Knights of Columbus council serves Parish BBQ

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The Knights of Columbus council grilled up burgers and dogs last evening and served over 100 people at the first Parish BBQ of the summer. Led by our newly elected Grand Knight, Jay Sorenson, the evening went off without a hitch. It seems we found a new grill master in John Gordon who made fixing 250 burgers and dogs over the hot coals look easy and everything was done to perfection. The Knights council really likes doing these dinners since we get to interact with other parishioners and enjoy great fellowship with our brother Knights while serving our Parish. It sounds like we are going to try our hand at smoking some pork next week, so we will most likely need some additional assistance to babysit the smoker Friday night and Saturday.

If you are interested in helping next week or at any of the Saturday BBQs, please contact David Zimmerman at (949) 294-0884 or through the contact page. Check out the pictures from the event on our council’s Facebook.

 

Forgiving: Take the Risk; Find the Joy

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Introduction:
Forgiving those who’ve hurt us is about so much more than simply saying, “I forgive you.” It’s about understanding our shortcomings and sinfulness before our loving and merciful God. It’s about cultivating a heart and attitude of grace, mercy, and humility. And it’s about striving to live out—through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit—the commands and principles found in today’s study passage.

Romans 12:14-21
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.

15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.

18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Key Study Passage:
Romans 12:14-21

1. Read this passage two or three times, and then write down or discuss the traits of a man who lives out these verses. Think about or describe someone you know who takes the commands of this passage seriously.
2. What sayings of Jesus does Paul allude to in verse 14? (See Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27-28.)
3. Why is it so important to live in “harmony with each other” (v. 16)? (See John 13:34-35.)
4. According to the last part of verse 16 and the first part of 17, what helps promote harmony?
5. Instead of seeking revenge, what are we commanded to do? (See vv. 19-20.)
6. Write down or discuss a practical way to practice verse 21.

Spend Time in Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for being a loving God who daily extends grace and mercy! Forgive me for those times I refuse to let go of anger and bitterness. Give me the grace and mercy needed to forgive those who’ve wronged me.

Group Topic #1: What Forgiving Others Isn’t

Forgiveness doesn’t mean “I didn’t really mind” or “it didn’t really matter.” I did mind and it did matter, otherwise there wouldn’t be anything to forgive, merely something to adjust my attitudes about.

Nor is forgiveness the same as saying, “Let’s pretend it didn’t really happen.” This is a little trickier because part of the point of forgiveness is that I am committing myself to work toward the point where I can behave as if it hadn’t happened. But it did happen, and forgiveness is looking hard at the fact that it did and making a conscious choice—a decision of the moral will—to set it aside so that it doesn’t come as a barrier between us. In other words, forgiveness presupposes that the thing which happened was indeed evil and it cannot simply be set aside as irrelevant. Along that route lies suppressed anger and a steady distancing of people who no longer trust one another. A much better plan is to put things out on the table and deal with them.

This week’s Key Study Passage: Romans 12:14-21
Adapted from Evil and the Justice of God (IVP, 2006)
Thought to Apply: Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.—Brian Tracy (speaker, writer)

Group Topic #2 – The Choice

Key Bible Verse: “And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” (Matthew 6:12) Dig Deeper: Matthew 6:12-14

A Christian acquaintance whose wife had an open fling with another man told of how he felt the inner sanctum of his heart had been trashed. Even after she returned and said it had been a mistake, he felt the inevitability of divorce. But while sorting out his options, he was surprised to be given, as a Christian, not only the grace to forgive at a specific moment, but more importantly, the possibility to live in forgiveness.

Of course, it was work. But all told, in the midst of his anguish, he eventually could not think of anything important that he would lose by forgiving—except his “pride.” He could choose to see his wife as having temporarily lost her bearings. How human she was, to trade lifelong integrity for momentary flaring desire. How outrageous! How deserving she was of being despised! But at the same time there was another option: the pain-discovered possibility of the unique joy in forgiveness. What, my friend asked himself, would be gained by not accepting this option? And what was his Lord calling him to? What was the satisfaction of wounded pride worth, in the long run? Is forgiveness any more illogical than vengeance?
—John Ruth in Forgiveness

My Response: If I were the guy in this story, would I be willing to do the hard work of forgiveness? Why or why not?

Thought to Apply: Forgiveness is God’s command.—Martin Luther (leader of the Protestant Reformation)

Group Topic #3: The Road to Faith

Key Bible Verse: “Love your enemies! Do good to them.” (Luke 6:35) Dig Deeper: Luke 6:35-37

“I know lots of young people my age who are bitter, who are acting out violently,” said [Cathy]. “Some of them are even dead now.… Fighting terror with terror is not the way.”
To forgive another person takes a tremendous act of faith, because in forgiving we choose to surrender our need to control a situation to satisfy our longings and intentions. To transfer a situation from our hands into God’s requires one to believe that God has witnessed the wrong and that God will not dismiss that wrong as something trivial or insignificant. In the process of forgiving we say, “I give this situation to God and believe that in the eternal scheme of things, God’s justice and grace will bring about a resolution better than I could ever make.”

Fortunately, a mother in Northern Ireland years ago decided that her home would not become a haven of anger and hatred, a breeding ground for young terrorists. Instead, she took the road of faith. Because of that choice, her 20-year-old daughter now serves as a missionary to children in the inner city. She is a young woman who loves instead of hates, who gives life instead of destroys it, and who lives each day as a witness to the power of forgiveness.
—Bruce Main in Spotting the Sacred

My Response: What messages am I communicating to my family about revenge and forgiveness? To friends? To neighbors? To co-workers?

Thought to Apply: Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it forgoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury.—Edwin Hubbel Chapin (preacher, writer, editor)

Unity Charity Fraternity

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The Knights of Columbus are holding their Membership Drive today outside the church after Mass. Find out how you can help make a difference within our Holy Trinity Church community, as well as with the less fortunate people residing in Orange County. To learn more, speak to a Knights of Columbus representative.