All Soul’s Day-XXXI Sunday OT:[A]:Wis3:1-9;Rom5:5-11;Jn6:37-40

All Soul’s Day-XXXI Sunday OT:[A]:Wis3:1-9;Rom5:5-11;Jn6:37-40

Introduction: This Sunday is the 31st in ordinary time. Having celebrated the solemnity of All Saints yesterday, today, the holy mother church in her wisdom gives us yet another opportunity to celebrate another group of “unsung heroes” of our faith who are believed to still be on a journey towards the heavenly Jerusalem. In a special way also, it is an opportunity for us to reflect on our Christian journey towards the eternal city of God.

Exegesis: Today also, we are invited to pray especially for this suffering church (ecclesia penitens) still on transit. That is, souls in Purgatory. All Souls Day commemorates the faithful departed, and is associated with the doctrine that the souls of the faithful who at death have not been cleansed from the temporal punishment due to venial sins and from attachment to mortal sins cannot immediately attain the beatific vision in Heaven, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass by the living faithful.

Certain places or events can trigger our memory in such a powerful way that the person we remember seems present. These are common occurrences.  Now, some people will say, "Mom’s gone.” or "She’s just a memory, but she isn’t here any more,” and do their best to move on with life. We Christians do more than that, though. For us Christians the everyday event of sensing the presence of our departed loved ones during our family prayer reminds us of a wonderful reality: our loved ones still live.

The flashback to their presence in our lives often leads us to say a prayer for them. Perhaps we might say, "May she rest in peace, united to the Lord forever in the peace of Christ.” Why do we pray for our deceased loved ones? Why do we have this celebration today, the Commemoration of All Souls? Why do we dedicate the month of November to praying for the dead? Why do we have funeral Masses? Why do we visit graves of loved ones in this month? We do all these things because we believe in the power of prayer. We believe that our continual entreaty to God to bring our loved ones to peace will prepare them to bear the fullness of His Love in heaven. We pray because we believe in love. We believe that true love, the love that flows from God and returns to Him, true love remains forever.

The power of prayer is far greater, infinitely greater than we could ever imagine. Often when we pray we call on the strength of the Almighty One to perform an action beyond our capabilities. Today we pray that the Lord heals the wounds of all who are not yet ready to enter into the fullness of His presence. May they be healed!. May any part of their lives that have been closed to Love be completely open to the Presence of God. So we pray today for our deceased parents, spouses, children, relatives, and friends. We know that they were good people. But we also know that they were people.

We are united to the saints in their triumph. We are united with the souls in purgatory in their preparation for triumph. And the saints in heaven and the souls in purgatory are united with us in our efforts to make Christ a reality in our world. This reality is called “Communion of Saints”. "I will reject no one who comes to me,” the Lord said in our gospel for today, John 6:37. We trust in the God who loves us to care for us and our loved ones in life and in death. And so we pray, "May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.”

All Souls’ Day – Introduction

Message: The souls of the just are in God’s hands.  Christ, the Good Shepherd, died for us while we were still sinners.  He is the resurrection and the life.

Saints and Events in this Week : 3 – Third – Monday - Saint Martin de Porres, religious; 4 – Fourth – Tuesday – Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop;

XXXI Sunday in OT:[A]:Mala1:14-2:2,8-10;1Theso2:2-9,13;Mt 23:1-12

XXXI Sunday in OT:[A]:Mala1:14-2:2,8-10;1Theso2:2-9,13;Mt 23:1-12

Introduction: Today is the 31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time and we are coming very near the end of the Liturgical Year. We are also coming to the end of Matthew's Gospel where there is a growing conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of his people. But there is no conflict with the ordinary people who are delighted and amazed at the words and actions of Jesus. The Scripture Readings of today contain serious attacks on the religious leadership of the time and they tell us of God’s rejection of inauthentic religious attitudes.

Exegesis: The Scribes and the Pharisees were the religious leaders of the time, occupying the seat of Moses and Jesus never questioned their authority to teach and preach. But he charged them for their hypocrisy and their pride, for they did not have integrity of life – their life lacked humility, honesty and service, and they failed to practice what they preached.

1) Jesus says the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees should be followed because they are simply handing on the truths of their faith. But their behavior is a different matter altogether. They create a double standard - they say one thing and do another. Therefore, he urges his followers to follow their teaching, but not to follow their example.

