31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last Friday we honored all Saints those who are elevated to this honor by church and those who are unknown to us. We commemorated those who are in Heaven, those who are enjoying the fact of being with God in His eternal glory.

All Souls' Day which we celebrate on November 2nd is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. This day is based on the theological basis that some of those who have departed from this world, they have not been perfectly cleansed from venial or mortal sins, or have not fully atoned for their past transgression. Because of that, they are temporary deprived of the beatified vision until the time when they will be completely sanctified in Christ. According to our Roman Catholic teaching, these departed souls remain in Purgatory. We, their spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ, assist them with our prayers to be united with the Lord in Heaven. Through our prayers, alms, deeds, and through the sacrifice of the Holy Mass we help them to find themselves to be worthy to stand in the presence of the Lord.

Every November we are encouraged, as the members and the living stones of the Mystical Body of Christ, to pray for those who have died in the Lord. Please keep your loved ones in your prayers and if you get a chance visit their graves and pray for them.

In today's Gospel Jesus is asked by one of the scribes, "Which is the first of all the commandments." Jesus 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." There are 613 commandments in the Torah, so it's understandable athat there would be a discussion about which of them is the "greatest." In trying to clarify their own faith, Jews of Jesus' time would pose this question to the respected teachers of the day, Jesus' response of loving God with all of your heart and soul and also loving your neighbor as yourself challenged the listeners to view the law, through the lens of love. Jesus wanted them to see that the Torah and the Gospel were both founded upon the law of love.

Jesus invites us to live in such a way that our guiding force is love of God and one another. To love with all we have is to root our lives in this love-in God, who is love. When we root ourselves in God's love, it frees us to be our best selves and encourages us to move toward even greater love and generosity in all we meet.

Such love is not easy. It takes truly opening ourselves to God and to others, doing what is both right and in the best interest of others, and doing everything within our power to uphold the dignity of all.

What are the challenges you face in rooting yourself in God? In loving your neighbors, your community, and those around the world?

The Scribe who asked the question agreed with Jesus, and went on to declare that true love of God and the loving service of others are more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.

                               God bless all of us, 

                                               Fr. Dariusz

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