There are several sentences from our readings that each of us might take time to ponder: “Say to those whose hearts are frightened, be strong, fear not. Here is your God”, “Show no partiality”, and “He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

These sentences clearly show that God makes a difference both in our world and in our lives. God wants us to live peacefully and we see from the example of Jesus that this is not easy. Jesus encountered both acceptance by many but hostility by many. Our individual relationship with God can help us soften the rough edges of our personalities and help us to be at peace in a world where it is difficult to be at peace. Take time this week and spend some time with these Scriptures. It will be good for you.

There still is time to join our RCIA Program if you are interested in becoming Catholic or are an adult and never received the First Communion or Confirmation. Contact Joe Nuzzi (jnuzzi@stfrancisnyc.org) for an interview.

Finally, more reports have come out regarding Archbishop Viganò and facts that he neglected to mention in his report. It is sad that he came forth at this time to discredit Pope Francis. It has been said that all of this came about because he was never given the “red hat”; that is, he was never named a Cardinal. Unfortunately, these things do happen in our church. They need to be dealt with. We have to remember that like Jesus, we are here “not to be served but to serve.”

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M

Some people do not commit themselves to mission because they think that nothing will change and that it is useless to make the effort… This attitude makes it impossible to be a missionary…  It is a self-destructive attitude, for “man cannot live without hope: life would become meaningless and unbearable.”

If we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death and is now almighty. Jesus Christ truly lives. Put another way, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain.”

The gospel tells us that when the first disciples went forth to preach, “the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message.”

The same thing happens today. We are invited to discover this, to experience it. Christ, risen and glorified, is the wellspring of our hope, and he will not deprive us of the help we need to carry out the mission which he has entrusted to us.

On this Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear in the second reading from St. James: “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.”This is what we try to do each day that God gives us. We can be doers if we allow ourselves to truly “hear” the word and allow it to sink in. This is why hearing the Word at Mass may not be enough. We may have to go home and sit with it again, and read it, and carry it around with us wherever we go. Some people have the daily readings on their cell phones and can prepare themselves to hear the Word at Mass or put it into practice during the day if they cannot attend Mass. We hear so many disturbing things these days. God’s word is there to build us up and be a positive force in our lives.

While this Labor Day weekend gives many people time to relax, others must work. If you have a job, do it well. If you are seeking employment or a job change, don’t get discouraged. We spend such a large part of our lives working, and the way that we work is always important. It can bring satisfaction or be a cross that we have to bear. Remember: God doesn’t leave you when you go to work.

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

If we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realize that every person is worthy of our giving. Not for their physical appearance, their abilities, their language, their way of thinking, or for any satisfaction that we might receive, but rather because they are God’s handiwork, his creation. God created that person in his image, and he or she reflects something of God’s glory.

Every human being is the object of God’s infinite tenderness, and he himself is present in their lives. Jesus offered his precious blood on the cross for that person. Appearances notwithstanding, every person is immensely holy and deserves our love. Consequently, if I can help at least one person to have a better life, that already justifies the offering of my life. It is a wonderful thing to be God’s faithful people. We achieve fulfillment when we break down walls and our heart is filled with faces and names!

Scott Weeman, founder of Catholic in Recovery, “pairs his personal story with compassionate straight talk to show Catholics how to bridge the commonly felt gap between the Higher Power of 12 step programs and the merciful God who is at the heart of the sacraments.” He deals specifically with the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation. One of the ideas that he keeps reinforcing is that a person cannot move into recovery and stay in recovery alone. He takes time to show how each of the sacraments fits into the process of recovery. The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments is filled with many stories of individuals to make it more personal and there is an appropriate prayer at the end of each chapter and questions to help an individual continue moving in a positive direction.

The book is available in the lobby of the Parish House

The recent, disturbing news of child abuse by Catholic clergy adds to what we have been hearing in recent years. It is a horrible scandal and hearing more incidents prevents the needed healing from taking place. I want to quote from Cardinal Dolan’s letter to the Family of the Archdiocese, dated August 15, 2018:

“(The) report of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury that investigated cases of the sexual abuse of minors committed by priests and deacons once again brought forward the pain and suffering of those who experienced that abuse, and the shameful way that those in positions of authority, including bishops, responded – or failed to respond – when informed of the abuse, and in many cases permitted it to continue and new victims to be harmed.

“(The report) clearly lays out the pain experienced by victim- survivors, pain which continues to this day, and the terribly wrong way that these incidents were usually handled by the church in the past contributed to their suffering. While it is true that the abuse of minors was badly handled by all segments of society, if there is one segment that should have done a better job, it is the church. And while the church in the past may have been an example of what not to do, today I believe it is a model of what to do to prevent sexual abuse, and how to respond when an accusation come to light.”

We need to prevent this from ever happening again and when we know that it is happening, take the necessary steps that have been put in place. All of us are shocked by this and never expected to have to deal with something so offensive as this.

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

Loving others is a spiritual force drawing us to union with God; indeed, one who does not love others ‘walks in the darkness, remains in death, and does not know God.’

Pope Benedict XVI has said that “closing our eyes to our neighbor also blinds us to God” and that love is the only light which “can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working.” When we live out a spirituality of drawing nearer to others and seeking their welfare, our hearts are opened wide to the Lord’s greatest and most beautiful gifts.

Whenever we encounter another person in love, we learn something about God. Whenever our eyes are opened to acknowledge the other, we grow in the light of faith and knowledge of God.