2) Jesus makes a strong observation about the way they dressed to make themselves noticed by others and respected as religious persons. In other words, Jesus criticizes their vanity and hypocrisy. He says they wear all holy costumes, headbands and tassels in front of their eyes containing inscriptions from the Scripture. They knew how to hold their arms up in prayer. They said the proper pious platitudes. They pretended to be holy, but they were not holy. And there is a clear message there about status and power.

3) Jesus says that the scribes and the Pharisees loved to be greeted in marketplaces and addressed as 'Rabbi.' The question of titles. This because they were so enamored of their self-importance and virtues. The point Jesus wants to make here is that God alone is the source all truths and He alone as the source of all life has the right to titles of Lordship or authority. And that's why he tells his disciple not to be addressed as 'Rabbi,' or 'Father,' or 'Master.'

Anecdote: Many of us even have a nasty habit of being proud of our humility. We become legends in our minds. We go to church to find out what our neighbors should do to lead better lives. He that is proud, said Shakespeare, eats himself up. Pride, says the Bible, goeth before the fall. In Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland," Alice found a mushroom. When she ate one side of the mushroom, she found herself getting smaller. When she ate the other side, she got taller. Of the two situations, Alice decided smaller was better. For, as she was reduced in size, all things and people about her looked more wonderful. Less, she discovered, can be more. Small can be beautiful.

Joke:  The boss was in his new office. An employee walked in. The boss picked up the phone and started an imaginary conversation flattering himself. He signaled the worker he'd be with him shortly. The employee said, "Take your time, boss. I'm here to hook up your phone."

"A proud heart," wrote Ben Franklin, "is like a crooked fence.

Conclusion: Jesus concludes by saying, “The greatest among you must be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” In other words, greatness in leadership is shown by being at the service of others - to be servant-leaders.

Thirty first Sunday in Ordinary Time : Introduction

Saints and Events in this Week : 3 – Third – Monday - Saint Martin de Porres, religious; 4 – Fourth – Tuesday – Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop;

XXX Sunday in OT:[A]: Ex 22:20-26; I Thes 1:5c-10; Mt: 22:34-40

XXX Sunday in OT:[A]: Ex 22:20-26; I Thes 1:5c-10; Mt: 22:34-40

Introduction: Love is the greatest commandment in the Bible, namely to love God and express that love in action by loving Him living in our neighbor.  The first reading from the book of Exodus says that the chosen people of Israel should remember that once they were aliens in the land of Egypt.  Just as God protected them and treated them kindly, so they are to protect others and treat them with kindness.  In the second reading, St. Paul congratulates the Thessalonians on the positive effects of their example of loving one another as Jesus had commanded them to do.

Exegesis: In the Gospel Reading from St. Matthew, Jesus is asked for the greatest of the commandments. He does not say that it is 'love of God' alone, but adds 'love of neighbor' to it. Jesus gives them both. He is asked for one commandment and answers with two. Perhaps it is an indication that he saw them as one and the same thing. To love God is to love one's neighbor. One cannot claim to love God and not care for others. By radically connecting the love of God with the love of neighbor, Jesus brings in a new teaching.

Anecdote: Once an English journalist visited Kolkata, India to see the works of the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa. He went to their old-age house at Kali-ghat Temple and watched an attractive young Nun dressing the wounds on a man with gangrene in his leg. The journalist was appalled by the very sight of the wound, but at the same time he was full of admiration for the young nun who seemed to show no disgust as she was cleaning the suppurating wound. “I wouldn’t do that for £1,000,” said the journalist. “Neither would I,” said the Nun, “I do it for love.”

Gospel of Luke Chapter 6: Verse 34 says, "If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Joke: A pastor was speaking to a Sunday school class about the things money can’t buy.  “It can’t buy laughter and it can’t buy love” he told them.  Driving his point home he said, “What would you do if I offered you $1000 not to love your mother and father?”  Stunned silence ensued.  Finally a small voice queried, “How much would you give me not to love my big sister?”   

Practical : 1) It is God who first loves us and that makes us able to love ourselves and therefore to be grateful for the gift of ourselves. This awareness of life as gift is what we mean by loving God. We cannot love ourselves without being grateful to God, and it is this gratitude to God that sets us free really to love other people. Too often the value that we place upon others is tied up with what they can do for us - 'What is their value to me?' Truly loving one's neighbor entails valuing them as gifts of God. Not only are we gifts of God, and our neighbors gifts of God, but the love with which we love ourselves and others is the expression of our love for God.

