Third Sunday in Advent, December 14th, 2025

 

Third Sunday in Advent, December 14th, 2025

When St. John the Baptist was in prison.  He sent two of his disciples to inquire of Our Blessed Saviour:  "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" (St. Matthew 11:3)  Now if you read this passage it would almost sound like St. John is not sure and he wants to find out definitely.  And yet I would contend that St. John the Baptist has an ulterior motive in sending his two disciples to Our Lord.  He sent his disciples so that they could see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears.  He was already sure that the Messiah had come into the world.  He knew this through faith.  He knew this through a personal relationship with God.  He knew this through his commitment to God.  

Advent reminds us of the three ways in which Our Blessed Saviour comes to us.   The first way has already taken place.  On that first Christmas Day over two-thousand years ago Our Lord came to the world as a small, innocent Baby born in Bethlehem.  Although to our eyes He appeared as a small, innocent baby, we know through faith that this truly was the long-awaited Messiah of the world.  The second way Our Lord comes to us in in Blessed Sacrament.  Our Lord tells us in the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel of St. John:  "For the bread of God is He which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world." (6:33)  Our Lord did come down from Heaven to give life to this world.  Our Lord continues in Verse 51 of this chapter:  "I am the living bread which came down from Heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."  Our Lord comes to us in the form of Bread and Wine when we receive Him at Communion time.  He feeds us.  He nourishes us.  He sustains us.  The third way in which Our Blessed Saviour will come to us is at the Second Coming.  We know He will appear to us at that Last Day.  He will appear to us in all His Majesty and All His Glory!  The Holy Season of Advent reminds us to be on the look-out.  Advent reminds us to prepare.  Advent reminds us to make our hearts ready. 

Please make a point to join us for Mass on Sunday.  St. Margaret Church gathers together each and every Sunday at 10:30 am.  We worship at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible.  We use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  And receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Saviour at Communion time.   We are all busy.  We all lead busy lives.  Take an hour out of your busy week and dedicate it to God.  Give that hour to God and spend it with Him.

Second Sunday in Advent, December 7th, 2025

 

Second Sunday in Advent, December 7th, 2025

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."  (Romans 15)

Did you ever order something or send away for an item, and the item finally arrived, and you open it with great anticipation.  And when you finally open the package and see what you ordered, you soon discover that the item does not match up whatsoever with what you were anticipating?  You were "under-whelmed," so to speak.  "This is it?!?"   "This is what I've been waiting for?!?"   As we have spoken in the past, the faithful Jews were indeed praying for a Messiah to save them.  They were anticipating the arrival of the Messiah.  They knew that God would save them and they were waiting.  But they had a preconceived notion of what the Messiah would look like.  They expected the Messiah to arrive as a great warrior riding in on a powerful horse, surrounded by a mighty army in support with flags waving and banners raised.  They expected this messiah and his army to wipe out their foes and save them from their misery.    And yet the Lord Himself has said not to base our opinions on outward appearances:  " . . . for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."  (I Samuel :7)  So often we judge solely on "outward appearances," don't we?  And so often we are sorely disappointed, aren't we?  The product we see advertised on television doesn't really match up when we see it in person. 

And yet we know that the Messiah did indeed arrive as promised but Our Saviour arrived as an innocent little baby, born to a common family, born in a lowly manger on a cold winter night  because nobody would take them in otherwise.  In fact, the actual arrival itself was so "low-key" that hardly anyone knew about it at all except for the angels and a few shepherds.  I mean let's be honest here.  In regards to anticipating the arrival of the Messiah, I am sure that none of us would picture the Saviour of the world arriving as a small baby, born to an impoverished family, with nowhere else to stay other than in a place for animals.  But, then again, if we look at a dying man hanging on a cross, if we didn't know any better, we wouldn't picture that as "victory," either.  It would seem more like "defeat" than "victory."  And yet we know through our faith that hope was born in that little manger at Bethlehem and we know that victory truly was earned on that Cross at Calvary.  Sometimes, hope is deceiving to our physical eyes.  Faith is something that we find with the heart and not solely what we see with our eyes.   The important thing for us to always remember as people of faith that we have to look at hope through the eyes of faith if we really want to see how God is working in our lives.  So, use this holy Season of Advent to look at things in a brand new way.  Look at the world with the eyes of faith.

Please make a point to join us for Mass on Sunday.  St. Margaret Church gathers together each and every Sunday at 10:30 am.  We worship at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible.  We use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  And receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Saviour at Communion time.   We are all busy.  We all lead busy lives.  Take an hour out of your busy week and dedicate it to God.  Give that hour to God and spend it with Him.

St. Andrew the Apostle, November 30th, 2025

 

St. Andrew the Apostle (First Sunday of Advent), 

November 30th, 2025

In the Tenth Chapter of the Epistle written to the Romans, St. Paul is emphasizing the importance of being saved.  But he makes one point which stuck out to me.  In verse 14, St. Paul is emphasizing the importance of believing.  And he makes the point in order to believe in God you must first hear about God.  And then he writes:  "and how shall they hear without a preacher?"  And then St. Paul goes on to write:  "And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"  You see we do not spend years studying in the seminary or a school of theology in order to be a preacher.  All of us have the ability to preach about God through our daily interactions with those around us.  And if you don't feel comfortable preaching by your words, you can always preach through your actions.  Preach through the way you live your life.  Preach the love of God by the way in which you treat your loved ones, your neighbors, your coworkers, even the stranger.  Preach about God each and every day.  St. Francis gave a famous quote along these lines when he said "Preach at all times and sometimes even use words."  In other words, all of us have the ability on a daily basis to preach the most wonderful sermon by our interactions with those around us.  We show people the love of God through our actions and the way in which we live our life.  Never forget that you are sent to preach to the world about God and preach some powerful sermons.

Please make a point to join us for Mass on Sunday.  St. Margaret Church gathers together each and every Sunday at 10:30 am.  We worship at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible.  We use the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  And receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Saviour at Communion time.   We are all busy.  We all lead busy lives.  Take an hour out of your busy week and dedicate it to God.  Give that hour to God and spend it with Him.

