I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. How good it is that we could provide 16 families with Thanksgiving baskets through our St. Vincent de Paul Society and the generosity of so many parishioners. God is good! All the time!
Don’t forget the Evergreen Sale to raise money to help the poor with heating bills this winter. See Nicole or Judy with your order. This is the last day to order.
We have done well with the Annual Bishop’s Appeal. We have reached over 100% of our goal with 52 pledges. Thank you to those who have made a pledge.
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.
There is a new community organizing effort taking shape in Northern Indiana. It is called NE-ICAN. I have attended two clergy meetings. It is an interfaith organization looking at systemic change for the better. The diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend backs this with groups in Fort Wayne, Elkhart and St. Joe counties. It should develop into a lay led organization to make things better for everyone. If you would like more info on this group, please see me, Father Len. This is a leadership development process.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, but we are given three different images of Jesus.
In our first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, we have the image of the Lord God as a shepherd. “I myself will look after and tend my sheep.” But he does this with a special emphasis on the lost, the strays, the injured, the sick, “shepherding them rightly.” He “will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.” The Jewish King was always supposed to be open to widows, orphans and resident aliens, to hear their requests.
In our second reading, St. Paul tells the Corinthians and us that Jesus is the new Adam. Adam brought sin and death into the world. Jesus brings grace and life. Paul also talks about his second coming to straighten out all the crooked things taking place in our world.
Our Gospel from Saint Matthew, talks about the Parousia, when Jesus will return in all his glory as King of the Universe. He will come with judgment, separating the good to one side and the bad to the other. The judgment comes in these words: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers (sisters) of mine, you did for me.” He is telling us we meet him every day in our brothers and sisters. We meet King Jesus every day. The question is how do we treat him?
Our Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus, begins next week when we begin Advent!
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.