LIBERATION AND REFORM
While you may have to reach for an atlas to determine that Isaiah is speaking about Galilee, today's first reading (part of which was read at Christmas) is prophetic of Jesus' future ministry in that province. The light that brings salvation and rejoicing is, ultimately, Christ. Liberation is the theme: liberation from both ignorance (“darkness”) and sin (the “yoke”).
As Isaiah identifies a place, so Paul describes an attitude: the attitude that develops, even among good people, of equating their own will with the common good. This always brings dissension, and so it has done in Corinth. Paul will not allow this; we are all members of “Christ's party.” The gospel is not to divide us.
Matthew quotes from Isaiah in today's Gospel, presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies. The theme is “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). To spread this message, Jesus begins to select disciples, four of whom we meet today: Peter, Andrew, James, and John.
Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
Sunday: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time; Catholic Schools Week
Monday: St. Thomas Aquinas
Thursday: St. John Bosco
Friday: First Friday
Saturday: The Presentation of the Lord; First Saturday; Groundhog Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: 2 Sm 5:1-7, 10; Mk 3:22-30
Tuesday: 2 Sm 6:12b-15, 17-19; Mk 3:31-35
Wednesday: 2 Sm 7:4-17; Mk 4:1-20
Thursday: 2 Sm 7:18-19, 24-29; Mk 4:21-25
Friday: 2 Sm 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17; Mk 4:26-34
Saturday: Mal 3:1-4; Ps 24; Heb 2:14-18; Lk 2:22-40 [22-32]
Sunday: Zep 2:3; 3:12-13; Ps 146; 1 Cor 1:26-31; Mt 5:1-12a
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY'S READINGS
First Reading -- God has restored the land, and brought great joy to the people. The burdens that were once laid upon them have been vanquished (Isaiah 8:23 -- 9:3).
Psalm -- The Lord is my light and my salvation (Psalm 27).
Second Reading -- Paul exhorts the believers at Corinth: As there is one Christ, so too must there be no divisions among you. (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17).
Gospel -- After calling his first disciples, Jesus goes throughout Galilee teaching, proclaiming the gospel and curing the people of their illnesses
(Matthew 4:12-23 [12-17]).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Offering:
Sacrificial giving nurtures the spirit of the giver and helps to build a better world.
Thank you for your support and generosity for last week's collection.
Last Sunday's Collection: $4845.50
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
will take place on the LAST Friday of each month from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ending with a blessing. Sign-up sheets are located on a podium near the confessional area. Please sign up for a time you are available to assure that there is adequate coverage each hour. If you sign up for a specific hour but find that you are unable to attend, please call the rectory.
Exposition 7:30 AM—Benediction 7:30 PM
Recitation of the Rosary 7:30 AM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Ministers who are interested in bringing the Eucharist to the HOMEBOUND are asked to call Janice at the Rectory. This is a beautiful Ministry and we are looking for caring Ministers to assist in our need to provide for our Homebound Parishioners.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ministry to the Homebound
If you are unable to come to Church or know of someone who is homebound and would like to receive Communion, please contact Janice at the rectory and convenient arrangements will be made to visit the home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you get Your Parish Cookbook Yet?
Parish Cookbooks are available for purchase during Sunday Social or at the Rectory. Keep them in mind for a
Valentine's Day Gift for Mom!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blood Pressure Screening
Our next Blood Pressure Screening is January 27, in the Lyceum after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.

