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Click here for information on the Knights of Columbus Charity Golf Tournament held on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
How many of you would agree with this statement: The Gospel of Jesus Christ has something to offer to everyone, especially to people of faith.
I have another statement that I would again ask if you agree or disagree with it: The Gospel at times speaks more loudly or more forcefully to one particular group of people than another.
Finally would you agree or disagree: It is a real shame when the Gospel speaks more loudly or strongly to a person or a particular group of people and they don't listen or even if they listen, they fail to respond to it.
With that background, I must say that I have come to the conclusion, after reflecting on today's first reading and Gospel that they are speaking more loudly to this congregation and congregations like ours than others. Honestly and truthfully that's because many of us are well into the last quarter of our life on this earth. While some, including my own mother, believe that the end which Jesus speaks of-----the end of the world that is----- is getting close, many of us can't and shouldn't deny the fact that the end of our life is now, not too far down the road.
And while many of you would or perhaps do council your grandchildren, to not just live in the moment (as many of them do), but rather plan for their long-term future in this world, honestly many of us don't respond to the reality that we must live in the moment thoughtfully and in the ways of the Lord, because our moments are getting fewer and fewer ---- and OUR long term future if we speak of it, must refer to our other worldly life, that is if we believe in the eternal life that Jesus won for us through his life, death and Resurrection.
For many if not most of us here, the hour Jesus speaks of in today's Gospel is not the hour of his return at the end of time, but rather his coming to us or rather our coming to him when we breathe our last breath in this world.
Today's first reading, from the book of Daniel, is one of the latest of the Jewish Scripture and is really one of the first and only books that indicates belief in a wonderful, everlasting life for the wise and those who lead many to justice. It is given to us (as many readings that we hear at funerals from the Old and especially the New Testament) to affirm and strengthen our own belief in life everlasting where we hope to shine brightly.
The words of a song that I hope many will sing in the first weeks of Advent, quotes from today's Gospel and should speak loudly to all of us, but maybe the loudest to those of us who are the last leg of our earthly life. "Stay Awake, be ready you do not know the hour when the Lord is coming. Stay awake be ready, the Lord is coming soon.”
I think some real evidence that many in our parish are getting ready is those who ready themselves by spending some time, and for some 300 people at least an hour a week before Jesus in our adoration chapel. Humbly and joyfully I tell you that we are celebrating our second year of having Perpetual 24/7 Adoration of Jesus in our chapel, and while I thank God for inspiring this devotion and action of prayer, meditation and contemplation by so many, I am committed to continually urging and encouraging those of you are not participating to add at least one committed hour of your week before the Lord, growing in appreciation of his loving, merciful presence and letting him prepare us to be present with him for all eternity in heaven.
In light of the readings today and in the next few weeks I ask that you join me in prayer that all of us will be inspired to turn our thoughts, our hearts and our priorities to God and seek to live wisely according to his ways of love, justice, mercy and peace. As that happens, no doubt we will be able to echo more loudly and more forcefully the last words of the song Stay Awake which say "Alleluia, alleluia! the Lord is coming soon.
I have another statement that I would again ask if you agree or disagree with it: The Gospel at times speaks more loudly or more forcefully to one particular group of people than another.
Finally would you agree or disagree: It is a real shame when the Gospel speaks more loudly or strongly to a person or a particular group of people and they don't listen or even if they listen, they fail to respond to it.
With that background, I must say that I have come to the conclusion, after reflecting on today's first reading and Gospel that they are speaking more loudly to this congregation and congregations like ours than others. Honestly and truthfully that's because many of us are well into the last quarter of our life on this earth. While some, including my own mother, believe that the end which Jesus speaks of-----the end of the world that is----- is getting close, many of us can't and shouldn't deny the fact that the end of our life is now, not too far down the road.
And while many of you would or perhaps do council your grandchildren, to not just live in the moment (as many of them do), but rather plan for their long-term future in this world, honestly many of us don't respond to the reality that we must live in the moment thoughtfully and in the ways of the Lord, because our moments are getting fewer and fewer ---- and OUR long term future if we speak of it, must refer to our other worldly life, that is if we believe in the eternal life that Jesus won for us through his life, death and Resurrection.
For many if not most of us here, the hour Jesus speaks of in today's Gospel is not the hour of his return at the end of time, but rather his coming to us or rather our coming to him when we breathe our last breath in this world.
Today's first reading, from the book of Daniel, is one of the latest of the Jewish Scripture and is really one of the first and only books that indicates belief in a wonderful, everlasting life for the wise and those who lead many to justice. It is given to us (as many readings that we hear at funerals from the Old and especially the New Testament) to affirm and strengthen our own belief in life everlasting where we hope to shine brightly.
The words of a song that I hope many will sing in the first weeks of Advent, quotes from today's Gospel and should speak loudly to all of us, but maybe the loudest to those of us who are the last leg of our earthly life. "Stay Awake, be ready you do not know the hour when the Lord is coming. Stay awake be ready, the Lord is coming soon.”
I think some real evidence that many in our parish are getting ready is those who ready themselves by spending some time, and for some 300 people at least an hour a week before Jesus in our adoration chapel. Humbly and joyfully I tell you that we are celebrating our second year of having Perpetual 24/7 Adoration of Jesus in our chapel, and while I thank God for inspiring this devotion and action of prayer, meditation and contemplation by so many, I am committed to continually urging and encouraging those of you are not participating to add at least one committed hour of your week before the Lord, growing in appreciation of his loving, merciful presence and letting him prepare us to be present with him for all eternity in heaven.
In light of the readings today and in the next few weeks I ask that you join me in prayer that all of us will be inspired to turn our thoughts, our hearts and our priorities to God and seek to live wisely according to his ways of love, justice, mercy and peace. As that happens, no doubt we will be able to echo more loudly and more forcefully the last words of the song Stay Awake which say "Alleluia, alleluia! the Lord is coming soon.