St. Marys

  • Home
  • Events
    • Parish Calendar of Events
    • Vacation Bible Camp
    • Middle School Mission
    • Annual Golf Classic
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Gallery
    • Fr. Tom’s Blog
    • Bulletin
    • Newsletter
    • Presiders’ Portal
  • Liturgy
    • Mass Times & Sacramental Notes
    • Mass Readings
    • Children’s Liturgy of the Word
    • Liturgies of Christian Death
  • Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • First Communion
    • Reconciliation
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
  • Growth in Faith
    • Parish Registration Form
    • RCIA
    • Faith Formation Schedule & Registration Form
    • Elementary K – 5th grade
    • Middle School 6th – 8th grade
    • High School 9th – 12th grade
    • Family Formation
    • Young Adult and Adult
  • Ministries
    • Ministry Schedules
    • Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
    • Altar Server
    • Pastoral Council
    • Stewardship
    • Administrative Ministries
    • Outreach Ministries
    • Cantors, Various Choirs, & Instrumentalists; Worship Aids & Liturgy of the Word texts
    • Finance Committee
    • E-Giving (EFT)
  • Contact

God: not merely ‘with’ us, but ‘for’ us

March 4, 2012 by

We’re now ten days into the season of lent.  And while many of us haven’t really felt the effects of Lenten discipline, some of us might need to be encouraged just a bit.

  • In our second reading, St. Paul is emphatic: God is for us, and thus no one and no thing of any significance can be against us.  Most importantly, Christ intercedes for us, watches over us, guides and encourages us throughout our lives.  So, when we might feel ‘beat-up’ or dejected, keep Him in mind.
  • In our first reading, Abraham lets nothing stand in the way of Faith.  As unbelievable as it may seem, he’s even willing to go so far as to offer his son as a sacrifice in order to re-establish and re-affirm his covenant relationship with Yahweh-God.  Unbelievably, he comes so close and with such resolve, yet God shows again his deep love: staying Abraham’s hand God is fully delighted in the fact of his servant’s faith.  Through such a willingness (albeit devastating and painful) to offer his own son, Abraham is blessed with the greatest of covenants, blessings and rewards.
  • And finally, in our Gospel, Jesus is transfigured while three of his disciples look on.  These blessed bystanders are able to witness the glory that would soon flow from Christ’s suffering, death, and rising.  In other words, the result of God’s offering of His only Son (recall Abraham and Isaac), allows this Son to be glorified; and further, we are able to witness this, to be transformed by such an offering, to receive the deep and countless blessings of an eternal covenant offered by God, through Christ.

So what does all this mean?  What are these circumstances meant to convey to us…God’s people of faith?

Abraham intuited God’s mercy when He was willing to offer Isaac in sacrifice.  Only this assurance could compel Abraham to such depths of obedience.  Similarly, in the Transfiguration, God reveals to the disciples a glory they could never otherwise imagine.  But such a glory requires the slaughter of a Son…and our faithfulness to this Son guarantees that, we too, might receive unfathomable life.

So, remember this, when all is said and done: God is not only “with us” (as we said in our Christmastime “Emmanuel”), but He is ultimately “for us”…His chosen ones.

God bless you throughout this holy season.

Filed Under: Fr. David's Blog, Parish Content

Project H2O

Imagine what your life would be like if you awoke tomorrow morning and found that there was no water coming into your home. What would you do? Probably you'd get a few gallons of bottled water, and feel a bit grungy and inconvenienced until the water came back on. Other than that, things would really be OK. But what if the water never came back on? And what if the stores ran out of bottled water? What if the nearest drainage ditch became the only place we could get any water at all? … Help The Thirsty

Quick Links

  • Mass Times
  • Bulletin
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Fr. Tom's Blog
  • Upcoming Events
  • Ministry Schedules
  • Gala & Auction

Recent Updates

  • Bulletin – October 1, 2023
  • 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
  • Bulletin – September 24, 2023
  • 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
  • 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 2023

Tuesday October 3

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
JHMM Prayer Group
Recurs monthly

Wednesday October 4

8:30 am – 9:00 am
Mass at CSM
Recurs weekly
5:45 pm – 7:45 pm
Full Message Group of N.A.
Recurs weekly
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Smart Recovery Group
Recurs weekly
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Friends & Family Meeting
Recurs weekly

Thursday October 5

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Reconciliation in the Chapel
Recurs weekly
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Choir Rehearsal
Recurs weekly

Saturday October 7

9:00 am – 10:00 am
Saturday Morning Miracles Group
Recurs weekly

Sunday October 8

8:00 am – 9:00 am
Mass at St. Mary
Recurs weekly
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Mass At St. Mary's
Recurs weekly

Monday October 9

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Eucharistic Adoration
Recurs weekly
View Full Calendar

Search

Contact Us!

Church of St. Mary at Clinton Heights
163 Columbia Turnpike
Rensselaer, NY 12144-3521
(518) 449-2232

Connect With Us!

Facebook logo Twitter logo

Get Our App!

Download our app on the Google Play Store
Download our app on the App Store

Serving Since

Copyright ProspectGenius and Church of St. Mary at Clinton Heights 2023