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!

First Sunday after Easter, April 12th, 2026

 

First Sunday after Easter, April 12th, 2026

In the First Epistle of St. John, we hear the following:  "For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." (I St. John 5:8)  Here, St. John is pointing out the obvious that the Spirit, the water, and the blood are in agreement and confirm one another.  Obviously, St. John is making reference to the Holy Ghost, Baptism, and the Precious Blood of Christ.  All are in agreement and all confirm the holiness and righteousness of God.  When we look at our lives, shouldn't all the different aspects of our life should be in agreement as well?  When you think about it, there are different aspects of your life:  you work; you go shopping; you go to church; you work home projects; you relax; you pray; etc. You could say that you wear many "hats" in your life.  And the point is this that whether we are in church or at work or at home or at the store,  . . . .  all the different aspects of our life should be in agreement one with another.  I am sure that we have met people that act one way at church and another way outside of church.  More than likely, we would call this person a hypocrite.  That type of person would probably dress up and get all pretty and then go to church.  This person would act a certain way at church and act a completely different way when they are not at church.  But we need to remember that it is what we have on the "inside" and not on the "outside" that makes us a Christian.  What makes us a committed Christian is found on the "inside:"  our heart; our soul; our mind.  And as long as we are committed on the "inside," we will be the "same person" no matter where we find ourselves:  at work; at church; at home; etc.

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.

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!

Palm Sunday, March 29th, 2026

 

The Sunday Next before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday, March 29th, 2026

Without a doubt, in my humble opinion,  I would dare say that Judas is certainly one of the most negative figures though-out all of human history.  It is understandable given the fact that he betrayed Our Blessed Lord.  And yet when we begin to read the Gospel appointed for Palm Sunday, coming to us from St. Matthew's Gospel (Chapter 27) we read the following verse:  "Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood . . ." (St. Matthew 27:3-4)   And Judas then threw down the blood money, the thirty pieces of silver he was given, the price for betraying Our Blessed Saviour.  St. Matthew tells us that after this Judas went and "hanged himself." (v. 5)  Very often we find ourselves in the same position as Judas.  What I mean is that we find ourselves committing a wrong and then we regret it deeply.  And like Judas we wish that could undo the wrong we have done.  And, again, similar to Judas we find that undoing a wrong that we have committed is not such a simple thing.  It is obvious that Judas regretted what he had done.  Why would he have approached the elders and the chief priests to return the thirty pieces of silver if he did not have regret?  As we read previously, St Matthew himself writes that when Judas saw Our Lord was condemned he "repented himself." (v. 3)  And yet the deed was already done.  Judas' act of betrayal could not be undone . .  . no matter how much remorse he had at that point.  So, too, with us.  When we come to the realization that we have done a great wrong . . .  to others . . .  to ourselves . . .  to God Himself . . . it is too late to "undo" the act or correct the wrong we have committed.  In this regard Judas does serve to teach all of us a valuable lesson:  Let us do our best not betray God in the first place.  Do we not betray God when we wrong others out of selfishness and greed?  Judas was willing to betray Our Saviour for thirty pieces of silver.  Do we not betray God when we only think of only ourselves and ignore others around us and how they feel?  Judas was thinking of himself when he made plans to betray Our Lord, wasn't he?  And like Judas, do we sometimes regret what we have done when we come to our senses only to realize that it is too late to take back our words . .  . too late to undo our actions . . . just too late?  How about the times that we do not even care enough to regret the sins we have committed.  Rather, we seek to justify and explain away the wrongs we have done.   Our Heavenly Father realizes that we are imperfect.  He realizes that we sin when we ought to know better.  He knows that we frequently turn our backs on Him.  This is the reason why God sent His Only Begotten Son into the world to save us from our sins.  God knew that we could never achieve this end by ourselves.  Our Blessed Lord freely chose to carry His Cross to Calvary so that we can be forgiven.  In addition to the Cross, Our Lord carried our transgressions to that hill at Calvary.  In that sense, we should always make a point to remember that it was our sins which Our Blessed Lord carried to to Cross.  It was our sins which caused Our Saviour to be nailed to that Cross.  It was our sins which caused Our Blessed Saviour to die on that Cross.  Let us think of these things before we sin again.

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.

Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 22nd, 2026

 

Fifth Sunday in Lent, Commonly Called Passion Sunday, March 22nd, 2026

Similar to everyone else, I like to save money where I can.  I suppose one of the ways I "save" money is buying the cheap brands for products when possible.  In other words, why should I pay four or five dollars for a brand-name item when the cheap dollar-store variety works just as well?  I suppose it depends on the product, obviously.  Sometimes this strategy works great and saves you money to begin with.  Other times it may end up costing you money in the long run.  Case in point.  A clogged up sink.  I proposed saving money by buying the "cheap" generic versions of the drain cleaner.  I insisted on buying the "generic" drain cleaners because I could not fathom paying six or seven dollars for a brand-name when I could just spend a buck-fifty and be done with it.  The problem is that the generic version for a "buck-fifty" didn't work so well and I had to repeat the process another two times, still with no success and then ultimately ended up spending the six dollars for the "heavy-duty," "brand-name" drain cleaner and, voila!, drain is cleaned in a snap!  Just like that!  My efforts, though, at the beginning were in vain especially considering I spent money on products that really did not work to begin with, not to mention multiple trips to the store.  

In the Ninth Chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded of the sacrifice of bulls and goats made by the high priest in the Temple.  We are reminded in this chapter that if the blood of goats, and bulls and heifers helps to sanctify the "unclean," "how much more shall the blood of Christ" (v. 14) sanctify the unclean?  You see, for countless generations, the high priests would make sacrifices behind the second veil, as we are reminded in this chapter, to atone for the sins of God's people.  As we are reminded, the high priest went in alone to offer up sins for God's people once a year.  But it is the Blood of Christ which turned out to be the ultimate sacrifice.  We can try and try and try to fix things ourselves, but it is only Our Blessed Saviour Who can save us from our sins.  Perhaps you have had the experience of being in a jam and you tried and tried and tried to get things right and it just seemed to get worse and worse and worse.  And then you placed the situation in God's hands and within a short time, you noticed everything got better.   If our efforts are good . . . . Christ's are better.  If the blood of sacrificed goats and bulls is good . . . Christ's Blood is better.  Never fail to put your life in God's hands.  Do your part, yes, but always look to Christ for inspiration.  Always look to God for how to live your life better.  Always look towards the Holy Ghost for inspiration.  Give your life to God and live your life as His servant.    Living life our way may be good but living life God's way is better.

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.

Third Sunday in Lent, March 8th, 2026

 

Third Sunday in Lent, March 8th, 2026

I don't know about you but it seems as though it has rained almost the entire week.  And if it wasn't raining, it was overcast.  So when the sun finally did come out this week, I had to literally shield my eyes because the sun was so bright.  After all those days of not seeing the sunshine due to the rain and the overcast clouds my eyes became acclimated to being in the dark and not seeing the bright sunshine.  This is how it is living in the old world of ours, we become adjusted to living in a world filled with sin. We become adjusted to this darkness of the world in which we live.   In the Fifth Chapter of the Epistle written to the Ephesians, we are told that we should "walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8)  In this verse we are told that we were "sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord."  In the world in which we live it is very difficult at times to stand up for what you believe.  Very often you will be mocked and ridiculed in our society for standing up for what you believe in.  The world did that to Our Blessed Lord, didn't they?  They ridiculed Him.  They mocked Him.  They spit upon Him.  They scourged Him and ultimately put Him to death.  If they will do these things to the Son of God, why are we surprised when the world shouts us down when we don't conform to what the world believes, what the world says?  We are the "children of light."  And that light is Christ!   We belong to Him.   We should do our part to bring the light of Christ into this dark world of ours.  Be the light of Christ to the world around 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.

Quinquagesima, February 15th, 2026

 

Quinquagesima, or the Sunday Next before Lent, 

February 15th, 2026

In the Eighteenth Chapter of the Gospel, St. Luke tells us the story of Our Lord healing the blind man.  St. Luke tells us that Our Lord and the disciples were travelling towards Jerusalem.  And as they were going, Our Lord was explaining to them all the things which were going to happen.  And as they passed through Jericho, a certain blind man was present, and he wondered what all the fuss was about.  When he found out it was Our Lord passing by, he yelled and screamed to get Our Lord's attention.  And St. Luke tells us that the more that the crowd told him to quiet down the louder he would get because he wanted Our Lord to hear him.  This is because the blind man could not see with his physical eyes, but he could see with his eyes of faith.  He could not see with his outward vision, if you will, but he could see with his spiritual eyes.  "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord . . ." (Psalm 25:15)  The blind man was desperate to gain his sight but in reality he could already see with his eyes of faith.  He knew that Our Lord could help him.  He knew to whom he should turn for help.  He went to Our Lord.  This is why he was yelling and screaming and making such a fuss.  He knew that Our Lord could solve his problem.  " . . . for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (II Corinthians 4:18)

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.

