Please
remember that November 1st, All Saints Day, and November 2nd, All Souls Day,
there will be a Mass at 7:30 PM each night. Special candles will be available
from the office to place at the candle stands and the book of the Dead will be
out to inscribe the names of your loved ones. The 8 am Mass will remain the
same.
The
next youth group meeting will be October 26th in the parish hall.
The
Knights of Columbus are hosting a Halloween party in the hall on October 27th.
The cost is $10.00.
Sacred
Scripture
Who
doesn't want to be first, and to be esteemed and honored by others? We seem to
have an unquenchable thirst for recognition and fame, power and authority to
rule our own lives as we please as well as the lives of others. Should we be
surprised to see the disciples of Jesus thirsting for power, position, and
authority? James and John, the sons of Zebedee, urged their mother to strike a
deal with Jesus, their Master and Messiah. They wanted the distinction of being
first and most important in position, next to Jesus, of course!
When
Jesus called the twelve apostles to be his inner circle of disciples who would
teach and exercise spiritual authority on his behalf, he did the unthinkable!
Jesus taught contrary to the world's understanding of power, authority, and
position, by reversing the order of master and servant, lord and subject, first
and last! Jesus wedded authority with love, position with sacrifice, and
service with humility. Authority without love is over-bearing and slavish.
Position without respect and concern for the subordinate is demeaning and rude.
And service without generosity and sacrifice is cheap and unkind.
Those
who wish to serve with the Lord Jesus and to exercise authority in God's
kingdom must be prepared to sacrifice - not just some of their time, money, and
resources - but their whole lives and all that they possess! Jesus used stark
language to explain what kind of sacrifice he had in mind. His disciples must
drink his cup if they expect to reign with him in his kingdom. The cup he had in
mind was a bitter one involving crucifixion. What kind of cup does the Lord
have in mind for us? For some disciples such a cup entails physical suffering
and the painful struggle of martyrdom. But for many, it entails the long
routine of the Christian life, with all its daily sacrifices, disappointments,
set-backs, struggles, and temptations.
A
disciple of Jesus must be ready to lay down his or her life - each and every
day in the little and big sacrifices required - and even to the point of
shedding one's blood if necessary for the sake of Christ and his Gospel. What
makes such sacrifice a joy rather than a burden? It is love - the kind of
"love which God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which
has been given to us”. An early church father summed up Jesus' teaching with
the expression: "to serve is to reign with Christ." We share in God's reign by laying down our
lives in humble service and love for one another, just as Jesus did for our sake.
Are you ready to lay down your life and to serve others as Jesus has taught and
modeled for us? (Servants of the Word)
I
hope you will have a great week!
Fr. Phil
