Fourth Sunday after Easter, May 3rd, 2026

 

Fourth Sunday after Easter, May 3rd, 2026

When I was growing up my mother used to make a point that we have two ears but only one mouth.  The implication meaning that we should make a point to listen twice as much than we speak.   It seems to me that this advice is especially profound today in the age of "Social Media."   We hear from St. James in the First Chapter of his epistle:  ". . .  let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."  (St. James 1:19)   Again, in the day and age in which we live we have instant access to voice our opinion.  If you don't like something, post an opinion on Facebook.  If you are put out by some business write a review on social media or send an email via the corporate website.  Sometimes we are correct in being offended but most times I would dare say we are just feeling offended.  Nothing more and nothing less.  I recently went to a fast-food restaurant and it seemed to take a long time to get my food.  As I was waiting there for my food I took note of all the other patrons waiting for their food as well.  I tried to divert my attention away from the food but it seems like I would keep returning to the "game" of counting the folks ahead of me waiting for their food.   Now one piece of the puzzle that I need to tell you is that there were only two employees working at the time.  So these two employees were trying to work the front counter . ..  take care of the drive-through . .. prepare the food . . . serve the food . . .  . I am just making the point that I could have sat there and gotten madder and madder that it took so long to get my food . . .  or I could have considered the circumstances of the situation and tried to understand why it was taking so long.  I decided to take the latter course.  It wasn't the employees fault.  They were working as hard as they could under the circumstances.  But again getting back to the subject at hand, I could have complained . . .  I could have told my friends: "Oh, I had a horrible experience at that place, never eat there.'  I could have written a scathing review on social media or Facebook telling the whole world not to eat there.  But would telling the whole world of my seeming inconvenience have told the whole story of that experience?  No.  Very often it is best to slow down and take things slowly.  In this day and age in which we live. We want everything done "five minutes ago."  We're in a rush for everything and we want to tell the whole world how we feel about everything.   It would also seem from looking at social media and watching the news that as a society we are in a rush to be offended also today.  

We need to get in the habit of listening more and talking less.  This is certainly true in the spiritual sense.  How often do we take time to pray . .  . . . when we make the time to pray, that is . . .  and 99 percent of the prayer seems to be based solely on TELLING God what to do.  We tell God what we want.  We tell God what needs to be done.  We tell God how we want things  . . .  when we want them . . . and how He should do them.  Wouldn't it be better if we got in the habit of listening to God when we speak to Him instead of telling Him how to do His job?  It seems to me that God loves us very much.  Why else would He have sent His Son into the world to save us if this was not the case.  It seems also that the Good Lord knows us.  He knows our faults.  He knows our habits.  He knows our sins.  And despite this knowledge, He still waits for us to come to Him.  He still waits for us to approach Him.  We should make a point to try and listen to Him.  Maybe then we will hear Him and hear what He is trying to say to us.

We gather together at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Mass begins at 9:30 am.  Please join us this day and hear the Word of God and give praise and honor to Our Risen Saviour!

Third Sunday after Easter, April 26th, 2026

 

Third Sunday after Easter, April 26th, 2026

Have you ever had the opportunity to see someone after a long time without seeing them?  A long-lost friend?  A relative?  A fellow classmate?  And what took place?  Were you happy to see them?  Overjoyed?  Did you meet for supper?  Did you invite them over for dinner?  If so, did you clean up the house?  Prepare the meal?  Make sure everything was "just right."  In today's Gospel reading coming from St. John, Our Lord says to His disciples:  "A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me" (St. John 16:16)  How will we feel when we see the Lord face to face?  Will there be immense joy?  Will there be anxiety?  Will there be nervousness?  Sometimes when we have some sort of an engagement down the road, we get nervous or we get anxious.   If we have a meeting planned with a supervisor or a manager where we work, for example.  Or if we have a job interview lined up. Or if we an upcoming medical procedure planned.  But if we spend time with Our Lord right here and right now.  In other words, if we get in the habit of spending time with God in prayer each and every day.  If we get in the habit of reading the Scriptures each and every day.  If we get in the habit of doing our best to please God and do things the way He would want us to do.  It seems to me we won't be nearly as anxious or nervous when we will see Our Blessed Saviour face to face.  How will you feel when you see Our Lord?

We gather together at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Mass begins at 9:30 am.  Please join us this day and hear the Word of God and give praise and honor to Our Risen Saviour!

Easter Sunday, April 5th, 2026

 

Easter Sunday, April 5th, 2026

Our Blessed Lord is Risen from the grave!  He is Risen Indeed!  As people of faith, we know that Our Blessed Lord rose on the third day on that original Easter Sunday morn.  The stone was rolled away and Our Lord rose from the dead.  Death could not hold Him.  Death could not defeat Him.  We know that Our Blessed Saviour died on the Cross so that we could be forgiven our sins.  He rose from the grave on that glorious Easter morn so that we could have eternal life with Him in Heaven!  With all that said, we turn to the Third Chapter of the Epistle written to the Colossians:  "IF ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above" (v. 1)  And also:  "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (v. 2)   As sons and daughters of the Risen Lord why do we set our affections on earthly things?  We live in the world, yes, but as children of faith, we are not of the world!   Our kingdom is in Heaven and Christ is Our Risen King!  Let us set our sights on Heavenly things.  Let us seek those things above and not spend our precious time seeking earthly things which will ultimately just fade away.  The love of God is everlasting.  

PLEASE NOTE:  Easter Mass at St. Margaret Church will begin at 11:30 am on Easter day, April 5th, 2026.  

We gather together at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Please join us this day and hear the Word of God and give praise and honor to Our Risen Saviour!

Second Sunday after Epiphany, January 18th, 2026

 

Second Sunday after Epiphany, January 18th, 2026

In the Twelfth Chapter of the Epistle written to the Romans, there are many wonderful lessons emphasized such as:  being patient when things are difficult. And praying at all times.  And, as hard as this is, that we should bless those who persecute us.  But we also hear in Verse 6:  "HAVING then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us."  (Romans 12:6)  In other words, each one of us has been given gifts, strengths, skills, abilities that are specifically our own.  Some of us have been given the gift of teaching, for example.  Some of us have the gift of preaching.  Some of us know how to cook while others have wonderful musical talents such as singing or playing a musical instrument.  In short, each one of us has been given a gift and we ought to put that gift to good use.  When we give a gift to someone there are typically certain things we like to see.  First, the person who receives the gift should show some sort of gratitude.  We should show thanks when we receive a gift.  We also like to see the gift being put to use.  Have you ever given a gift to someone and the gift is not ever used?  We should make use of gifts we receive.  But how about God?  Does He bestow gifts and is never thanked for what He has given?  Did you thank God today for giving you another day?  Did you thank Him for giving you life?  We need to thank God for all the gifts He gives to us on a daily basis.  Do we use the gifts which have been given to us?  Do we use these gifts selfishly or do we use our gifts for the glory of God?   Put your God-given gifts to good use.  Make a point to bless others with your gift just as God has blessed you.  

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.

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.