A Letter from Fr. Paul - Sunday, September 20th

This coming weekend we will have our collection for our sister parish in Guatemala. We have seen pictures of the good that is done with our support, which is used to buy materials for catechetical centers in outlying communities, while the people themselves provide the labor. More information can be found in this bulletin and on our
website. Please be as generous as possible.

This weekend the obligation to attend Mass resumes for those who do not have a reason not to come. See the Archbishop’s video for more information on the end of the dispensation at www.stpiusparish.org/pius-prevails.html.

Our reading from Isaiah this weekend has something that’s hard for us to comprehend: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. This is the third weekend with a clear example of how God thinks differently than we do; maybe we would be much more content if God would just do things OUR way?

Two weeks ago we were told to take the initiative and make peace, even though the other person was wrong. No harboring hurt feelings and saying “let them make the first move.”

Last week we were told to forgive innumerable times, no “hurt me once, shame on you; hurt me twice, shame on me!”

This week we are told that our sense of what is “fair” is not how God thinks. Who has “suffered” more: the one who worked all day, even if it is hard work in the sun, but has the satisfaction of knowing he can feed his family? Or the one who languished all day, with a growing feeling of desperation and failure, that he will go home to the looks of hunger and disappointment on the faces of his children?

This is THE BIGGER PICTURE that God sees: Jesus is saying that, for justice to reign, each person needs to be able to get their “daily bread” to feed their family. Do we think that way? Or do we think, “That is not fair. The one who worked only an hour should only be paid for an hour, no matter if the family is hungry”? Do we grumble about social assistance to those in need, saying “I worked hard to earn my money; why should they get something for nothing? Which do we have to do to follow Jesus?

If the workers who had labored all day thought to themselves: I am so blessed to have been chosen to earn food for my children. I am pleased that these others also can feed their children, they would have been closer to God’s mercy and compassion. We have been very blessed by God; with that comes the responsibility to be compassionate. I invite us to reflect on that this week.
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God bless and stay safe.