Parish Bulletin for Sunday, November 5, 2006

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Love God and Your Neighbour as Yourself"

For one who came to proclaim the kingdom of peace and justice, Jesus' life was fraught with controversy and conflict. Throughout his public ministry the man from Nazareth was set upon by the Pharisees, the Saduccees, the scribes, and the chief priests who questioned his methods, his motives and his authority. Today's Gospel tells us about a meeting between Jesus and one of the scribes and appears to be one of the few meetings Mark describes that is friendly and typical of the times in which Jesus lived.

The scribe asked a question that was often on the lips of rabbis in an effort to find one main law that would cover the many laws of Moses. "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Jesus' response struck a chord; all faithful Jews would agree to the value and necessity of wholehearted and unreserved love of the one God. Yet Jesus, as he usually did, went one further. He invited his listeners, as he invites us, to expand horizons and hearts to understand that the love of one's neighbour as oneself is as worthy an obligation as the love of God. His law of love is a law of equality and interdependence. Moreover, his definition of who our neighbour really is, widens that horizon to include all peoples.

All of us try to love God with our whole self, at least in our own limited way. And some of us even spend a whole lifetime detaching ourselves from lesser loves so that we can love God with our whole being. Have we ever stopped to realize what an amazing thing this is? We are actually able to personally love our Creator! Why? Before we ever think of loving God, God has already loved us. While we are getting ready to love God, God is already loving us. Our deepest desire is union with God. We need to approach God intensely and persistently. Yet, until we come to understand and experience the simple fact that we are already being loved by God and that nothing but our actions can break that connection, we are doomed to frustration in our quest. Let us pray today for the wisdom to experience God's love in our lives and the grace to respond to that love by loving God and our neighbours as ourselves.

TUESDAY, Nov. 7

Weekday

No Mass

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8

Weekday

No Mass

THURSDAY, Nov. 9

Dedication of St. John Lateran

8:30 a.m. - † Lydia Arsenault

Requested by husband

FRIDAY, Nov. 10

St. Leo the Great

8:30 a.m. - † Giuseppi Pierri

Requested by wife Frances

Parish Bulletin for Sunday, November 12, 2006

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

"A Model of Trust in God"

The setting for today's Gospel is the temple, where Jesus has gone directly after his triumphant entry in Jerusalem. In the temple area he has a series of exchanges with the temple authorities that contrast sharply with last week's friendly exchange with the scribe concerning the 'greatest law.'

These exchanges, directly preceding the reading for today are confrontational and unpleasant. The priests, scribes, and elders are intent on challenging the authority by which Jesus acts and speaks. Jesus, on the other hand, is intent on silencing these adversaries and showing his authority. He continues to reveal the false piety and corrupt practices of religious people who have abused their privileges and have taken from the poor for their own benefit.

In stark contrast, we meet the widow who offers her last coins. Only God would notice her anonymous and seemingly slight gift. Jesus voices what God has noticed – she has given everything she has. Jesus takes note of her because, of all the religious figures he has met in the temple, she is the one with whom he can identify.

Like her, he is soon to be asked to give his 'whole livelihood.' He will make the total offering of his life to God. He will hold nothing back. All life is a gift from God and all life is offered back to God in service.

There is a reckless quality in the widow's giving. Who among us wouldn't hesitate, if the donation we considered giving were from our very livelihood – would take all that we have? Our practical side might make us, in her place, consider our circumstances and put the money toward food to get us through the day. We wouldn't be faulted for such consideration.

Jesus is not prescribing bankruptcy and no one expects us to put all that we have into the next collection basket. But, Jesus does call us to consider the widow as a model of radical trust in God. Her trust is meant to challenge our less-than-total commitment. She is highlighted for us because her gift tells us how much her life was turned to God.

Her total self-giving, which is what the story is all about, reminds us how shallow we can be in our own faith; how portioned out is our commitment to God; how distracted we are by material matters that pertain more to our abundance than to our real needs.

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus demonstrated to his disciples a clear sense of his mission. He liberated people from demons, sickness, sin, and oppressive laws and traditions. Nothing kept him from working to bring the reign of God closer to God's people. Jesus spoke and acted with courage in his commitment to serve. And it cost him his life.

Jesus was clear that God's invitation looked very different from what religious authorities or even his own disciples had come to expect. God cared what happened to the least. God wanted people to rejoice that others were cured or healed. This God welcomed the sinner, the forgotten, the outcast and the widow. This God's reign was very different from what many in authority had predicted.

We too now hear Jesus' words and we too see what he has done. We have listened to Mark all year and we hear the same invitation extended to the first disciples and to all followers in every age since. This world, this God, might be very different from what we have come to expect. Today, God still seeks the forgotten ones, the distained and oppressed. God searches for the lost and holds the little ones close. God holds the outcasts with our arms, searches with our eyes and heals with our words and our actions. How are we answering his invitation?

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TUESDAY, Nov. 14

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Michael and Marta Virgilio

Requested by Frances Pierri

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 15

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Anna Fung

Requested by Dr. Joseph Fung

THURSDAY, Nov. 16

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Edward and Cecilia Pierri

Requested by Frances Pierri

FRIDAY, Nov. 17

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

8:30 a.m. - † Langevina Family

Requested by family

Parish Bulletin for Sunday, November 19, 2006

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

As this liturgical year winds down, the readings today urge us to take stock of how things are in our lives: is everything in order? If not, why aren't we doing something about it? Are our energies expended for what will last, or are we simply frittering away our time on things that make us feel good?

Modern life has much that preoccupies us and keeps us from examining the course of our lives and the future consequences of our present actions. The scriptures remind us today that if we are living totally in the present moment, without considering the long-term meaning of our lives, then only disappointment and collapse await us.

