Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time August 17, 2025

 
        
       Our Lady of Peace Parish
Also Serving Our Lady of the Smile Parish, Waterhen Lake and
St. Jude’s Parish, Green Lake

Office Hours: Closed MON, TUES, THURS & FRI
OPEN : Wednesday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Office Phone:  306-236-5122 
Cell Phone: 306-304-7271

Parish Email: [email protected] Pastor Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Catholic Church Meadow Lake
Website: https://www.meadowlakecatholicchurch.com/
Address: 504-3rd Ave. East, Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1H5  
 
   Lord, make haste to help me!
Psalm 40 Refrain
 
 Our Vision:
A Community of Disciples
Our Mission
We commit to form disciples
who joyfully and faithfully
live out the mission of
Jesus Christ
by enriching our relationship
with God and neighbour
through the intercession of
Our Lady of Peace.

Pastor: 
Fr. Uche Umechikelu, MSP
Parish Secretary:
Pat Bencharski
 
   Masses
Intentions

When there is a funeral, the daily mass will normally be cancelled.  Check Facebook for the most up-to-date information.  On Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday, Our Lady of Peace masses will be livestreamed on Facebook.

Mon., Aug. 18 – No mass
 
Tues., Aug. 19 – 10:00 am  Liturgy with Communion at the Lodge
 
Tues., Aug. 19 – 6:30 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) -            
 Special Intention for Quinton, Beth & Everett by Ed & Vivian Esch

Wed., Aug. 20 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) -  +Jason by Theresa Rodrigue

Thurs., Aug. 21 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Annie by Theresa Rodrigue

Thurs., Aug. 21 – 10:00 am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
 
Fri., Aug. 22 – 9:30 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - Bill Toohey by Theresa Rodrigue

Sat., Aug. 23 – 7:00 pm (Our Lady of Peace Church) - People of God

Sun., Aug. 24 – 10:00 am (Our Lady of Peace Church & Facebook) - People of God

Sun., Aug. 24 – 12:30 pm (St. Jude’s Green Lake) - People of God

Sun., Aug. 24 – 3:00 pm (Our Lady of the Smile Waterhen) - People of God

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

1. Congratulations to Cody and Myra Briscoe who will be celebrating the blessing of their marriage on Saturday, Aug.16.
2. Please note the time change for Wednesday’s daily mass – 9:30 am instead of 6:30 pm

   Sunday Collection –  August 10  Meadow Lake  $1222.15  Green Lake  $252.65  Children’s $3.00
                       
Sunday Church Attendance –    August 10   Adults  127  Children  14  Total  141
 
The Pope’s Prayer Intention for August – For mutual coexistence – Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious or ideological reasons.
 
New Parish Secretary – Myra Briscoe will be taking over as parish secretary starting September 9. She will be working two mornings a week – Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am to 12 noon. Please welcome her as she starts this job.
 
Pilgrimages – The diocese is encouraging the faithful to attend at least one pilgrimage during this Jubilee Year. Our Lady of Lourdes (St. Laurent) in Duck Lake has two more opportunities this year – August 15 and September 8. Please plan to attend if possible. Information on other pilgrimages can be found on posters at the back of the church.  
 
St. Rose de Lima Parish in Cochin is having a special celebration on Monday, August 25 for St. Rose de Lima Day. The celebration will start with mass at 11:00 am followed by a catered lunch. Everyone is invited to attend this celebration. There is a sign up sheet at the back of the church as they need to know numbers for the meal.  Please call Bev Knorr at 306-481-3067 for tickets or more information.
 
Scripture Insights – Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Taken from Source Book for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2025: The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, LTP Liturgy Training Publications Copyright 2024, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609, pg. 298.
 
 Our reading from Jeremiah reminds us that this prophet suffered greatly. The people of Judah did not welcome the words that God commanded Jeremiah to proclaim. The action of the officials who lowered Jeremiah into the cistern was a direct result of their hatred of Jeremiah and his message. During this time, Jeremiah had told the authorities that they should surrender to the Babylonians. This was an unpopular message for a people who would have seen surrender as an act of treason. Yet another court official, a foreigner, Ebedmelech, whose name means “servant of the king,” convinces the king that Jeremiah should be saved.
The psalm has been classified as a combination of a prayer of thanksgiving and a lament. Since a psalm of thanksgiving tells the story of a past difficulty, we can clearly hear the story of either the psalmist or Jeremiah in this text.
Our Gospel of five verses is a difficult one. Jesus’ statement that he has come to bring fire upon the earth might best be understood as some type of purification that needs to take place. And the baptism that Jesus proclaims refers to the death that he will soon face. Most of us are likely to prefer the image of a gentle, tender, and caring Jesus to the one presented to us today. The reality, however, is that to be a follower of Jesus means that we must make many difficult choices, choices that will not always be popular with friends and family.
 
·         Baptism is a rebirth, a cleansing. Baptism by fire might look like death at first, but then it proves to bring forth new, abundant life. What “baptism by fire” moments have you experienced in your own life? What situations of injustice, oppression, and structural sin are yearning for rebirth and cleansing in our world today?

• Harmful or toxic relationships can exist anywhere – even in families. As we more fully embrace Gospel living, we may encounter resistance or opposition from our loved ones. Sometimes the best way to honor the work of the Holy Spirit is to leave those relationships behind or set firm boundaries.