~ Fr. Justin Belitz OFM is the founder of the Franciscan Hermitage and author of "Success: Full Living," "Success: Full Thinking," & "Success: Full Relating." His teachings incorporate spirituality, science, and art for personal growth and development.
Fr. Justin came highly recommended to me by a dear friend who is also a friar. He thought our parish would be a good candidate for a retreat that led people into the skills of meditation. I was not sure how the community would respond. I knew there was a thirst for it but I was not sure how wide spread it was.
To my surprise and delight we had an overwhelming response. Nearly two hundred people attended each day; fifty to sixty in the morning and one hundred twenty to one hundred thirty in the evenings. For us this was amazing. We never get this many people to come out during the week. People here have very long commutes sometimes between two to three hours each way. So to have this kind of turn out during the week was significant.
In addition the people that were attracted to this parish renewal were not all the “usual suspects,” the same ten to twenty percent who are at everything. I saw many who are more at the peripheries and that was good. And people were so turned on by what they experienced that they brought others on subsequent nights. Many of whom were not parishioners and some not even Catholic. Many thanked me for having the parish host the event.
One woman told me she came by word of mouth. In tears she told me she was just diagnosed with cancer and the evenings helped her discover a spiritual resilience. She was profusely thankful. Though she was formerly not part of the parish, I do see her now on Sundays. A change had come over her.
I now realize how deeply people are thirsting for a spirituality to sustain them. Not just devotions but something that puts them into contact with their deepest self and with God. I cannot recommend Fr Justin and his work highly enough. It would be well for every parish to have just such an experience of renewal as we at St Anne have had. You will not know unless you try it. It has been a blessing for us!
Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
and the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Responsorial Psalm 98: 5-9
R. (cf. 9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth,
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Reading 2 2 THES 3:17-12
Brothers and sisters:
You know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day
we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you,
we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work,
neither should that one eat.
We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a
disorderly way,
by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.
Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly
and to eat their own food.
Alleluia LK 21:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
“Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
“Pick out certain men,
and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.
I will be standing on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand.”
So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,
Israel had the better of the fight,
but when he let his hands rest,
Amalek had the better of the fight.
Moses’hands, however, grew tired;
so they put a rock in place for him to sit on.
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.
Responsorial Psalm 121: 1-8
R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Reading 2 2 TM3:14, 4: 2
Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
Alleluia Heb 4:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
discerning reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
“Pick out certain men,
and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.
I will be standing on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand.”
So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,
Israel had the better of the fight,
but when he let his hands rest,
Amalek had the better of the fight.
Moses’hands, however, grew tired;
so they put a rock in place for him to sit on.
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.
R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
discerning reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant.”
Elisha replied, “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;”
and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: “If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD.”
Responsorial Psalm 98: 1-4
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Reading 2 2 TM 2: 8-13
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
Alleluia 1 THESS5:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospeL LK 17: 11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”
Nathan said to David:
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘I anointed you king of Israel.
I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own.
I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.
And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.
Why have you rejected the LORD and done evil in his sight?
You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword;
you took his wife as your own,
and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.
Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house,
because you have looked down on me
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’”Then David said to Nathan,
“I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David:
“The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.”
Responsorial Psalm 32: 1-2. 5, 7, 11
R. (cf. 5c) Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is the one whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Reading 2 GAL 2:16, 19-21
Brothers and sisters:
We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Christ Jesus
that we may be justified by faith in Christ
and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For through the law I died to the law,
that I might live for God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God
who has loved me and given himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God;
for if justification comes through the law,
then Christ died for nothing.
Alleluia 1 JN4: 10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God loved us and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 7: 36-8:3
A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others who provided for them
out of their resources.
Monday, May 9, 7:00 PM., Saturday & Sunday, May 14 and 15, 2016-9a.m. -5:00 pm
Do you want to experience more peace and less stress? Do you want more out of life? Would you like more balance in your daily schedule?
Here is a weekend experience that can help you attain this and any other goal you desire.
This program is designed to help you acquire successful living skills. The workshop uses lectures and meditation, music, physical exercise, goal setting and life planning in a setting of small group discussions, audio-video aids, a detailed self-evaluation, and lots of fun.
The Hermitage
3650 East 46th st.
Indianapolis, In 46205
317-545-0742
In Success: Full Living, you will learn how to:
Set personal goals and learn how to achieve them
Keep your attitude positive
Motivate yourself
Overcome fear
Move through life changes successfully
Affirm yourself and others
See problems as opportunities,
detailed self-evaluation, and lots of fun.
Tens of thousands worldwide have taken Success: Full Living; they have attained wonderful results and now live the rewarding lives we all deserve.
Gerald Jampolsky, M.D., author of Teach Only Love and Love Is Letting Go Of Fear, said: “Success: Full Living offers us a roadmap to inner peace and a balance of inner and outer success.”
Stephanie Simonton, author of Getting Well Again, writes: “Success: Full Living is a much-needed course that incorporates the latest brain research into a series of exercises designed to improve the quality of one’s life. This book should be required reading for anyone wanting to prevent illness and to live a more productive life.”
