THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIMEJANUARY 27, 2019

to build momentum, to actually belong to the mission of the parish and the gospel nourished by God’s love.

In the Church and our homes, the signs of the season have been packed away for another year. We can’t keep the tree up forever, but the message remains; we can keep giving, of ourselves, to each other, especially to those in need. None of us ever stops belonging to God.

Belonging to the community that is St. Olaf embraces a considerable economic spectrum from living on the streets to working on the highest floors of downtown’s tallest buildings. There is a geographic range as well from living around the corner to visiting from all over the world. And there is belonging in faith (with love) and frustration (to keep from hating), or pain and a deep need for healing.

It might be Ordinary Time but the gospel message this weekend is not. Jesus proclaims the words first found in Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Belonging.

Some years are better than others. Of course, I’m talking about our Christmas tree at home. This year it was a beautiful tree but stopped taking water early in the season and became pretty crispy. It was fast approaching having more needles on the ground than on the branches when it was stripped of lights and ornaments and tossed out the back door before we even celebrated Epiphany. There was a void in the place where it belonged.

Christmas trees serve as an expression of the season of giving and receiving, a visual sign and meeting place of generosity for gifts great and small. To be part of this rhythm is to experience a sense of belonging. In a world of isolation and marginalization, the message of the Incarnation of God through Christ is that we all belong to God.

The Giving Trees during Advent here at St. Olaf helped to call us to build a culture of belonging and welcome for all. A new liturgical year brought a renewed opportunity for habits of faith to serve the mission of the parish and the gospel.

A couple years ago my then pre-school age granddaughter came with me to help put ornaments on the St. Olaf Giving Trees. She pushed a cart, which she could not even see over, around the building with purpose and determination because she understood she was part of this important

effort. Collecting items for people who were experiencing homelessness drove her because in her imagination, no one should be without gifts at Christmas! Her words: “Everyone should have presents, Pa.” My translation: “Everyone belongs.”

That year, like every year, the St. Olaf Giving Trees provided an opportunity to give so that others might experience a sense of belonging. This year was no exception. Members and visitors alike participated by taking one or many ornaments and returned them with generous expressions of belonging.

With the new liturgical year in Advent through the season of Christmas, we get support, parameters, guidelines, invitations, and exhortations in words, music, and visuals, to engage and respond,

ST. OLAF CATHOLIC CHURCH • MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA • 612-332-7471 • WWW.SAINTOLAF.ORG

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Belonging by Michael Griffin, Parish Staff

PRESENTATION OF THE LORDBlessing of Candles, Saturday, February 2 ~ The feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas Day) recalls the day on which Jesus was presented in the temple. Led by the Spirit, Simeon and Anna came to the temple and proclaimed Christ as the Light of revelation to the nations. Candles will be blessed at the 12:00 noon Mass at St. Olaf. After Mass worshippers will be able to take home one blessed candle for use in meditation or personal prayer. You may also bring candles from home to be blessed at Mass.

FEAST OF ST BLAISEBlessing of Throats, Monday, February 4 – Because the Feast of St. Blaise, healer and martyr, is on a Sunday this year, we will transfer the feast to Monday, February 4. The blessing of throats against illness and infection will be offered after the 7:00am and 12:00 noon Masses.

BOOK CLUBSunday, February 10 from 2:30 to 3:30

Man’s Search for Meaning: The Classic Tribute to Hope from the Holocaust by Viktor Frankl.

Viktor E. Frankl was professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Vienna Medical School until his death in 1997. During World War II, he spent three years in Auschwitz, Dachau, and other concentration camps. His personal story of survival and his observations of others in the face of great suffering during imprisonment are deeply inspiring and, in the end, have contributed greatly to the field of psychotherapy.

KNITTERS FOR SAMARITAN MINISTRYNovice and/or expert knitters are needed to create warm gloves, mittens, scarves, and hats for our Samaritan Ministry guests. Knitters meet Fridays in Forliti Gathering Room from 10:00am-11:30am to knit together or receive help with their projects. For more information: contact parishioner David Fillman at d.a.fillman@gmail.com.

ANNUAL BUDGET AS OF WEEK #28CONTRIBUTIONS ACTUAL BUDGET DIFFERENCE

Week #28 18,797 26,341 -7,544

YTD THROUGH #28 759,878 792,533 -32,655

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EVENTS AND OTHER INFORMATIONAdditional Information at www.saintolaf.org/events

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULEAdditional Information at www.saintolaf.org

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 9:00AM CENTERING PRAYER12:00PM MASS/CONFESSIONS 4:00PM MASS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 6:00AM MASS 8:00AM MASS 9:00AM NURSERY OPENS10:00AM MASS12:00PM MASS 4:00PM MASS

MONDAY, JANUARY 28 7:00AM MASS/CONFESSIONS 7:30AM SAMARITAN MINISTRY HOSPITALITY 12:00PM MASS12:00PM AA

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29 7:00AM MASS/CONFESSIONS12:00PM MASS/CONFESSIONS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30 7:00AM MASS/CONFESSIONS 7:00AM AA12:00PM MASS12:00PM AA 7:30PM ALANON

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31 7:00AM MASS/CONFESSIONS 7:00AM SAMARITAN MINISTRY HOSPITALITY 12:00PM MASS/CONFESSIONS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1OFFICE CLOSED ON FRIDAYS 7:00AM MASS/CONFESSIONS12:00PM MASS 12:30PM ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 9:00AM CENTERING PRAYER 9:30AM SACRAMENTS PARENT MEETING 10:00AM RCIA12:00PM MASS/BLESSING OF CANDLES12:30PM CONFESSIONS 2:00PM AFRICAN CHOIR REHEARSAL 4:00PM MASS