St. Ferdinand Church - Parafia św. Ferdynanda w Chicago

August 17, 2008 Twentieth Ordinary Sunday Page ThirteenLast week, Jesus chided Peter for his lack of faith. Do you rememberthe details? Our Lord was walking on the sea towardthe disciples as the wind and the waves tossed their boat abound.The disciples were frightened by the scene and thoughtthey were seeing a ghost, but Jesus told them to not be afraid.“Lord, if it is you,” Peter called out, “command me to come toyou on the water.” “Come,” Jesus said in turn. Peter did, but hewas frightened by the wind and began to sink. “Lord, save me!”he cried as Jesus stretched out his hand, caught Peter, and said,“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”Jesus puts a lot of stock in faith, and the Gospels give us severalexamples. Matthew, for instance, writes of the centurion’s servant.Here, a Capernaum centurion tells Jesus that his servingboy is home in bed, paralyzed and suffering. Jesus tells the centurionthat he will go to the boy. The centurion responds, “Sir, Iam not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an orderand my boy will get better…” Jesus is amazed at his belief, somuch so that he tells his disciples, “I assure you, I have neverfound this much faith in Israel.” To the centurion, he says, “Gohome. It shall be done because you trusted…”In another account from Matthew, a man in the crowd kneelsbefore Jesus, pleading “Lord, take pity on my son, who is dementedand in a serious condition,” and adding, “I have broughthim to your disciples but they could not cure him.” Jesus curesthe boy, and the disciples ask why they themselves couldn’t doSupport StaffMrs. Dorota Gołda, Parish SecretarySr. Bernadetta Gościniak, Administrative AssistantLiturgicalMr. Andrew Warzocha, Director of Music and LiturgyMrs. Betty Hotcaveg, Lector CoordinatorDeacon Irv Hotcaveg, Coordinator of Eucharistic Ministers& Ministers of CareMs. Jane Lohrmann, Scheduler ofMinisters of Care to the HomeboundParish CouncilMr. Ralph Barnhart-President, Mrs. Mary Bucaro, Mr. GilbertDeJesus, Mrs. Sophie Kass, Mr. Stan Mastalerz, Mr. AntonioSupan, Violet Del Vacchio. ExOfficio Members: Dr. LucineMastalerz , Mr. Andrew Warzocha.Parish Finance CommitteeMr. Tom Bucaro, Fr. Jason Torba, Mrs. Mary Ann Barnhart,Mr. Gene Szaben, ExOfficio Members: Mr. Martin Wojtulewicz-Parish Accountant, Sr. Bernadetta Gościniak, Dr. Lucine MastalerzParish Organizations and Prayer GroupsAdult Scripture Study: Miss Ameriga Cesaroni, CoordinatorBoy Scout: Mr. Vince Clemente, CoordinatorFish Fry: Mr. & Mrs. Rich (Pat) Wenzl, CoordinatorsFriendship Club: Mrs. Patricia Flynn, PresidentGirl Scout: Mrs. Joyce McGinniss, CoordinatorKnights of Columbus—Mater Christi Council:Mr. Charles Calci trai, Grand KnightLadies of St. Anne: Mrs. Violet DelVecchio, PresidentON WALKING IN FAITHCopyright 2008 by John B. Reynolds (john@jrwrites.com)St. Ferdinand Parishit. Jesus points to their lack of trust. “I assure you,” he says, “ifyou had the faith of a mustard seed, you would be able to say tothis mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move.”Do you know how big a mustard seed is? Really? Well, I do.I’m a food technologist and I know about such things. A mustardseed is about the size of a Dippin’ Dot. A small one, noless. Hey, let’s go move a mountain and get some ice cream onthe way home.But first, let’s consider the Canaanite woman in today’sGospel. “Have pity on me, Son of David,” she calls out.“My daughter is tormented by a demon.” He ignores her, sayingthat he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, echoing what hetells the disciples upon their commissioning. The woman continuesto cry for help, and Jesus, acknowledging her Gentile status,says, “It is not right to take the food of the children andthrow it to the dogs.” Undeterred, she replies, “Please, Lord, foreven the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”Jesus is blown away by the response, saying,” O woman,great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” So let’sreview... To Peter, Jesus says, “O you of little faith,” and to theCanaanite, he says, “O woman, great is your faith!” Quite acontinuum. Like Peter, “Lord, save me!” is often my cry. Likethe Canaanite woman, I can move mountains--just as she movesJesus--if I walk more in faith, and less in fear.THE ENDLegion of Mary: Mr. Justo Evangelista &Mrs. Fely Mesina, Co-PresidentsLegion of Mary, Juniors: Mrs. Emma Camara, PresidentIrving Park Catholic Woman’s Club: Mrs. Dolores SchoeweMarket Day: Mrs. Kelly Trujillo, CoordinatorPol. & Eng. Altar Servers: Fr. Mariusz Stefanowski, ModeratorPolish Club of the Good Shepherd: Mr. Andrzej Parada, PresidentPolish Rosary Group: Mrs. Helena Lesak, PresidentPolish Saturday School: Sr. Genowefa Potaczała, DirectorPolish School Parents’ Ass’n.: Mrs. Władysława Mitoraj, Pres.Serduszka: Miss Iwona Raszyk, Music TeacherRadość: Miss Marzena Kulesza, Music TeacherSt. Ferdinand Athletic Boosters: Mrs. Ann Liedke &Mrs. Tammy Sammarco, Co-chairpersonsSt. Ferdinand Family & School Ass’n., Mrs. Connie GloriosoSt. Ferdinand Polish Highlanders Club:Mr. Stanisław Ciszek, PresidentSt. Ferdinand School Board:Mrs. Mary Ann Barnhart, ChairpersonSt. Vincent DePaul Society: Mr. Ralph Barnhart, PresidentTeens of Our Church (TORCH):Mr. & Mrs. Rob (Irene) Heidelbauer, Youth MinistersThe “Faustinum” Association of Apostles of the Divine Mercy:Fr. Mariusz Stefanowski, Fr. Tomasz Sztandera,ModeratorsThe Home Church Movement: Fr. Tomasz Sztandera, ModeratorUshers Club: Mr. Peter Holod, PresidentCharismatic Renewal in the Holy Spirit: Ms. Beata Piszczatowska,Ms. Dorota Glowacka