

So what is the measure of our love?

What is the measure of our forgiveness?

That is how much love and forgiveness the Lord will give us in return. 

Or what is the measure of our anger or impatience or criticism we measure out to others?

This too will one day be measured out to us. 

Fill our cup O Lord, overflowing with Love and Forgiveness and Patience so that the same may overflow from your hand to us one day. 

Wednesday 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Thomas Aquinas

By our wounds we are known

One day while Thomas Aquinas was at his desk studying

He had a vision of a man

Dressed in white, light shining all about him

Looking glorious. 

And Thomas asked the man who he was. 

And the man said 

“I am your Lord”

And Thomas said,

“If you are my Lord, show me your wounds.”

And instantly the man disappeared. 

Because it was the devil disguising himself as Jesus. 

Jesus is known by His wounds. 

And so are we!

There are some Christians who outwardly look like Jesus,

But are only in disguise. 

It is By the wounds we bear. 

And the wounds we suffer

By forgiving and turning the other cheek. 

That We too will be known as True Christians. 

Tuesday 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Dancing before the Lord 2Sam. 6

David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. 

And he was so filled with joy at being in the presence of God

That he began to dance before the Lord. 

When we come into the presence of the Lord in the Ark of the Tabernacle in church are we so filled with Joy that we feel like dancing?

Or do we feel nothing at all?

Monday 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Feast of Timothy and Titus

When was the last time you wrote a spiritual letter to a friend. 

Telling them how you yearn to see them;

How Grateful you are for the Faith that they have shared with you;

Encouraging them to stir into flame the gifts God gave them;

This is exactly what St. Paul did for his friends Timothy and Titus. 

It is amazing what a word of encouragement and support can do. 

That no matter what hardship they may be facing,

They can bear it with the strength that comes from God. 

Third Sunday of ordinary time

 Making God wait. Mk 4:26-38

How many people like to wait? In line On the phone At a stoplight

People don’t like to wait because Like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, they are always late; Late for a very important date! Jesus was in a hurry People to heal Sinners to forgive A world to save So when he called his disciples He needed an immediate answer No “let me think about it!”

Peter James and John dropped everything they were doing And immediately followed him Do you ever want God to immediately answer our prayers Because we are in a hurry Or desperate or can’t wait

Any yet, how eager are we to say here I am when God calls us for something. We always want God to drop everything for us and come when we call. Yet How eager are we to do the same for him. 

Saturday Second Week of Ordinary Time

 January 24. St. Francis de Sales

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”

“Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself.”

“Half an hour's meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.”

Thursday Second Week of Ordinary Time

 Day of Prayer for the Legal Protecton of Unborn Children

Unborn Child

Seals and Crofts wrote a song called Unborn Child in 1974

With a lyric 

“O Unborn Child you’ll never cry

Nor will you hear a sweet lullaby. “

When one stops and views abortion from the perspective of the Unborn child;

Everything changes. 

Wednesday Second Week of Ordinary Time

 

St. Agnes

Agnes lived in Rome at the last half of the 3rd century,

During the time of the Christian persecution.

She was a young girl about the age of 12 who decided to dedicate her life to Jesus. 

Many men wanted to marry her but when she refused,

She was imprisoned in a house of prostitution. 

She was later condemned and suffered martyrdom.

She heard the voice of Jesus say,

“Let the children come to me.” Mt 19:14

And she followed Him. 

How can we claim to be children of God

If we do not listen to His voice,

As Agnes did?

Tuesday Second Week of Ordinary Time

 Sabbath rest  Mk 2:22-38

God rested from His Labors on the Sabbath

And so commanded Man to do the same. 

The purpose of rest on the Sabbath is to spend time with God;

Put aside all that we have to do and give quality time with God. 

This is how a spiritual relationship with God grows. 

God rested on the Sabbath and saw that everything He created was good. 

Man must rest on the Sabbath from His labors to see that God is good!

Monday 2nd Week of Ordinary Time

New Wine Skins Mk. 2:18-22

In the Eucharist we receive the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

In the Eucharist we receive the fullness of grace.  

We receive all the grace that is, was and ever will be. 

With all that, why is it then that we are not instantly transformed into saints?

Because we  cannot pour New Wine, into old wine skins. 

Many people receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist and when they leave church go back to their old way of living and thinking and the grace of the New Wine they have received in the Eucharist is spilled out and lost because their hearts were not prepared to receive the fullness of grace.  

Before receiving the Eucharist we must first seek to change our old ways so that we might be able to contain within ourselves like the Virgin Mary, the fullness of grace and begin a new life in Christ. 

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Whose Will?

Before Isaiah was born, 

God formed him in his mother’s womb because He had plans for him. 

Isaiah was to be his servant who spread God’s message to the nations. 

And he did for at the United Nations

Are found the words of Isaiah,

“I will turn your swords in ploughshares

And Your spears into prunning hooks.”

Before we were born, what plans did God have for us?

Have we ever stopped to ask God why He made us?

Have we ever said.

“Here I am Lord, I come to do Your Will?”

Or when we pray do we say;

“Here I am Lord, Where are You?

I have something for you to do today?”

Do we only call upon God when we want something from Him

Or do we also call Upon God letting Him know we are there for WHATEVER He wants!

Maybe coming to church is not about fulfilling an obligation;

Or seeking to get something from God;

Maybe coming to Church is all about saying

“Here I am Lord, I come to do Your Will.”

Friday First Week of Ordinary Time

Jesus and Judges Mk. 2:1-12

When a person who has been found guilty is brought into court 

The judge either sentences the person or commutes the sentence.

But the person remains guilty. 

When a sinner comes to Jesus;

And their sins are forgiven;

So is their guilt. 

The Forgiveness of Jesus

Transforms us from sinner to saint;

From guilty to holy. 

And only Jesus has Authority to do this,

Or His disciples to whom He has granted the same Authority. 

Thursday First Week of Ordinary Time

Make me clean inside and out Mk 1:40-45

Leprosy was a disease that everyone could see as it disfigured one’s body and caused one’s skin to rot. 

And that is why the leper asked to be healed. 

But there is another type of leprosy that no one can see. 

A leprosy of the heart and soul. 

Where by our sins eat away at our souls. 

And only Jesus can cleanse us and make us whole. 

But we have to ask Him,

To make us clean!

Wednesday First week of Ordinary time

Are we really there?  1 Sam. 3:1-10

When the Lord called Samuel 

He responded and said

“Here am I Lord, I come to do your will.”

The Lord called Samuel because he knew that he would answer and do His Will. 

Are we there for the Lord;

Whenever he calls

And for whatever He wants?

Do we say,

“Here I am Lord I come to do your Will!”

Or do we hesitate to answer

Because we would rather do our own will?

Tuesday First Week of Ordinary Time

 Authority or Opinion Mk. 1:21-28

At the time of Jesus there were Pharisees; Sadducees, rabbis and the Sanhedrin and they all had their opinions about God and how to practice the Faith. 

So when Jesus taught decisively and with authority it surprised everyone. 

Nowadays everyone has an opinion and it telling everyone what to believe and how to practice the Faith. 

Only Jesus teaching with Authority,

Everything else is just someone’s opinion. 

Monday First Week of Ordinary Time

 Too busy?  Mk. 1:14-20

Pete was busy. 

He was not just sitting around doing nothing when Jesus called him. 

They were hard at work casting their nets. 

But they dropped everything when Jesus called them and followed Him. 

When Jesus asks something of us do we ever tell Him we are busy or do we drop everything and follow Him.