Bulletin for the Week of July 31, 2016 and the Pastor's Corner

PASTOR’S CORNER:

IN FATHER BRADY’S ABSENCE, Deacon Dwayne Joubert is providing this weekend’s “Deacon’s Corner”-

            We welcome Father Brady back this weekend after a much deserved time of rest! 

            In the parable from our Gospel reading this weekend, Jesus’ depiction of the words that God spoke to the wealthy man should give us all cause to pause in self-examination... “You Fool!” Not many of us would like to stand before the judgement seat of God and be called fools. What caused God to be so condemning of this poor “wealthy” man? Was it the fact that he had been so successful in his endeavors and had attained such great wealth? Was it that he tried to be resourceful and “save up for a rainy day” by building bigger storage facilities? No… God expects us to be good stewards our worldly goods.

            It was not success or riches that made the wealthy man a “fool.” His good fortune was not the problem. The problem was his attitude toward what had been given to him. In short, his own words are what caused God to judge him a fool:

v  This is what I shall do

v  I shall tear down my barns

v  I shall store all my grain and other goods

v  I shall say to myself

The man thought in all capital I’s… He forgot that he was but a steward of the land. He forgot his neighbors who could have benefited from his surplus wealth. He forgot God. “Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’” (Ps 14:1) The man forgot that God is more interested in what we are than in what we have.

            We have to remember that wealth is not bad, but that our attitude toward our wealth is critical to our spiritual well-being. Jesus teaches us that material wealth does not impede our journey toward God; it is our attitude toward that wealth. It is an inordinate desire for things, for wealth, for power, for recognition that stand in our way and that must be overcome if we are to fully realize the kind of life that Jesus made possible for us to live. If we are worried, preoccupied, consumed by concern for wealth, we put a barrier between ourselves and sharing fully in the Kingdom of God.

            Just recently in our own parish community, a lady who most would consider wealthy approached me and expressed that she had noticed a man who had no apparent form of transportation. She said to me, “I’d like to by that man a bicycle. I can afford to do it and I want to do this for him anonymously.” I use this example to point out that wealth is not the problem. This lady’s wealth does not present a barrier between herself and God but instead she uses her surplus wealth to bring the Gospel to her fellow man.  This is an example of the Good News of Christ… Faith in action! Let us all use this example of Christ’s work among us.

            We all have similar opportunities… and true some can certainly afford more than others, but Jesus calls us all to be open to his call to help others… To be true Christians by being his face to those we encounter every day!

May God Bless and Keep You!

Deacon Dwayne

The bulletin for the week of July 31, 2016 has been posted. Click here to see it.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

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