Often when we go to Mass it is easy to slip into the habit of "going through the motions."

We stand. We sit. We kneel. We leave.

Nothing much changes week-to-week, besides some extra flowers and maybe a different color.

What is the whole point? Why do we we stand, sit, kneel and receive Holy Communion?

In order to answer that question, over the next several weeks we will be walking through the Mass, going through the symbolism that is present in the celebration. Hopefully this will open your eyes anew to this ancient liturgy and will help you stop "going through the motions" and recognize that you are participating in something much greater than yourselves.

In fact, what you are doing today at Sunday Mass is not much different than what the early Christians did in the 2nd century, almost 2,000 years ago!

If you want evidence, here is a passage from Saint Justin Martyr, who wrote in 155 AD about the common celebration of the liturgy:

"No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ. 

"On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray. 

"On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give assent by saying, “Amen”. The eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent. 

"The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need. 

"We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration."
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Did anything sound familiar? Look back and see if you can identify these part of the Mass:

Introductory Rites
- Penitential Rite
Liturgy of the Word
-Readings
-Homily
-Profession of Faith
-Collection
Liturgy of the Eucharist
-Presentation of the Gifts and Preparation of the Altar
-Prayer over the Offerings
-Eucharistic Prayer
-Reception of Communion
-Dismissal

Over the next several weeks we will dive into each part of the Mass and discover the symbolism behind the ancient rites and discover the beauty and glory of the Mass anew.

St. John’s Parish Family has the opportunity to aid the less fortunate in our area by serving a fellowship meal in the Gathering Room of St. Vincent de Paul Center. We meet on Sept. 28th at 3pm to set up, serve the meal at 5pm and finish with clean-up by 6:30pm. If you are able to help, call Jane at 715-387-2019.

33 Days to Merciful Love: Join us on Saturday, October 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th as we journey into the heart of St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s "Little Way" through Fr. Michael Gaitley's newest book ~ 33 Days to Merciful Love. More information can be found in the back of church. Please sign up by Sun., Sept. 25th so materials can be ordered.

“Chalice of Mercy in the Year of Mercy” You are invited to the annual diocesan Gospel of Life Celebration on October 13th. Hear the inspiring Valentyna Pavsyukova, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine at the age of 18, underwent a powerful conversion and founded Chalice of Mercy, a beautiful prolife mission to Ukraine. Valentyna will speak of God’s abundant graces in her life and mission and the latest initiatives of Chalice of Mercy. The 7:00pm talk (parish school) will be preceded by 6:00pm Mass at St. John’s. To read a feature article on Valentyna or view some short videos, visit www.diolc.org/respectlife.

Respect Life Month: The KCs will again recognize this very important month by being present after all Masses (Oct. 1st / 2nd) promoting the “Lifesavers For Life” program. Whether it lasts a brief moment or a hundred years, each of our lives is a good and perfect gift. At every stage and in in every circumstance, we are held in existence by God’s love. Please support the KC Lifesavers for Life!

FROM THE MISSION TEAM: Join us for Friends Of The Sisters Of Our Lady Queen Of Africa Presentation, October 9th , 12 noon in the Columbia room. More information coming. All are welcome!

Baptism Class for those requesting the baptism of their children will take place Tuesday, Oct. 4th, 5:30-8:00pm in Columbia Rm. Pre-registration is required and you can do so by calling 715-384- 9565 ext 2. For those not registered in the parish, information will be given on how to do so. This class is for all parents of their first child and/or those who have not yet taken Father Martin’s Baptismal class.

Movie of the Month is Back! Our new line-up begins with St. Giuseppe Moscati. Doctor to the Poor. Known as the “holy physician of Naples”, Dr. Moscati is one of the greatest of modern day saints. The movie will be shown in its entirety (3 hours) Sunday, Oct. 2nd at 1pm in the Columbia room. All are welcome and snacks are allowed!

Evenings of Recollection: The next Evening of Recollection will be held Thursday, Oct. 6th from 6:30-8:00pm. St. Teresa of Avila is the theme for the night. The evening will begin by exposing the Blessed Sacrament followed by a half hour meditation. There will be time for silent adoration and confession. Benediction will close the evening. This evening of Recollection will be held at Christ the King. 

Join us for a Bible Study on Psalms and Prayer. Learn about how Psalms have come down to us through the ages, and are still a vibrant and important part of the prayer of the Church. A six week study, starting Tuesday Oct. 4th at 6:45 in the Bride’s room at St John the Baptist. To register call Carol Jonas at 715-676-3989 by Oct. 3rd. 

In need of inspiration or experiencing Jesus' presence or healing? He will provide for your needs in ways we cannot always anticipate. Come be with Jesus in adoration at Pope Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel, 510 S. Columbus Ave. Fridays at 9pm-10pm or Saturdays at 1am-2am are openings needed to be filled. Please call Jean, 715-387-0571 or Dale, 715-383-2262 to schedule your hour. 

