Bulletin Reflection
Teaching with Authority
Imagine a teacher who made an impression on you. It could be someone from elementary, high school, college, or 
perhaps it wasn’t even at a regular school at all.
What was it about this teacher that made such a good impression?
Were they; smart, kind, caring. Perhaps it was the fact that they were just extremely passionate about what it was they were teaching, the kind of passion that rubs off on others. You get excited about a topic just by hearing them talk.
In today’s Gospel we hear that Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, and when people heard him teach it was unlike anything they had heard before. It wasn’t like listening to the scribes, who taught about God’s laws as if they were reciting names from a telephone book. Jesus spoke as one who was intimately familiar with his subject material. He obviously spoke with passion.
But Mark also goes on to describe Jesus as one who taught with authority.
He spoke the word of God as no one had spoken it before. When the Rabbis taught they supported their statements with quotes from other authorities. The prophets spoke with delegated authority — Thus says the Lord. But when Jesus spoke he needed no authorities to back his statements. He was authority incarnate — the Word of God made flesh. Mark uses the healing miracle as a way of showing that even the unclean spirits recognized the authority of Jesus. “I know who you are.” They say to him.
The power that moves Jesus has its source in God; the authority that Jesus displays, both in his actions and in his words, is the authority of God Himself. When Jesus begins teaching, the people are deeply impressed; they can see for themselves the difference between how Jesus teaches and how other religious leaders teach. When Jesus teaches, something actually happens. It is not a matter of words decorating the air. Jesus creates an impression because people can see the change for good that it effects in the broken, crippled and the outcast.
The first reaction to all this goodness is of course positive. Jesus is the answer to a long awaited promise and they see in Jesus the fulfillment of this promise.
But this positive regard will not last. There will be those who begin to question Jesus’ authority. Those who feel their own standing threatened by what Jesus has to offer. They will begin to try and discredit the source of Jesus’ authority by degrading his background, where he comes from, who his family is. They will even suggest that the miracles that Jesus performs are possible not because of power given by God but rather power which has been given by the devil.
But despite the attacks Jesus’ authority will not diminish. The power of evil may have the upper hand for a while but it will not change the fact of who Jesus is.
Fr. Jon
Announcements
CWL: The next CWL meeting will be held on February 1, 2012 following the 7:15pm Mass. Before the meeting, Nadeem Imtiaz Bhatti will speak on the blasphemy laws in Pakistan and how it affects women. Please renew your CWL memberships as soon as possible.
SERENA Saskatchewan invites you to a Valentine’s Day Social on Saturday, February 11th, 2012 (6:30-9:00pm) in the Our Lady of Lourdes gym (1235-12th Street East, corner of Wiggins Ave). The evening includes a catered banquet (roast turkey and stuffing, oven roast potato, cauliflower/broccoli/carrot, Caesar salad, Mediterranean salad, homemade buns, sour cherry chiffon, wine), entertainment by Dolce Music, guest speaker, and awards. All are welcome! For tickets ($20/person), contact SERENA at 934-8223, 1-800-667-1637, or sask@serena.ca by Friday, February 3rd. Annual General Meeting 12:30-3:00pm at same location.
SODALITAS: Are you grieving and suffering from a loss? Join us for SODALITAS; a safe caring group for reflecting and sharing for those who are experiencing grief. Our next meeting is Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 10:00AM in the upper room of St. Mary’s Parish Hall.
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT Please join fellow parishioners for this valuable way of prayer on Saturday, February 4th, following the 9:00 a.m. Mass.
K OF C BREAKFAST The next Knights of Columbus Breakfast will be held on Sunday February 12thfollowing the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Masses. Everyone is welcome!
Thinking about kindergarten for this fall? Now’s the time to register your child! Catholic schools are friendly, safe, welcoming and staff are ready to help all students reach their full potential. We nurture faith, encourage excellence in learning and inspire students to reach out and help others – at home and around the world. Children who will be five years old by Jan. 31, 2013 can begin kindergarten in Fall 2012. Call your neighbourhood school to set up a visit or come out to an open house or a kindergarten information evening (all events start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise indicated). You may also learn more at www.gscs.sk.ca We are rooted in faith, growing in knowledge, reaching out to transform the world!
