GOOD SHEPHERD

AMERICAN NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCH

1890 WHITESVILLE RD, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08755
GOODSHEPHERDANCC.TR@GMAIL.COM
732-279-6837

WWW.GOODSHEPHERDANCC.ORG
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GOODSHEPHERDANCC
WWW.THEANCC.ORG (LOWER CASE)

MARCH 26, 2017

Mass Schedule
Saturday 5PM
Sunday 8AM & 10AM

Served by:
Fr. Anthony R. Lipari, FCM
Pastor

Fr. Drew Miller

Associate Pastor

Sr. Donna Lombardi, N/FCM

Pastoral Associate

Karen Suter
Parish Administrator

Mike & Fran Krol

Parish Council Leaders

An All Inclusive Independent Catholic Community,

Dedicated to Making the World a Better Place

March 26:
5pm deceased family of the parish
8am Benefactors of the Parish
10am John Weaver
April 2nd:
5pm
8am
10am
Certainly life brings suffering, no one escapes.
Suffering arises from the simple circumstances of life
itself. Sometimes human suffering is dramatic and
horrifying. More often it is ordinary, humble, and
quiet. But neither way is it Gods will. The divine
presence doesnt intend us to suffer, but is instead
with us in all the experiences of life, in both suffering
and joy. And that presence is always inviting us
toward greater freedom and love.
- Gerald May, The Dark Night of the Soul
Franciscan Reflection
Francis turned with marvelous
tenderness and compassion
toward anyone afflicted with
physical suffering; and when
he noticed deprivation or need
in anyone, he saw in that
person the suffering Christ himself. The
love of Christ only intensified Francis'
natural bent toward compassion.
- St Bonaventure, "Major Life,"
A Shepherd's View
Traditionally, this Fourth
Sunday of Lent is called Laetare
Sunday. It marks that this
Sunday is a joyful relief from
the rest of Lent's seriousness
and somberness of the many
weeks of preparation for Easter.
A Rose-colored vestment is
worn by the priest to remind us
that Easter is coming soon! This fourth Sunday is all
about rejoicing and not all about gloom and doom!
The rejoicing in our Old Testament Reading is the
story about David, the lowly shepherd, being
anointed as king. This person was NOT the one to be
expected, and we are called to see not with human
eyes, but with the eyes of God. In the Second
Reading, Paul reminds the Ephesians that they once
lived in DARKNESS, the spiritual state before Jesus
Christ, but now they are called to be people who live
in the LIGHT. What better story to understand this
faith than in today's Gospel account of Jesus and the
healing of the blind man. The encounter of Jesus and
the man born blind confronts the religious thinking of
the crowds and the religious leaders. It becomes a
vehicle for Jesus to expose them to the intervention
of God in human affairs and to see if their faith is
ready to accept him. Like the Samaritan woman of
last week who went off to proclaim the Lord's
greatness, so too does the man who was given sight
become a bearer of the good news, hopefully to the
people who can "open the eyes and hearts."
Are YOUR eyes truly opened to this wonderful
message? Will YOU proclaim God's mighty deeds in
your words and actions to all you encounter this
week? Imagine yourself as the little shepherd, David
or perhaps the blind man. Keep repeating the words
of that famous song, "Amazing Grace"-- "I once was
blind, but now I see!!!!!
Live Jesus in our hearts,
forever!

Getting More Out of Mass
(written by: Edward Sri, PhD)
Discussions #8 & 9 in a continuing series:
Lift Up Your Hearts
Next, the priest exhorts us, Lift up your hearts.
In the Bible, the heart is the center of all our
thoughts, desires, and attentions. The priest saying
Lift up your hearts, therefore, is like a trumpet blast,
waking us up. It summons us to give God our fullest
attention right now, to lieft up all our thoughts and
desires to God.
Getting More Out of Mass (Continued)
As St. Cyril of Jerusalem expressed, Do not see in the
bread and wine merely natural elements, because the
Lord has expressly said they are his body and his
blood: faith assures you of this, through your senses
suggest otherwise. Our God loves us so much he
comes to us upon our altars, under the appearance
of bread and wine. And he longs to be united to us
most intimately in holy Communion.
(Source: Catholic Update; January 2017 edition.)

