This Week's Letter from Our Pastor

Welcome you to the 32nd Sunday of the Ordinary time. We hear in the liturgy of the Word an invitation to be on guard or be ready for the Lord’s coming. There is a difference between being awake and being ready. In today’s Gospel, all ten bridesmaids fall asleep while waiting for the bridegroom. The difference is not that some managed to stay awake and the others did not. The difference is that some had prepared for the long wait, and others had not. Jesus’ parable is not an invitation to live anxiously, watching every moment for the end. It is a call to live now in such a way that, whenever the Lord comes, our hearts are ready to welcome him.

The bridesmaids’ oil is the heart of the parable’s practical wisdom. The foolish bring their lamps but no reserve oil; the wise bring flasks as well. The wise bridesmaids cannot give their oil to the foolish ones. That is not permission to be uncaring or to refuse help to someone in need. It is a reminder that no one else can live our relationship with God for us. Another person can encourage us, teach us, forgive us, and walk beside us. But no one can do our loving, repenting, praying, or trusting in our place. Faith can be shared by witness and example, yet each of us must answer the Lord’s call personally.

So today, we might ask ourselves not only, “Am I ready for the end?” but also, “What am I doing with the time in which I am waiting?” Is there a relationship that needs forgiveness? A person who needs our attention? A habit of prayer we have let grow cold? A fear or grief we need to bring honestly before God? We do not need to solve everything today. We can begin with one faithful act, one open-hearted prayer, one step toward the Lord who is already seeking us.

We are completing today the Octave of the commemoration of the faithful departed; I invite you to remember and pray for our loved ones and also for those poor souls in the purgatory. We can still obtain the plenary indulgences through our visiting the cemetery and participation in the Eucharist. As a pilgrim church, we have the obligation to pray for those who have gone before us.

We thank wholeheartedly for the Lazarus committee at different locations of our parish and Sr. Anna at the main campus and other volunteers who have organized to remember and pray for the faithful parishioners who have departed from us this past year. We also thank the Mrs. Gayle Jensen, for coordinating and organizing the Fall Harvest Bazaar at the main campus. We thank you SJOW activity core team for Halloween event. All are by the commitment of the dedicated volunteers that we are able to have so many different activities in our parish. Let us continue to thank and pray for them specially. You can also volunteer to help us with the various ministries and activities of our parish.

Thanks to all the speakers at different locations who have shared about the importance of Stewardship, because it is your involvement and contribution that help us serve you better and maintain the facilities at all the locations. Once again, I thank you all for your love and dedication towards our parish. God bless each and every one of you on this special weekend.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Tuan Nguyen, D. Min

Pastor