SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – February 23, 2025

Please, check out the Hungarian section (link at the bottom) as well, as some Hungarian related news or information may be found only there.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: The Lord is kind and merciful.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTIONS:

9:00 AM: Parishioners of St. Emeric Parish

11:00 AM: Peller, Falk, Szabadhegyi Families, by the Families

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: Today’s Liturgy of the Word offers us the thought of forgiving our enemies. In the Old Testament reading we heard of King David forgiving Saul who sought to kill David; the responsorial psalm reminded us that God is kind and merciful; and in the New Testament we heard directly from God Himself, Jesus, teaching us to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Obviously, Jesus also lived these words faithfully (and, we who were enemies of God, since we all are sinners, now can benefit from it). Jesus encourages us to pray for our enemies and forgive one another from the heart for several reasons: first, He initially forgave us and if we want to participate in this forgiveness, we must exercise the virtue of mercy ourselves (see the Lord’s prayer). Secondly, forgiveness breaks the cycle of resentment and violence, leading to reconciliation and peace. Thirdly, it brings us greater freedom and true spiritual peace.

Forgiveness in the Catholic context is not about forgetting or condoning the wrongs done to us, but rather about releasing ourselves from the burden of anger and resentment. It is a process that involves recognizing the intrinsic dignity of the person who has wronged us and allowing God to work through our hearts to forgive and bring about deeper conversion in us and in the others. Practicing forgiveness can be challenging and may seem at times almost impossible. However, even if there is no evidence of contrition on the part of the other, the act of forgiving is still beneficial for the forgiver and for the world (as it brings down more graces from the Lord).

To aid in the process of forgiving enemies, it is recommended to pray for them, offer Mass on their behalf, or offer up small sufferings we experience as acts of forgiveness. With small stuff, we can forgive and forget. With major events and hurts, we must make the conscious effort of letting go of the need for vengeance (no one escapes God’s justice), and we must let go of the desire to use the hurts as some sort of leverage over the other person. We will never “feel” 100% ready to forgive, but as soon as we realize we have to, we must jump into it. Temptation will be there to take back the forgiveness and hold a grudge, but we must resist it. At the end, forgiveness benefits the forgiver the most. It allows us to be healed from our wounds; otherwise, not forgiving is like opening the wound again and again.

EMERIC ALTAR GUILD will hold its annual meeting in two weeks on Sunday March 9, after the 11AM Mass. All the ladies of the parish are invited to consider membership in this organization.

THE 2025 CATHOLIC CHARITIES APPEAL: Thank You for your support of the 2025 Catholic Charities In-Pew Appeal! Your gift helps us to carry out the mission that Jesus entrusted to us: ‘I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ and will change the lives of the nearly 400,000 people who are served each year in Northeast Ohio

THE BRINGING AMERICA BACK TO LIFE CONVENTION is the premier Diocesan-wide pro-life event: two jam-packed days filled with the nation’s top speakers, workshops, and exhibitors. To discover more about this must-see event, view the impressive line-up of speakers, and register for “In-Person” or “Live-Stream” options, visit https://bringingamericabacktolife.org/ or call 440-644-3411. Join us March 7^th and 8^th as we Bring America Back to Life!

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Collection: $805.25; Maintenance: $550; in loving memory of Elizabeth Buda: $450; in loving memory of Károly Patay: $200. ONLINE DONATIONS – JANUARY 2025: Sunday Collection: $146; in loving memory of Károly Patay: $150; Maintenance: $100. May God reward your generosity in supporting the church. Thank you for sending in your donations by mail or using our website https://stemeric.com/donations/.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK, especially for Bev Kimar, Teréz Kalász, Lajos Boday, Márta Takács, Kathy Szabó, Alex Szaday, Virginia Kachmar, Margaret Falk, Mária Hokky, and Balázs Bedy.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED, especially for Kathy Justin, whose Funeral Mass will be here at St. Emeric on Saturday March 1 at 10:30am. May she rest in peace. Amen

THIS SUNDAY the 11:00 AM Mass from St. Emeric church will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintemeric/ and https://stemeric.com/

LET US PRAY THREE HAIL MARYS FOR OUR PARISH EVERY DAY!

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Hungarian nyelven is.