Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

10-02-2022From Fr. Antony's DeskFr. Antony Arockiadoss

Dear Family!

Last Saturday we made a pilgrimage to the National Shrine in Washington DC to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Diocese officiated by the Apostolic Nuncio and our Bishop with many priests, deacons and people. I sincerely thank all those people who made the pilgrimage.

I have been presenting to you various ministries we involve ourselves in at our parish: Liturgical Committee, Sacramental Committee, Stewardship Committee and Social Justice Committee. Today I present to you the Faith Formation Committee that is overseen by Mrs. Escarlen Duran and Mr. Robert Anselmo. In this Committee we have the following ministries: Children Faith Formation, Adult Faith Formation, Annual Missions, Altar- Servers/Acolyte, and Catechists.

There will be Adult Faith Formation seminars for the parents quarterly in Mercy Hall and in our School. It will be open to all parishioners. Altar-Server ministry is very important for our children and it is in this ministry we give the children the foundation to our faith and sacraments. It is in this ministry the vocation to priesthood is developed in the minds and hearts of children.

Focusing on the readings of this Sunday, I thought about a quote that made me stop and think, “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” (JRR Tolkien). Prophet Habakkuk in the first reading, amidst the cloud of Babylonian exile of the people of God, not to give up on God especially when the road darkens, sure enough that was the darkest road they have ever seen! What is required in these circumstances in our life? Faith - a persevering trust that God will eventually intervene.

The readings are focused on the notion of faith. Even scientists agree that “both religion and science are founded on faith.” It is also important to know that ‘creed’ (my belief, my faith, my conviction) is a combination of two Latin words. ‘Cor’ (which means ‘Heart) and ‘dare’ (which mean ‘to give’). Thus when we talk about faith, it refers to the intellectual faculties that I associate my convictions but more importantly, it refers to the convictions to which I give my heart to. If I have my heart intimately connected to my convictions, I have faith. “Faith is like Wi-Fi, it’s invisible but it has the power to connect you to what you need.” (Unknown).

How closely related the two requests of the apostles are: ‘Lord, increase our faith’ and ‘Lord, teach us how to pray’. Every attempt to increase our faith is prayer and every prayer is aimed to grow in our faith. We have the opportunity to ask the Lord the same in the month of October as this month is dedicated to praying the Rosary. I encourage you to feel the Rosary in our hands often, just feel it! Let us stay close to the Rosary!

Fr. Antony

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