THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – January 25, 2026

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

Cover Image: Manuscript P52, the oldest extant evidence for the biblical New Testament (contains few verses from the Gospel of John). Has text on both sides, measures 3.5 by 2.5 inches and is dated around 125 AD.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTIONS:

9:00 AM Parishioners of St. Emeric Parish

11:00 AM Júlia Balogh, by the Balogh Family

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: On this Sunday of the Word of God (always the 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time), I would like to reflect on the role of the Bible (Scripture) in the life of the Church and Christians. First, we must recognize that the Sacred Scripture does not stand on its own. Some claim that the Bible is clear in its teaching. If it were so, why are there so many ecclesial denominations that offer various (and often) contradictory interpretations? For its proper understanding, the Bible needs to be in relationship with the Sacred Tradition and both need an authority that would guarantee the veracity of the teachings emanating from Tradition and Scripture. For example, the canon of Scripture (the list of books in the Bible) was determined by the Tradition and confirmed by the Church, not by Scripture alone.

In defining the terms, we can say that the Sacred Scripture is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and the Sacred Tradition refers to the living transmission of Christ’s teachings through the apostles, preserved and interpreted by the Church’s teaching authority (the Magisterium). Both Tradition and Scripture are equally authoritative and must be accepted with the same reverence. They cannot contradict each other and the teaching of the Tradition must be at least implicitly contained in the Scripture. The dogmatic constitution On Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) from the Second Vatican Council summarizes this relationship (Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium) the following way:

10. Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church. … [T]he task of authentically interpreting the word of God, whether written or handed on, has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This teaching office is not above the word of God, but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on, listening to it devoutly, guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully in accord with a divine commission and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it draws from this one deposit of faith everything which it presents for belief as divinely revealed.

It is clear, therefore, that sacred tradition, Sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God’s most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.

CHILDREN’S CATECHETICAL PROGRAM: next Sunday, February 1, after the 11AM Mass. All children are welcome. It will last about 15 minutes

OUR ANNUAL PORK SAUSAGE DINNER: will be held in our hall on February 8^th at 12:30PM. Menu: traditional chicken soup, entrée of pork and rice-liver sausages with side dish of parslied potatoes and ham hock braised cabbage. Dessert is Mardi Gras style puff pastry filled with apricot jam, coffee. Cost: adults $25, students $12, children under 6 free. Also available for take-home: apricot jam filled puff pastry at $10 a dozen. To make your dinner reservations or to place your take home pastry order, please call one of the ladies by February 4: Marika Zsula 216-676-5863 or Mária Mészáros 440-331-0391. Thank you for supporting our church!

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Collection: $1,831; Initial Offering: $5; Boiler cost offset: $3,674.40; Altar Guild’s Doughnut Sale: $1,553.00 (Thank you to the Altar Guild members and to all who supported this endeavor!). 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, PICK UP YOUR 2026 YEAR DONATION ENVELOPES in the St. Stephen room. Thank you for supporting the parish. If there are any address changes, please notify us. If you request, we will mail the donation envelopes to you.

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: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

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

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

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Magyar (Hungarian) nyelven is.