The Amazing Kreskin comments: “The field of personal improvement and inspirational writing is riddled with pseudo-technological claptrap very smiliar to the field of psychiatry.Fr. Justin’s writing is remarkably devoid of such.Indeed, his messages are pwoerful truths about how to grow in life. He has crystalized his teachings with vigor, warmth and love.This is some book!”
The possibilities for self-improvement are limitless, as these graduates attest…
“I learned how important right attitudes are. The course made me want to change, and it gave me the tools to structure new goals for myself.”
“I see my world and my life in a new dimension.”
“As a result of this course, I will be more tolerant of other people’s beliefs. I learned that I cannot change anybody else, only me!”
First hour of the workshop is free and open to the public.
Limited seating available. To register, complete the form below or phone (317) 545-0742 OR (317) 250-6888 OR email LuLugk@att.net
A $50 deposit (non-refundable) must be received on or by Monday 9, to ensure your discount and reserve yuor seat.
Graduates must register. Please bring your membership card. Seating is limited.
A graduate donation of $30 is appreciated to help cover costs.
Hotel Accommodations
If you are from out-of-town or an outlying area and would like hotel accommodations, we suggest the Hampton Inn Indianapolis. The address is: 6817 E. 82nd St. just off I-69 (Exit 1 Castleton). The phone numbers are: (317)576-0220 or 1-800-HAMPTON (426-7866). The Hampton Inn also offers a 10% discount for AARP members, AAA members, Senior Citizens (age 50+), and those taking programs at The Hermitage.
A Personal Note From Fr. Justin
Dear Friend: I have taught Success: Full Living all over the world.
What a thrill it is to see individuals of every age, religion, culture, and occupation find their way to more peaceful, more productive, more satisfying lives!
Success in life is really a simple process, even though our technological world has tried to make us think other-wise. The essentials are: 1) choose appropriate goals and 2) develop positive attitudes. Everything else happens automatically. This workshop, based on my book, Success: Full Living, explains the Life Mechanism and how it works. If youmake one set of choices, you will create a satisfying life. If you make another set of choices, you will create a dissatisfying life. The choice is always yours.
During the weekend, you will be able to complete a detailed self-evaluation, set goals in seven major areas of your life, and learn to develop positive attitudes and much more.
Take advantage of this opportunity and celebrate every day of your life. See you at the class.
Justin Belitz, is a Franciscan Friar of the Sacred Heart Province with headquarters in St. Louis, MO. He is a native of Omaha, Nebraska, entered the Franciscan order in 1954 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1961. He carries degrees in Philosophy, Theology, and Music Education as well as certification in Secondary Administration and the teaching of meditation.
Fr. Justin taught at the high-school level for 13 years at Padua High School in Parma OH, and worked as Administrator for two years at Trinity High School in Garfield Hts., OH. In 1978 he took a full year of sabbatical to study spirituality and meditation. He spent one semester at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, N.Y., a second semester at the Monastery of St. Savior in Jerusalem and a third semester at the Convent of St. Damian in Assisi, Italy. More recently he completed a second year of sabbatical at the International University of St. Anthony in Rome.
Among his many accomplishments he has published a book titled Success: Full Living. This volume is a contemporary approach to responsible spirituality with an introduction into meditation. It has been published in six European countries, Australia and the US. His other two books are titled Success: Full Thinking and Success: Full Relating. He has also authored 21 volumes of digital recordings on, and relating to, meditation.
What?
The content of the Parish Renewal is taken from Success: Full Living:
A description of “The Life Mechanism” and how it works in every individual.
A scientific and theological explanation of meditation, followed by a meditation experience.
How to use meditation to strengthen faith by developing positive attitudes, followed by a meditation experience.
How to use meditation to know God’s will and set personal goals, followed by a meditation experience.
Love and Conscience followed by benediction and meditation.
Each of these presentations is approximately one-hour in length and usually given Sunday through Thursday nights.
When?
Parish renewals have traditionally been given during the seasons of Advent and Lent. However, the summer months are also ideal for this experience since that is a time when the people of the parish have more leisure time and the entire family can be involved. Fr. Justin usually preaches at each of the Masses on Saturday and Sunday. The renewal usually begins Sunday evening and closes on Thursday evening. Morning sessions can also be arranged for those who find it difficult to get out at night. If a school is part of the parish, Fr. Justin will visit each of the classrooms and schedule time with students of Religious Education Classes.
Why?
In this day and age, when the pace of life is faster and more stressful than ever, the spirituality of St. Francis is also more meaningful than ever. Francis wanted to put the active life together with the contemplative life. This is what our parish renewal is all about. We explain first of all why the balance between activity and quiet, work and recreation, business and family is so important. (Even the scientific community insists that this kind of balance is necessary for health and healing.) We then offer practical applications to implement the theory. – If we want to create a better quality of life, we need time to create it!