Too often our minds are somewhere else think- Lenten Prayer
ing about work, the football game later that after-
noon, the doughnuts after Mass. Its hard to remain
Open our hearts to Jesus. Give us
focused throughout the entire liturgy. But if theres
the courage to speak his name to those who
ever a part for which we should try to give our best,
are close to us and the generosity to share
its now in the Eucharistic prayer as we enter the su-
his love with those who are far away
preme mysteries of the Mass. Lift up your hearts!

Words of Consecration
Family Faith Formation
The words of consecration remind us that Jesus
presence in the Eucharist is different from other ways Fourth Sunday of Lent
he is close to us. Jesus said he would be present to John 9:1-3, 5-7
his people in prayer (Matthew 19:20). He is present
in the Scriptures, the sacraments, and the priest. And As in last week's Gospel about Jesus' encounter with
he is present in the poor, sick, and imprisoned the Samaritan woman, today's reading has many allu-
(Matthew 25:31-46).
sions to Baptism. The washing of the man in the pool
of Siloam is a prototype for Christian Baptism.
The Eucharist, however is unique. In the Blessed
Through the man's encounter with Jesus, the man
Sacrament, Jesus is present in the fullest sense, mak-
born blind is healed, his sight is restored, and his
ing himself, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church
conversion to discipleship begins. The man born
expresses, wholly and entirely present (CCC1374).
blind gradually comes to a greater understanding
For the Eucharist is more than a mere symbol of Je-
about who Jesus is and what it means to be his disci-
sus or a sacred reminder of his love for us. The Eu-
ple, while the Pharisees (those who should see) are
charist, in the most profound sense, is Jesus.
the ones who remain blind.

When the priest at Mass repeats what Jesus said at
the Last Supper This is my body This is my
blood the bread and wine are really changed into
Christs body, blood, soul, and divinity. The Eucharist
still looks, tastes, and feels like bread and wine, but
underneath those outward appearances, Christs
Body and Blood are really present (CCC1376)
(continued )
Make an effort today (or sometime this week) to
really see God in our lives. This may take some effort,
but take a walk together and look for signs of God in
the beauty of nature. Talk about ways God has
helped you see with your heart, and ways you can
share the sight of your heart with others.

Adult Faith Formation
with Fr. Anthony
Monday evenings at 7PM
All are welcome!
Will include Evening Prayer and
Novena to St. Anthony (through 6/13)
LENTEN PROGRAM : Desert Fridays
With Fr. Anthony & Fr. Drew
Friday evenings at 6PM
All are welcome!
Join us downstairs where we will share a light
meatless community meal.
Stations of the Cross in the Chapel will
begin at 7PM
Bible Study with Fr. Drew will follow Stations
Family Faith Formation
with Sr. Donna
Meets the 4th Sunday of each month
Our Family Faith Formation program is for all
families with children. Please join us!
Whats happening at Good Shepherd
and the ANCC??? Visit us at:
www.GoodShepherdANCC.org
www.Facebook.com/GoodShepherdANCC
Www.theancc.org
The Feast of the Annunciation of the
Lord ...
has been celebrated on
March 25th in the Western
church since before the
middle of the 7th century.
The theme of the feast
remembers Gods
decision, communicated to
Mary through the
angel messenger
Gabriel that she would be
the mother of an unusual
child: Great will be his
dignity and he will be called
Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32).
The choice of March 25th from early centuries is
tied up with the choice of December 25th for
Christmas. A strong possibility is that March 25,
the date of Jesus death and last Passover, was con-
sidered by early Christians as the date of creation
and the first moment of Jesus Incarnation or con-
ception. Once Christs birthday was remembered
annually with a feast on December 25th, another
feast remembering the beginning of Jesus life in
Marys womb nine months earlier, on March 25th
fell in place.
Dues,G.(2004) Catholic Customs & Traditions, New London, Ct, Twenty Third
Publications
Novena to St. Anthony
(continued)
THIRD TUESDAY: (March 28)
Spirit of Renewal
St. Anthony, you were challenged by change and new
experiences so many times in the course of your life.
Help me not to be afraid of the changes that will take
place in my own life and to realize that by dealing
with them I grow in faith..
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