Sunday, January 15, 2017

A Fraternal Celebration for the General Minister........

 GOSPEL READING:     Mk 2:18- 22
     One day, when the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting, some people asked Jesus, "Why is it that both the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?" Jesus answered, "How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them and on that day they will fast.

     "No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear away from the old cloth, making a worse tear. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the wine would burst the skins and then both the wine and the skins would be lost. But new wine, new skins."

REFLECTION
     The first reading acknowledges that our religious leaders are men who are not perfect: only the Son of God is the perfect High Priest. That does not mean that we should not respect our imperfect religious leaders; rather we should encourage them to be better images of Jesus. We do so by ourselves being better images of Jesus.

     Gone are the days when only the bishops and priests do all the leading of the flock; by virtue of their baptism, all Christian laity participate in the leadership role in the Church: they are to pray for others, they are to also fight evil and save others. Jesus is the model and friend in this journey and task.

     The Gospel reading reminds us that we have to be renewed in our hearts in our service of God and neighbor. We must all be men and women of God in serving God and helping others, in fighting injustice and establishing God's kingdom.


Friars from neighbouring fraternities also participated in the festal lunch
Hugo, Damien, Victorius and Raffaele......so full of Joy.....Clayton seems to be contemplating something about the celebration!!!

Vicar General Stefan spoke words of appreciation of the general minister and presented him a book as a gift from the community...the other Generals look on...

The friars in full attention......in the refectory...


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