Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Parish
7755 avenue d'Outremont, Montreal (Quebec) H3N 2M1
Bulletin
February 5, 2023
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year A
From the Pastor's Desk...
"You are the Salt of the earth and the Light of the world..."
Twenty years after Wold Youth Day 2022, the image of 850,000 joyful youth lighting up Toronto remains with us, as does the call of its theme to be salt of the earth and light of the world. As a couple, we were participants. Moving out of young adulthood, we have found it increasingly complicated to conduct our affairs with justice. Isaiah says we must free the oppressed and feed the hungry so that light can break forth like the dawn. But how do we do that when injustice is entrenched in our culture, in our political and economic systems, and even in our way of being?
How do we loose the bonds of injustice? St. Paul invites us not to focus on lofty words or wisdom but instead to focus on Christ crucified. We are reminded of St. Theresa of Calcutta's advice to do "small things with great love." A light that shines in the darkness, though small, is seen at great distances.
May we heed St. Paul by not trying to solve problems by our own strength and instead cooperate in the work of the Holy Spirit: listening to truth and allowing it to change all that we are and all that we do so that we may be reconciled with all of creation.
Here we are, Lord. Help us to be salt and light.
Vanessa and Michael Nicholas-Schmidt
Toronto, ON
Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions
February 2023
For parishes
We pray that parishes, placing communion at the centre, may increasingly become communities of faith, fraternity, and welcome towards those most in need.
