Sunday Liturgy
Saturday: 5:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am
Mission Statement
We are a welcoming Christian community called to embrace and respect the uniqueness of each individual as we join together in our faith and worship. Our ongoing mission is to engage our youth, promote renewal, out reach, evangelization and ecumenical cooperation.
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Monday, September 1st – 9:00 am No Mass (Holiday)
Tuesday, September 2nd – 9:00 am Mary Duke LeBlanc
Wednesday, September 3rd – 9:00 am Special Intention
Thursday, September 4th – 9:00 am Dot Cummings
Friday, September 5th – 9:00 am First Friday – Patricia McLellan
Saturday, September 6th – 5:00 pm Mary Noel
Sunday, September 7th – 11:00 am Bunny Chittick, Dot Fitzgerald
& Inez Black
Weekly Reflections (Homily) from Msgr. Sheehan (Updated August 28, 2025)
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Dear Friends;
This Sunday the readings ask us to reflect on a very important, but often overlooked virtue… humility… being humble…
It is not a popular followed virtue… in fact… it is looked down on… not necessary… something negative… even to be avoided…
But in fact… it is central to a person of faith… a necessary and primordial virtue…
It is not easily practiced… in fact difficult…
And, as often happens, country and western songs and lyrics – express it best… by Mac Davis and Willie Nelson:
“Lord, it’s hard to be humble…”
The first verses go like this:
“Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble
When you’re perfect in every way
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better lookin each day”
Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble
How true… the song has got it right… humility is one of the most difficult of all virtues to practice… especially in these days of self-aggrandizement… and self-centeredness…
There is a great scriptural tradition to the virtue… both our first reading and Gospel to-day refer to humility and the “humble…”
From the Book of Sirach: “My child, perform your tasks with humility; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.
The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord.
May are lofty and renowned, but to the humble the Lord reveals his secrets.
“For great is the might of the Lord; but by the humble he is glorified.”
(Sirach 3, 17-20)
And in the Gospel…
“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
(Luke 14, 11)
Why is humility a challenging virtue to practice?
Theologically, humility is rooted in the truth of reality… it is grounded in a deep awareness of our limitations and shortcomings in the presence of the divine perfection and of our sinfulness in the presence of the all-holy God.
It leads us to a profound sense of total dependence on God and an ardent desire to do God’s will in all things.
It means, therefore, grasping the truth about ourselves and about God…
The word humility is derived from the Latin “humas”… which is translated as “ground” or “soil”… it’s meaning, therefore is “lowly.”
In a negative ancient way… it was used in a perjorative sense: applied to thing, referring to the undistinguished, unimportant, insignificant… in reference to persons, it suggested – of lowly birth, lack of resources… weakness of character.
So, in an ancient culture that prized freedom, power, self-aggrandizement - humility, far from being a quality to be admired, was view with condescension and contempt…
No so, in the Scriptures… In the Old Testament, humility is the attitude of the “anawim” – the poor, the little ones, of the Lord… who have no resources of their own, but submit themselves wholly to the will of God… who always hears the cry of the poor…
These people, in biblical perspective, are the special object of God’s solicitude… because by their humility, they live in total dependence on God and His goodness…
Thus, our reading from Sirach: “My child, perform your tasks with humility, then you will be loved by those whom God accepts… you will find favor in the sight of the Lord…”
In the New Testament – the need for the virtue of humility abounds… it is associated with child-likeness with dependence… with trust…
In Mark… 10,15… when the disciples scolded the children coming to Jesus:
“When Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them: “Let the little children come to me… do not stop them… for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”
A beatitude is reserved for the poor in spirit… “Blessed are the poor in spirit… theirs is the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 5, 3)
And in his directive to his disciples on welcoming those who carry heavy burdens… and are weary… he says: “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Matt. 11, 29)
St. Paul in Philippians… asks us to have in mind – that of the Son of God – who did not cling to his equality with God… “but he emptied himself… taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are, being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death on a cross…”
(Phil. 2, 7-8)
But perhaps nowhere is humility more hailed than in our blessed Mother’s prayer of praise, the Magnificat!
Mary is the woman who has profoundly assimilated the spirit of the “anawin” – gives praise to God for the regard God shows for the humble – “the lowliness” of His servant:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord… my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, because he has looked upon the lowliness of his servant, from now on all generations will call me blessed…” (Luke 1, 48)
You see, dear friends… what a rich biblical tradition… humility and the humble has…
It is part of our Christian calling to be such…
Humble people, people who practice it… radiate holiness, radiate a dependence on God… they are me;n and women who live in trust…
We have all had them in our lives… they are usually very gentle, not puffed up… warm…
They are a great blessing to us…
“My child, perform your tasks with humility… then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.”
(Sirach 3, 17)
Amen.