Posted on September 17, 2021 View all News
Dear parishioners:
This Sunday’s gospel is somewhat different because it makes us reflect on how connected we are to the Lord. Jesus takes time alone with the disciples to explain the mystery of His death and resurrection. He wants them to be clear and understand that they will have a tough time of trial and that they will have to be solid in their faith, but that on the third day He will rise from the dead. This was a conversation that the disciples did not understand because they were not listening; they were more immersed in their thoughts than in those of Jesus. Curiously, their discussion did not revolve around the Lord’s thought, but rather who was the most important disciple and whom would go further and have position and power. What a sadness; while Jesus lives this inner tragedy to save us, the disciples argue about who will climb the highest and who is the most important. The big question is, do we act differently? I think we are not very different from them, so it is necessary to say that whoever is free from ambition should throw the first stone.
Faced with this attitude, Jesus proclaims new values. The important thing is not to succeed but to serve; this will be demonstrated on the culminating day of His evangelizing work by washing their feet. The greatness is not in the erudition of the wise man but the ingenuity of the child. Thomas à Kempis said, “Even if you knew by heart the whole Bible and the sentences of all the philosophers, what use would all this be to you without the charity and grace of God?” Greet the wise man we satisfy our vanity, hugging the little one we squeeze God, and from Him we learn to transmit ourselves, by divinizing ourselves.
This weekend we have our ministry fair, I thank in advance all those who made it possible. Thank you to the staff for your effort and all the volunteers. Thank you for your kind heart and for the apostolate you carry out in our parish. In advance, I thank and congratulate those who are going to sign up and continue serving in the various ministries we have in our parish. God bless you for responding to His call and for accepting the great honor to serve Him.
I have not mentioned the Capital Campaign for a few months. Last Sunday, someone asked me if we had finished, and the answer is that we are still active in collecting these funds to continue with the restoration of the parish facilities. So many areas need to be fixed; I am very grateful to those who responsibly send their contribution each month, but unfortunately, only 31% have committed, the rest have not yet. I encourage the remaining 69% to take it to meditation and prayer and consider helping by making a commitment, which in this case would be for three years. We still have a lot to do, and if we unite we can achieve the goal. I also encourage those parishioners who pledged but have not yet begun to send in their donations, to consider making them- your contributions are essential to our parish.
Finally, I remind you that we have a weekly virtual newsletter sent via email every Friday. If you do not receive it, please send us your email to general@queenofapostles.org to add it to the list; this helps us keep you more informed about last-minute activities or notices.
May God bless you and keep you always healthy. I always have you in my prayers.
Fr. Alex