Sunday Next before Advent, November 23rd, 2025

 

Sunday Next before Advent, November 23rd, 2025

We hear the following from the Twenty-Third Chapter of the Book of The Prophet Jeremiah:  "BEHOLD, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." (Jeremiah 23:5)  "Behold, the days come .  ..  . ."  Yes, the days do come but what do they bring for you?  At this time of year the holidays come . . .  Thanksgiving  . . . . Christmas . . . New Years . .  .  People are getting ready for family gatherings.  People are getting ready for holiday meals.  People are preparing Christmas celebrations.  "Behold, the days come . . . . "   But what do the days bring for you?   At this time of the year people are preparing for something.  People are waiting for something.  Those of us who work, we keep busy preparing reports that are due or projects that we are working on.   Perhaps we are awaiting packages which we ordered online in time for Christmas.  Perhaps we are waiting for a time in which we are paid up on our bills.  Maybe we are waiting for our health to improve.  We might be waiting for someone to come visit us.  For the Christian, we are called to wait for Our Blessed Saviour.  The Prophet Jeremiah reminds us that the a "righteous Branch" will raise up.  He reminds us that a "King shall reign and prosper . . ."  Are we waiting?  Are we looking?  Are we keeping watch?  The holy season of Advent will shortly be upon us.   It is meant to remind us to be on the watch.  It is meant to remind us to wait for the coming of the Saviour.  It is meant to focus on preparing for the Lord.  The secular world truly hijacked Christmas.   Instead of focusing on receiving the Christ-Child we now focus on what gifts we are going to receive.  We should focus as much as possible in the upcoming weeks on the true meaning of Advent and truly await the coming of the Lord.  Open your hearts to Him.  Focus on Our Blessed Saviour.   The world tries so hard to grab our attention away from God.   The holy season of Advent is meant to bring that focus back to Christ . . . to focus on Him.   Use the upcoming weeks leading up to Christmas to prepare a place in your hearts for the Divine Infant Jesus.  Will you have room for Him there?

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

 

Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity, November 16th, 2025

How often do you get angry with someone or some thing?  How about irritated?  Do you ever get upset with other folks?  If so, do you get angry at someone once in a while?  Once a week?  Once a day?  Once you get angry with someone do you hold on to a grudge?  Do you let your anger build up inside of you until you explode?  I think everyone gets angry at times.  It comes very easily, let's face it.  This is because people around us can be irritating at times.  People do stupid things.  People say stupid things.  In short, it's easy to get angry and upset with people.  This is why we do it.  And yet Our Lord gives us good advice when it comes to times like this.  He tells us to forgive those who make us angry.  He tells us to forgive those who irritate us.  He tells us to forgive those around us.  This is probably one of the most difficult things we will ever do, wouldn't you agree?  Some people are just irritating.  Some people are just frustrating beyond words.  Some people just get under our skin.  And yet Our Lord never expects us to do anything that He did not practice Himself.  As difficult as it is Our Lord calls us to forgive those who have wronged us.  He calls us to forgive those who make us angry.  When St. Peter asked Our Lord how often should we forgive those who sin against us:  "How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?  till seven times?"  (St. Matthew 18:21)  And Our Lord responded:  "I say not unto thee, Until seven times but, Until seventy times seven." (St. Matthew 18:22)  Seventy times seven?!?!  Our Lord was emphasizing the importance of forgiving our enemies.   You ask why it is important to forgive those around us?   It is important because we want God to forgive us for the wrongs which we commit.  We want to God to forgive us when we mess up.  And it gets kind of tricky when we expect ask God to forgive us when we boldly refuse to forgive those who have done wrong to us.  So let's all do our best to follow Our Lord's advice to St. Peter:  Get in the habit to forgive seventy times seven times those who wrong us.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity, November 9th, 2025

 

Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity, November 9th, 2025

Have you ever noticed how much protective equipment a football player uses during a game?  From the helmet down to the cleats, the equipment is used to help protect the player from injury during a game.  Why?  Because football is a rough sport and injuries happen sometimes.  The equipment helps to minimize the possibility of injuries.  Same way with our military or first responders.  Have you ever seen all the equipment they put on to protect themselves as they go on duty?  They wear and use the various items to help protect them from injury and/or death.  This is the same reasoning why St. Paul writes in the Sixth Chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians that we should "put on the whole armour of God" so that we will be fully protected from Satan.  We should make special note that St. Paul says to put on the WHOLE armour of God.  Can you imagine a professional football player, for example, only wearing his helmet and none of the other protective gear that he normally puts on?  How long would he last in a game before he was injured?  St. Paul tells us that we should have:  "your loins girt about with truth", "the breastplate of righteousness," "your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace," "the shield of faith," "the helmet of salvation," and the "sword of the Spirit."  The world is a dangerous place for the believer.  The devil is always looking for ways to destroy us in our journey with God.  This is why we need all the protection we can get.  Stay close to God and put on the whole armour of God so that we can be fully protected.  

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, November 2nd, 2025

 

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, November 2nd, 2025

In the Twenty-Second chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, we hear Our Blessed Saviour comparing Heaven to a king who is throwing a wedding feast for his son:  "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come." (St. Matthew 22:1)  The problem is that the invited guests would not come to the wedding.  The guests would either simply ignore the invitation or reject it outright.  As Our Lord continues His parable, He states:  "But (the invited guests) made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise"  (St. Matthew 22:5)  Judging from this parable that Our Lord spoke, people back then were not that much different from people nowadays.  How many of us simply go our own way without any thought of God?  How many of us make light of God's invitation because we do not have the time  . . .  we are too busy doing "our own thing" . . . . we would rather be doing something else . . . . we could care less . . .  .  We need to make the time.  We need to find the time.  We need to make God a priority in our life.  Our Lord stated:  "In My Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you."  (St. John 14:2)  Our Lord is preparing a place for us but the question is are we preparing ourselves?  Are we spending time with God right now?  Are we trying our best to keep close to God?  Or are we too busy for God?  Are we too busy with the things of the world?    It seems to me that when a party is thrown, there is preparation on both the part of the host and the guest as well:  the host has to prepare the hall, prepare the food, etc.  But the guest also has preparation to make by getting properly dressed, cleaned up, etc.  God is inviting us to His house.  We have all been invited.  The question is are we even paying attention to the invitation? 

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 19th, 2025

 

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 19th, 2025

One of the things for which I am eternally grateful is that my parents took the time to teach me good manners.  Judging by what I see and experience today I would guess that there are a lot of parents who did not take the time to teach common courtesy to their children.  Just walk into a store and you will see proof of my statement.  Do people say, "Excuse me" or "Pardon me" when they need to pass by or walk in front of you?  A big one for me is saying "Thank you" when someone does something for you.  Do you ever hold the door for someone at a store, and they say don't say "Thanks"?   I do my best to always say "Thanks" when someone holds the door . . .  when someone passes me something I need . . . when someone helps me find something in a store . . . etc.  To say "Thank you" is just common courtesy, it seems to me.  To my parents who took the time to teach me common courtesy and how to show respect, Thank you!

But while we are talking about common courtesy and showing thanks for what people have done for us, how often do we show thanks to God for all the blessings He bestows on us?  Do we take the time to say "Thank You" to God for blessing us.  Proof of God's blessings are all around us and we need to thank the Good Lord above for all His blessings.  We all have things to complain about but giving thanks is not about focusing on what is wrong in our life.  Rather, we give thanks to Our Creator for all the good things He makes possible for us to have.  If you are not in the habit of giving thanks, develop the habit.  Say "Thank You" to God on a daily basis for all the blessings He bestows on you.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, October 12th, 2025

 

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, October 12th, 2025

Do you have a job or do you have a vocation?    So many of us go to work Monday through Friday working Eight to Five.  We do what is required of us while we are there.  We do what our boss expects us to do and then we go home. And then we wait around for payday.  We do what we are told Monday through Friday, eight to five, but then when we get home that is MY time.   That would describe a "job."  But St. Paul writes:  "I THEREFORE, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Ephesians 4:1)   If we look up the definition for the word "vocation" you might find the following definition for the word:  "a particular occupation, business, or profession; calling."  That definition would seem to mean something more than simply a "job."  And if you look at the same definition it goes on to say:  "a divine call to God's service or to the Christian life" and then "a function or station in life to which one is called by God. the religious vocation; the vocation of marriage."   (Dictonary.com definition of "Vocation") Given this further definition of a vocation I once again ask the question do you have a job or do you have a vocation when it comes to God?  St. Paul wants us to realize that we are called by God.  It seems though that most folks consider this nothing more than a "job."  When Sunday rolls around we get dressed, go to church, listen to the Word, and then we go home and do what we want to do.  The rest of the week is my time.  That seems more to describe having a job not having a vocation.  St. Paul is reminding us that every single one of us is called by God.  God calls us to live a life dedicated to Him. So much of the world dedicates their life to themselves.  But again St. Paul reminds us that we should "walk worthy of the vocation" by which each one of us is called.  As Christians, we should always remember that we do not simply have a job . . . . we have a vocation.  We have a calling.  A divine calling.  Our calling is a way of life.  A way of life centered around God.  We should always be mindful that we are called and that we have a vocation to serve the Almighty.  

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 5th, 2025

 

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 5th, 2025

In the Seventh Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, St. Luke paints a fascinating picture for us.  He describes Our Blessed Lord entering the city of Nain along with His disciples.  As we read this passage, we discover that Our Lord encountered a funeral procession and the grieving mother.  As we read this passage, we can begin to see in our mind's eye the drama unfolding before us.  And as Our Lord saw what was happening, He looked upon the grieving mother who had lost her only son, we are told that Our Lord had compassion on her.  "And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her . . ." (St. Luke 7:13)  Let us reflect on this fact.  First, Our Lord took the time to notice what was taking place.  Do we take the time to notice what is happening to people around us?  Do we take the time to notice what is going on in the lives of others?  Or are we so preoccupied with our own lives that we do not notice what is going on around us?  Next, Our Lord had compassion on her?  Our Lord saw what was going on.  He saw the agony and pain in this grieving mother's eyes, and He had compassion on her.  Do we show compassion on those around us?  "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another" (I St. Peter 3:8)   We are called to follow Our Lord in how we lead our lives.  We will never be perfect, and we will fall short very often.  But the point remains that we are called to be His representatives here in the world.  We are called to carry on His mission in the world.  And we should show mercy and compassion to those around us.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 28th, 2025

 

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 28th, 2025

"Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? "  (St. Matthew 6:25)

As human beings we need to be fed and we also have to be clothed.  But as Christians, we also have to be spiritually fed on a daily basis.    People are hungry for the Word of God.  They want to hear what God is saying to them. They are searching for God and may not even know it.  As St. Augustine pointed out:   "You have made us for Yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."  St. Augustine knew full well the desires of the human heart.  He was restless himself as a young man but he tried to "calm" this restlessness by focusing on fulfilling many desires of the heart and mind.  St. Augustine sought to fulfill his hunger with sex.  He sought to fulfill his hunger with wine.  He even sought to satisfy this restlessness with learning and education.  In essence, St. Augustine found that he went down many avenues to satisfy his restlessness and search for happiness.  And he found that each and every time he was indeed "satisfied" for a brief time but then his heart became "restless" again.  And St. Augustine discovered a pattern each of these points in his life:  he was satisfied for a time, yes, but then he wanted something else.  It was not until St. Augustine gave his heart to God that he discovered his heart was "restless" no longer.    Our human hearts are indeed restless.  Our human minds are restless.  We human beings are constantly searching for things that make us happy, for things that satisfy us.  And again we find inspiration from St. Augustine when he gives us the answer to satisfying our true hunger as human beings:  "So I set about to find God and found that I could not find Him until I embraced the mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, Who is over all these things, Who was calling me and saying:  'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life . . . ."  

As St. Augustine discovered in his own life, the human heart desires many things to be "satisfied."  But above all these "desires" is the desire to be with God and this can only be satisfied by a relationship with Our Blessed Saviour.  "Therefore take no thought, saying What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?   . . . . for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."  (St. Matthew 6:31-33)  As human beings we will desire many things in life but we need to first seek and desire God.  Until we discover that purpose, we will forever be restless and unsatisfied in life.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, September 21st, 2025

 

Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, September 21st, 2025

In the Ninth Chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel the Pharisees ask the disciples why Our Lord takes the opportunity to eat with tax collectors and sinners.  Our Lord heard this comment being made and He responded:  "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  . . . . for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (vv 12-13)  On this Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, it is good to recall that Our Lord calls all to serve Him, especially sinners.  Remember that St. Matthew was a tax collector.  And to put things into perspective, remember that tax collectors were hated.  They were hated because they took the people's money.  Tax collectors were known to cheat the people in order to line their own pockets.  And they were also hated because they took the money and gave it to the Romans, an occupying force.  But nonetheless Our Lord called St. Matthew to follow Him.  Our Lord does not discriminate.  Our Lord calls all who are willing to follow Him.  Very often we fool ourselves into thinking that we are "not worthy" to serve God.  We convince ourselves that we are "too sinful to do God's work."  The bottom line is that all of us are sinners in need of God's mercy.  God calls each and every one of us to repentance.  God calls each and every one of us to serve Him.  God calls each and every one of us to give our hearts to Him.  St. Matthew represented the most hated man because he was a tax collector.  Yet Our Lord did not hesitate in calling St. Matthew.  And to St. Matthew's credit, he accepted the called and followed Our Lord.  St. Matthew did not hesitate to accept Our Lord's invitation.   Neither should we hesitate to accept Our Lord's invitation.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 14th, 2025

 

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 14th, 2025

In the Tenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, we hear Our Lord tell His disciples the following:  "BLESSED are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." (vv 23-24)   Boy, if there was ever an "understatement" in the Bible this was definitely it.  The disciples heard and saw things on a regular basis that that prophets and kings and regular folks like you and me would have longed to hear.  The disciples were in the presence of Our Lord on a daily basis.  Think about all the wonderful things they heard.  Think about all the miracles they witnessed during that time.  But even with all that they had seen and all that they had heard, they still took things for granted, didn't they?  Look at the example of St. Thomas, who has gone down in history known more famously by another name:  "Doubting Thomas."  This is because despite the fact that he saw so many miracles with his own eyes.  Despite the fact that he heard so many wonderful things and truths which Our Lord spoke.  Despite all of this St. Thomas still "doubted" and questioned whether it truly was the Lord Who was raised from the dead.  But are we really so different from St. Thomas?  Has God done wonderful things for us in our life?  Has He blessed us throughout our lifetime?  Has God been with us when we needed Him most?  Has He walked alongside us when no-one else would?  God has spoken to us as well.  God has blessed us during our lifetime.  We have seen the miracles which God has done for us.  Or maybe not.  Maybe we didn't hear God speaking to us.  Why?  Because we were too busy listening to what the world was saying to us.  Perhaps we never noticed the blessings which the Good Lord provided for us because we were too occupied chasing after what the world has to offer.  God speaks to us.  Take time to pay attention.  God provides for us.  Take the opportunity to thank Him.  God teaches us.  Make sure that you learn what He is teaching. 

 Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, September 7th, 2025

 

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, September 7th, 2025

The older I get I am amazed how many incredible things are introduced and invented.  I see all the things available today that I never knew when I was a child.  For instance, when I was a child we did not have cable TV.  Therefore we didn't have 400 channels to choose from.  We had five channels to watch.  Speaking of televisions, we had no VCR's or DVD's back then so if you wanted to watch something on TV you better make sure you saw it when the show aired or you were out of luck.  There were no personal computers back then.  Certainly, no internet to browse and surf.  I could go on and on but you get the idea.  Things are certainly a lot different now than they were when I was a child.  It only causes me to think how different things will be fifty years from now, one hundred years from now.  Think about how things were one hundred years ago.  How different will life be One Hundred years from now?  The point that I'm making is that human beings are amazing when they want to be.  But St. Paul has a different spin on this point.

In the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, we hear:  ". . . . not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;" (II Corinthians 3:5)  God is the one who makes all things possible.  God is the one who gives us the tools we need to create, develop and produce the amazing things we enjoy in life.  He provides man with the talent and the ability to create amazing things.  We do our part by using the skills and talents we have been blessed with but God makes all things possible.  St. Paul recognized this fact.  "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain . . . " (I Corinthians 15:10)   As faithful, devout Christians we are called to use the skills and talents each one of us possess.  For some, they are good with their hands.  These people can fix things and build things.  While someone else may have the gift of teaching and making things understandable.  Others are gifted with the talent to make beautiful works of art enjoyed by others.  All of us have gifts and talents that only we possess.  We are all called to use the talents that the Good Lord has bestowed upon each one of us.  But first, we need to acknowledge the gift that God has given to us in these varied gifts and talents.  Like St. Paul, we should always remember that our talent, our skill, our ability .. . .  none of these would exist without God.  We depend totally upon God for the blessings we enjoy. 

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, August 31st, 2025

 

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, August 31st, 2025

In the Eighteenth Chapter of his Gospel, St. Luke writes of the time Our Blessed Lord told the parable of the two men who went into the temple to pray.  In telling this parable, Our Blessed Lord portrays the first man, a Pharisee, as being very self-righteous.  Our Lord describes the way this man prays:  "I thank Thee that I am not as other men . . . ."  "I fast twice in the week."  "I give tithes."  And then Our Lord describes the prayer of the other man:  "God be merciful to me a sinner."  The point which Our Lord was trying to make in telling this parable was to be humble because He explains:  "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (St. Luke 18:14)  How often do we depend on ourselves and ultimately end up failing miserably?  How often do we depend on others and end up being disappointed?  How often do we put our trust in worldly possessions which end up coming short?  In the Fifteenth Chapter of his First Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul counts himself as one of the Apostles because the Lord appeared to him and chose him.  And he then goes on to briefly describe all the labors he performed as working for the Lord.  But ultimately, St. Paul acknowledges that everything he did  . . . . all the good works he was able to achieve . . . none of it would be possible without God's graces.  " . . .  yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (I Corinthians 15:10)   The Good Lord has given each one of us strengths, abilities and skills which we possess.  Each of us have something that we are very good at.   But that being said, we should always be like St. Paul.   We should acknowledge where these abilities come from.  We should acknowledge that all that we have, all that we are, all that we possess is only made possible through the good graces of Our Heavenly Father.  In the parable which Our Blessed Saviour spoke, the problem with the Pharisee was that he emphasized himself when he prayed:  "I .  . .  I  . . . . I . . ."  We need to be more like the second man and place the emphasis on God.  We need to always humble ourselves and acknowledge where are gifts come from.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

St. Bartholomew, Apostle, August 24th, 2025

 

St. Bartholomew, Apostle, August 24th, 2025

On August 24th, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, which this year falls on a Sunday.   It seems that we know very little about St. Bartholomew.  The only time he is mentioned in Scripture is when he mentioned by name in a list of the Apostles.  Some scholars believe that St Bartholomew is simply another name for Nathaniel.   Tradition also says that St. Bartholomew might have preached in India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, or other lands.  So, as you can see, very little is actually known about St. Bartholomew.  There is more speculation than there is actual fact.

But celebrating the Feast of St. Bartholomew allows us to consider the attitude of leaders within the Church.  In today's Gospel, Our Lord is speaking to the Apostles in response to their arguing about who is the greatest, who has the most authority, who is the leader, etc.:  "AND there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest." (St. Luke 22:24)  And Our Blessed Saviour goes on to explain to them that whoever wants to be the greatest needs to be the least.  Whosoever wants to be the leader needs to be the one who serves.  The elder needs to be as the younger, Our Lord states.  Certainly, St. John the Baptist stated this belief perfectly when he said:  "He must increase, but I must decrease."  (St. John 3:30)   Seen in the light of what Our Lord told the Apostles, the fact that little is known about St. Bartholomew it would seem that St. Bartholomew took Our Lord's words to the heart.  In other words, St. Bartholomew was more interested in making Our Lord's Name known than he was in making his own name known.  This is how it should be for all Christians, not just the Apostles.  We should be more interested in making Our Lord's Name be known than making our own name known.  If we look at the lives of the Apostles and the disciples and the lives of the saints, we see that these holy men and women have dedicated their lives to God.  They were more interested in making God's Name be known throughout the world.  Their glory was in glorifying God and making Him known.  In this, we should follow the advice of St. John the Baptist and St. Bartholomew:  "God must increase . . .  and we must decrease . . . "

