"As
Jesus drew near, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son
of his mother and she was a widow…When the Lord saw her, He was moved
with pity and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then He said to the young
man, 'I tell you, arise!’"'
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Luke 7:12-14 June 9, 2012 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends,
As men
and women live longer today, this also means that there are more widows
and widowers. The economic downturn also makes widowhood ever more
precarious. In the time of the New Testament, Jesus showed care and
compassion for the widow. We also recall how He highly praised the widow
for giving her mite.
Widows were given a special place in the Christian community and were
cared for. See, for example, Chapter 5 of the first letter of Paul to
Timothy. Some parishes have formed the Society of St. Monica (patron of
widows). This group meets regularly, for prayer and mutual support. We
can do our part, too. The least we can do is set aside some time to
recall friends and relatives who are widows and pray that God extends
His loving hand and blessings to them.
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Most
loving God, You know the pain and sorrow of death; mercifully hear our
prayer for those who mourn the death of their beloved. The nights are
lonely and the days are long. Comfort them, give them Your peace. Bless
them and bring an end to their days of tears and sorrow. Renew them with
the joy of life and bring to an end their days of mourning. Let the
bond of love which You have for Your people be the foundation of their
hope that love never ends and that precious moments with our beloved are
forever held dear in our hearts. Amen
Rev. Peter Schineller, S.J., CMMB Board of Directors
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PS- CMMB is saddened by the loss of our beloved Board Member and friend, Most
Reverend Joseph M. Sullivan, D.D., former Auxiliary Bishop, Diocese of
Brooklyn. Bishop Sullivan passed onto his heavenly reward on Friday, June 7,
after suffering serious injuries from an an automobile accident on May
30. >Read more
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