Pastor's Weekly Message

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, 16-17 Nov 2024

HS
JMJ

My Dear Fellow Saints-in-the-Making,

Greetings in Christ Jesus Our Lord!

As we celebrate the Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time and prepare ourselves for the conclusion of the liturgical year with next Sunday’s Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, we are reminded to keep our eyes Heavenward, that while we do live IN this world, we are not meant to be OF this world (John 17:14-16). That is, we are not meant to be consumed by anxiety, fear, distress, or anything worldly, but rather, we are made to be fulfilled by the love of God and neighbor and by the Peace that only Christ the Lord Himself can bring.

We have been made for harmony and unity in the Lord.

It is why, whenever a young child asks me what my favorite color is, I respond “Holy Spirit Red and Virgin Mary Blue”. In her complete openness to the Will of God at work in her life and her willing cooperation in salvation history to conceive of the Christ by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, Our Lady and Mother, Mary, demonstrates by the whole of her life what happens in the heart and soul of the faithful one who follows the Will of God so selflessly, which we will celebrate on Thursday November 21 for the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. By her “Magnificat”, Mary demonstrates that there is a remarkable unity in Heaven between “red and blue.”

My very dear friends in Christ, let us pray that we as a nation follow the example of Heaven and seek to promote harmony in our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and country by truly living as one nation, united, under God, where, whether we voted “red” or “blue”, we might remember that before we identify ourselves as “Republican” or “Democrat,” we see ourselves together as American.

And particularly for us who are Catholic, while we are blessed to share in the citizenship of the United States of America, our ultimate citizenship is in Heaven, as St. Paul reminds us (Philippians 3:20). Therefore, the more we promote harmony and unity here, the more we will experience harmony and unity in Heaven.

There is far too much hatred and venom being spread online, and many in our country have allowed a civil war to be waged in their heart against those who did not vote as they themselves did. This is seen on both sides of the aisle. Let us be visible witnesses of the Peace that only Jesus can bring by allowing Him to reign in our hearts as Lord and King.

Below is a prayer published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Please pray it as a family. After all, Jesus’ great prayer of unity occurs at the moment He gives us His greatest Gift: Himself in the Eucharist at the Last Supper as He prays to the Father in Heaven, “Father, may they be one as You and I are one” (John 17:22). And we can bring about peace in our world and in our country, in the words of St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata, simply by “going home and loving your family.”

Please know that while I am in Fatima on our parish pilgrimage (November 18-25), I shall keep you and yours in my prayers, especially commending you to Our Lady of Fatima.

God love you! I do.

Fr. Lewis