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Ninth Sunday after Trinity, August 17th, 2025

 

Ninth Sunday after Trinity, August 17th, 2025

I would imagine the most famous parable which Our Lord ever told was the parable of the "Prodigal Son."  But I have believed firmly that this parable is misnamed.  I do not believe that it should be called the "Prodigal Son" but rather the parable of the "Loving Father."  I understand why the focus of the parable is on the son because he is the one who wants to get his share of his father's inheritance early.  The son is the one who leaves home in other to live life as he sees fit.  The son spends all his inheritance on riotous living.   And the son comes home with his tail between his legs hungry and embarrassed with egg on his face.  But what we really should focus on is the response of the father in the story.  "But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." (St. Luke 15:20)  The response of the father is really what we should focus on.  This is because it is the response of our Heavenly Father to His ungrateful children:  in other words, humanity.  Aren't we like the "prodigal son" so often in our life?  We want the good things given to us without having to work for them.  We want to run off from our responsibilities and live the "good life."  We focus on God's blessings and pray for God to give us what we ask for.  But when we get what we want we run off and leave God so that we can live life the way that we want to live.  When you think about it, we are very similar to the "prodigal son" in so many ways.  But God is very much like the "loving father" in the parable.  He loves his children and desires the best for His children.  This is why He sent His Son into the world to save us from our sins.  This is why Our Blessed Saviour died on the Cross for us.  He took our place.  We are the ones who deserve death on the cross but Our Lord loves us so much that He died for us.  He died on the Cross so that He could save us from our sins.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Eighth Sunday after Trinity, August 10th, 2025

 

Eighth Sunday after Trinity, August 10th, 2025

We hear in the Eighth Chapter of Romans:  "The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."  (v. 16)  But then it goes on to say in the next verse:  "And if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together."  (v.17)  It seems to me that an important lesson is often forgotten in our modern society by a whole lot of folks that with privilege comes responsibility.  We want all the benefits, but we do not want to have the responsibility.  In other words, if we look at the life of Our Blessed Saviour, we will see that He suffered.  He felt pain.  He cried.  He had sorrow.  We experience all of those things as well in life.  And when we do we feel sorry for ourselves, don't we?  We get all caught up in our feelings and we focus and fixate on our sorrows.  But verse 18 of this chapter gives us hope:  "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  Yes, we will experience suffering in this life.  Yes, we will experience setbacks in our life.  Can a student experience the joy of getting an "A" on a final exam without first spending countless hours studying and preparing for the exam?  A student must first prepare for the exam by studying and preparing for the test.  In life we must experience hardship and reward.  We should always remember the example of Our Blessed Saviour, Without the Cross, Our Lord would never rise again on the third day.  He had to die first.  We also must die first before we can experience the glory.  We must die to the world . . .  die to sin . . .  die to selfishness.  We must give ourselves to God . . .  dedicate our lives to God Our Heavenly Father.  We must live for Him.  In life we will experience trials and tribulations, but we will endure with the help of God.  We will suffer setbacks but God will see us through.  We are children of God.  We are Sons and Daughters of the Most High.  

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Seventh Sunday after Trinity, August 3rd, 2025

 

Seventh Sunday after Trinity, August 3rd, 2025

In the Eighth Chapter of St. Mark's Gospel, we read about the miraculous feeding of the four thousand.  As St. Mark tells us these four-thousand dear souls had been with Our Lord for some three days.  They were listening to what He was saying.  They were hearing the messages He was imparting from His Father. They were witnessing the Son of God before their very eyes.  No wonder they stayed in His presence for three days.  But as I have said so many times, Our Lord is not someone Who is distant and far-off.  Our Lord is someone Who is nearby and takes notice of us.  We find proof of this fact when we read the words of Our Lord:  "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with Me three days."  (St. Mark 8)  Our Lord certainly does have compassion on us.  All we have to do is read through the accounts of His life found in the Gospels to see proof.  Our Lord had compassion on the mother whose son had died.  Our Lord had compassion on the lepers who cried out to Him for healing.  Our Lord had compassion on the lame and the blind He came into contact with.  And here in St. Mark Our Lord has compassion on the four thousand.  The question is do we have compassion?  Do we have compassion on those around us?  Do we have compassion on those who have done wrong to us?  Do we show compassion to those in need of forgiveness?  Do we take the time to show compassion to those who need to see the love of God?  Do we allow ourselves to be the instrument of God by showing compassion to those around us?  God showed compassion to His children when He sent His Son into the world to save us from our sins.  Our Lord showed compassion when He healed the sick.   Our Lord showed compassion from the Cross forgiving those who put Him there saying, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."  Do we show compassion?  

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Sixth Sunday after Trinity, July 27th, 2025

 

Sixth Sunday after Trinity, July 27th, 2025

In the Fifth Chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, we hear Our Lord giving very difficult advice to His disciples:  " I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire."  I don't know about you but I get angry all the time.  I get angry about things I see on the nightly news.  I get angry every time I go to the grocery and see how much the prices have risen since the last time I went to the grocery.  I get angry about people who drive like idiots on the highway.  I get angry when the Cubs lose.  I guess you get the picture.  There's lots of things I get angry about.  And I bet that describes most of us around the world.  And we try to justify our being angry, don't we?  If we get angry with someone it is because someone else is "an idiot," it is because someone else "deserves it," it is because someone else caused us to get angry.   God sent His Son into the world to save us from our sins.  Nothing more, nothing less.  But He did this because He loves us.  All of us.  Nothing more, nothing less.  And Our Lord spent His days on earth showing people God's love.  Off the top of my head, I can only think of one example in Scripture where we see Our Lord angry and that is in the Temple when He sees that they have turned His Father's house into a "den of thieves" and began overturning tables.   All of us, including myself, need to stop getting so angry about this, that or the other.  We need to stop focusing on what gets us angry and focus on God and what God wants for our lives.  We need to focus more on God so that we won't have time to get angry.  Is this easy?  No, it is very difficult.  But it is worth it.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  

Fourth Sunday after Trinity, July 13th, 2025

 

Fourth Sunday after Trinity, July 13th, 2025

Being a Christian is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination.  Come to think of it, being a human being is not an easy thing either.  Having to make decisions that affect your own life.  Having to make decisions that affect others . . . . for example, if you are a parent or the owner of a company.  Having to do things that you would prefer not to do but have to be done . . .  cutting the grass comes to mind or paying bills.  Having to juggle various roles all at the same time . . .   going to work . . . taking care of your home . . .  being a parent . . .  being a child . . . . paying bills . . . doing chores . . .  etc. The point being is that life is busy . . . at least it is for me . . . and life is full of difficulties and challenges . . .  again, at least it is for me.  But as I look around on social media and in the news and listening to people's conversations, it seems that people must have a whole lot of free time that they don't know what to do with.  It used to be that if you held a different belief than me, I might not have agreed with you but it amounted to nothing more than that:  a difference of opinion.  Period.  End of story.  I might not like your choice or I might not like your belief but on the other hand you might not be too fond of something about me either.  But we just left it at that.  And, more importantly, we left it alone.  You had your belief.  I had my belief. Period.  Today, people get into all kinds of arguments and criticisms of one another if they do not agree and support the other person one hundred and twenty percent.

