The Weekly Gospel

Luke 2:22-40



"' Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.'"

Scripture Reflection for Feb. 2, 2025, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Deacon Greg Kandra

Wednesday 29th of January 2025

Think Christmas was over weeks ago? Think again.

The feast of the Presentation officially closes the Christmas season, 40 days after the Nativity, so there's still one last chance to wish the world "Merry Christmas!" It is also one final opportunity in our liturgy to reflect on a vitally important motif of this season: the consoling, redeeming, transformative presence of light.

Think back to Luke's account of Christ's birth, the story retold on Christmas Eve. We found "the glory of the Lord" shining around the shepherds, even during their night watch in the fields. Then in Matthew's Gospel, on the feast of the Epiphany, we learned of the magi, who followed a star to find the newborn king in Bethlehem.

And now we return to Luke's gospel and encounter the aged Simeon in the temple, who takes the baby Jesus into his arms and blesses God, saying, "My eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people, Israel."

We can't escape it. Light has been everywhere.

Small wonder that this climactic feast has also been known for centuries as Candlemas, a time for blessing candles that will be carried home to remind us daily of the miracle of Christmas, the miracle of illumination, Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. In some churches around the world, candlelight processions remain popular and serve as a beautiful punctuation mark at Christmas' end.

This central message remains: we are people of light. The lights on the tree may be in a box in the attic, and the bulbs that were strung on gutters and on evergreens are stashed in the basement, but the Light that truly matters continues to give off its glow.

What a wonder it is. And what a source of boundless hope. The great challenge for us in the days and weeks ahead is to keep that light burning.

It can be easy for us to forget that the first tangible gift we receive as baptized Christians -- after the splash of water and the dab of oil -- is a lit candle. "Receive the light of Christ," we're told. It is a flame that has continued to burn, whether we are aware of it or not, in the grace of the sacrament -- no matter how life might try to snuff it out, quench it, or lower its glow to something resembling little more than leftover ash. (Lent is coming soon enough, and we will be reminded of how easily a strong flame can burn out and leave a dusty residue.)

Trust and believe: the light is there. Really. Our job now is to keep the glow alive.

These dark days of winter are a good opportunity to nurture the light of Christ in our hearts, to draw inspiration and hope from prayer, to (literally or figuratively) carry the light from Candlemas and the flickering joy of this last burst of Christmas into our everyday lives.

We hear a lot about the "spirit of Christmas." Well, this feast cries out to us and asks us to keep alive something else: the spirit of Candlemas. Christmas was just the beginning. There is more.

We recall Christ's presentation in the temple and that beautiful scene of an old man cradling new life, and we can't help but think as he did, "Here is hope." Here is light.

To those who have forgotten the bright promise of a star: there is still light. To anyone who fears or who worries, or who wonders about what the future may hold: there is still light.

Darkness doesn't win. The light of Christ, the light of hope, prevails.

That is reason for us to smile and to say it one last time this season: Merry Christmas!

- Deacon Greg Kandra is an award-winning author and journalist, and creator of the blog, "The Deacon's Bench."

Bible Study Anyone?

Fr. Joe’s Monthly Bible Study meets once a month for 9 months from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM at St. Peter’s Parish Center (lunch is included). The next session will be on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Please contact Kathy at 508-746-0663 ext. 401 if you would like to register for these sessions. 

The Children's Liturgy of the Word has resumed and all children are welcome to participate during the 9:30 am Mass at St. Peter.

After the opening prayer, the priest will invite the children to come forward and they will be led to the lower church for the Liturgy of the Word. They will hear the same readings and will have a discussion about the Gospel at their level.

Parents are welcome to accompany young children and those who are nervous.

The children will return upstairs around the time of the offertory and return directly to you. 

Parishioners and Friends of Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish can now make a one-time or a recurring gift directly on our parish website. Stop worrying about weekly envelopes or mailing in special donations or ministry program fees. Instead, give a gift at any time (from any device that connects to the internet) using a current email and checking account/credit card. It’s simple and secure. You can even turn your tithe into an automatic gift that gives when and how often you’d like with your own online donor account. Visit https://maryqueenofmartyrs.org/online-giving to see how easy it is.

For those parishioners who use our online giving system for their collections and feel like they need to put something in the collection baskets, we now have laminated cards available that you can put into the basket. These will be available at the front of all our churches each week.

For those parishioners who write paper checks, please remember to write all donation checks out to Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish, not the individual church name. Thank you and God Bless!

Do you need your online tax information for 2024 tax season? Are you preparing your tax documents?

To determine what you have donated to Mary Queen of Martyrs online, please follow these intstructions. Proceed to maryqueenofmartyrs.org and hit the "GIVE" icon (it is halfway down the home page). Click on the tab labeled "Creating Your Online Giving Account", hit the Blue Button that says "Donor Log In", log into your account and scroll down to Transaction History. Here you can select the format (PDF or CSV) and the time period that you need. Your yearly donations will be downloaded to your computer to save or print. Any questions or concerns please contact Deb Elliot at: debra.elliot@maryqueenofmartyrs.org

We are people of faith, called to live the Gospel!

