​Dear Friends:

I thank you for reading our “Sharing Faith Blog.”  This blog is dedicated to having parishioners share a reflection concerning something about their faith or sharing a reflection regarding a reading from the Liturgy of the Word for Sunday Mass.  I thank Victor Caro for his reflection on Genesis 9:8-15 from Mass for February 18, 2018, and Larraine for her reflection on the reading from Genesis from Mass on February 25, 2018. 
​
Respectfully yours in Christ,
Fr. Tom Morgan
Pastor

From Mass for 02/25/18
My name is Larraine. I joined the Church in 2012. I attend the Sunday St Jerome’s Bible study.
Today’s Genesis’ reading challenges my faith because I feel I could not have obeyed God in this instance. Yet Abraham got up early to obey, he knew since God had told him he would make of him a great nation that somehow God would intervene in the sacrifice of Isaac. What an example of faith and trust! And what love God has for us to give us his beloved Son. I pray for God’s strength to do his Will.

​ My Name is Victor Carro. I have been a parishioner of St. Jerome’s since 1972. I currently volunteer at Life Line and the Emergency Fund.
Fr. Tom had requested volunteers from our Bible Class, which meets on Sunday 10am to write a short blog on a future reading in what the reading means to me.

From Mass for 02/18/18 Genesis 9:8-15

This is one example of God’s love for mankind. It emphasizes that God’s original covenant made was broken by our sins. The story uses Noah and his family to renew the covenant. God is so merciful and so willing to forgive that he grants a new beginning, always giving us hope. God said, “I set my bow in the clouds,” so when we see a rainbow we are reminded of his great love for us and there is always another day for hope in which to excel to God’s expectations of us.

Dear Friends:
 
I thank you for reading our “Sharing Faith Blog.”  This blog is dedicated to having parishioners share a reflection concerning something about their faith or sharing a reflection regarding a reading from the Liturgy of the Word for Sunday Mass.  I thank Frances Pietschmann for her reflection on the Gospel from Mass on February 11, 2018, (Mark 1:40-45). 
 
 
Respectfully yours in Christ,
Fr. Tom Morgan
Pastor
 
Frances Pietschmann:
I am a retired snowbird from cottage country, Ontario, Canada. Our home is situated about 2.5 hours N.E. of Toronto, on Lake Chandos. We attend a century-old parish church whose population, during the summer months, swells to about 75 (cottagers and locals) at the one
Sunday morning Mass. St. Jerome’s is a joyful contrast to our little parish. What an extensive buffet of services this church offers. I am truly blessed to be here to partake at St. Jerome’s, and always grateful for the warmth of its parishioners.
 
Both the first reading and the gospel of today discuss the disfiguring disease of leprosy. Lepers in both the OT and NT were treated as outcasts for fear of contagion. In the gospel a leper breaches custom and protocol by approaching Our Lord for a cure. Our Lord, in turn, also breaks the cultural
taboo by touching him. I can just imagine the shock on the bystanders’ faces.” Oh no, what is this Nazarene doing???” And then Our Lord, in his infinite compassion, heals the leper both physically and spiritually. Again, the witnesses to this scene must have been shaken to their very core by this
miracle. We don’t know why Jesus admonishes the leper not to publicize his healing. Perhaps it wasn’t the right time in Jesus’ mission. But as we know, the leper just couldn’t contain his joy! Our Lord is never revulsed or repulsed by our own “leprosy”, our sins. He wants to touch us and
embrace us and mercifully heal our souls in confession. And Oh the joy of being made clean again. And He doesn’t admonish us to stay quiet about the joy of our healing. He wants us to go forth and share the good news! The time is right, and the time is now!

​Dear Friends:
 
I thank you for reading our “Sharing Faith Blog.”  This blog is dedicated to having parishioners share a reflection concerning something about their faith or sharing a reflection regarding a reading from the Liturgy of the Word for Sunday Mass.  I thank Lisa Monk for her reflection on the Gospel from Mass on February 4, 2018, (Mark 1:31). 
 
Respectfully yours in Christ,
Fr. Tom Morgan
Pastor
 
“He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up.  Then the fever left her and she began to wait on them.”  Mk 1:31
 
He took her by the hand – not from afar, not with any fanfare, not with his words – he took her by the hand.   It was a personal connection.  He cured her fever and she was able to continue to do the work she was called to do, the same work we are all called to do – to serve Jesus.  It brings me great comfort that He will take ME by the hand and lift me up from my sins that keep me in bed.  The sins that keep my soul feverish and leave me down and out and unable to do the work I am called to do.  And he continues to lift me up every time I sin, every time I am “feverish”.  So I can be lifted up to do the work I am called to do.
 
Lisa Monk – most notably known as “Kevin’s Mom”, married to Tom and our daughter Mary Jo lives in Jacksonville.  I am an Usher at 7:30 Mass, involved in Bible Study, Alpha, Embrace and glad that Lifeline added a Saturday so I can help there as well.