In St. Luke's Gospel, Our Lord said:  " BE ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."  (St. Luke 6:36)  But then He goes on to say in the following verse:  "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."   (v.37)  It is that last part that we should be most concerned with . . . ". .  . forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."   I have long said that we tend to be so focused on the wrong-doing in others lives, if for no other reason, it takes the focus off of our wrong doing.  If I focus on someone else and where they are wrong in their life, it means that I have less time to focus on what is wrong in my own life.    A few verses later, Our Lord states in Verse 41:  "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"  Why am I so concerned about the speck that I see in my brother's eye when I am totally oblivious to the plank in my own eye?!?  The bottom line is this:  Don't be too quick to criticize someone else because your backyard probably needs a little sprucing up as well.  You don't have to be in complete agreement with someone in order to be civil and loving to that person.  Our Lord stated that we need to "love one another"  He did not say that we need to "agree with one another."  And finally,  show a little mercy and compassion to those around you.  Do not be so quick to condemn someone who does not agree with you.  That person may not agree with you either on other subjects.  The bottom line is that each one of us needs to be concerned if we agree with God.   I should be LESS concerned about making MY own voice heard  . . . and be MORE concerned about making GOD'S voice heard in my life and the way in which I treat others around me.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Third Sunday after Trinity, July 6th, 2025

 Third Sunday after Trinity, July 6th, 2025

Have you ever misplaced something that you needed desperately?  Have you ever lost something which was very dear to you?  Have you ever discovered that you did not have something, and you needed that item to complete a project?  If so, you probably focused all your time and energy on finding that lost item which is suddenly gone.  This is just human nature.  We tend to focus on what we don't have instead of focusing on what we do have.  In the Fifteenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel Our Lord gives three examples of various people who have lost things and how happy these people are when they find what they are looking for.  As I say, we can understand this feeling perfectly.  How did you feel when you found the lost item you were looking for?  How did you feel when you found that item which you knew in your heart was lost forever and then it turned up suddenly?  You were happy, weren't you?  You were relieved.  Our Lord is making the point that it makes Our Heavenly Father very happy when one sinner turns from his sinful ways and makes a return to God.  We need to turn away from the world and turn towards God.  We are in the world and the world has so much to capture our attention and draw us away from God.  But we need to do what we can to turn our attention away from the world and direct it towards God.  

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Second Sunday after Trinity, June 29th, 2025

 Second Sunday after Trinity, June 29th, 2025

In the Fourteenth  Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, Our Lord tells the story of a certain man who made plans to host a great feast.  And when all the details were taken care of and the time for the party had arrived, the people who had been invited did not show up.  They all came up with excuses as to why they did not show up.  One person stated that he had to look after his oxen.  Another person said that he had just purchased a piece of land and he had to check on it.  Another man stated that he had just been married and he had to be with his wife.  The point being that all the guests who had been invited to the great feast had come up with excuses to not attend.  Our Lord told this story because He wanted people to realize that God has planned a wonderful party for His children as well.  But how many of us make excuses.  "Well, I would go to church if it wasn't so early in the morning."  "I don't go to church because it's boring."  "I don't read the Bible because there are too many words I don't understand."  "I don't go to church because it's filled with hypocrites."  And the excuses go on and on and on.  God has planned a party for His children but only we can decide if we are going or not. It is up to us.  God invites us but He does not force us to attend.  We have to make the choice.  How do we make the choice?  How do we choose God?  Give your heart to Him.  Spend time with God each day in prayer.  Read the Bible.  Study it.  Treat people and do things with God in mind.  In other words, what would God have me do?  And go to church when you are able.  When you go to church you are honoring God by your presence.  And you are supporting your brothers and sisters in Christ by being there.  Even today, many people make excuses when it comes to God.  Do your best not to be one of them.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

First Sunday after Trinity, June 22nd, 2025

 First Sunday after Trinity, June 22nd, 2025

In the Sixteenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, Our Blessed Lord relates the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man.  In this story, Our Saviour contrasts the difference between how these two men lived their lives:  the rich man wore fine clothing and ate  delicious foods while Lazarus was a poor beggar who lived a miserable existence.  We are further told that when both men died, Lazarus went to Heaven and the rich man went to hell.  In fact, the rich man suffered so much in hell that he cried out to Abraham to send Lazarus to him to give him even the slightest bit of relief to his torment and we then hear the following:  "But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things . . . ." (St. Luke 16:25)

This Gospel passage points out the problem faced by so many in our society today.  So many of us are fixated on the good things in life.  We have everything we want:  the latest gadgets; the newest car; a house in the fanciest neighborhood; the latest fashions; etc.  Now, there is nothing wrong with any of these things just mentioned, but when they take our attention away from God, that is where the problem arises.  We are called as Christians to keep our attention fixed on God.  It is God Who provides all the blessings in life but if these "blessings" divert the attention away from Him, what use are they in the long run?  Fashionable clothes go out of style . . . the latest electronics become obsolete . . .   cars break down . . .  but the one thing they never goes bad is the love of God.  "Put your money where your mouth is."  We've all heard this phrase.  In essence, it means that you better back up your words or else they are "just words" and no more.  Well, God did back up His words.  He proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that He loved us by sending His Only Begotten Son into the world to save us from our sins.  Our Blessed Saviour died on the Cross for us.   Why do we keep our attention focused on earthly items that will fade away into nothing?  We have been given a gift beyond measure:  the gift of salvation.  It is offered freely.   Keep your eyes focused on God.  Keep your attention on your Heavenly Father. 

