A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
October is the month of several important memories and events:
- October 2 is the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the symbol of Non-Violence
- October 4 is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron of Peace.
- October 7 is the feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary – The Tool of Grace.
- October 11 is the Feast of the Patron Saint of our parish – Pope St. John XXIII who opened the Vatican Council II that initiated a breath of fresh air into our Church.
- October 12 is Mental Health Sunday – promising our Love and Support for the Vulnerable.
- October 18 is the Feast of St. Luke, the Evangelist, who portrayed Christ’s Mercy and Healing.
- October 22 is the Feast of Pope St. John Paul II whom we saw as a symbol of promoting Peace in the World.
- October is the month of commemorating Pro-Life Initiatives.
In the context of increasing evils and violence against God’s creation of humanity and nature, we as the faithful, are called to read and reflect all the readings of this weekend deeply. There is an outcry of violence in the first reading and promises that… ‘the just one because of his faith, shall live’. In the second reading, ….God gave us… ‘power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord….take the words in the faith and love that are in Jesus Christ. The gospel starts with a plea of the Apostles, ‘increase our faith’.
While everything may seem negative, compromising, panicking and evil with increasing intolerance of individuals, institutions and nations, political confusion, destructions and devastations of countries due to war across the world, God has chosen us to be different by increasing our faith. When our faith increases, it demands us to work for humility and human dignity and fight against anything that disrupts unity as God’s children. Again, look at the importance of the days mentioned above, reflect, pray and cooperate with our Lord to increase our faith!
I am happy to be back to our parish family and thank you for all your prayers!
God Bless,
Fr. Jay Raju
- Reading 1: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
- Reading 2: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
- Gospel: Luke 17:5-10