2) To love God with our whole being means to make God the center of our life. Once God is at the center of our life, the second commandment is easier to follow, to love our neighbor. We do not always love our neighbors as we ought to and our failure to love neighbors is an indication that we ought to pray even more to discover and to fall in love with God.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Introduction

Message: We are to love the Lord with our whole heart, and our neighbor as ourselves.  By thus fulfilling these two great commandments, we hope to become models of faith and imitators of the lord who gave himself totally for our sakes.

Saints and Events in this Week : 28 – Twenty Eighth – Tuesday - Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles; November First – Saturday – All Saints – Not a holiday of obligation this year in United Sates; November Second – Sunday – The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed – All Souls Day;

XXIX Sunday in OT:[A]: (Oct 19) Is 45:1, 4-6; I Thes 1:1-5b; Mt 22: 15-21

XXIX Sunday in OT:[A]: (Oct 19) Is 45:1, 4-6; I Thes 1:1-5b; Mt 22: 15-21

Introduction: We will get in trouble with the law if we do not give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, but we have the most to lose if we do not give back to God the things that are God’s.  Our eternal happiness.

Exegesis: In today’s gospel, the enemies of Jesus thought they really had Jesus in trouble this time.  The gospel tells us he was approached by Pharisees and Herodians.  These two groups were bitter enemies.  Israel was under Roman rule, as you know, and the Herodians were totally loyal to Rome.  They would have immediately accused Jesus of promoting civil rebellion and revolution of he had said “don’t pay the taxes.”  The Pharisees, on the other hand held that God alone was their King and Lord and they viewed the payment of taxes to Rome as caving in to the hated Roman emperor, Tiberius Caesar, a foreigner and a pagan at that!  This hot issue was made worse by the fact that Rome’s tax burden on the Jewish people was extremely heavy.  Jesus asked them to show him a Roman coin; apparently he didn’t have one.  The fact that they could produce one gave evidence that, like it or not, they participated in Rome’s commerce and economy.  Jesus’ answer to their question is well known, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Exegesis:  Jesus avoided getting caught in their trap.  With this answer, Jesus reminds his questioners that if they are so concerned and careful about paying taxes to the state, they should be much more concerned and careful about their service to God and their obligations to Him as their Creator and Lord. We fulfill our duties to our country by loyally obeying the just laws of the State and working for the welfare of all citizens. We become Heavenly citizens by obeying God’s laws. And God is the supreme authority. Isaiah stresses the absolute supremacy of God through the first reading of today.  Today’s psalm praises, “Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; awesome is he beyond all gods.”

Anecdote: There were some scientists and biologists who thought they had found the secret of life.  And they decided to tell God he was no longer needed.  They said they could create life also.  God said “well, I created life from a hand full of dirt.”  They said we could too.  Then they picked up a handful of dirt and started to show God what they could do.  God said to them, “Wait, just a minute, Create your own dirt.”

Joke: A prosperous farmer was miserly in what he gave to his Church.  So his pastor went to visit him with the hope of getting him to increase his donation.  The pastor pointed out to him that the Lord had given him a fertile piece of land and had blessed him with sunshine and rain so that his crops would grow.  The priest added, “You know, this farm and everything you have is really on loan to you from God.  You should be more grateful.”  The farmer replied, “I don’t mean to complain, Father, but you should have seen what a mess this place was when God was running it by Himself!” 

Practical Applications:  1) “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s”: How?  It is the duty of Christians to pay for the services and the privileges that government provides, like paved roads, police and fire departments, banks, schools and other necessities.  If we refuse to pay taxes, how will these needs be fulfilled?  Another way of giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s is to participate actively in the running of the government, electing the most suitable candidates and influencing them through frequent contacts.  Third, we must submit to the civil authorities and respect the laws of our country in order to live in peace.  As loyal citizens we must also see to it that our elected representatives are faithful in maintaining law and order in the country and in promoting the welfare of its citizens without violating God’s laws. 

