19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

My Dear Parishioners,
 
Today is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The refrain for the Responsorial Psalm is BLESSED THE P EOP LE THE LORD HAS CH OSE N TO BE HIS OWN. The Scripture texts for this day tell us about the people the Lord has marked out in a special way because of their FAITH. Faith is that wonderful gift which distinguishes believers from others because it motivates them to trust in the Lord as they put themselves into His hands.
 
The first lection from the Book of Wisdom begins with the Jewish slaves who depart from Egypt on the first night of Passover. These people of faith put their trust in God and His servant Moses. God was with them in their journey and brought them through peril to see the destruction of their enemies. The second lection contains the beautiful passage about the “father of faith”, Abraham and all those who followed after him on a spiritual journey to God, “…They did not receive what they had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had the opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”  In the Gospel passage we find the Lord Jesus speaking to the Apostles who will begin their journey of Faith, a journey for which He prepares them to sow the seeds of faith.
 
Next Sunday we will have a guest priest with us who will deliver the homily at all the Masses regarding the missionary work being done in far off places in the Name of Christ the Lord. Each year in the Diocese of Paterson the month of August is the time in which the MISSIONARY COOPERATIVE APPEAL is conducted. This is the time we have to allow ourselves to be informed about the mission work being done and the importance of our support for this work. This is the work which the Lord Jesus Himself commanded His disciples to perform so that the seeds of faith may be sown throughout the world. Many of these missionaries live in difficult and even dangerous situations. They have journeyed to far off lands leaving their homes, security, and much more to go off witnessing to Christ Jesus and making the invitation to salvation. I ask that you be generous to the second collection taken next Sunday which will go directly to support the missionary activities of the religious community which will be addressed next Sunday. Please make you check payable to our parish for this purpose.
 
As we journey through life let us do so in the example of the faith-filled men and women who model for us how we should travel to the home God has prepared for all those who love Him.
 
God bless you!
Father Zig