SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST by DEACON JOHN CLYMORE

This weekend we celebrate the solemnity of Saint John the Baptist. There are only three birthdays celebrated by the church in the liturgical calendar: John the Baptist, (June the 24th) (Mary Sept. 8th) and (Jesus Dec. 25th). These integral to the plan of salvation were each born without original sin. It is for that reason that we celebrate there births as liturgical solemnities. Saint John the Baptist is so important to the life of the church that, as with this weekend, it supersedes the Sunday of ordinary time.

In my humble opinion (he is 2nd) only to Mary the Mother of God. The most powerful prophet of the New Testament, john follows the footsteps of Elijah, & Elisha. Elisha asked & received a double portion of the holy–spirit. 

John was filled with the Holy Spirit for God knew him before he was born. It was god who named him John & God who delivered him to precede Jesus. God has given our families the gift of the Baptism by water and fire. Dad’s lead there children to the Baptism of fire through living out there own baptismal promises. To be priest, prophet, and king in family life. 

In fact we have become well over two billion Catholics and the millions more of Christians baptized in faith.

God has delivered us John the Baptist to make ready the world’s children to find redemption at the feet of Jesus.

We the people of God are the Josephs and Mary’s that lead our families on the road of eternal life. 

I find it necessary to talk about life, the life given to us from conception to natural death. A journey of being human (human being that is) a life of marriage, (Catholic marriage) between man and woman to be fruitful and multiply.

The sixty-eight million Catholics in the United States and the other Christian churches that still believe in the sanctity of marriage must stay the course and fight for married life. There are many who think it is okay for two men or two women to be married before god on holy-ground but it is not!

We all have stories about our own sin the sin that has a hold on us that sin that we do daily battle with. That sin that Jesus says go and sin no more, no matter if that be addiction to drugs or alcohol or homosexuality the Lord wants us to give it up one day at a time. And so we do battle between the goodness of god and the evil of Satan.

It is through our baptism that we achieve this; it is God's grace that we should overcome sin to be eternally happy in heaven forever. It is through Jesus Christ that he forgives us again and again until we get it right. The sacraments of his church are to be used for God’s plan of salvation. John the Baptist leads us to the savior that we become less that that god become more. To be perfect as the heavenly father is perfect. The church is perfect when it leads us in truth. We become perfect through the sacraments and only in the sacraments is perfection achieved in the father. 

The father has given us these seven to attain heaven and he has given us these tools to evangelize our families and our neighbors in his kingdom. If you want to be happy for the rest of your life sing his praise to the glory of god and surrender daily to love. And who is love? It is the Lord and Peter that was lightly clad put on his garment and swam to shore. It is the Lord. Let us cloth our nakedness in love. 

If we want to be happy for the rest of our lives!

Follow truth!   

Peace be with you
Deacon John Clymore

AN IMPORTANT PRAYER REQUEST FROM MARY WEIS, LAY DIRECTOR

As many of you may already know, we have reserved San Alfonso Retreat House December 6-9 2018 for our next weekend. With the submission of a few applications, the decision to have a men's or a women's weekend or a weekend at all, is currently under consideration.

It is only through our prayers and palanca that any Cursillo is possible. As Cursillista Catholics we know that we must work hard for anything that is beneficial to our souls and the welfare of others.

I am asking the Trenton Cursillo community to say one decade of the rosary every day. Just one decade. Every day. We must ask the Holy Spirit to bring the candidates to us, and that we have the courage to bring these candidates to Christ. Ask God through the Blessed Mother to give desire and strength to you as a potential sponsor, and to the potential candidate, to want to make a weekend.

I know that everyone is already praying for Cursillo. I believe that everyone who hears this message knows the grace and love that comes from a Cursillo weekend and this is why we are still, after many years, still praying for that holy time to be experienced by others.

However, we must do more. We must show that the Cursillo method of piety, study and action is alive in our hearts and that it is the way for us to live our Fourth Day, not just for us but for others to live this way as well. God will hear us and answer us accordingly, through His ministry of Cursillo.

I thank you sincerely and assuredly I will keep you apprised of the outcome.

De Colores! Mary

THE WAY TO COMPOSTELA

Mary Weis, at today's School of Leaders, recommended an article in Columbia Magazine (The Magazine of the Knights of Columbus) on " THE RUGGED PILGRIMAGE ROUTE TO COMPOSTELA LEADS KNIGHTS ON A PATH OF FAITH AND CHARITY." Mary felt there were parallels to the Cursillo experience. The article can be found at this link. Let us know what you think about the article - send a note to trentoncursillo@gmail.com with your thoughts.