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St. Benedict the Abbot Church
Mass Schedule
Sunday Masses
Saturday 5:00 pm (Vigil)
Sunday 7:30 am
10:00 am
12:30 pm
6:00 pm (Sept.—May)
Weekday Masses
Tues., Wed., Thurs. 6:30 am
Monday - Saturday 8:30 am
Wednesday 6:30 - 7:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 - 11:30 am
Also by personal appt.
Office Hours
Monday - 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Friday
Sunday 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
St. Benedict the Abbot Church
120 Abington Drive,
McMurray, PA 15317-3398
Phone: (724) 941-9406
Fax: (724) 941-9517
E-mail :
Father Sam's Forum
A prophet is not without honor except in his native place…. What is it about things familiar to us that sometimes makes us hard to please? Once, during a trip abroad, I overheard a group of Americans complaining about the cost of groceries at the rest stop along the highway. “We can get this for x-amount of dollars at home,” one of them said. I was tempted to respond, “then why did you come on this trip? This isn’t home.”
Whenever I travel with a group, one of the cautions is always to go with the flow. Don’t expect things to be like they are at home. That’s part of the adventure. Don’t take anything for granted; allow yourself to be surprised.
Jesus surprised plenty of people. What they were waiting for from a Messiah, or even from the home town boy who came back for a visit, was not what they expected. “Where did he get all this?” was their response when Jesus began to teach and heal. For his part, Mark tells us that Jesus was “amazed at their lack of faith.”
It’s no surprise that we can become like the people the Prophet Ezekiel described, “hard of face and obstinate of heart.” We get set in our ways and come to some place where we believe we are always right or the way we do things is the only way. Think about your families. I have a few relatives who fit this description perfectly. Challenge or change and they are the first to whine.
But what if it’s us who become so set in our ways that we can’t be surprised? What if people aren’t always what we expect or demand them to be? How can we allow our horizons to broaden? How can we let go of judgmental attitudes or comparisons? Tough, isn’t it?
The responsorial psalm today gives us the way. “Our eyes are fixed on the Lord.” What does that say to you? To me it is a reminder that unless I stay focused on Christ, I will surely get off course and resort to the behaviors I know are not the most Christ-like. How do we keep focused? Prayer is always the first way. We hear St. Paul speak of prayer in the epistle today. He tells us that he asked God for something in prayer, and his request was not granted as he thought it should be. Instead, he got this response, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
Can we live with that? Simply grace. We might want or expect more. But here we are back where I began this column, being surprised by God, being surprised by life. That’s a real part of faith.
Parish News: Following up on the Pentecost presentation, a series of three meetings have been scheduled for everyone who stepped forward to offer their time and talents. The Communications Committee meets on Thursday, July 16, 7:30 pm; the Adult Formation Committee meets on Monday, July 20, 7:30 pm; and the Welcoming Committee meets on Wednesday, July 22, 7:00 pm. All meetings will be held in Room 210. If you haven’t signed up but are interested in any of these groups, please feel free to attend the meeting.
I will be away at the NPM Convention this week as part of my continuing education requirements.
Need Confidential assistance? Companionship and understanding for a difficult time? Stephen Ministers are here to help you. Call 724.941.5026.
Hotline for Victims of Sexual Abuse 412.456.3060 or 1.888.808.1235
© St. Benedict the Abbot Church, McMurray, PA