Even though it is still warm, I’m afraid winter is just around the corner. I had to shut down our irrigation system for the winter this past week. The company came and blew it out so it won’t freeze. On a brighter note, we will have our Fall Festival next Sunday during “Coffee and” after the 10:30 AM Mass. This is mainly an event for the children as well as for those who are young at heart.
Our Annual Town Hall will be held on Sunday, November 12th during “Coffee and” at 12:15 PM. Please plan on being there with ideas to make our parish even better.
We have been doing well with the Annual Bishop’s Appeal. We have reached just over 75% of our goal with 31 pledges. That means about 100 families have not yet made a pledge. Please pray about it and do so sooner than later. The last 25% is always slow in coming. Thank you to those who have made a pledge.
As I’m sure we have all heard President Trump has ended the DACA program with a six month leeway. That means that if congress does nothing about it, 800,000 young people brought here as small children can be deported from the only country they remember and grew up in. Let us pray for a quick solution that these 800,000 American children can stay here where they grew up.
We are about to begin our 90th year as a parish. We are looking for more history of the parish as well as ideas on how to celebrate this great anniversary. Why not spend a little time looking at the pictures of the priest and deacons who have served here? Maybe you will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit to contribute a great idea or two for this coming year.
October is the Month of the Rosary. Try it, you might like it! As I mentioned above, today is Mission Sunday. Please keep the Missions of the Church in your prayers and help financially in the second collection.
In our first reading today, the Prophet Isaiah has a prayer for the Persian King Cyrus, reminding the Jewish people that God is the one who has brought Cyrus his victories to benefit the Jewish people. The Babylonians, today’s Iraq, had brought the Jewish people out of Israel as slaves. The Persians, today’s Iran, conquered the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to return to Israel. Isaiah sees God’s hand behind these changes.
In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees and the Herodians try to trap Jesus with a political question about paying taxes to Rome. If Jesus says it is ok, the Pharisees can call him a traitor to Israel. If he says no, the Herodians can call him a traitor to Rome. Jesus answers: “Then pay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” To live together we need politics, but we also need God’s love over all.
In our second reading, Saint Paul tells us: “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.”
The Church celebrates Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles on Saturday. St. Jude is called upon in difficult cases. St. Simon was the Zealot
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us also pray for vocations to the church. Let us pray for the sick of the parish. Let us pray that all will come to respect life. Let us pray for one another and for the canonization of Father Tolton.