Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mill Valley

Join us to discuss the Raising of Lazarus (the first part of Season 4, Episode 7 of "The Chosen") this Tuesday, November 5th at 3:30pm in O'Brien Hall. All are welcome! (Seriously, though, wouldn't you rather spend a couple of hours on election day talking about this joyful scene instead of glued to your television, stressed out, at home? We want to see you there!)

Who is your favorite saint, and why?

Recalling the stories of saints (St. John of Kronstadt / Tish Harrison Warren) Ask the angels and the saints to intercede for you, just as you’d ask people who are alive. Stand face to face with them, in the belief that...

Tomorrow is a Holy Day of Opportunity! Join us as we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints! Masses will be at 7:45AM, 12:10PM, and 7:00PM. (Note: There is no vigil Mass at OLMC tonight.)

What is the most important commandment God gives his people? Learn more about Moses, Jesus, and what God is asking of us at tonight's Scripture Class, which starts at 7PM in O'Brien Hall. If you can't join us in person, consider joining us via Zoom!

Here is a link to this weekend's readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110324.cfm

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 836 5801 7191
Passcode: WORD

How do we show God we love him?

Sunday Gospel Reflection, November 3, 2024: I love you, Lord, my strength... I love you, Lord, my strength… How do we demonstrate our love for God? The Jewish practice of the mezuzah – a small prayer scroll cont...

Are you coming to the summit on Saturday? No, not THAT kind of summit -- the MINISTRY SUMMIT organized by the Parish Council for all interested parishioners. Whether you are already involved in ministry or want to start a new one or just interested in joining an existing ministry, this is the place for you! Saturday, November 2 at 9am in the Gym. Be there! We know you can do it!

What would you like me to do for you? Jesus asks Bartimaeus...

O have pity on my night (Richard Crashaw) Silence, silence, O vile crowd; Yea, I will now cry aloud: He comes near, Who is to me Light and life and liberty. Silence seek ye? yes, I’l...

When is the last time you rested in God the Father’s love? In his Sunday homily, Fr. Pat suggested that we begin our day this way: "Stand still and let God wrap his arms around you, and let you know just how much he loves you." Soak it in!

Soaking in His eternal love for you (Tom Mulcahy) When is the last time you rested in God the Father’s love? When is the last time you sat, so to speak, on His lap (to use an image from S...

Do we long to see the face of Jesus, as Bartimaeus did?

Just another blind Bartimaeus (Katie Reed) I press through the crowd Stumbling to find my way Could this be the day The day I see Your face Years and years and years of darkness Despe...

Today, Joseph Daniel Mencke, son of Daniela and Jeff, was baptized into our faith community! He has lots of energy, just like his mom, and is already a blessing to us all. May we continue to support Joseph and his family on their faith journey with us. (And happy birthday to Daniela! What a beautiful way to start your birthday, with the baptism of your son, your most precious gift from God!)

Julia Stankova (1954- ), Bulgarian artist, Christ and Bartimaeus, 2017, Tempra on primed wood panel.

Jeremiah's prophecies have been aimed at convincing the people of Judah to give up in the face of the superior forces of Babylon, so it would not be surprising if they had just as much trouble with the prophecy we hear this week. It is a vision of hope and restoration. The people remained as blind to this vision as to the negative one. God is a view to the future. Can we see?

In the artwork I present to you this week, Julia Stankova has presented an icon of the gospel story of the Blind Bartimaeus. One of the things that I found interesting is that typically the icon is presented on a gold ground that extends beyond the indent picture space, sort of like a frame, but in Stankova's icon, the frame encloses the faces of Jesus and those with Jesus (the crowd), whose bodies run over the edge, as well as the full body of Bartimaeus in the distance, but his cloak flows into the frame. What floats into the frame, becomes unnecessary.

What boundaries are being crossed in this story? If you take only what is within the boundaries, you have the basic narrative: the people who are following close to Jesus are clumped behind him. They try to silence Bartimaeus in the story, isolating him, but Bartimaeus calls out, drawing attention to himself. The crowd is looking every which way, but do not seem to be involved in what is happening between Jesus and Bartimaeus, both of whose eyes are closed... Jesus is sharing a vision with Bartimaeus that has nothing to do with what they see, but God whom they experience as present. Bartimaeus is about to leave his cloak (his only possession, that he needs to sleep in) behind for the sake of what Jesus can offer: sight, not just of the eyes but the heart as well.

What does Jesus want us to see with our hearts when we look at our current world? Its brokenness or his death and resurrection at work in it?

Bartimaeus leaves behind his cloak. What does your cloak look like, and can you leave it behind?

What does your cloak look like? (Fr. Derek Sakowski) The cloak of Bartimaeus is so much more than a cloak. It represents a way of life for him – how he had learned to cope and survive in an ...

Do we see Jesus?

Why many have trouble recognizing Jesus (Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez) The Son of God was born in a marginal area. He lived with the poor and emerged from among them to inaugurate a kingdom of love and ju...

The Women's Faith Sharing Group will meet in O’Brien this Saturday, October 26, from 3pm to 5pm. Please RSVP to Annette if you plan to attend.

An additional note from Annette: We will not meet on November 2. There is a Parish Ministry Summit from 9am to 12pm. Please try to attend the summit and help to build the kind of community you want to be part of!

What do you want me to do for you?

Glimpsing God's invitation (Fr. James Martin) What do you want me to do for you? --Jesus to Bartimaeus, Mark 10:51 Sometimes in life, you might find yourself lacking the desire for ...

Who is Bartimaeus, and what does he have to do with our own faith journey? Learn about this compelling Biblical figure at Fr. Pat's Scripture Class, tonight at 7pm in O'Brien Hall! All are welcome! If you can't be there in person, join via Zoom!

This Sunday's readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102724.cfm

To join the Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83658017191?pwd=hfullvX2LCJUcXHXVJ3b131UkuwDvh.1
Meeting ID: 836 5801 7191
Passcode: WORD

What does salvation look like?

Sunday Gospel Reflection, October 27, 2024: Go on your way: your faith has saved you... Go your way: your faith has saved you… What does salvation look like? Most of Jeremiah ’s prophecy to the people of Israel was a downer...