St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church

06/04/2026

St. Filippo Smaldone
SAINT OF THE DAY

“St. Filippo Smaldone (1848–1923) was born in Naples, Italy, during a time of upheaval and unrest both in Italy and in the Church. He decided to become a priest, and while in seminary he took on a personal apostolate of assisting the deaf and mute community in Naples. He dedicated so much time to this work that he barely passed his exams. After his ordination he continued to assist the marginalized of his community, especially the sick. When the plague hit his city he contracted it, however, he was healed after praying to Our Lady of Pompeii, to whom he had a special devotion. He continued his pioneer work in the education of the deaf and mute, though he became discouraged at the difficulty of the task and considered going into the foreign missions instead. Dissuaded from the abandonment of his work by his confessor, St. Filippo committed his life’s mission to the needs of the deaf and mute, training a group of nuns in the work which grew into a new religious foundation. He later expanded his work to include children that were blind, orphaned, and abandoned. His feast day is June 4th.”

Morning offering.com

06/04/2026

The Law Fulfilled in Love
June 4, 2026
Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Mark 12:28

We continue to read about Jesus’ various interactions, teachings, and prophetic actions in the Temple area during Passover, just days before He would be arrested and killed. During the week, Jesus cleansed the Temple of moneychangers and merchants and was confronted with hostility by various religious and political factions.

First, a group of chief priests, scribes, and elders challenged His authority to cleanse the Temple and then unsuccessfully conspired with some Pharisees and Herodians to trap Him in a legal dilemma. Next, some Sadducees confronted Him, but Jesus’ answer exposed their misunderstanding of the Scriptures and the power of God. In today’s Gospel, after witnessing that exchange, a scribe—impressed by Jesus’ answer—came forward. Rather than trying to trap Him, he asks a sincere question: “Which is the first of all the commandments?”

At that time, the scribe’s question reflected a common rabbinical discussion about the hierarchy of the Law. Perhaps because of the widespread disagreements among the various religious factions—priests, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees—scholars often sought to determine a guiding principle for what had been identified in Jewish tradition as 613 commandments within the Torah. Some commandments, like the prohibition of idolatry, seemed weightier, while others, like dietary laws, were considered less important.

Jesus’ response does not simply rank the commandments; it reveals their true purpose by uniting them in a way that fulfills the entire Law. Instead of engaging in legalistic debates, He elevates the discussion by going directly to the heart of the Law with a twofold summary: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30–31). By doing so, Jesus shows that love—of God first and of neighbor as an extension of that law—is the foundation and fulfillment of every commandment.

The scribe’s response—“Well said, teacher”—demonstrates both humility and wisdom, and Jesus affirms his understanding: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” This interaction contrasts with the previous confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders. Rather than trying to trap or discredit Jesus, the scribe listens attentively and responds with sincerity, and “No one dared to ask him any more questions” (Mark 12:32, 34).

Many in the crowd had likely been following Jesus’ encounters with the various religious and political factions throughout the week. At first, they may have been uneasy, seeing the repeated attempts to discredit Him. But as Jesus responded with authority and truth, they witnessed the growing contrast between those who sought to manipulate the Law for their own purposes and those who, like this scribe, genuinely desired to understand it.

Our own lives are sometimes burdened with controversy and division. Whether in politics, religion, academics, or daily life, disagreements arise that can easily lead to contention. When unchecked, these conflicts can foster division, hostility, and even obsessions that steal our peace. Jesus’ interaction with this scribe offers us a path forward: the way of humble inquiry, sincere dialogue, and the pursuit of Truth grounded in love. When we approach discussions with a heart open to God rather than with a desire to win an argument, we draw closer to His Kingdom.

Reflect today on the witness of this scribe. Though Jesus’ teaching on love of God and neighbor is of paramount importance, so is the example this scribe set in pursuit of the Truth. Consider your own approach to God’s Truth by examining your daily interactions with others. Do you struggle with being combative, resort to trickery, or obsess over being right and getting your way? Or do you seek the Truth that brings understanding and unity? Seek to imitate this scribe in humility and sincerity, and you, too, will not be far from the Kingdom of God.

Lord of Perfect Love, the fulfillment of Your Law is found in the pure and holy love of charity. Help me to love You above all things, and from that love, to see and treat others as You do. May my love for You transform me into an instrument of Your divine charity, that through me, Your love may bring healing, unity, and peace. Jesus, I trust in You.

Image: The Scribe Stood to Tempt Jesus By James Tissot

Read entire reflection: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2026/06/03/the-law-fulfilled-in-love/

06/04/2026

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Father John Cuppett - arrives today, June 4th to begin his June residency with us!

Friday, June 5th: Confession 8 - 8:30am.
First Friday Mass 8:45am. Office & campus closes 15 minutes after Mass.

Saturday, June 6th: First Communion Mass for 12 of our youth at 10am. Reception outside following Mass.
Vigil Mass at 4:30pm; Confession 3:30-4pm.

Sunday, June 7th: The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Masses as scheduled. Corpus Christi procession through Grovemont Park after 8:30am Mass.

Monday, June 8th: Confession & Daily Masses resume! Confession 8 - 8:30am; Mass 8:45am, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.

Thursday, June 11th: 8:45am Mass followed by Eucharistic Adoration and Rosary to honor the US Bishop's Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Friday, June 12th: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: Mass 8:45am (not a Holy Day Obligation). Campus closes 15 minutes after Mass.
El Padre John Cuppett llega el jueves 4 de junio para comenzar su estancia con nosotros durante el mes de junio.

Viernes 5 de junio: Confesiones de 8am a 8:30am.
Misa del Primer Viernes a las 8:45am. La oficina y el campus cierran 15 minutos después de la misa.

