From Fr. Dino’s Desk
25th Sunday – “God’s ways are not our ways!” (Isa. 55:8)
What God says through Prophet Isaiah in the first reading of this Sunday: “My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are my ways your ways”, Jesus exemplifies in today’s Gospel. To the calculating, worldly mind, Jesus’ upside-down economics makes absolutely no sense. Today’s message is in the same league as the Beatitudes. What is being called for here is a mature, second half of life wisdom. Jesus does not abandon the Commandments which are the pillars of the first half of life; rather, He builds on them and takes them to a new level. While honoring justice, Jesus raises the bar to unheard of levels of generosity. Such a prodigal approach is certainly as far above our human thinking as the heavens are above the earth – (cf. to the first reading again).
Paul in the second reading is at his paradoxical best. On the one hand, to live is Christ, but on the other, to die is gain! At one moment Paul wants to die and be with Christ; at another he wants to go on living so as to help the early Christians to live according to the Gospel of Christ. Jesus brings the whole paradox to a head when He concludes in today’s Gospel, “The last shall be first, and the first last.” We need to think twice before taking our place in the queue for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Seminarian and Clergy formation Collection 2023
This weekend, September 23 and 24, is the annual Diocesan collection for our seminarians, men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate, the ongoing formation of our clergy and our International Priests. Please be generous in supporting the needs of our seminarians and clergy through this collection. In addition to your financial support, please pray for vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life so that the Lord may continue providing men with Hearts for the Mission.