Help Needed
We are looking for help with our monthly Blood Pressure Screenings. If you are a licensed Health Care Professional and can help out at screenings, please call the rectory and ask for Janice.
Be heart smart and get checked!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOUPer SUNDAY FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS
The last Sunday of each month is SOUPer Sunday at Immaculate Conception Parish. Donations are sent to the Partnership for Social Services Family Center's Food Pantry. Through your good will, generosity and kindness we will be helping to meet the needs of the less fortunate families in our Community. The need is great so please continue to help! As always, we thank you for whatever you can offer, it is greatly appreciated. Our next collection will be on January 27th.
Thank you for your continued support and generosity! It makes a difference!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday Social
Don't forget to stop by the Lyceum after the 10:30 Mass each Sunday for our Sunday Social. Take the time to have a great cup of coffee and a donut or bagel and chat with your fellow parishioners! Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who make the social possible each week!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pass It Along Prom Project for February
A drive is held to collect and distribute gently used prom dresses. The dresses will be made available to girls who need help with the expense of prom night. To donate a dress, email sue@passitalong.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keeping in Shape?
What are you doing to keep your marriage in good shape? Why not try a Marriage Encounter Weekend. Call Ralph and Eileen at 1-800-499-6552
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Catholic Schools Week
Immaculate Conception Regional School will hold an Open House during Catholic Schools Week, which runs from Sunday, January 27th, to Friday, February 1, 2008. All interested families are welcome to come learn about the school. The school will be open for new families and to visit the classrooms. Any questions can be directed to Immaculate Conception www.icrschool.com: 973-827-3777.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 February 2nd is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord
and celebrates the day on which the infant Jesus was taken by His mother Mary, and St Joseph to the Temple in Jerusalem so that thanks could be offered to God, according to ancient Jewish custom
(Luke 2: 22 - 40, Exodus 13: 2, 12, Leviticus 12: 6 - 8).
 