2) “Give to God what is God’s.” How?  Since everything is God’s, we must give ourselves to Him 100%, not just 10% on Sundays.  We should be generous in fulfilling our Sunday obligations and find time every day for prayer and worship in the family, for the reading of the Bible and the proper training of our children in Faith and morals.   We will soon be invited to make the stewardship pledge of our financial offering to the local Church for the coming year.  Our contribution to the parish church   should be an expression of our gratitude to God, giving back to God all that He has given us.  Active participation in the various ministries of the parish is an offering to God of our time and talents, yet another way of giving to God His due, our whole self.

Twenty Ninth Sunday in OT: Introduction

Message: The Lord is king and there is no other.  We are to render to God, therefore, fitting praise and service, as is God’s due.  God’s word to us, in turn, is a matter of power and strength, to be lived with conviction of heart.

Saints and Events in this Week:  20 – Twentieth – Monday – Saint Paul of the Cross, priest; 22 – Twenty Second – Wednesday – Blessed John Paul II, pope; 23 – Twenty Third – Thursday – Saint John of Capistrano, priest; 24 – Twenty Fourth – Friday – Saint Anthony Mary Claret, bishop; (Announcement: All Saints Day, November First, Saturday next, is not a holy day of obligation this year in USA)

XXVIII Sunday:[A]: Is 25:6-10a; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20; Mt 22:1-14

XXVIII  Sunday:[A]: Is 25:6-10a; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20; Mt 22:1-14

Introduction:  The Gospel Reading from St. Matthew contains a parable which likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a 'wedding feast' to which all are graciously invited. Some have rejected the invitation; others have accepted. But admission to the feast is not enough. It is necessary to don / put on the wedding garment. Participation in the feast requires living lives worthy of the Kingdom.

Exegesis: In the Gospel Reading of today from St. Matthew, we have yet another Kingdom parable, 'the Parable of the Wedding Feast.' It is third and last in the series of three consecutive parables, called 'the Parables of Rejection.' It is, as the others were, also addressed to the 'chief priests and elders of the people.' This parable of the wedding banquet like the parable of the vineyard and the wicked tenants has an allegorical emphasis. This parable stresses on the story of the salvation history from the initial sending of the prophets to Israel through the renewed invitation of the followers of Jesus. It concludes with the Last Judgment when the good and bad from among the community are sorted out.

In the first part of today's gospel parable Jesus tells about the wedding feast hosted by God. The invited guests do not show up, so other guests are gathered from the streets and invited to share the table and the joy. What about us? Do we accept God's invitation and share in His joy, or do we also ignore His invitation and disappoint Him with our excuses?

The Gospel parable of today is also a challenge to accept God’s invitation. Moreover, the second part of parable says, we need to have a proper wedding garment if we are to enter the wedding banquet of the Lord. It is the characteristic mark of the wedding guest and without it there is no entry. Symbolically, it is the garment of virtue that the faithful must clothe themselves with. But the choice is ours.

God invites us all out of a free act of kindness. The invitation is to all, the party is free for all, yet anyone who decides to attend has a responsibility to present himself or herself fit for the king's company. The Kingdom of Heaven is freely offered to us.  We think that other things are more important and we are too busy to accept God’s invitation to His table. The second part of the parable that puzzles many people and that is the last part about the wedding garment.  Some scholars have suggested that wedding garments were provided to guests as they arrived because the king, apparently a kind and generous man, would not have responded with such anger if they were not extremely important and easily obtainable.  Jesus used this part of the parable to warn his followers that even though a person says they believe in him, it’s not going to help them much if they do not put their faith into action.

Joke:  “Mummy,” asked a little girl, “do men ever go to heaven?”  “Why, yes, of course, my dear,” answered the mother.  “Why do you ask?” “Because I have never seen angels with mustaches, whiskers or beards.”  “Well,” replied the mother, “some men do go to Heaven, but they get there only by a close shave!”

Practical Applications: 1) We need to participate in the Eucharistic banquet with proper preparation by repenting of our sins and by actively participating in the prayers and singing during the Holy Mass. Participating in Holy Mass is the best preparation and source of power for our future participation in the Heavenly banquet.   2) Keep wearing the wedding garment of holiness and righteousness, the state of grace, all the time and appreciate and make use of the provision for God’s graces in the Church: a) We received the “wedding garment” of sanctifying grace in Baptism and we receive additional graces to retain it through the other Sacraments. b) Our participation in the Eucharistic celebration and personal and family prayers helps us to recharge our spiritual batteries and enables us to lead Spirit-filled lives. c) Jesus nourishes us in the Church through the proclamation of word of God and through his own body and blood in the Holy Communion.

