A Letter from Fr. Paul - September 17, 2017

Thank you to all those who worked so hard to make our Grass Mass and luncheon happen
(set up, environment, sound, music, meal, etc., etc.). It was a great celebration of our 65th
birthday as a community!

We are celebrating Catechical Sunday. Please respond to requests for volunteers and keep
our religious education program, our youth ministry, and our school in your prayers. These ministries are so important for the spiritual development of our children.

In two weeks we will hold our annual ministry fair. Our hope is that each abled bodied parishioner will be involved in at least one ministry (activity) of our community. In preparation for the fair, the Pastoral Council has developed a “ministry opportunities” brochure that lists possibilities for involvement with information about what commitment would be involved for each. This can be found on the main page of our website and will be in the pews this coming weekend, so you can take it home and reflect on how you are able to serve: all in preparation for the ministry fair on September 30/October 1. Please keep this initiative in your prayers.

Forgiveness: what a challenge and yet a key to Christian living. In our Gospel last week, Jesus outlined a process for reconciliation, a process that starts with the injured party being the one to reach out. It means we have to overcome our wounded pride, but it is how reconciliation happens and essential if “we are to be forgiven as we ourselves forgive.” Our Gospel this weekend picks up with Peter asking how many times this needs to happen: an infinite number of times is the answer.

As humans I think we like to skip over this command and focus in on other issues. But every time we pray the Our Father, we ask to be forgiven as we forgive. It is an essential requirement of living a Christian life. No doubt! Look at these quotes from our readings: wrath and anger are hateful things; the vengeful will suffer the Lord’s vengeance; could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord?; and I forgave you your entire debt…should you not have pity on your fellow servant? It doesn’t matter who was right and who was wrong: we need to forgive and work for reconciliation.

If we have any anger or resentment in our hearts, let us resolve to do what we can to bring about reconciliation, keeping in mind this phrase from our reading: remember your last days, set enmity aside. And let us pray for each other, that we may have the strength to do so.

-- Paul James Portland, SDS