These readings reveal God's purposes and final plan for us. War will not have the last word; poverty will not raise a final triumphant fist; racism and sexism will not dance a jig together in victory; oppression, in all its hideous guises, will not have a lasting foothold over the vulnerable. Perpetrators of evil will not prevail.

But, and this is a big BUT in capital letters, we have a role to play in God's designs. The vision we hear in today's readings has our participation written all over them. It is clear: God chose prophets to call people back to just living and to the cause of righteousness. Jesus called disciples to go out and announce the peaceable kingdom: heal people's hurts and reconcile enemies.

The vision in today's scripture readings is no pie in the sky dream. We are assured that God is at work among us to help bring the dream to fulfilment. These readings may sound as if they are in the future visions but, in reality, they are about the way things should be in the present. God's designs for us are for our benefit: the present ordeals will not overcome us. We are assured that in the battle between good and evil – good will triumph. So, we are invited to stand firm on the side of what is right and we are encouraged to know that God stands with us in the same place.

Mark's opening image of darkness is not an unfamiliar phenomenon for some people. Many have experienced this darkness when their world collapses: when a loved one dies much too soon; a career is unexpectedly terminated; an affliction takes away good health and vigour; a loved one walks away from a relationship. We have known such darkness and endings. We have also seen the good suffer; a health care facility close for lack of funds; a drug treatment centre lose community support.

Yes, we have known darkness and endings. As did the Christians for whom Mark wrote. They experienced evil forces snatch Jesus from them and scatter their fragile community. The talk of darkness is nothing new to believers. Yet, there is reassurance too. "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory…" That's the good news Mark has for us today-we will see the "then" – the time when One with power comes to gather the faithful.

Believing and hoping in this promise finds us compelled to turn our attention to the work at hand: preaching the gospel through our words and deeds-even in darkness. For we believe the light is coming. Who knows where or when? But he is coming! Alleluia!

TUESDAY, Nov. 21

Presentation of Mary

8:30 a.m. - † Qureau family

Requested by family

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 22

St. Cecilia

8:30 a.m. - † Creteli family

Requested by family

THURSDAY, Nov. 23

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Lee Tien Shin

Requested by Philomena Lee and Paul

FRIDAY, Nov. 24

St. Andrew Dung-Lac

8:30 a.m. - † Lolita Hilario

Requested by parents

Parish Bulletin for Sunday, November 26, 2006

Feast of Christ the King

Today's feast asks us an important question: To whom or to what do we give our allegiance? Who holds dominion over us? What are we living for: what energizes and gives meaning to our lives each day? At what altars do we burn incense and bend our knee in submission? What have we 'enthroned' as our ruler – youth, money, convenience, addictions, and career? What power holds sway over us? Calling Christ 'king' invites us to accept his way of responding to the world around us. Where is the domain of his kingdom to be found? – wherever people are living his truth.

Remember that in John, the author of today's Gospel, the world takes on a special significance: it refers to those who choose to live in darkness and falsehood, rejecting God's light and truth. Those who choose the world's ways choose to live outside the grace God offers in Jesus. Today, we are asked to turn away from the prejudices, aggression, competition and injustice of the world's rule and accept the truthful way that Jesus has shown us.

Jesus says that his kingship does not belong to this world; otherwise, "my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over." There is a lot of fighting going on in the world right now; fighting over land, natural resources and property. If something has to be taken by force or by fear and intimidation, then such actions can't be of Jesus' kingdom.

If we want to be servants of our king, if we want to spread his influence and rule, then we had better be acting the way he did – feeding the hungry, not robbing their lands and resources; caring for the sick, not allowing more casualties from wars of aggression; loving our enemies, not building 'smart bombs' to blow them up.

Jesus, the king, wins people over to his rule, not by force and intimidation. We see the truth in him and his ways and we choose to take his rule into our hearts and minds. Some may come to him because other powers have been miserable disappointments- money, drugs, alcohol, influential careers, or power, to name a few. These people make a life-altering decision: they turn away from past power and turn towards Jesus.

Others of us, born into the faith and still practicing, also have a turn to make. We may be in a rut of religious practice, without the investment of our total hearts, minds, and actions. Other powers still have a strong sway over our lives; religion has become just one of many loyalties we profess. But, if in large and small ways, those other powers demand an allegiance that is not of the Gospel, then we have adjustments we need to make.

Today, Jesus' words in the Gospel remind us, "My kingdom does not belong to this world." With the king's words echoing in our ears, we spend time at this Eucharist and in the days to come casting an honest light on how we live. We ask "Do the words I speak reflect my allegiance to Jesus' rule?" "Do these deeds show that I am a member of Jesus' priestly kingdom?" At this royal banquet we ask our sovereign ruler, the One who gave himself for us, to once again pour out his life into ours. Through His Spirit, we ask for the wisdom to see his ways and the courage to follow them.

Did you Know?

The Feast of Christ the King was created by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to stem the tide of what he saw as an "Anything Goes" world and to refocus our attention on Jesus.

Seven hundred years before Jesus' birth, the prophet Micah announced his coming. The Magi came in search of a king. The people hailed him as king when he entered Jerusalem. Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate asked if he was the King of the Jews, and his cross was raised with a sign declaring him King of the Jews.

Today's feast reminds us that Jesus is the Lord of the Universe, above all people, communities, nations, and governments. He is God's Son, our redeemer. We belong to him. His kingdom will have no end.

TUESDAY, Nov. 28

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Paul Fung

Requested by Dr. Joseph Fung

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † John Fernandes

Requested by Joyce and family

THURSDAY, Nov. 30

St. Andrew

8:30 a.m. - † Daniel Jude Florentino

Requested by family

FRIDAY, Dec. 1

Weekday

8:30 a.m. - † Amelia Couvinha

Requested by Helena Sousa