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Trinity Sunday, June 15th, 2025

 Trinity Sunday, June 15th, 2025

In the third chapter of St. John's Gospel, we are listening to a conversation between Our Blessed Saviour and Nicodemus.  Our Lord tells Nicodemus that we must be "born again."  This phrase confuses Nicodemus a little because he comes right out and asks:  "How can a man be born again?  Can he enter his mother's womb a second time?"  And Our Lord explains to him how this is possible by stating:  "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (St. John 3:1 ff)  As Our Lord explains to Nicodemus, our physical body can only be born once but in the spirit, we can indeed be born again.  It would be physically and virtually impossible for a human being to be born again, but purely in the spiritual sense, it is possible to begin all over again by turning our lives over to God.  This is because Our Lord makes the point to distinguish between what is physical and what is spiritual.  Thus, in our spirit when we give our hearts over to God and make Him the master of our life, then we become born again.  We become, as St. Paul puts it,  "a new creature."  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  (II Corinthians 5:17)  Our Lord says to Nicodemus that "That whosoever believeth in (the Son of Man, Jesus) should not perish, but have eternal life."   (St. John 3:15)  So believe in Our Lord and put all your trust in Him.  Make Him the ruler and the very center of your life and turn your hearts over to Him!

Today, we celebrate "Trinity Sunday" in honor of the Holy Trinity:  Father, Son and Holy Ghost.    "For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts .  . . . ." (II Corinthians 4:6)  We resemble God not in our outward characteristics but rather we resemble God inwardly:  in how we act; how we treat others; how we love; how we have compassion; in how we forgive; etc.  The image of God that we were created in is through the spirit that is within each one of us.  And it is up to us how much we let that light shine forth to the rest of the world.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Whitsunday, June 8th, 2025

 

Pentecost, commonly called Whitsunday, June 8th, 2025

In the world in which we live . . .  if you want my opinion . . .  it's understandable if a person is scared.   I mean just look at all the things to be scared of.   All you have to do is turn on the nightly news and see a whole host of things that will terrify you:  rampant crime  . . . . drive-by shootings . . . . wars and threats of wars  . . . .  erupting volcanoes . . . . . These are just things which I saw featured on the news this week.  The news itself does a good job of scaring us.  The media focuses on negative things to begin with.  They report on murders, car wrecks, robberies, factories closing down, etc.  But then when you factor in the news being on for hours and hours during the day, the result is that you keep seeing the same scary news over and over and over and over  again.  It's almost as if the "fear" is pounded into your head hourly by the news media.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I am not saying that there are not things to be scared of or concerned about.  Oh, by all means, yes there are.  What I am pointing out is that by courtesy of the Internet, by courtesy of the news media, we are allowed to dwell on our fears twenty-four hours a day.  In my opinion, you can't watch the news without getting at least a little depressed.  

Perhaps this is the precise reason Our Blessed Lord said what He said.  If we look at the Fourteenth Chapter of the Gospel of St. John, we hear Our Lord say:  "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  In fact, let's look at the whole verse:  "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  (St. John 14:27)   In this verse Our Blessed Saviour makes a point to specify that it is "His peace" that He is giving us.  He is differentiating between His peace that He is giving and the peace that the world gives.  The peace that the world "gives" is anything but peaceful.  The world gives us doubt.  The world gives us fear.  The world imparts jealousy and hatred.  We always have worries at the back of our mind about a whole host of things.  We are scared . . . .  sometimes rightly scared and sometimes not . . .  but still scared, nonetheless.  

But throughout all of these anxieties and fears and worries and concerns, the Lord is the cure to our concerns.  He is the sure foundation that we need in our life.  He is the One  . . . . the only One  . . . . Who can offer true peace and security of mind.  "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  God will always be with us, no matter what.  God will always be there for us, in good times and bad.  God will never forsake us.  God will never leave us.  God is ever faithful to His promise even when we are not.  Our Blessed Lord promised that when He left this world, He would send us the Holy Ghost to comfort us, to strengthen us, to fortify us.   "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."  (St. John 14:26)  We have to keep in mind as well that the Holy Ghost is known as the "Comforter" but that name is misleading in our modern day English language because it almost describes something very "comfortable" such as a nice comfy pillow, for example.  Actually, the translation would be more accurate as "Strengthen" or "Strength."  Our Lord is sending us the Holy Ghost to strengthen us.  Either way, let us be assured of one thing:  God is always there for us and we should not be afraid of anything this old world can throw at us.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Please consider joining us for Mass.  Come hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Consider setting aside an hour of your week where you can dedicate that time solely to God.  Come hear the Word of God.  Listen to God speaking to you directly and hear what He has to say for YOU!  Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time to be strengthened and nourished for your journey! 

Sunday after Ascension, June 1st, 2025

 

Sunday after Ascencion, June 1st, 2025

St. Luke ends his Gospel with the Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven.  We read in Verse 51 of the Twenty-Fourth Chapter:  "And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into Heaven."  I can only imagine how the Apostles felt as they were in the Presence of Our Lord at that moment.  I am sure they were in great awe of such a moment.  But we read in the following verse: "And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." (St. Luke 24:52) Without a doubt we are affected by others around us, wouldn't you agree?  Have you ever been in the presence of someone who was in a foul mood, for example, and you began getting in a bad mood?  But haven't we all been in the presence of someone who simply lifted our spirits because they were so joyful?  For the Christian we also should have "great joy" when we praise and bless God. (v. 53)   Joyful because God has created us . . . because He has given us life.  Joyful because Our Heavenly Father continues to sustain us, to nourish us, to feed us.   Joyful because Christ came to save us from ourselves.  In other words, He came to save us from our sins.  Joyful because Christ Our Saviour goes to prepare a place for us in Heaven.  Joyful because we have the Comforter, the Holy Ghost always close to us.  As Christians, we have so much to be joyful for.  The world offers us joy, yes, but the joy the world offers is at best temporary, fleeting and in many cases the world offers us "false joy."  The joy which God offers is everlasting.  Stay close to Our Blessed Saviour.  Remain close to the One Who has chosen us, redeemed us, and saved us.

  Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Please consider joining us for Mass.  Come hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Consider setting aside an hour of your week where you can dedicate that time solely to God.  Come hear the Word of God.  Listen to God speaking to you directly and hear what He has to say for YOU!  Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time to be strengthened and nourished for your journey!

Fifth Sunday after Easter (Rogation Sunday), May 25th, 2025

 Fifth Sunday after Easter (Rogation Sunday), May 25th, 2025

I personally enjoy the Epistle of St. James.  For me, I find this epistle to be straight forward.  In other words, St. James gets right to the point.  "BE ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (St. James 1:22)  St. James gets straight to the point, doesn't he?  In other words, I am sure  know we all have friends, acquittances or coworkers who seem to "talk a good game" but they really do not back up their talk with action.  As Christian's we need to "show" who we are and not simply "talk" about what we believe.  I am sure this is why Our Lord came into the world as a human being.  He spoke about His Heavenly Father, yes, but He also showed those around Him the love of the Father.  He did this by performing miracles, yes, but He showed the Father's love through interacting with those around Him, both the poor and rich, both ordinary and influential, etc.  He showed those around Him, particularly the Apostles, that it is important to show the love of God to everyone we encounter.  He demonstrated to the disciples that they should show the love of God to all those they come in contact with.  Our Lord did not hesitate to speak with all those around Him.  He did the work of God as He was called to do.  In short, Our Blessed Saviour did not just speak about the love of God, He showed it through His words and actions.  As people of faith, we are called to do the same.  We need to speak about our faith, yes, but we also need put our faith into action.  We do that by helping others around us.  We do that by spending time with those less fortunate.  We do that by assisting those in need.  God uses us as His instruments here on earth.  We are the face of God to those around us.  We do this through by being doing His work here on earth.  While it is important to talk about our relationship with God, I think it means even more to demonstrate our relationship with God through our actions and how we treat others around us.  