| St. Edward | 1002 Avenue P North | 659-7300 | Please call the school to register or set up a visit |
| St. Frances (Cree bilingual) | 2141 McPherson Ave | 659-7310 | Please call the school to register or set up a visit |
| St. Gerard(French Immersion only) | 205 Montreal Ave. North | 659-7330 | Tuesday, January 31 |
| St. John | 1205 Avenue N South | 659-7360 | Tuesday, January 31 |
| St. Mary’s | 337 Avenue O South | 659-7400 | Please call the school to register or set up a visit |
Please join us for the closing prayer service for the Week of Christian Unity. Cathedral of the Holy Family, Sunday, January 29 at 3pm
HOST FAMILY SEARCH Would you or a family you know be interested in hosting a female high school student from Japan. Three high school girls from Japan are arriving on April 4, 2012. They will be studying at three different Catholic High Schools in Saskatoon until March 30 2013. Global Partners Institute is looking for potential homes. A family must consist of two or more related people living in the home at the time of hosting, have a bedroom available for the student, provide three meals a day and be ready to include a student as a member of their family. Global Partners provides a monthly honorarium for hosting and support to the family and student. We would like to have our host families secured by mid February. To obtain additional information and or to apply please contact Jeannette Eddolls: SK Regional Manager for Global Partners at 306 – 763 – 4127 or at jeannette@gpicanada.com. Check out our web site www.gpicanada.com
The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Foundation Inc. is pleased to invite you to our 12th annual ‘Swing Into Spring’ Fashion Show & Dinner on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at TCU Place. This enjoyable evening includes a buffet dinner, draws for door prizes including diamond jewelry, a VIP table, over 100 other draws and the latest in ladies’ and men’s fashions modeled by employees of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools. Early bird tickets are $60.00 until Feb 29, 2012. Beginning March 1, 2012 tickets are $70.00 each. Tickets are available from the Foundation office at 659-7003. Please see the poster in the Welcome Area for full details.
On Monday, Feb. 13 Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools staff will share their talents at the Centennial Performing Arts Showcase, in honour of the school division’s 100th anniversary. The evening will include song and dance. The event begins at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph High School, 110 Nelson Road. Admission by silver collection. A wine and cheese reception will follow. Cash bar. Confirmed performers include Nancy Sparling, Brian Bauche, Rhonda Morari, Jeff Cunanan, David Buttinger, Lynn Doll, Joan Goodman, Bernie Schulte, Jacquie Ackerman and Don Griffith. Join us for a relaxed evening of great entertainment!
Development and Peace is accepting donations in response to the typhoon and flooding in the Philippines. Those who wish to contribute to the relief effort can make donations by phone (1-888-234-8533), online at www.devp.org, or mailing a cheque made out to Development and Peace (please indicate Philippines Floods) to the following address: Development and Peace, 1425 René-Lévesque Blvd. W, 3rd Floor, Montreal, QC., H3G 1T7.
Youth Ministry
There are a few very exciting events in the near future that are worth marking in your calendars….
The first exciting event is known as Think Fast! Every year the CCODP (Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace) put on a wonderful retreat weekend. Our youth, made up of the youth from Bethlehem High School and E.D. Feehan High School and all of our other young people have been asked to join the youth from Holy Family Parish (the new Cathedral) and St. Joseph’s High School. We join together to support all of our brothers and sisters in the Global South. The Think Fast for our city will happen in March. Think Fast and working with others is a great opportunity to let our faith shine, Ask Fr. Steve for more information about this very exciting weekend! Details will follow.
The next gathering for the altar servers is not far off. Another practise and a time for fun (maybe Rucker’s again) is in the works. Watch here for details.
Our annual Hockey Night in Pleasant Hill usually happens right about now. Information is soon coming on that fun evening. Keep your eyes (the eyes of faith) open.
Home Ministry of Care
This corner of the bulletin will include suggestions of ways we can feel the effects of more happiness in our lives. (Paraphrased from Sonja Lynbomirsby’s book “The How of Happiness”
Happiness Habits
3. AVOID OVER—THINKING AND SOCIAL COMPARISON: Comparing oneself to someone else can be poisonous. If we’re somehow “better” than the person we’re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates. If we think we’re “worse” than the person we’re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we’ve done and dismiss all the progress we’ve made. If we feel called to compare ourselves, let it be to an earlier version of ourselves.
Mass Intentions
Monday, January 30 9:00 a.m All Souls in Purgatory
Tuesday, January 31 9:00 a.m †Antonio & †Joe Figueiredo
Wednesday,February 1 9:00 a.m Bill & Iris Riley
7:15 p.m †Emily Sieben
Thursday, February 2 9:00 a.m †Therese Risling
Friday, February 3 9:00 a.m †Germaine Richards
Saturday, February 4 9:00 a.m †June Woytowich
7:00 p.m †Michele Giannotta
Sunday, February 5 9:00 a.m †Michele Giannotta
11:00 a.m For the parish
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