Introduction : XXVIII Sunday in OT

Message: The Lord invites us to a banquet, one of the favorite images of messianic times.  This banquet is spread before us and can fully satisfy our needs, yet how often have we refused the Lord’s invitation to share in the riches prepared for us?

Saints and Events in this Week:  14 – Fourteenth – Tuesday – Saint Callistus I, pope, martyr; 15 – Fifteenth – Wednesday – Saint Teresa of Jesus, virgin, doctor of the Church; 16 – Sixteenth – Thursday – Saint Hedwig, religious; Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin; 17 – Seventeenth – Friday – Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop, martyr; 18 – Eighteenth – Saturday – Saint Luke, Evangelist;

XXVII Sunday : Is 5: 1-7; Phil 4: 6-9; Mt 21:33-43

XXVII  Sunday  : Is 5: 1-7; Phil 4: 6-9; Mt 21:33-43

The American Catholic bishops initiated Respect Life Sunday in 1972, the year before the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States. Since that time, Catholics across the country observe the month of October with devotions and pro-life activities in order to advance the culture of life. This October, our efforts have more significance than ever. Never have we seen such abusive criticism directed toward those who believe that life begins at conception and ends at natural death.

“I came so that all might have life and have it to the full.” Indeed, Christianity has always been a defender of life. Right from the start, Christians rejected the practice of infanticide that was common among the pagans, who abandoned unwanted babies to die from exposure to the elements. Equally, care for the sick and elderly have always been a hallmark of authentic Christian communities.

Today, these values are once again counter-cultural. Our society devalues motherhood, and often portrays “unwanted” children and the infirm elderly as a burden to society and interference to the personal fulfillment of those who are healthy and independent. For a variety of reasons, tremendous pressure can be put on mothers to procure an abortion. Increasingly, there is a drive to allow the elderly to seek physician-assisted suicide, either as a means to avoid suffering or to ease the financial burden on the family or the state health system. In short, the quality of life is given more value than life itself. We must remember that, while quality of life is important, it is not an absolute value. At times we need to sacrifice something of our own quality of life to help those in needs, especially mothers in distress, unwanted children born and not yet born, and the elderly who need care. 

Sometimes, of course, life takes a turn, and things can go wrong. It is important that we show understanding and compassionate to those who have made bad decisions about their own lives or the lives of their children or relatives. They can find themselves in complex situations due to emotional, physical, and economic situations, where doing the right thing is neither easy nor immediately clear. God’s mercy is always open to us in the sacrament of Reconciliation, and the love of the Christian community should surround everyone, especially the most vulnerable and wounded.

Like the vineyard in the readings today, our lives, our bodies, and our world are on loan from God, and He expects us to use them respectfully and responsibly. At the moment of conception, something happens that is beyond mere biological processes. Every human soul is created directly by God, and that bestows great dignity on every person, body and soul, from conception until death. Intentionally violating the integrity of any human life is a grave offense against God and humanity. 

Joke:  A lady answered the door to find a man standing there.  He had a sad expression on his face.  “I’m sorry to disturb you” he said, “I’m collecting money for an unfortunate family in the neighborhood.  The husband is out of work, the kids are hungry, and their utilities will soon be cut off.  Worse yet, they’re going to be kicked out of their apartment if they don’t pay the rent by this afternoon.” “I’ll be happy to help,” said the woman.  Then she asked, “But who are you?”  He replied, “I’m the landlord!”

Practical: Our primary responsibility is for our own lives and those of our immediate family. However, to the degree that we can influence others, we are also responsible for what goes on in our community and in our society. If we want God to bless our families and our country, we cannot stand idly by while violations of human life and dignity become enshrined in our country’s laws and customs. It is the personal responsibility of each and every one of us to pray, and to exercise our rights and duties as citizens to prevent and to end the culture of death

Introduction : XXVII Sunday in OT

Message: The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.  At vintage time the master will return to receive the harvest.  May we bear fruit in plenty, and be pleasing in his sight by living lives that are marked by love and respect.

Saints and Events in this Week:  6- Sixth – Monday – Saint Bruno, priest; Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, virgin; 7 – Tuesday – Our Lady of the Rosary; 9 – Ninth – Thursday – Saint Denis, Bishop, martyr, and his companions, martyrs; Saint John Leonardi, priest;