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WelcomeParish of the Visitation
192 Sandford Street | New Brunswick NJ, 08901BackForwardPauseCaption
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From the Pastor's Desk
God promises all sorts of good things. To the enslaved Hebrews he promised freedom and a land of their own. He deals with those who turn from him with patience. He will forgive our offenses as it is in His Divine Nature to do. We for our part must show contrition. The parable of the prodigal son illustrates this. The son is beset by thoughts and temptations of going off on his own and living “la vida loca”. He squanders his money in eating, drinking, gambling, and other “carnal appetites.” All with poorly chosen “friends” who once he is penniless will have nothing to do with him. They only took advantage of him while he was well off. It is only when he hits the lowest point, he realizes that he did wrong and regrets his actions. He wants to tell his Father that he is sorry, but he does not expect forgiveness in return. He just wants to ask his father for a job feeding the pigs on his farm.
Would it not have been better if he had reconsidered his actions at the beginning? He could have spared himself, and everyone else, so much grief. The grief was far greater than the short-lived pleasures on which he recklessly spent his inheritance. Prevention is much better than cure. A cure involves suffering. You suffer when you have an illness and the cure itself will have its own cost and suffering. It’s best to avoid the illness to begin with. It’s the same with sin. We pray in the act of contrition to avoid “the near occasion of sin” — those times, places, people, or things which lead us into sin: poorly chosen “friends”, drugs, the bar, the internet, your mother-in-law…whatever may lead you to sin. These you should avoid, especially if your willpower is weak.
Yes, you will be forgiven at the confessional, but you have to be repentant with a firm resolution to “go and sin no more”. St Padre Pio, who could look into souls, would sometimes yell at an unrepentant penitent, “Go! and don’t come back until you are really sorry.” It is said that some of these people would be in tears for days as they realized what they had done and returned for absolution.
Lucky for you (and for me), I don’t have these gifts. But you still must repent and make a solid resolution and real effort to amend your life and not sin again. Then we can more fully enjoy all of God’s blessings.
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Dios nos promete muchas cosas buenas. A los hebreos esclavizados les prometió libertad y una tierra propia. Trata a los que se apartan de Él con paciencia. Perdonará nuestras ofensas de acuerdo con su naturaleza divina. Nosotros, por nuestra parte, tenemos que mostrar contrición. La parábola del hijo pródigo ilustra esto. El hijo está acosado por pensamientos y tentaciones de irse y vivir "la vida loca". Él malgasta su dinero en comer, beber, juego y otros "apetitos carnales". Con "amigos" mal elegidos que una vez que esté sin dinero lo abandonarán. Se aprovechan de él mientras tienen dinero. Al fin, cuando llega al punto más bajo, se da cuenta de que hizo mal y lamenta sus acciones. Quiere decirle a su padre que se arrepienta. Mientras tanto, no espera que lo perdone, solo quiere pedirle a su padre trabajo, aun si fiera tirándole comida a los cerdos en su granja.
¿No hubiera sido mejor si hubiese reconsiderado sus acciones al principio? Podría haberse ahorrado mucho dolor, a ´l mismo y a todos los otros. El dolor fue mucho más que los placeres de corta duración en los que malgastó su herencia imprudentemente. La prevención es mucho mejor que la cura. La cura implica sufrimiento. Sufres cuando tienes una enfermedad y la cura en sí tendrá su propio costo y sufrimiento. De un principio, es mejor evitar la enfermedad. Es lo mismo con el pecado. Oramos en el acto de contrición para evitar "la ocasión de pecado" - esos tiempos, lugares, personas o cosas que nos llevan al pecado: "amigos" mal elegidos, las drogas, la barra, el internet, la suegra...lo que sea que te lleve al pecado. Esas ocasiones se deben evitar especialmente si tu fuerza de voluntad es débil.
Sí, serás perdonado en la confesión, pero debes arrepentirte. San Padre Pío, que podía mirar dentro de las almas, a veces regañaba a un penitente impenitente: “¡Vete! y no regreses hasta que estes verdaderamente arrepentido.” Se dice que estos lloraban durante días hasta al darse cuenta del mal que habían hecho y regresaban por la absolución.
Por suerte para ti (y para mí), yo no tengo esos dones. Pero aún debes arrepentirte y tomar una resolución sólida y hacer un esfuerzo real para enmendar tu vida y no volver a pecar. Entonces podremos disfrutar más plenamente de todas las bendiciones que Dios nos da.
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Today's Readings / Lecturas Del Día
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Confession Times
- Saturday 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Or by appointment
Please call the Parish Office for any other questions (Favor de llamar a la oficina parroquial para cualquier inquietud) -
Weekday Masses
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Monday 12:10 PM English - St. Mary's; followed by St Jude Novena
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(M Tu W Th F & Sa) - 8:00 AM (English) -St. Mary's
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Tuesday 7:00 PM (Spanish) at St. John's
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Friday 7:00 PM (Spanish) - St. Mary's; followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (Adoracion al Santisimo)
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Weekend Masses
4:00 pm in English – St. Mary’s - Saturday
7:00 pm in Spanish - St. Mary’s - Saturday
5:30 pm in English - St. Theresa’s -Saturday
9:00 am in Spanish –St. John’s - Sunday
8:30 am in English - St. Mary's - Sunday
11:00 am in English -St. Mary’s - Sunday
1:00 pm in Spanish - St. Mary’s - Sunday
6:00 pm in English - St. Mary’s - Sunday
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Food for Thought
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Candle Offering
The cost of having a lamp lit is $20 for the week.
Please contact the Parish Office for availability. Thank you!
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Spreading the Word
Each talent not developed is bud that never opens to reveal its beauty and fragrance. I stand accountable for developing the talents I have been given. How do I return to the Lord the uniqueness that is me through my compassion?
My artistic gifts? My organizational ability?
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Why Give?
We don't give because we have an abundance of resources and can afford it; we give because of a desire to share what we have with others out of love and gratitude.
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