Twenty-Fouth Sunday in Ordinary Time

09-11-2022From Fr. Antony's DeskFr. Antony Arockiadoss

Dear Family!

The theme of the liturgy this Sunday focuses on ‘Forgiveness and Mercy.’ “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. (Martin Luther King Jr)” God wants to go any length to bring the sinner back to a loving relationship with himself. God is the light that dispels the darkness from us, the darkness of sin, hatred and indifference that we exchange with God and people. God is the love that eliminates our hatred and heals us to wholeness and holiness.

The image of ‘making for themselves a molten calf and worshipping it’ caught my eye. This image is powerful as making a molten calf involves total attention to detail and persistence. It involves imagination and a dream. This could be contrasted with the ‘Clay in the Hands of God’ in Jeremiah 18:1-6. God made us! He shaped us; he breathed on us; made us the temple of the Holy Spirit and pitched his tent among us.

God’s creative power saw goodness in creation. Our creative power made molten calf - this molten calf could be viewed us our artificial world of love, lack of compassion and forgiveness, a will to divide and conquer for self-glory. Molten-calf is an image of all that separates us from the Love of God. We are invited to take part in the creative power of God that promotes love, forgiveness, compassion and Mercy.

In the last Bulletin Article, I have shared with you the importance of ministry in the life of the church and introduced to you the cluster of ministries that we can involve ourselves in the Liturgical Committee. This is very timely as Pope Francis concluded his catechesis on Old Age (the 17th and the last one was on the 17th of August, 2022) and began a new set of Catechesis on Discernment. I strongly encourage you to go to the Holy See website and read it. You can always approach me as to where and how to find it. Pope Francis writes:

“A fundamental teaching: it is no coincidence that this is the first dialogue between God and man. The dialogue is: the Lord gives the mission, you have to do this and that; and every person, the step he or she takes, must discern which decision to make. Discernment is that reflection of the mind, of the heart, that we have to do before making a decision.” (31st of August, 2022).

This Sunday I present to you the second cluster of ministries that are available is our SACRAMENTAL COMMITTEE. This committee will have the following: 1. Baptismal Preparation, 2. RCIA, 3. Marriage Preparation, 4. Lenten Penance Service, 5. Advent Penance Service and 6. Pre-Cana. Deacon Larry will head this Committee. Please be part of any of these ministries after reflection and prayer.

“Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life: they give birth and increase healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church Number 1210)

Lay leadership in preparing our parish family for sacraments is integral to the growth of the parish. We are looking for next generation of ministry leaders who could help the parish to grow. Please contact Deacon Larry for all questions regarding the Sacramental Committee. You can always reach me at the office for further queries and general meetings. I love you and am here to serve you.

Fr. Antony