This week’s memory verse: As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace
1 Peter 4:10
Pray the week: Lord Jesus, Thank You for the gifts You have given me. Grant that I may employ them to carry out Your will. Give me the insight to see what grace accomplishes. Amen.
“A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability.”
Welcome as we continue our journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.
Jesus taught us to live His Father’s way and calls us to accept responsibility for godly generosity and our own follow through.
For the past two, and again this Sunday, we have shifted our focus from God’s generosity to how well we live up to God’s way of doing things. We are asked to stop and think and figure out any gaps that exist between God’s way and our way. Where we have lost sight, we are called to recommit.
Last Sunday we concluded by recommitting to staying awake, preparing for our Master’s return with responsibility, and fully accepting the accountability we have before God.
We see this theme again today. The servants were given stewardship over the master’s treasure. They were to act responsibly with it and were to cause it to grow.
If it is not too obvious – we are the stewards of our Heavenly Father’s treasure – His kingdom in which we dwell. We are to set to work and our obligation for which we will be held accountable is its growth.
I want to look a little deeper at the servant who failed, who ended up outside and cut-off.
Jesus’ parable tells us that each was given “according to his ability.” Now perhaps this servant wasn’t the brightest bulb. Perhaps he was not the most astute at his job. The master did not give him much. Yet his master gave him a share.
We could fall back on that as an excuse. I don’t have the knowledge, skills, or abilities. I don’t really understand this job of kingdom building. I am not good with words. But God thinks you are.
I’ll throw this one out – Pygmalion in Management. It is a concept based on the Ancient Greek story of Pygmalion, a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved. The expectation he had of the statue brought it to life. So it is with teachers and bosses. Those under their care tend to live up to their expectations.
God expects us to live up to His expectations of us. After all, He finds us worthy of the blood of His Son.
This week’s memory verse: Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
John 14:23
Pray the week: Lord Jesus, Grant that I may be fully engaged, concordant with Your gospel way. Provide me the grace to stay awake and live my obligations toward You and all. Amen.
“Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Welcome as we continue our journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.
What have we been focused on for so many weeks? It is simply this, living God’s great generosity. Jesus taught us to live this way and calls us to accept responsibility for generosity and follow through.
Last Sunday the message shifted to reflection; how well we are living up to Jesus’ call. We were asked to stop and think and figure out the gaps. Where have we lost sight of our responsibility?
It is an important reflection to undertake especially as we approach the end of the Church year and face up to consequences, Jesus’ return.
Jesus’s parable today is about those consequences. Fail to live the gospel life, think things are just good enough, neglect the practice of persistent generosity, reject the notion of turning, what the Greek’s called metanoia, a deep inner affect wherein one is spiritually converted, and we find ourselves locked out.
Today’s words of accountability are hard to hear for many in the world where the way always seems easy, broad, and well paved. For many, the notions of preparation, responsibility, and consequences no longer bear any significance.
Don’t study or do well on your tests, pass anyway. Neglect kindness and generosity and replace it with cruelty, bullying, and meanness and you’re a hero. Hate and you have a huge following. Exploit your body and God’s way of love and you have fans. This and so many other ways the world closes one off from any accountability.
Consider this, groups, and organizations as diverse as CAP, Scouting, 4H, FFA, and organizations like our YMSofR and ANS, as well as Church itself all have trouble attracting members because members have to agree to accountability. One must accept responsibility for doing something.
God paints a vision for us. Accept wisdom – meaning understanding and acceptance of what God wants and be blessed. Wisdom tells us that there will be accountability for the way we live. The psalmist tells us that hungering for God’s way brings great favor.
Let us then be wise and stay awake, preparing with responsibility and accepting God’s way to accountability.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort
In our Sunday Holy Mass for November 5th we heard a beautiful psalm (Ps. 131:2) in which King David quiets and stills himself with God. David likens the experience to a babe in its mother’s arms. There is David with his soul at peace and rest.
As we know, November is the Month of All Souls. Contemplating death and the seeming unknown is cause for no small amount of distress in our lives. Yet, the phrases of comfort and care found throughout scripture, especially in the work of Jesus, eliminates the unknown. Jesus told us what would happen and that gives comfort, assurance, and dispels distress. I look to the example of Dismas, the ‘good thief.’ He certainly did not live the best life. Yet, his faith led Jesus to proclaim: “today you will be with Me in paradise.”That is a confidence booster. The raising of the widow’s son, Jairus’ daughter, and Lazarus adds to that confidence. The joy the disciples experienced on Easter and afterward puts a fine point on the fulfilled promises of God – we have forever life in Jesus in paradise.
As the weather gets colder I have been contemplating old comfortable slippers and sweaters. Those things that wrap around us and make us feel safe and well cared for. So our faith in Jesus. When we contemplate His love and care for us, His holding us in the palm of His hand, and His eternal promise of life we too should feel like David – quiet and still. We should feel God’s warmth that removes all cold. We should proclaim With St. Paul: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us. Paul then says that as we are comforted by God, so must we comfort, reassure, and wrap others in that same care. Paul says God comforts us so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.
