October 23, 2011
30th Sunday Ordinary Time
I recall the words of Bishop McNulty 50 years ago on the occasion of the “burning†of the mortgage at my home parish. He spoke to the parishioners: “With this debt retired, you can give full attention to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.†Today in the Gospel, a scholar of the law asks Jesus to name the greatest commandment. Jesus, quoting and combining Scripture, affirms: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and prophets depend on these two commandments.†In short, Jesus gives us our mission in two commandments.
On Sunday November 6 after the 11:30 AM Mass, Annunciation will symbolically burn the mortgage. The physical fire will speak of a spiritual fire or enthusiasm kindled in our faith community. It is apparent at worship, in prayer, with reflection on Scripture, in corporal and spiritual works of mercy, in school, in religious education, in sharing the faith, in consultation, and in societies. As St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians: “From you the word of the Lord has sounded forth…†While embracing the Gospel, Annunciation has embarked upon an extensive proactive preventive maintenance program (including masonry work and paving parking lots) to make sure our buildings and grounds are safe, sound and beautiful places for worship, for service and for welcome.
This is indeed an opportune time for a Stewardship Appeal. Msgr. Tom Maloney, former pastor here, told me recently that St. Amelia Church has a stewardship appeal every year! Anyone who says “stewardship†is asking for money has an impoverished notion of stewardship. Jesus calls us all to be good stewards. It is a matter of God’s grace and the disposition of gratitude and generosity in our hearts. It entails sharing, serving and sacrificial giving. An annual stewardship appeal affords us the opportunity to make a conscious decision to share our gifts, to serve, and to give a portion of our income on a regular basis for God’s work. Next weekend Larry Zielinski, chair of our finance committee, will give his annual fiscal report. The weekend of Nov 5-6, Deacon Jim Jaworski will speak on stewardship and invite us to make a commitment. A homily needs a good ending so join me in praying our Stewardship Prayer found in the pew.
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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
