St. Luke recounts one of the parables of Jesus which begins “Two people went up to the temple area to pray…”
We are all different in the ways that we pray – some praise God for their blessings, some ask God to grant their petitions, some ask God for guidance, and some even tell God what they want Him to do. Praying can be difficult in our busy world full of distractions. The point to today’s Gospel is to pray from the heart, knowing who we are before God and that we are all sons and daughters of the One God. There is no “put down” of anyone or bragging about one’s “generosity.” The conclusion of the Gospel speaks about humility and that there is something positive about being humble.
I have found that the Wills Seminars that we have here at St. Francis are always helpful and well attended. I am surprised to learn how many people do not have a will or that they never had their will updated. So many problems are created when a person dies and there is no will or an outdated one. I have seen families torn apart because of this. Also, many do not think about leaving something to the church. We have been blessed over the years to have received financial support through the estates of people who have come to St. Francis while they worked or lived in Manhattan. I am grateful that lawyers offer their services FREE at these Wills Seminars. It provides an opportunity to clarify questions that a person may have. If you missed Saturday’s seminar, we will have another one soon.
Don’t forget the All Saints Holy Day on November 1.
-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.