Sexagesima, February 8th, 2026

 

Sexagesima, or the Second Sunday before Lent, 

February 8th, 2026

In the Eighth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, we hear Our Blessed Lord telling the parable of the sower who sowed his seed in the field.  And as Our Lord told the parable, He explained that some of the seed fell along the way-side; and some of the seed fell on rocky ground; and some of it was eaten by the birds; and so on.  What I want to focus on is that when Our Lord was in the middle of telling the parable of the sower, He paused and cried out:  "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!"  (St. Luke 8:8)  Honestly, how many of us need to be told to pay attention?  How many of us need to be told "wake up?" How many of us need to be taken to task and heed what we are hearing?  It's so easy to not pay attention to what we are doing.  I know because, quite frankly, I do it all the time.  I start doing something but then my mind wanders to something else.  I start thinking about all the things I have to do . . .  all the things I want to do.   I get sidetracked by something that grabs my attention.  I get bored.  It could be for any number of reasons.  I am sure we have all had the experience where "our mind was somewhere else."  In other words, you may be physically present but your mind is a thousand miles away.  And usually something or somebody grabs our attention and brings us back to reality.  We all need that wake up call to come back to reality . . ,.  to pay attention . . . to wake up . .   Again, Our Lord is saying to each one of us:  "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!"   Pay attention, in other words.   Our Blessed Saviour is telling each of us to pay attention to Him, to listen to what He has to say.  There is a big difference between "hearing" and "listening."  Lots of things might be going on around me . . . . noise from the television . .   from the radio . .   from people talking  . . .  . . from traffic going by . . . . but after a while we can tune all those things out if we choose to.  But in order to "listen" to something, this involves "paying attention."  Our Lord is telling us to open our ears . . . pay attention . . . listen up!  We pay attention to so many people and so many things in the world.  And we fixate on TV shows . . . and the Internet . .   and movies . . . and the news.   And we listen to so many people and things that are here today and gone tomorrow.  But Our Blessed Lord is always with us.  Our Blessed Lord is always by our side.  Our Blessed Saviour is the One Who never forsakes us.  Let us always pay attention to Him and to listen to everything He tells us.

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.

Septuagesima, February 1st, 2026

 

Septuagesima, or the Third Sunday before Lent, 

February 1st, 2026

On Sunday, February 1st, 2026 we celebrate Septuagesima Sunday, the beginning of what are referred to as the "Gesima Sundays," in other words, these are the "Pre-Lent" Sundays.  The Church begins to get prepared for the holy season of Lent.  In today's Epistle from the Ninth Chapter of the First Letter to the Corinthians, we hear:  "KNOW ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. . . . Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." (I Corinthians 9:24ff)  St. Paul points out that athletes get ready also.  He uses the example of athletes who train to win the competition.  They strengthen the body in order to win.  St. Paul points out that these athletes train hard to win a crown that will soon disappear, as he says, it will corrupt away.  But Christians are also in a race as well.  We are in a race to win a crown . . .  our crown, though, is eternal life with Jesus, Our Saviour.  As such, we should train even harder to win a heavenly crown that will not fade away.  Two points, here:  Number One, as St. Paul points out, everything in life takes practice and training in order to do something well.  This is certainly true when it comes to being a Christian.  We need to practice the art of being a Christian every day and we do this by: reading the Scriptures; obeying God; listening to God; and treating others as God would have us treat them.  The second point is that we always have to focus on is the fact that, as Christians, our true blessing will come in Heaven and not here on earth.  While it is true that our lives are filled with blessings:  nice cars, nice homes, nice clothes, many wonderful earthly possessions . . .  as St. Paul points out, these too shall also become corruptible and will fade away one day.   While it is nice to enjoy these things while we possess them, we are still called to keep our attention fixed on the true "prize" that we are called to win:  Eternal life with Our Blessed Saviour in Heaven.  That is where we should keep our eyes firmly fixed and not diverted by material things that we mistake for blessings.

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 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.

Second Sunday after Christmas, January 4th, 2026

 

Second Sunday after Christmas, January 4th, 2026

I have no doubt whatsoever but I am convinced that everyone goes through the same, exact struggle at the beginning of a new year:  specifically we are unsure of which year to write.  We know it's a brand new year but we continue to write the last year instead of the new year.   Just now, for example, when I began to type the headline of this little essay, the part where I put the date, I began to type "2025" instead of "2026."   Obviously, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why this is a problem for many of us.  We do it because we are "creatures of habit."  We do things over and over again and get in a habit of doing it that way.  Writing down a date at the beginning of a new year is a very simple and obvious example, but let's face it, there are other things that we get into habits of doing:  waking up at a certain time; driving to work a certain route; etc.  Each one of us can come up with our own list of examples but each one of us has certain things that we are accustomed to doing and it is difficult to ever try to break those habits.   

Having a relationship with God is, for most of us, just another habit.  For many of us who go to church, for example, we may go to church on a regular basis simply because we were raised that way and it has been what we have always done:  we get up on Sunday morning; get dressed; and go to church.  No more, no less.  Now, for many, for this same group just mentioned you might factor in the fact that we were taught this by our parents because they went to church every Sunday.  Now, don't get me wrong, this is actually a good reason for going to church.  It's good to get taught this habit by our parents.  All habits are learned, whether they be "good habits" or "bad habits":  e.g., smoking; eating healthy; cursing; exercising; etc.  So even if what is described above in regards to going to church every Sunday, even if it is a "habit," then it is a "good habit."  But this is not the best reason for going to church:  simply because it is a "habit."

Going to church and having a relationship with God is something much more than simply a habit.  It is a way of life.  It is a commitment.  Having a relationship with God is a dynamic, life-changing, ongoing event in our lives.  Knowing God should be the reason for our very existence.  Having a relationship with God should be our motivation for getting up each day.  Being in love with God is something that we should proclaim:  not only through our words; but also by our actions; and they way in which we regard others.  And once we realize this, once we take our relationship with God seriously, we can not help but radiate the holiness of God through our lives.  In the book of the Prophet Isaiah we hear: " . .  . because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek."  (Isaiah 61:1)  God has anointed each one of us to preach about Him.  God has anointed each one of us to have a relationship with Him.  God has anointed each one of us to grow in love with Him.  And yet not everyone does.  This is because most people don't heed the call because they are too concerned with the ways of the world.  For others, the devil has convinced them that they are not worthy to do the "things of God."  By our own merit, none of us is worthy; but with the help of God, He is our sufficiency.  He gives us strength where we are lacking.  Make God a priority in your life in this new year and throughout the year.  Make God more than just a "habit."  Make Him the very reason for your existence . . . .  because He is and He is worthy of your faithful, committed love.

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.

Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28th, 2025

 

Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28th, 2025

In the Gospel for today's Mass (St. Matthew, Chapter two) in commemoration of the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the scene unfolds before us: The angel appears in a dream to St. Joseph and tells him in no uncertain terms to take Our Lady and the Child Jesus to safety, saying to him:  "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt . . . ."  The reason for this urgency is because Herod was angry.   "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem . . . . "  Herod was beyond angry.  In fact, Herod was scared, quite frankly.  He was scared that the Messiah had finally come and would replace him of his kingship.    St. Joseph did as he was directed by the angel and fled into Egypt along with St. Mary and the Child Jesus.   St. Joseph is always such a good teacher for us.  In this case, the lesson that we can learn from St. Joseph is to always take God with you no matter where you are going.  You see, if we get into the habit of having God with us wherever we go, we will always be in good company no matter the situation we find ourselves in.  In this case, St. Joseph was in the company of Our Lady and the Child Jesus.  What better company could he have chosen?  We are known by the company that we keep.  Thus, if we get in the habit of keeping company with Our Blessed Saviour, we know that He will never steer us wrong.  Our Saviour makes the best company, . . .  the best friend,  . . . the best counselor,  . . .  When we get in the habit of travelling with Our Blessed Saviour we know that we will always go in the direction that He wants us to go in.  Even when danger or trial or tribulation faces us, just as it did in today's Gospel passage, take God as your travelling companion.  He will always keep you close to Him and never leave you alone.

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.

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.