​News from the USCCB: 
Worldwide Day Of Prayer For Sexual Abuse Survivors - WASHINGTON—Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed Pope Francis' call for a World Day of Prayer for Victims of Sexual Abuse and highlighted the efforts in dioceses across the country guided by the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People...Read More
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News from the Pope: 
Pope tells us 'not to judge, not to condemn, but to forgive' -(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis urged the faithful to be as merciful as the Lord, because – he said – that is the best way to be “a sign, a channel, a witness of His love”. He was speaking on Wednesday morning during the weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square....Read More

News from the Church:
Thousands Gather at Berlin March for Life to Say ‘No Child Is Unsuitable’ - BERLIN — More than 7,500 people took part in the annual March for Life in Berlin on Saturday, under the motto: “No Child is Unsuitable.” The peaceful gathering was organized by the Federal Association for the Right to Life. Participants held aloft placards supporting the right to life from conception to natural death. Five bishops took part in the event: Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg, who also celebrated the closing ecumenical Church service, Berlin's Archbishop Heiner Koch, and Auxiliary Bishops Matthias Heinrich of Berlin, Dominikus Schwaderlapp of Cologne, and Florian Wörner of Augsburg.....Read more

CCD Classes begin on Sept 28th for Religious Education (CCD) at 6:15pm. If your child is not registered and you wish for them to attend, please contact Deb immediately to ensure a spot. Deb Mlsna at ReligiousEd@frontier.com 

High School CCD & Youth Group The first night for High School CCD and Youth Group will be Sept. 28th. CCD class time for high school students will be Wed., 6:15-7:30p.m. and Youth Group will meet from 8-9pm. Registration for all CCD classes will be Wed., Sept. 14th at 6:15pm in the church. For questions about high school CCD, contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber at 715-384-4989 x3, 715-659-4480 x4 or yministry@frontier.com

Diocesan Youth Rally – On Sun., Oct. 2nd, join a road trip to La Crosse for a Diocesan Youth Rally to celebrate this Year of Mercy. This event is for grades 6-12. The cost per person is ONLY $15 and a new pair of socks. This includes bus transportation. The socks will be used to make care bags for the homeless. The day will include lunch, Mass and some GREAT youth speakers. PLEASE RSVP BY SEPT. 15th. Contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber at 715-384-4989 x3, 715-659-4480 x4 or yministry@frontier.com

As we conclude our series on the liturgical year, let us reflect on the beauty that God has given us in the variety and change that bolsters our spiritual life.

God knows us better than we know ourselves and He is well aware that we need seasons throughout the year to break up the monotony of life and this is no different in the liturgy. God has inspired His church to set in motion a liturgical year that changes and focuses our attention on different aspects on the life of Christ.

This allows us to deepen our love of God each year as we learn more about Him and as different things touch our hearts at different times.

To further reflect on this beautiful gift God has given us, below is a short reflection by Dom Prosper Guéranger on this wondrous gift of the liturgical year.

"Would that we might worthily describe the sacred wonders of this mystical calendar, of which all others are but images and humble auxiliaries! Happy indeed should we deem ourselves, if we could make the faithful understand the grand glory which is given to the blessed Trinity, to our Saviour, to Mary, to the angels, and to the saints, by this annual commemoration of the wondrous works of our God! If, every year, the Church renews her youth as that of the eagle [Ps. cii. 5], she does so because, by means of the cycle of the liturgy, she is visited by her divine Spouse, who supplies all her wants."

"Each year she again sees Him an Infant in the manger, fasting in the desert, offering Himself on the cross, rising from the grave, founding His Church, instituting the Sacraments, ascending to the right hand of His Father, and sending the Holy Spirit upon men. The graces of all these divine mysteries are renewed in her; so that, being made fruitful in every good thing, the mystic garden yields to the Spouse, in every season, under the influence of the Spirit He breathes into her, the sweet perfume of aromatic spices [Cant. iv. 16]. Each year the Spirit of God retakes possession of His well-beloved and gives her light and love; each year she derives an increase of life from the maternal influence which the blessed Virgin exercises over her, on the feasts of her joys, her dolours, and her glories; and lastly, the brilliant constellation formed by the successive appearance of the nine choirs of the angels, and of the saints in their varied orders of apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, sheds on her, each year, powerful help and abundant consolation.

"Now, what the liturgical year does for the Church at large, it does also for the soul of each one of the faithful that is careful to receive the gift of God. This succession of mystic seasons imparts to the Christian the elements of that supernatural life, without which every other life is but a sort of death, more or less disguised. Nay, there are some souls, so far acted upon by the divine succession of the Catholic cycle, that they experience even a physical effect from each evolution: the supernatural life has gained ascendancy over the natural, and the calendar of the Church makes them forget that of astronomers.

