Daily Meditation Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you? (Matthew 18:33) People saddled with impossible debt, desperate pleas for more time, threats of imprisonment and even torture—why did Jesus tell such an upsetting parable? To help his disciples understand the need to show mercy when someone sins against them. Peter’s question started it all: “How often must I forgive?” (Matthew 18:21). It was understandable. Shouldn’t there be a limit to how often we should forgive, especially repeated offenses? An honest look at ourselves might help us see the answer. How often do we go to the Lord asking for mercy for the same sins again and again? We would never want him to tell us we have reached our limit. Thankfully, he never does; he repeatedly forgives us. Not only does God forgive us again and again; he doesn’t hold our sins against us. Remember the unforgiving servant. His entire debt was wiped out. There was nothing hanging over him. Similarly, God has pardoned every sin we have ever committed and stands ready to forgive every sin we will ever commit. Nothing is outside the scope of his mercy. He forgives us everything. This is the standard of mercy that Jesus calls us to imitate. It’s not so different from the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us . . . as we forgive” (Matthew 6:12). Granted, today’s parable is more graphic. But it shows us that God doesn’t want us imprisoned in unforgiveness and tortured by resentment. He knows how hard it is to forgive. But he went so far as to give us his only Son to cleanse us and soften our hearts so that we could share that same mercy. Mercy goes beyond simply not punishing offenses. It forgives the entire debt. That’s how God treats us. Let that truth change how you treat the people who offend you. “Heavenly Father, strengthen me to be able to forgive others as you have forgiven me!” Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter IV - Year A 17 th September 2023 ___ LITURGY OF THE WORD 1st Reading: ECCLESIASTICUS 27: 30- 28: 7 Responsorial Psalm THE LORD IS COMPASSION AND LOVE, SLOW TO ANGER AND RICH IN MERCY. 2 nd Reading: ROMANS 14: 7-9 Gospel: MATTHEW 18: 21-35 ___ Next week’s reading Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time ( World Day of Migrants & Refugees ) Psalter I - Year A 1 st Reading: ISAIAH 55: 6-9 Respons. Psalm PSALM 144: 2-3, 8-9, 17-18 2 nd Reading: PHILIPPIANS 1: 20-24, 27 Gospel: MATTHEW 20: 1-16 ___ DAILY MASS & ADORATION SCHEDULE Daily Mass 6.00 AM (Monday - Saturday) Individual Confession 10 AM - 11 AM (Monday - Friday) Holy Hour 8.00 PM (Thursday) Divine Mercy 3.00 PM (Friday) ___ WEEKEND MASSES & ADORATION SCHEDULE SATURDAYS Individual Confession 4.30 PM – 5.30 PM Novena Devotion 5.00 PM Mass 6.00 PM (EN) SUNDAYS Mass 7:00 AM ( CHI) 9.00 AM (EN) 11.00 AM (BM) www.shckk.org or www.facebook.com/shckk PARISH PASTORAL ASSEMBLY 2023 Date: 28 th September 2023 (Thursday) Time: 8.00 AM at Sacred Heart Parish Centre Reminder: All groups, ministries or communities to submit names to the Parish Office (Johnny Chong) before 20 th September 2023 PRIEST ON STUDY LEAVE: FRIAR GERALD TERENCE SAIMEL OFM Friar Gerald will be on a 5 months full-time study course with effect from October 2023. He will cease to do pastoral work in our Parish but will continue to assist to celebrate Mass on Sunday. DEVOTION ON FIRST WEEK OF THE MONTH DATE DEVOTION TO TIME & PLACE 4 Oct 23 (Wednesday) St. Joseph 7.30PM, * Chapel 6 Oct 23 (Friday) Sacred Heart of Jesus 7.30PM, * Chapel 7 Oct 23 (Saturday) Immaculate Heart of Mary 11.00AM, Chapel *Please take note on the change of venue for Devotion to St. Joseph and Sacred Heart of Jesus CATECHESIS FOR ADULTS & YOUTHS “Come to me all who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest...” (Mt 11:28) Time: 8.00pm at SHPC Room F7 (Every Monday and Wednesday ) Organiser: Neo Catechumenate Community All parishioners are invited. CATHOLIC PARENTS FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION Date: 17 th September 2023 (Sunday) Time: 11.30 AM at SHPC Room F2 (For 20 pax only) For more information, please visit our Facebook Page. A FRESH STUDY PERSPECTIVE UNVEILING THE WORD OF GOD DATE TIME ROOM 18 Sep 2023 (Monday) 8.00 PM – 10.00 PM Room F6 19 Sep 2023 (Tuesday) 8.00 PM – 10.00 PM Room F6 Speaker: Fr. David Reegon OFM Cap For more information, kindly contact Jon, 019-8067154. All parishioners are invited. FAMILY DAY BAZAAR: CELEBRATING CHURCH OF MARY IMMACULATE (CMI) 30 TH ANNIVERSARY & ESTABLISHMENT Date: 23 rd September 2023 (Saturday) Time: 7.00 AM – 1.00 PM at CMI Parish Hall All parishioners are welcome. BLOOD DONATION DRIVE Date: 23 rd September 2023 (Saturday) Time: 8.00 AM – 1.00 PM at CMI, Bukit Padang All parishioners are welcome. RENEWAL AND HEALING SEMINAR 2023 (IN ENG & BM) Date: 13 th – 15 th October 2023 (Friday – Sunday) Venue: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Speaker: Rev. Fr. Hans Jeharut, Ibu Esther Kandou, and Mike C Lolong Registration link: https://bit.ly/daftarseminarshc or scan Activities include confession, counselling, and healing services. Admission is free. PRE-MARRIAGE COURSE IN BM Date: 19 th – 21 st October 2023 Place: SHPC Room F7 Fee: RM 50.00 per couple (Register during office hour) For more information, please visit www.shckk.org/marriage PRE-MARRIAGE COURSE IN MANDARIN Date: 28 th & 29 th October 2023 (Registration on 28 Oct) Place: CAC Room S8 For more information, please visit www.shckk.org/marriage SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE For a Church Wedding at Sacred Heart Cathedral, please note that arrangements must be made with the priest of this Parish at least 5 MONTHS in advance. Documents requirement can be found at www.shckk.org/sacraments/marriage/ CHURCH COMPOUND: NON-SMOKING/VAPE AREA To comply with Health Ministry regulations, smoking is strictly prohibited in our church compound. Offenders may face penalties ranging from RM 250 to RM 350 as per the Tobacco Revenue Control regulation (PPKHT) 2004 amendment 2018, effective since 1st January 2020. We kindly request all parishioners and visitors to refrain from smoking in this area. HOSPITAL CHAPLAINS Please contact Fr. Russell Lawrine 014-9512131, Fr. Terans Thadeus 013-8842493, SHC Parish Office 223618, 224741, 262068, Fr. Gilbert Marcus 016-8023946. FUNERAL MASS / SERVICE Parishioners, please take note of the following when making arrangements for a Funeral Mass or Funeral Service: STEP 1 : Visit SJBF Office (088-216321) to purchase a tomb or burial ground. STEP 2 : Go to SHC Parish Office for a Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral or Funeral Service at the Parlour. Please bring copies of IC or Passport, Baptism Certificate, Church Marriage Certificate, and Police Report or Death Certificate. SHC PARISH DONATIONS (9 TH & 10 TH SEPTEMBER 2023) Black RM 17,003.25 Red RM 14,403.60