DIAPER PANTRY

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS DIAPER PANTRY 

The National Diaper Bank Network reports that one in two U.S. families do not have an adequate supply of diapers for their baby, and since diapers cannot be purchased with most government assistance, many are in need of the supplemental support which we provide.  There are now two ways to give!

If you would like to make a monetary donation, you’ll find ‘Diaper Pantry’ envelopes at the church entrances. You may put these either in the offering basket, the St. Vincent de Paul donation box, or drop them off at one of the church offices.



If you would rather donate diapers directly, they can be dropped off at the entrances of our three churches before or after Mass, or at the church offices during open hours (St. Kateri on Monday and Thursday from 8:30am – 12:30pm, Our Lady of Lourdes on Tuesday and Friday from 8:30am – 12:30pm, St Peter on Monday through Friday from 9:00am – 12:30pm.

 Diaper size needed this week:

Size 3T, 4T & 6

For questions contact Jeanne at 508 – 591- 3510 or PCCDiaperPantry@yahoo.com

Thank you for your generosity!

Note: Our latest Diaper Pantry Update and Report to Parishioners is now available! To view the report, please click below, visit our parish website, see the parish newsletter, or pick up a hard copy at our church entrances.

                                                                                              Diaper Pantry Hours

 The 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the Month (held on the same day as the food pantry, so our clients can have easy access to both vital services)

9:30am–11:00 am at

Saint Kateri Parish Office

HOLY HOUR

SUNDAY, February 16, 2025

Please join us at a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration at St. Peter’s Church.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING – MYTHS AND REALITIES

From the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – myths and facts about human trafficking:

Myth: When someone is trafficked, they are kidnapped and held against their will. Fact: Being trafficked may be a gradual process. It may take weeks or months of grooming and manipulation by the trafficker before a victim is exploited.

Myth: Traffickers target victims they do not know. Fact: In many cases, traffickers target vulnerable people who they already know. Traffickers may target friends, family, or any mutual connections to victims in order to establish contact.

Myth: Only undocumented individuals are forced labor victims. Fact: Youth of every race, gender, and immigration status are vulnerable to being forced to work for little or no pay.

FOOD INSECURITY AMONG FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN MASSACHUSETTS – YOU CAN HELP! 

Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life. Recent trends show that food insecurity among children in Massachusetts is trending upwards – currently, an estimated 21.5% of households with children lack adequate nutrition. Please help by supporting our March 29th Parish Service Day with End Hunger New England. The flyer is available below or you can pick up a flyer at the church entrances to learn more. 

Save the Date!

Thursday

February 6, 2025

Mike and Carla Tirrell will speak promptly at 6:30pm!

New World Tavern

56 Main Street, Plymouth

     

Walking the Walk

Becoming a Person after God’s Own Heart

Mike and Carla Tirrell are co-directors of Cape Cod Ambassadors (CCA) whose mission is to LOVE, SUPPORT and EMPOWER children in the foster care system.

​

Dr. Mike Tirrell taught psychology at Stonehill College for 43 years, chairing the Department of Psychology for 28 years. Carla has her master’s in theology and served as a DRE at 3 South Shore Parishes before becoming Director of Campus Ministry at Bishop Feehan HS. Carla founded and now runs the CCA for foster care and kinship care for needy children on Cape Cod.

COME to hear this great talk!

Enjoy a burger!

Tell a friend, bring a friend!

  Prayer Requests

 There is a link on our Mary, Queen of Martyrs website available for prayer requests. Please click on the link and you may write out your request.

There is also a Book of Intentions available at each of our churches. You may write your prayer intention directly in the book.

There are prayer angels in our parish community praying for all the intentions and ALL intentions are remembered at all the Masses in our parish community!

The Prayer Life Team

As a Parish We Pray for:

Mary Queen of Martyrs Knights of Columbus Council 9822 meets every 2nd Thursday of the month at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Hall at 7:00 PM.

Knights of Columbus

Mary, Queen of Martyrs Council 9822

Free Throw Contest



Saturday, February 15th at 11:00 am

St. Peter’s Parish Center

10 Memorial Drive

Open to Boys and Girls Ages 9—11

Secular Franciscans meet at St. Mary's Parish Center, 327 Court St. in North Plymouth at 7 p.m., the first Tuesday of every month. If you think you might have a vocation to be Secular Franciscan (a person who strives to live the Gospel by following a rule of life written by St. Francis and approved by the Church) or would like to know more about the Secular Franciscan way of life call Ellen McDermott (774-216-9671) or stop by on our meeting night. We would love to see you.

If anyone is interested in joining Our Lady of Lourdes Choir or St. Peter’s Choir for the Sunday morning Masses, please call the parish office at 508-746-0663, ext 401.

Have the chance to be EXTRA-ORDINARY!

Come to discuss Matthew Kelly’s Christmas Book Give Away….

The THREE ORDINARY Voices of God

When?

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Where?

St. Peter’s Lower Church

What Time?

2-3:30pm



Light Refreshments will be offered!

Tell a friend and bring a friend! 

See you then!