Let us in our endeavors, our charity, and in all things both experience and share the comfort God provides. Let us show the reality of God’s care that drives out the cold.
November is here and we approach the end of the current Church year and ready for Advent. This month is dedicated to remeberance of and prayers for our dearly departed loved ones.
On December 3rd at 4pm we will host our Prime Bishop for the blessing of our new organ and then enjoy an organ concert coupled with a fundraiser for our sister parish, Blessed Virgin Mary, to assist in their recovery from the arson fire which damaged their facilities and church.
Our winter clothing drive is underway as is the collection of foodstuffs for those in our local community. Please remember our Christmas Vigil Raffle – time is growing short. Check out our Thanksgiving prayer and the thanks we offer for for all the good around us.
Interested in pet pics with St. Nick? Online Cathechism class? Need a place to go for Thanksgiving? Check that and more out in our November 2023 Newsletter.
This week’s memory verse: Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:62
Pray the week: Lord Jesus, Grant me the grace of total commitment to You and Your gospel way of life. Strengthen me so that all I do may reflect Your life in me. Amen.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me.
Welcome as we continue our journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.
We have been spending our time these weeks focused on God’s great generosity. In each of those lessons we are reminded to be generous like our God. Indeed, that is our call as followers of our Lord and Savior, to be like Him in how we live and interact.
As we grow closer to the end of the Church year, it is a good time to reflect on how well we have followed Jesus and lived the life He laid out for us. Are we doing well, are we working diligently at that, or has our work been placed on hold, have other things gotten in the way?
It is so amazing – the amount of love our God pours out for us. If we even stopped to contemplate it for a few minutes we would be overcome by His tremendous love and care for us. So often I pray and desire that all of us could see it clearly, freed from all concern and throwing ourselves into His life completely.
The imagery in today’s psalm is so reassuring and comforting. At its start the psalmist reminds us to place our focus on the Lord, not on things that are passing, fleeting.
Isn’t that the point, to dedicate ourselves to the Lord, to leave fear behind. If we might do that, if we might just release our human minds and hearts and take up the heart and mind of God our lives would be truly reformed. Wow, that would be incredible. We would be all-in for Jesus and His Holy Church, the family that surrounds us.
I am too shy would become I am bold. I can’t make it would become I must be there. I am too tired would become I am filled with vigor.
If we unify ourselves with Jesus having stilled and quiet hearts, we will find ourselves enfolded in God’s arms, cared for in ways the world cannot offer.
Today’s first reading from Malachi and the gospel both set forth warnings. The example of the priests and Pharisees is used because they would not still and quiet themselves. They did not place their focus on God. Their agendas came first and for that they became contemptible and base in God’s eyes and in the eyes of others.
Let us hear and follow Jesus in humility and solely focus ourselves on living His way.
This week’s memory verse: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
John 14:15
Pray the week: Lord Jesus, Grant that I may walk in Your ways, following Your great commandment of love. May I see in all occasions, times, and places the opportunity to love fully. Amen.
He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Welcome as we continue our Ordinary Time journey of study and re-commit ourselves to the work of following, witnessing to, and sharing Jesus.
We have spent weeks focusing on God’s great generosity: unlimited forgiveness; full payment to all workers whether they are old school faithful or new followers; His offer of opportunities to change, turn and repent, and His invitation to all to put on the wedding garment of regeneration. Last week we even considered His generosity in making right choices for us.
We also considered the fact that regardless of our civic leaders, we are called to live as followers of Jesus and members of the
Kingdom. Our witness, justice, love, compassion, and forgiveness must surpass that of the unrighteous.
We see in last week’s gospel something that continues into this week’s teaching and for the weeks that follow as we start considering the last things, Jesus’ return in glory – and that is our response to God’s generosity. In simpler terms, are we ready for Jesus’ return?
Being ready is not a complex process. It does not require jumping through hoops, being extraordinary in what we do, or even being heroic in our actions. It simply means we must follow the gospel life Jesus provided us with, and care in real ways.
Core to that gospel life is our love of God and our neighbors. Jesus tells us that everything depends on this act of love. Indeed, love is an act, not just a warm fuzzy feeling.
To the world and the worldly, to the unsaved, our action of love, our purposeful work of love, our attendance at Sunday worship, our praise and thanksgiving toward God and our mutual charity within His family may indeed seem out-of-the ordinary. Some might even say we are extraordinary or even heroic. To others, we are just those oddball people who give up our Sunday morning and care for people who don’t really matter.
We have chosen to follow Jesus, to obey His teaching, to walk in His way. As such our every action in conformity with His gospel is the response we offer to the Father’s generosity and our readiness to meet Him.
This week’s memory verse: “By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.”
Proverbs 8:15
Pray the week: Lord Jesus, Save me from reliance on earthy rules and from any allegiance to them. Help me to understand that my sole obligation is to trust in and live Your gospel life. Amen.