"Let the Catholic who reads this work be on his guard against that coldness of faith, and that want of love, which have well-nigh turned into an object of indifference that admirable cycle of the Church, which heretofore was, and always ought to be, the joy of the people, the source of light to the learned, and the book of the humblest of the faithful."

As we progress through the year with the Church, let us be attentive to the different movements of God and appreciate the great beauty of the liturgical year.

Read the Entire Series

• What Are Holy Days of Obligation?
  
• Why are Saturdays Dedicated to the Blessed Mother?
• What are Feast Days?
• An Invitation to a Heart-to-Heart with God
• How is it Possible that Jesus is Present in the Eucharist?
• I Will Not Leave You Orphans - The Gift of the Holy Eucharist
• Pentecost: The Birthday of the Church
• The Ascension: A Preview of Future Glory
• Don't Forget to Feast!
• The Liturgy that Lasts Three Days!
• Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus During Holy Week
• What is Almsgiving?
• Why Do We Abstain from Meat on Fridays?
• Entering into a Prayerful Lent: Stations of the Cross
• What is the Purpose of Lent?
• What is Ordinary Time All About?
• The Epiphany Blessing - A Beautiful Tradition During the Christmas Season
• The Prophecy is Fulfilled: The Joyous Christmas Season
• The Start of a New Year - Advent
• The Liturgical Year - Christ's Life Relived Each Year

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The World Apostolate of Fatima’s Centennial U.S. Tour for Peace is underway and coming to our parish! The historic tour, marking the 100th Anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, will feature the world-famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue, traveling worldwide for nearly 70 years. St. John the Baptist is hosting the tour on Sept. 21st-22nd from noon until noon. It will be an extraordinary occasion of healing, hope and grace. Please join us to hear the story of Fatima and venerate this beautiful statue that set out from Fatima in 1947 to bring the graces of Fatima to all who might not ever be able to make a pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal. We bring the pilgrimage to you. Hundreds of favors and graces, including cures, and countless conversions are associated with the image. The presence of this special Statue (sculpted by Jose Thedim in 1947, based on Sr. Lucia’s description of her encounters with Our Lady) is a great gift to our community. Contact Caren Alsides at 715-897-1900 for more information. (www.fatimatourforpeace.com) 

Our adult choir is looking for additional singers and even musicians to join our choir this season. No try-outs and you have the best seats in the house along with guaranteed seating for those big events! Call Kris at 715-389-2610 evenings.

FROM THE MISSION TEAM: Join us for Friends Of The Sisters Of Our Lady Queen Of Africa Presentation, October 9th , 12 noon in the Columbia room. More information coming. All are welcome!

Baptism Class for those requesting the baptism of their children will take place Tuesday, Oct. 4th, 5:30-8:00pm in Columbia Rm. Pre-registration is required and you can do so by calling 715-384- 9565 ext 2. For those not registered in the parish, information will be given on how to do so. This class is for all parents of their first child and/or those who have not yet taken Father Martin’s Baptismal class.

The Marshfield Guild, Catholic Medical Association will host the Diocesan White Mass at Our Lady of Peace on Sat., Sept. 24th at 9:30am. Bishop William Callahan will be the principle celebrant. Brunch will follow in the OLP basement with a presentation by Dr. Robin Goldsmith, State Director for the Wisconsin Guilds, CMA on “The Gospel of Life at the End of Life”. The White Mass is held annually in honor of St. Luke, patron of physicians, and is open to all physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and others involved in healthcare. Please contact Allyson Mayeux, at 715-305-5453, or mayeuxg@gmail.com for more information. 

Inner Life on Relevant Radio: Some of you have asked if I would provide the dates and times when I’m on the radio. Once a month I work with Chuck Neff on a wonderful program called “The Inner Life.” It’s a call-in show that offers spiritual direction and is a beautiful experience of the Holy Spirit. The show is every day from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and it replays each evening from 9:00-10:00 p.m. I’ll be on the show (barring a funeral, in which case another priest takes my place) on September 7th, October 5th, November 21st, December 14th, and January 19th. Relevant Radio is at 93.9 FM or you can download their app. Please pray for the remarkable work being done by Relevant Radio!

Join us for a Bible Study on Psalms and Prayer. Learn about how Psalms have come down to us through the ages, and are still a vibrant and important part of the prayer of the Church. A six week study, starting Tuesday Oct. 4th at 6:45 in the Bride’s room at St John the Baptist. To register call Carol Jonas at 715-676-3989 by Oct. 3rd. 

In need of inspiration or experiencing Jesus' presence or healing? He will provide for your needs in ways we cannot always anticipate. Come be with Jesus in adoration at Pope Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel, 510 S. Columbus Ave. Fridays at 9pm-10pm or Saturdays at 1am-2am are openings needed to be filled. Please call Jean, 715-387-0571 or Dale, 715-383-2262 to schedule your hour.