What do you do when someone breaks a promise? Many people get angry or upset that their trust has been broken. When I promise something, I am using some future action as a sign of love or repentance or gratitude.
For example, the mouse in the story “The Lion and the Mouse” promises to help the lion in the future to not become dinner. The lion exchanges a small meal for some future help and later when the mouse chews away the net, the lion is repaid by the mouse’s fulfilled promise. If the mouse had looked on, laughed, and not kept his promise, the lion would have reason to be angry. A promise is like a loan and to not fulfill the promise or repay the loan is to steal.
Peter promised that he would be faithful and never deny Jesus. Jesus forgives Peter after Peter failed to keep the promise. We are prone to breaking our promises, because we overestimate our prospects, our time, and our memory. God, on the other hand, always keeps his promises.
In the first reading, we hear of God’s promise to Abraham, that all nations would be blessed through Abraham and his descendent. In the Gospel we hear the angel Gabriel announce to Mary that through her the promises made by God would be fulfilled.
At our baptisms and every time we receive the Eucharist or one of the sacrament- mysteries we acknowledge that God is a fulfiller of promises and we ask for his assistance to keep a promise to love God and our neighbor, to serve God, to fix our lives, and to seek mercy. We can recall and recommit these promises daily in prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and study.
- Christmas decorating Sunday, November 25th after both liturgies.
- Pastoral Council Tuesday, November 27th at 7:30 pm all are invited.
- Card and game night Wednesday, November 28 at 7 pm in the Church hall.
- St. Vincent dePaul First Saturday of Every month 6:30 pm - 8 pm serving meal at men's Gettysburg shelter 1921 S Gettysburg Ave, Dayton, OH 45417.
- House of Bread Wednesday December 19th 9am-2:30 pm 9 Orth Avenue.
- Bishop Elias visit Friday through Sunday December 7-9. With meet and greet, spiritual talk, liturgies, Saturday Night Dinner, and raffle. Tickets for the dinner are available this Sunday.
- Liturgy with Bishop Elias 11 am December 8 with lunch to follow in honor of the Immaculate Conception.
- Meetings with Bishop Elias by reservation 1 - 5 pm.
- Liturgy with Bishop Elias 11 am December 9th with reception to follow.
- Nominations are being accepted for the following awards to be awarded Saturday December 8: Faithful family award, Volunteer of the Year award, Young and Faithful Award (12-17), Good and faithful servant award (lifetime achievement), 1 Timothy 4:12 award (18-35), Faith of a child award (5-11)
-Confession opportunities St. Luke Church December 11th at 7pm. St. Albert Church December 20th at 7pm.
-Christmas caroling at Heartland of Miamisburg nursing home Saturday, December 15 at 4:30.
-Christmas party Sunday, December 16th after the 11am liturgy.
-Christmas novena begins December 16th.
- Pilgrimage to Washington, DC for March for Life, Church tours, and tour of the capital. January Thursday the 17th - Saturday the 19th.
- Reviewing the parish feedback has begun. More information forthcoming. - Initiatives- To what is God calling you? What are your hopes, dreams, and ideas for our parish? What do you want to do? Mission, charity, prayers, work, fundraisers, or maintenance? How can we support you? -Bible Study every Sunday at 10 am.
-Spanish Liturgy 6 pm Saturday. Sunday liturgies 9 am and 11 am
-Confessions immediately before and after daily liturgies or by appointment.
St. Ignatius of Antioch Announcement to Mary November 25, 2018
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