×

HOW TO DONATE

1 Click on DONATE button.
2 Choose your PROGRAM
3 Choose your amount.

If you still have problems, please let us know, by sending an email to support@sjbny.org . Thank you!

CHURCH HOURS

Mon-Fri 9:00AM - 6:00PM
Sat - 9:00AM-5:00PM
CALL US: (212) 288-5082
  • SUPPORT

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste

The Church is the People of God sharing in Jesus’ ministry of preaching, teaching and healing.

T (212) 288-5082
Email: info@sjbny.org

Eglise St. Jean Baptist
Rectory Address: 184 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021

Open in Google Maps
  • ABOUT
    • Our History
    • Congregation of The Blessed Sacrament Fathers
    • Sisters of Congregation of Notre Dame
    • National Shrine of St. Anne
    • St Jean Baptiste High School
    • Parish Staff
    • Photo Gallery
    • Volunteering
    • Contact US
  • LITURGY
    • Baptism
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
    • Anointing
    • Funerals
    • Mass intentions
    • Prayer Group
  • EDUCATION
    • Info & Registration
    • Preparation for Sacraments
    • Adults Education
    • Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
    • Calendar
  • MUSIC
    • Music Director and Organist
    • The Choir
    • The organ
    • Concerts
  • COMMUNITY
    • Community Center
    • The Theatre at St. Jeans
    • Community Theatre Group
    • Senior citizen Wednesday lunch group
    • Applause
  • TODDLER PROGRAM
  • WATCH MASS
DONATE
  • Home
  • BLOG & STORIES
  • Church Reflections
  • TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OCTOBER 5-6, 2019
April 20, 2021

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OCTOBER 5-6, 2019

Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste
Sunday, 06 October 2019 / Published in Church Reflections

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OCTOBER 5-6, 2019

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree,

‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

We’ve all heard this teaching many times. I don’t know about you, but I question the depth of my faith every day. Right now, as I’m writing this reflection, I’m asking myself, “When was the last time you had enough faith to uproot a tree or to move a mountain?!”

Jesus’ declaration makes me, a supposed man of faith, feel guilty about my lack of faith. I know that Jesus was using hyperbole in this teaching, but still, I don’t feel that I’ve ever done the equivalent of uprooting a mulberry tree or moving a mountain with the power of my faith! I take this teaching as a tremendous personal challenge. I wonder if my faith will

ever grow to the size of a mustard seed. With this personal confession, I’ll move on to the second part of his teaching.

“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table?’ Would you not, rather, say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished?’ Is he grateful to that servant be- cause he did what he was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are un- profitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

The second part of this teaching doesn’t leave me feeling as guilty as the first part. I work very hard. But often, I put too much on my plate, and so don’t always do my best. There’s a discipline that I lack. I rarely say no. I feel guilty about this, too.

When I first entered the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament as an impressionable teen- ager, I was impressed by an image our founder used to focus our call to serve Jesus. He asked us to be like the vigil candle that burns before the Blessed Sacrament. Its flame can continue to be a sentinel of faith only because the candle gives up its life to feed it. When I feel the stress, and sometimes pain, of working, I often think of the image of the candle. It helps me renew my energy and I keep going.

These are my thoughts about the gospel passage today. I’m sharing these personal thoughts with you to encourage you in your own reflections. Faith is a very personal matter. You have your own, very special and

unique experience of faith. You hear the call to be God’s servant in your own way, and your response is unique to you.

Try not to let any feelings of guilt you may experience as you reflect on these teachings paralyze you from taking a positive step as a disciple of Jesus. I’ve always found that my feelings of guilt were a hindrance to my accepting God’s loving call. Don’t let negative feelings dis- tract you from what Jesus taught us: that God is love. He clearly manifested that in his own life.

The two teachings we’re thinking about to- day, faith and service, point us to his call to love as God loves – unconditionally and sacrificially. To teach that we’re here on earth to serve God, means we’re on earth to love. That’s the challenge we all face as his disciples.

  • Tweet
Tagged under: ordinary time, pastor, reflection, sunday

What you can read next

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 1, 2019
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT, March 20, 2021
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 1, 2020

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER, April 11, 2021

    REFLECTION ACTS 4:32-35 1 JOHN 5:1-6 JOHN 20:19...
  • EASTER SUNDAY, April 4, 2021

    REFLECTION ACTS 10:34A, 37-43 COLOSSIANS 3:1-4 ...
  • PALM SUNDAY, March 27, 2021

    REFLECTION ISAIAH 50:4-7 PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11 MAR...
  • FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT, March 20, 2021

    REFLECTION JEREMIAH 31:31-34 HEBREWS 5:7-9 JOHN...
  • FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT, March 14, 2021

    REFLECTION THE MAN WHO VISITED JESUS AT NIGHT 2...

Recent Comments

  • Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste on HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, January 3, 2021
  • Joanne Spuches on HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, January 3, 2021
  • Donna Szabo on SECOND EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 19, 2020

Archives

  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019

Categories

  • Church Reflections
  • Memorials

Featured Posts

  • SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER, April 11, 2021

    0 comments
  • EASTER SUNDAY, April 4, 2021

    0 comments
  • PALM SUNDAY, March 27, 2021

    0 comments

FOOTER MENU

  • DONATE
  • Our History

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

By subscribing to our mailing list you will always be updated with the latest news from us.

We never spam!

GET IN TOUCH

T (212) 288-5082
Email: info@sjbny.org

St Jean Baptiste Church
184 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021

Open in Google Maps

  • GET SOCIAL

Eglise St. Jean Baptiste © 2019 All rights reserved. Credits Gianluca Boccia.

TOP
CHURCH SCHEDULE OF MASSES

SCHEDULE OF MASSES
Weekday Schedule
Church opens at 11:30 AM
Mass at 12:00PM
Church closes at 1:00 PM

Saturday Schedule
Church opens at 11:30 AM
Mass at 12:00PM
Church closes at 1:00 PM
Church opens at 4:30 PM
Mass at 5:00 PM
Church closes at 6:00 PM

Sunday Schedule
Church opens at 8:30 AM
Mass at 9:00AM
Mass at 11:00 AM
Mass at 4:00 PM
Church closes at 5:00 PM

After the weekday and Saturday Masses until 1:00 PM and from Noon until 4:00PM on Sunday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.