30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Parishioners,
Obligation seems to be a word that is unpopular in our society. But really obligations are a part of our identity. I am reading a book concerning the Jewish Jesus. The writer of the book analyzes the Gospels. She points out how Jesus was a devout Jew. For instance, he wore certain clothing while he prayed including a prayer shawl with tassel and fringe. His dress was not ostentatious, but he wore the required dress at the required time. He also kept the Jewish dietary practices. No meat that came from an animal with a cloven hoof ever was consumed by Jesus. His religious observance was a part of his identity. It was also required by Jewish Law. Yes, Jesus believed in applying laws with mercy. We remember him warmly for that. But he practiced his faith. When people observed him, they knew he was a Jew. Jesus supported the faith of others through his religious practice. He also brought others to faith. Most of all, his religious works grounded him in his prayer and made him realize that he not only spoke of his belief. He acted on it.
We have obligations as Catholics. But it seems like the accepted thing is to question a lot of obligations and ignore them. We do not want to stick out I suppose. We do like to blend in. With this type of faith practice our relationship with God suffers. When we make little sacrifices and big sacrifices we say something is important.
We pay a lot of attention to baseball this time of year. When baseball players train and practice they say the game is important to them. If they never practiced, we would call them slackers. We would say they were not dedicated. We would probably ridicule them. If they were professionals, we would say that they were not earning their salary.
What do we say to God and to others when we fulfill an obligation of our religion? We say to ourselves, each other and God that our religious belief is the most important part of our life. This week we have a holy day of obligation, “All Saints Day.” A few times a year, practicing Catholics attend Mass outside of Sunday. These are called holy days. The Feast of All Saints reminds us that we are we are called to be Saints. It is not just a day to admire what other people have done. No, it is a day to fulfill our obligation to make every November 1st a truly “holy day.”
The Mass times are listed in the bulletin. We celebrate the liturgy early in the morning and throughout the day. There is a time that should fit in to every schedule. Remember your obligation and thank the Lord for guiding your life with religious practices that bring you closer to him.
Blessings,
Fr. Mark
P.S. Thanks to our lawn and garden committee and pew pals who continue to work in the mild fall weather. The long summer has made it a challenge to keep up with weeding and repairing things. I thank all volunteers for helping keep our campus up and running.