From the Pastor’s Desk: October 30, 2022
The basic message of all of today’s three scripture readings is about receiving God’s life-changing love, about receiving and accepting the presence, power, and love of God that leads to forgiveness and change of hearts. The mission of Jesus is “to seek and to save what was lost.” It is such a gift to encounter Jesus in our lives, especially since it does not depend upon our goodness, but the experience of Christ’s goodness which can bring about conversion of life. Zacchaeus in today’s Gospel so deeply desires such an encounter. His creative thinking allowed him to see Jesus. This encounter led him to a faith relationship that made a difference in his life - dramatic conversion of life.
Obviously, something has happened to Zacchaeus' heart - the ripping off of people, the untold riches and probably the lack of many or any real friends or anyone who saw him as worthy of any trust at all, was something that he didn't want anymore. On the other hand, there was something about Jesus that made him want to know Him; there was something that attracted him to Jesus, and perhaps he wasn't quite sure what it was, but there was something there that he wanted. He climbed a tree, to catch a glimpse of him, not too close, but from a safe distance. Some of us may be in this very position today. We are not desperate to know Christ, but we are intrigued enough by Him. We do not commit our lives to Him, but we want to see what He is about. We want to learn more about Jesus, but do not want to get too close.
Perhaps today, is the moment in our lives when we can hear Jesus calling our name to come on down from the tree of selfishness and desolation, because Jesus wants to know us better. He wants us to experience His acceptance through the gift of His overflowing grace that God offers to all, without exception. Every one of us wants to make a difference in life to others. The cry of the human heart is to matter. And Jesus hears our heart’s cry and response as He always does, with extravagant, completely over the top love and acceptance, despite all that we had done and wants to come to your house today.
On Tuesday, November 1st, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints — A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION. The liturgy celebrates all the saints known and unknown to us, who enjoy the glory of Heaven. Today we are reminded that sanctity is accessible to everyone in their various jobs and situations. From the towering figures like St. Augustine, Francis, Faustina, JP II, to the humble saints whose names are known to few or none – our grandparents, friends, teachers who lived their faith to the fullness. Today we celebrate them all. Please check the bulletin for the Mass schedule.
On Wednesday, November 2nd, we celebrate the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed – All Soul’s Day- when in a very special way we call to mind all the faithful dead, both those known to us and those we do not know. During the entire week we will offer Masses in the intentions you submitted in the special envelopes that will be placed on the altar.
“When we lose a loved one, the pain we experience is unbearable. We remember all that touched us so deeply. Prayer and time help to ease our hearts, but they do not take away their memory. On All Soul's Day, we remember that death is a natural part of life, and we lift our loved ones in prayer. The Catholic Church teaches that our prayers and sacrifices for our deceased helps them in great ways. In fact, Holy Mother Church names praying for the dead as one of the spiritual works of mercy. During the month of November, the Church invites us to consider our own mortality by reflecting on the Four Last Things - Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. Likewise, it is also the month the Church specifically designates for us to pray in earnest for our dearly departed loved ones. And in a world that is quick to implicitly "canonize" the deceased, never has the need been greater. St. Ambrose reminds us, "We have loved them dearly during life, so let us not abandon them until we have conducted them by our prayers into the house of the Lord." -Women of Grace
May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace!
I wish you a blessed week!
With prayers, Fr. Andy