On this day, also known as Candlemas, candles are blessed to remind us that Christ is the “Light of the World.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HEATING ASSISTANCE
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program—LIHEAP provides grants to eligible households that pay for home heat directly or have it included in rent. Application period is from November 1 through March 31, eligible Food Stamp households are automatically enrolled.
Call 1-888-454-4778.
NJ LIFELINE provides annual credits totaling $225 on gas and/or electric bills to eligible seniors and SSI recipients. Call 1-800-792-9745
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Irish American Assn. of NW Jersey offers ...
Irish Language classes on Monday evenings
For info call 862-266-3563
Traditional Celtic Art classes
For info email pgallagher45@optonline.net
Frequent traditional Irish music concerts and sessions. Check the website for dates:www.iaanj.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meals on Wheels Volunteers Needed
Your help is needed. Become a volunteer for Sussex County Meals on Wheels. By donating one hour a week of your time to help deliver meals in your community, you will enhance the wellbeing of a homebound senior citizen. For more information call 973-209-0123 and speak with the Volunteer Recruiter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cabin Fever Dance
Saturday, February 9th
7:30 PM in the Chruch Lyceum
$20 per picket
Hot & Cold Buffet - BYOB
Music by DJ Sikora
Tickets will be on sale after Masses January 26-27, Feb 2-3, and at the Rectory Office. For Information Call Tony Quartarolo 973-209-4044
Or Cynthia at the Rectory 973-827-9575
All Adult Parishioners and Friends Invited
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help reduce poverty in the United States
“Poverty Around Us”
73% of New Jersey's lowest-income families with children live in unaffordable housing which places them at serious risk for becoming homeless. A 2007 count identified 292 homeless persons in Morris County, 1062 in Passaic County and 359 in Sussex County.
To learn more about poverty visit ...
www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/poverty
www.njpp.org/rpt_fallingshort.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grief Support Group
On the first Wednesday of each month Immaculate Conception Parish offers an ongoing Grief Support Group. The next meeting is Wednesday, February 6, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Ministry House. We all have such busy lives. Sometimes it is overwhelming. Take time and find the silence. For in the silence, you will hear His voice.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help Support
Immaculate Conception Regional School
Scrip gift cards are available at the school. You can purchase Shop-Rite, Weis, A&P cards and they are available in many denominations. Also available: Sussex Meat Packing, Staples, Barnes & Noble, JC Penney, Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wendy's Applebee's and many more. The cards cost only face value with a percentage returned to the school from the retailers. See Marie McKeever or contact Kathy Trainor at the school 973-827-3777.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help a Child - Become a CASA Volunteer
The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs are recruiting volunteers to serve as advocates for abused/neglected children. Such volunteers help facilitate placement of children into a permanent home and represent the child's best interest in family court. CASA volunteers must be 21years of age or older and have a sincere desire to help abused/neglected children.
To become a CASA volunteer, call: 973-579-0723
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please remember to pray for our parishioners and friends who are ill:
In Nursing Homes: Ceil Williams, Pauline Trofimuk, Anna Elekes, Pete Yurchak, and Frank Kalafut.
At Home: Loraine Schenker, Maria Woppel, Diane Sidoli, Robert Zeuner, Evelyn Caljean, Danielle Dionisio, Thomas Dionisio, Jr., Steven “Itchy” Novak, Flo Yurchak, Mary Carmody and Lisa Stine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please continue to keep all those serving in the military in your thoughts and prayers especially:
Jamison Micke, Stephen Saski, Jr., Christopher Faber, SFC Morgan McHose, LCPL William Mathes, LCPL Ernest Mathes, Karen Hassler, Tom Oroho and CPL Matt Lindquist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pancake Sunday
Sunday, January 27th
7:30-1:00,
Church Lyceum After each Mass
$5 per person
This fund raiser is hosted by the students of I.C.R.S.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4th Annual 8th Grade Spaghetti Dinner
Friday, February 1st
Come enjoy a spaghetti dinner served to you by our 8th graders. The proceeds will go to offset the costs of the 8th grade field trips. Dinner includes: beverages, spaghetti, meatballs, salad, bread & desserts.
Adults $7.50 & Children (ages 4-12) $4.00
Two dinner seatings: 5:30 and 7:00pm
Dinner will be held in the Lyceum. Call the school for details and reservations: 973-827-3777
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tricky Tray
Friday, February 8th
I.C.R.S. will hold its Annual Tricky Tray in the Emerald Ballroom at the Crystal Springs Country Club in Hardyston. Doors open at 6:30pm and calling begins promptly at 8:30pm. There will be special trays and PRIZES!
No one under 18 will be admitted.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Natural Family Planning
Upcoming classes in Natural Family Planning will begin at St. Anthony Parish, Butler on Saturday, February 9, 2008, at 10:00am. If you are an engaged or married couple and would like to learn a method of family planning that will affirm your giftedness, enhance your marriage and deepen your spiritual life call 973-838-3731.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW WINE FOR NEW SKINS
After the events of September 11 we found ourselves asking what went wrong; why do so many seem to hate us? Though some proposed the event as God's punishment, it would rather seem that some of the old ways of being a nation no longer work. Sometimes the rules can change. When Jesus discovers that his cousin John has been arrested and imprisoned, he proclaims a major shift in what it means to be alive and human, and that what may have worked at one time no longer does.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INSIDE THE READINGS
Today's Gospel explains why Jesus chose to exercise his ministry in Galilee rather than in Judea with its key city of Jerusalem. The reading from Isaiah provides the background for Matthew. Almost all of Christ's public ministry in Matthew is exercised in the Galilean city of Capernaum, a fishing village on the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee.
Isaiah is promising restoration for the northern tribes in the Galilean area. Assyria had "degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali" (Isaiah 8:23) in 733/732 BC and imposed a cruel exile on them. But the light of God would later come to these tribes in the person of Jesus. "You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing," cries Isaiah to these northern tribes (9:2). Matthew (4:15-16) quotes the prophet to assure his readers that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
The continuity between Jesus and John the Baptist is also clear. Jesus uses the same words at the beginning of his public ministry that the Baptist had used: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). Repentance, a life centered on God, is the preparation for the coming of the kingdom as embodied in the person of Jesus.
Choosing his disciples is an important step in Jesus' ministry. It indicates that he intends to start a community, which would eventually become a church. Jesus calls his disciples and asks that they follow him. The word "follow" becomes the technical term in the New Testament for the positive reaction of a disciple. They are to share in his work by becoming "fishers of men" (4:19). The immediate and unconditional response of these four disciples testifies to the powerful personality of Jesus. Peter, James, and John will become the intimate inner circle for Jesus throughout his ministry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THOUGHTS FOR ACTION
It is not only the world that must repent, but the Church as well, for a new kingdom has been proclaimed, one that continues to call all of us to leave the nets and boats of our former life and become ever closer followers of Christ's ways.
 
Excerpted and edited from LIVING THE WORD
for the Third Sunday in Ordinary TIme
commentary by Msgr. Ralph Kuehner and Rev. Joseph Juknialis,
© 2008 by J. S. Paluch Co., Inc. 1/27/08
 

---

While you are visiting the Immaculate Conception web site, be sure to sign in our guest book!!