focus on love
november 3, 2024 | 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Deut. 6:2-6; Ps 17; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34.
Today’s liturgy focuses on the love of God and of neighbor. This is practiced in the Old
Testament in a form of prayer known: “Shema” (Deut. 6:4-9; Deut.11:13; Num. 15:37) which
was fulfilled by Jesus Christ himself. “Master which is the first commandment? He replied:
“The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Jesus himself the High Priest who manifested his love by dying for us and now he sits in heaven and he intercedes for us.
A story of love from Mother Theresa
There is a story about Mother Teresa. She went to prayers every day, and every day was distracted by a nun sitting a few rows behind her who clicked her rosary beads. She started getting annoyed by this unseen nun, wishing she could just pray quietly and not impose on her silent prayer with that constant clicking. Then she realized she was not loving towards that other nun. So she started to pray for that nun every time she heard the clicking of the beads. Soon she would listen out for the comfort of the clicking, knowing that the nun was well. One day when she couldn't hear the clicking she worried that the nun may be ill, and prayed that she and the clicking would return.
Our love must be concrete
Through the story of Mother Theresa, we see the love Christ is talking of, a love that is total and sacrificial. It is not easy love like Christ. It’s difficult for some people including Christians to love strangers, or people from different races and tribes or nations. It’s even harder still for some of us to love someone who offends or harms us. Yet that is what Christ does, he loves us all. Invite us to love even our enemies and persecutors (Cf. Luke 6:27-36). Our love for God must be seen in the love we have for every human being. Saint John tells us that:
“Anyone says, “I love God” and hates his brothers and sisters is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen is a liar” (1 John 4:20)
We need to pray for the gift to love those we don’t know, and those we dislike. Let’s pray that we may be patient, kind, never jealous, never belittling others, never boastful, never conceited, never rude or selfish. Let's delight in the truth and always be ready to trust, to hope and to persevere in love for we have only One God, Father of us all.
Today you have been commanded, go out and work at love. Go and Love your God, Go and Love everyone. And know that you are loved, your God loves you, and so do I love as your Pastor.
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC
Living the Gospel this Week. All souls and pious list for the dead
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
In the Catholic Church, the month of November is consecrated to the prayer for the dead. The Book of Maccabees, specifically 2 Maccabees 12:39-46, describes Judas Maccabeus and his men praying for the dead and offering a sacrifice to atone for their sins. Today we offer the Holy Mass, the sacrifice of Christ Jesus for the expiation of the sins of the world (Cf. Hebrews 9:12). During the month of November the Church invites us to various practices in honor of our deceased loved ones such as: decorating the tombstones, lighting candles, praying the rosary and especially offering masses for the repose of their souls. As you are well aware in our Diocese in general and in most of our Parishes, we do not always have enough space for everyone to offer as many masses as they should, especially during the month of November. In line with our Diocese, we offer an option for people to offer masses which will be celebrated by missionary priests in difficult areas.
The Diocese of Lansing indeed encourages its parishioners to submit Mass intentions specifically for missions, highlighting the importance of praying for missionary work and supporting the spread of the Gospel in other areas through their "Mission Co-op Appeal Programs". Through these programs, the Diocese would like parishioners to raise both prayer and financial support for mission churches and seminarians in developing countries. The Diocese essentially, would ask people to include mission work in their prayer intentions, these could include requesting Masses to be said for them or by them. Our Parish offers you that opportunity which enables you to request Masses for your loved ones. All Masses will be said by missionary priests working in very difficult areas and the report will be given back to you after the celebration of those Masses.
In her Diary St. Faustina says: “I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid.” Please, they need our prayers. They need our help.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and let the perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC