Oktoberfest at St. Ann

Don’t forget the Oktoberfest celebration in St. Ann Parking Lot on Saturday, September 23 starting after the 5:15 p.m. Mass.  Come and experience “Gemutlichkeit.”

Hurricane Relief

I offer my sincere thanks to all who generously donated to the second collection last week for the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.  The parish sends the money to the Archdiocese, which in turn sends it to the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) who divide it among the bishops whose dioceses were hit by the hurricanes and are in need of funds for their Catholic Charities to assist hurricane victims. 

RCIA

At the doors of church, please find the Schedule for RCIA and RCIC for 2017/2018.  The classes began last Wednesday, September 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Basement Room RH 2 & 3.  It is not too late to join the class.  Just come next Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. and tell me you are new.  I will help you with the application and fill you in on what you missed.

If you have any questions, please call me (Fr. Tharp) at (513) 858-4260 or email questions to me at frtharp@sacredheart-fairfield.org. 

Fr. Tharp away on Tuesday Afternoons

For the past eight years, I have been given the opportunity to teach a class at the Seminary on Pastoral Administration.  I teach a three hour class once each Tuesday afternoon between now and Christmas.  Therefore, from now until Christmas, I will be unavailable by telephone and out of my office on Tuesday afternoons. 

Reflection on Scripture

“The measure you measure with will be measured back to you.”  These words of Jesus from Sacred Scripture appear in Matthew 7:2, Mark 4:24, and Luke 6:37.  In other words, they appear in all three Synoptic Gospels.  In today’s gospel from Matthew chapter eighteen, “The parable of the unforgiving servant,” Jesus makes it clear that if we don’t embrace forgiveness as a way of life, we should not expect to be forgiven so as to join the Lord in eternal life. 

Have you ever listened to computer generated classical music toccatas performed with mathematical precision by the computer?  The notes are 100% accurate, but it does not convey the feeling of the composer’s heart and soul.  It is mathematically perfect to the nanosecond, but it does not inspire.  Forgiveness is more than marking off a score sheet or ledger.  Forgiveness is a gift from the soul of the forgiver.  Jesus forgives our sins by dying on the cross, but we will never hear the music of the forgiveness until we practice a forgiving heart. 

Jesus could have forgiven us with the stroke of a celestial pen; but he didn’t!  Instead Jesus gave each of us his personal forgiveness so that it would grow and flourish in us and transform us into compassionate forgivers like him. 

Penitents for years have said, “Do you think God can forgive me?”  Today Jesus gives us the Divine answer.  “Only if you practice forgiveness will you be able to accept the forgiveness of Christ.”

Readings for the Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 55:6-9

Phil 1:20c-24, 27

Mt 20:1-16a

Theme: It is not when you repent, but that you repent.