Epiphany of the lord

January 7, 2018 Volume 2, Issue #1

Celebrants:

Father Victor Ray and

Father Martin dePorres

On behalf of Father Victor and to all who are with

us today, Thank You for being here.

Love is present among us this day,

Thank You!

In the stories of Jesus’ birth, two special groups of people came to visit the new-

born babe: the shepherds and the magi. The church has no special feast to

commemorate the visit of the shepherd’s, but we have this special feast of Epiphany

today to celebrate the visit of the magi. Why is that? It is because the visit of the

magi is an eye-opener. The shepherds learnt of the birth of Jesus through a direct

revelation from angels appearing in the midnight sky. This is direct and supernatural

revelation. Many of us have no problem with that. The magi, on the other hand,

learnt of the birth of Jesus by observing a star. The star did not say anything to them.

They had to interpret this natural sign of the star to know what it meant and where it

led. If we remember that the magi or the three wise men were nature worshippers,

people who divined God’s will by reading the movements of the stars and other

heavenly bodies, then we can see how the visit of the magi challenges some of our

popular beliefs.

As Christian/Catholics we believe that our religion possesses the fullness of

truth. But what does that benefit us if we do not walk in the truth? Nature

worshippers or non-believers who are sincerely committed to following the dim

light of natural reason may arrive at Jesus before Christians who have the exalted

truths revealed by God but who do not walk the walk of faith. This is the

challenging truth we celebrate today in the story of the pagan wise men who seek

and find the Lord.

Fr. Victor Ray

Wisdom From

Father

LET’S SAY

Tyler Luckadoo, Friend of Becky. Prayer for Continued Recovery and Healing.

Mark Talboom. Prayers for Healing

Becky Byrley. Prayers for Healing.

Lyn Kovar. Prayer for Healing Aura

Ivy Villafana. Prayers for continued Healing and Better Health.

Bill Hartwig. Prayers for continued Healing and Better Health.

D.A. and Dee dealing with health issues. Prayers for Healing and Better Health.

Birgit Wilhelm dealing with health issues. Prayers for Healing and Better Health.

For all of our Parishioners that follow us through Electronic Media. Prayers for your

specific request that you have sent us.

For all those that need a Prayer, Raise your Right Hand Toward Heaven and know

that the Parish of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community is beside you in your

Prayer.

Any Prayer Request needed, Please, notify William Schwartz

The Daily Prayer of Saint Teresa

Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with

your spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life

may only be a radiance of You. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I

come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no

longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine,

so to shine as to be a light to others. Amen.

A

PRAYER

FOR:

For All Those Prayers that we have received through the Internet:

You are “ALL” in our Prayers!

OTHER HAPPENINGS

❖ You will notice that we are now closing the Inner Doors to the Chapel. We

have had requests to use this time before Mass for Meditation and Prayer.

Please be respectful for this request. Once Mass starts, the Inner Doors will

stay open for Security reasons. We are trying to make the Narthex homier for

conversations.

❖ This week we will be taking down the Christmas Tree. If you would like to

have your Ornament that you have placed on the Tree, please take it with you

TODAY. Otherwise we will store the Ornaments until next year and place

them on the tree.

❖ On the Bulletin Board located in the Narthex, is a list of all Official Registered

Members. If you are not on this list, please fill out a Blue Form and place it in

the Offertory Plate or give it to an usher. Being a Registered Member entitles

you to vote on the Upcoming Constitution, Bylaws, etc. So Please Register.

❖ Have you signed up for the Tyrone’s Hamburger Mary Dinner and Bingo.

Proceeds goes to Outreach for the Meals in the Park.

❖ New Page to the Website: www.stoccc.org has been added. Prayer Requests

are now being handled through the Website. Facebook has turned into a jungle

of @#$%^&*.

This Weeks

Chuckle

Celebrations

Collin Stout Birthday 1/17

Jennifer Stout Birthday 2/6

Becky Byrley Birthday 2/10

Ellie Ospina Birthday 2/12

Matthew Schnabel Birthday 2/13

Caleb Stout Birthday 3/3

For all those Celebrations that I have missed, Forgive Me and

I sincerely hope they were all Wonderful and Wishing You

Many More!

CHURCH SCHEDULE

• January 7, Sunday, 10:30 am – Epiphany of the Lord

• January 14, Sunday, 10:30 am – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

• January 14th, Sunday, 3 pm, MLK Jr. Interfaith Memorial Service. St. Jude's Cathedral, Roman Catholic Diocese, 5815 5th Ave N, St Pete.

• January 15, Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• January 17, Wednesday, Dinner/Bingo at 6 pm at Tyrone’s Hamburger Mary at 2901 Tyrone Blvd N, St. Petersburg. Fundraising is for Celebrate Outreach Saturday Meals in the Park.

• January 21, Sunday, 10:30 am – 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Noteworthy:

➢ Please No Smoking on Allendale Campus.

➢ Hospitality Ministry does well with food and snacks but help is needed in the

Drinks Departments. If you catch a good price on Soda or other Beverages, we

sure could use some.

➢ Anyone interested in helping out the Media Ministry with Facebook, Instagram, or

Twitter, please contact Bill Schwartz.

➢ Anything we can help you with, or if we need to be doing something, Please, speak

up!!

GATHERING

( ) REPEAT AT THE END OF LAST REFREAIN

Reading 1 ISIAH 60:1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines,

and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining

radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from

afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of

the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of

camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold

and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. THANKS BE TO GOD.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king's son; He shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. Reading 2 EPHESIANS 3:2-3A, 5 -6

Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for your

benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to

people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the

Spirit: that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in

Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. THANKS BE TO GOD.

Alleluia MATTHEW 2:2

R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.

R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MATTHEW 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi

from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod

heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the

chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to

be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through

the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the

rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people

Israel." Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the

star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for

the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him

homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that

they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place

where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house

they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him

homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense,

and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed

for their country by another way.

This is the Gospel of the Lord. PRAISE TO YOU LORD JESUS CHRIST.

SING ALLELUIA RIGHT AWAY

OFFERTORY

COMMUNION

( ) REPEAT AFTER LAST REFRAIN

POST COMMUNION SONG (IF NEEDED TO STRETCH)

Verse 3 Glory, glory this I sing Nothing but the blood of Jesus All my praise for this I bring Nothing but the blood of Jesus Then to Refrain

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

SING THE REFRAIN FIRST BEFORE VERSE 1

SENDING

CAN

CANTOR RAP BEFORE THE 3RD VERSE

JOY TO THE WORLD

Please join us for Fellowship

and Coffee. Have a Blessed Week!

Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community

Mailing Address: Physical Address P.O. Box 47921 3803 Haines Road North St. Petersburg, Florida 33743 St. Petersburg, Florida 33703 Phone: 727-245-0102

Website: STOCCC.org Youtube: Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community

Facebook: FACEBOOK.COM/STOCCCLOVE Instagram: STOCCCLOVE Twitter: STOCCC2

Bulletin Submissions due by Thursday at Midnight.

Email to: media.stoccc@gmail.com or by calling Bill Schwartz at PH: 727-350-3778