Sábado 6 de junio: Misa de Primera Comunión para 12 jóvenes a las 10am. Recepción al aire libre después de la misa. Misa de vigilia a las 4:30pm; Confesiones de 3:30-4pm.

Domingo 7 de junio: Celebración del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo. Misas según lo programado. Procesión del Corpus Christi por el Parque Grovemont después de la misa de las 8:30am.

Lunes 8 de junio: ¡Se reanudan las confesiones y las misas diarias! Confesiones de 8am a 8:30am; misa a las 8:45am, de lunes a jueves.

Jueves 11 de junio: Misa a las 8:45am, seguida de Adoración Eucarística y Rosario en honor a la Consagración de los Estados Unidos al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús por parte del Obispo de los Estados Unidos.

Viernes 12 de junio: Solemnidad del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús: Misa a las 8:45am (no es obligatoria). El campus cierra 15 minutos después de la Misa.

06/04/2026

“If thou art bound down by sickness, if sorrows weary thee, if thou art trembling with fear, invoke the name of Jesus.”

St. Lawrence Justinian

06/03/2026

https://zeale.co/news/articles/catholics-urged-to-attend-first-friday-masses-for-countrys-renewal

CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt is calling on Catholics to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus by attending the First Friday Masses in 2026.

06/03/2026

America’s Catholic revival appears strongest among the college-educated, but it may be leaving working-class people behind.

06/03/2026

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/novena-to-the-sacred-heart/

Pray the Novena to the Sacred Heart, June 3rd through June 11th. The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart is June 12th.

We will have Mass at 8:45am on June 12th to celebrate this Solemnity.

Recommended novena dates: June 3 – 11, 2026 The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart is June 12, 2026 An Efficacious Novena to

06/03/2026

Turning Our Eyes to Eternity
June 3, 2026
Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers…” Mark 12:18–20

The Sadducees were a Jewish sect composed mainly of the Temple leaders, including many priests. They held theological and political views that differed significantly from those of the Pharisees. The Sadducees accepted only the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) as authoritative, whereas the Pharisees recognized the entire Hebrew Scriptures, including the Prophets, historical books, and Wisdom literature, and upheld a highly developed oral tradition based on centuries of rabbinic interpretation. This led to tension and theological disagreements.

The Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead, the immortality of the soul, and the existence of angels—all of which were central to Pharisaic belief—because they believed those truths were not found in the Torah. They believed that God’s blessings were given for this life and that when one died, the soul perished with the body.

Despite their theological disputes with the Pharisees, both groups found common ground in opposing Jesus. Today’s Gospel illustrates the Sadducees’ failed attempt to trap Jesus in a legalistic theological dilemma, using the law of Levirate marriage (cf. Deuteronomy 25:5–10) to challenge the doctrine of the resurrection.

The Sadducees took their turn to trap Jesus not only to prove Jesus wrong but also to justify their beliefs before the Pharisees. They pose an extreme hypothetical scenario, in which seven brothers successively marry the same woman, each dying childless and ask: “At the resurrection when they arise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her” (Mark 12:23). Their intent is not to seek truth, but to mock the very idea of life after death.

Jesus responds, not with complicated legal reasoning, but with divine wisdom that lifts their minds beyond earthly concerns. He begins by rebuking their limited understanding: “You do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Mark 12:24). Then, He offers a twofold response (cf. Mark 12:24–27).

First, Jesus addresses the question of marriage after the resurrection: “When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven.” After the resurrection of the dead, human existence will be radically transformed. Earthly institutions such as marriage—good and holy as they are—belong to this world, not the next. In the life to come, every soul will find its perfect fulfillment in the Beatific Vision.

Second, Jesus refutes their denial of the resurrection of the dead using the Torah: “As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead but of the living.”

Though the Sadducees had built their entire theology on the Torah, they failed to recognize the implication of God’s words to Moses. If God is “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” then these patriarchs must still be alive in His presence. God did not say, “I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” but “I AM.” With this statement, Jesus shatters their disbelief and unveils the reality of eternal life. Perhaps even the Pharisees enjoyed His answer.

Reflect today on the central truth Jesus revealed to the Sadducees: The soul is immortal, and those who die in God’s grace will rise again to live eternally in His presence, in perfect communion with all the angels and saints. This truth must always be our focal point in life. Too often, we live as the Sadducees did—as if this life is an end in itself. By turning our eyes toward eternity, we not only better our lives here and now, but we also live in the hope of Heaven, knowing that all we do now must be for the sake of eternal treasure in the life to come.

My eternal Lord, I believe in the promise of Heaven and the coming of the New Heavens and Earth, when all souls will rise and receive their eternal reward or judgment. As I journey through this life, keep my eyes fixed on eternity, and let my hope be firmly rooted in the resurrection to come. Jesus, I trust in You.

Image: The Sermon on the Mount By Guillaume Fouace

Read entire reflection: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2026/06/02/turning-our-eyes-to-eternity/

06/03/2026

06/02/2026

From the Editor in Chief of Magnificat:
Dear Friends,

One of the liturgical highlights of June is the feast of Corpus Christi (June 7) with its Eucharistic procession. Benedict XVI gave a beautiful rationale for this practice: “The strength of the Sacrament of the Eucharist goes above and beyond the walls of our churches…. We bring Christ, present under the sign of bread, onto the streets of our city. We entrust these streets, these homes, our daily life, to his goodness. May our streets be streets of Jesus! May our houses be homes for him and with him!” I invite you to carry these powerful words with you throughout this month.

In our Eucharistic Lord,

Rev. Philip Nolan, O.P.

Editor-in-Chief

St. Margaret Mary Parish will have the Eucharistic Procession after the 8:30am Mass on Sunday, June 7th!