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Please consider joining us for Mass.  Come hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Consider setting aside an hour of your week where you can dedicate that time solely to God.  Come hear the Word of God.  Listen to God speaking to you directly and hear what He has to say for YOU!  Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time to be strengthened and nourished for your journey!

Third Sunday after Easter, May 11th, 2025

 Third Sunday after Easter, May 11th, 2025

When you go on a trip, do you ever notice how much time you spend in preparation for the trip by packing?  If you are like me, it seems like you pack half the house to go on a trip.  And even if you are only going to be gone a few days, it's unbelievable how much stuff we pack for those few days: clothing items and shoes . . . . jackets  . . . .  hygiene items  . . . .  The list goes on and on.    And then when the trip is done, you have to make sure you don't leave anything behind.  You've heard of people with a fear of spiders or people with a fear of flying?  I think I have a fear of leaving something behind in the motel room.   I will check and recheck to make sure I did not leave anything behind.  It's amazing how much time we spend in packing and preparing for going places.  But truth be known, we don't take anything with us when we die, do we?  I joke around and say that I'm going to take my Elvis record collection with me when I die, but of course that's ridiculous.  We don't take anything with us when we die.   The only thing that we take with us to the grave, it seems to me, is the love that we have in our heart.  When our time comes to an end here on this ol' earth that we call home, the only "thing" we will take with us is the love that we have for God . . .  love for our neighbors . . .  and love for one another.  Other than that, what do we take with us when we die?   Just the love that we have in our heart.  Why do we spend our lifetime accumulating so much stuff?  In comparison, though, how much time do we spend preparing our heart in regards to showing love towards God and our neighbor?

In the Sixteenth Chapter of St. John's Gospel, we hear Our Lord speaking to the disciples about various matters.  One of the things that He tells the disciples is preparing them for when He shall leave.  He says:  "A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father." (St. John 16:16)  Our Lord is preparing the disciples for His departure because He knows that they will be in sorrow and distress at His departure:  But Our Lord states that the sorrow the disciples will feel at His departure will be turned to joy.  "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." (v. 22)  Again, many things that we have in life can be lost, taken from us, or stolen but the love and joy we have in our heart, nobody can take that from us.  Our Lord's last words in this discourse state:  "I came forth from the Father; and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." (v. 28)  We can say the same thing, it seems to me.   When we are born, our life is a gift from the Good Lord Himself.   And when we die, we leave the world and return to God.   And when we return, the only thing that we have to show for our journey is how we have lived our life while we were here . . .  how much love we have for one another . . .  and how much love we showed while we were here.  When we travel here on earth, we are careful to pack what we need for the trip.  We should also prepare for our "final trip" by loving one another and showing the love that God has shown us and sharing that love to one another.  

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Please consider joining us for Mass.  Come hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Consider setting aside an hour of your week where you can dedicate that time solely to God.  Come hear the Word of God.  Listen to God speaking to you directly and hear what He has to say for YOU!  Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time to be strengthened and nourished for your journey!

Second Sunday after Easter, May 4th, 2025

 Second Sunday after Easter, May 4th, 2025

I remember when I was growing up . . .  I find myself saying that more and more .  . . .  . .. anyway, I remember when I was growing up, it was understood that a person started at the bottom and worked their way up from there.  To me that was how things were done.  I suppose that's why while still in high school I got a job scrubbing pots and pans in a cafeteria.  You don't get much more "bottom-rung" than that.  You start at the bottom and then work your way up the ladder, so to speak.  Now I don't want to paint everyone the same way.  I realize there are exceptions to every rule.  But it just seems that today, very often anyways, that people are not content to start out at the bottom and work their way up.  They want to start out at the top.  Even when someone is at the "bottom," so to speak, very often they seem to know things better than the boss.  Even where I work, the kids there seem to have an attitude that they know things better than any adult and they are always right no matter what.  Unfortunately, it's not just the kids that have this attitude at times.  I think we all have this perspective at times.  We so often have to come up with excuses when we are criticized.   We have to explain things instead of just accepting that we could have handled things differently or better.  We have to always be "in the right" or "have the last word."  The reason I am reflecting on these thoughts is because in the Tenth Chapter of St. John's Gospel, Our Blessed Lord is speaking of Himself as being the Good Shepherd.  Our Lord says:  "I am the good shepherd; and know my sheep, and am known of mine"  (St. John 10:11 ff)  Now, keep in mind that there are three different statements or observations in the above sentence:  Our Lords says that He is the "good shepherd."  He also says that He knows His sheep.  And then He ends up by saying basically that His sheep know Him. Regarding this last statement, do we know the Good Shepherd?  Or to put it another way, do we know that we are His sheep?  Are we content with being His sheep?  This sounds strange to ask but do you know anyone that just has to always be right?  Do you know someone that just always has the have the final word in everything . . . . no matter what.  In the spiritual life, there are people like that as well.  When they go to God in prayer, they tell God what they want to happen instead of listening to God telling them what He wants to happen.  Do we ever go to God demanding things when we pray?  Sure, we may do our "demanding" in a nice, respectful way . . . . . . but the bottom line is that we are still telling God to do it our way.  We have things all figured out and we know what's best and so we pray not so much saying "Thy will be done" as much as we do "My will be done."  Our Lord is the Good Shepherd.  As such, there is only room for one shepherd.  Let us continually fashion ourselves and remind ourselves that He is our shepherd.  God is in control.  Let all of us remember that fact and let God be God, in other words.  As human beings we do not like to be told what to do.  We very often have to have the final word.  As devout Christians, let us remember that God is in charge and that God gets to have the final word.  Let us always remember that Christ is the Good Shepherd and that we are His sheep and to follow Him.

Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church.  We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis. 

Please consider joining us for Mass.  Come hear the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Consider setting aside an hour of your week where you can dedicate that time solely to God.  Come hear the Word of God.  Listen to God speaking to you directly and hear what He has to say for YOU!  Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time to be strengthened and nourished for your journey!