Dear Friends,
It will be simplistic on my part to say, have you ever asked, “Where are you Lord?” or “How long O Lord will I have to endure this?” These are possibly some of the frequently uttered prayers that invariably escape our lips almost every day of our lives. The Prophet Habakkuk opens the passage in the first reading for today with the similar words: How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen! (1:2). The Lord’s answer that was offered at that time in the Old Testament still ring true in our days too. Do not rush to conclude that the Lord is not listening to you in answering your prayer. He says, “if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late” (2.2). Again, one of the most enduring lines from the Prophet Habakkuk appears in today’s passage: The just one, because of his faith, shall live (or in some other translations it would read: The righteous shall live by faith). Hence, my dear friends, do not despair when the answers to your prayers are not instantly forthcoming, the Lord assures us that He is with us as He was with the people of Israel even when they kept on complaining. Hence the Psalm 95 invites us to constantly remember this: “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts”. The parable of the mustard seed continues that challenge inviting us to pray for an increase of faith as did the apostles: Lord, increase our faith (Luke 17:5). Our faith is organic. It has room to keep growing. There is perhaps no end to how much it has to grow. Might be until you are able to, in faith, tell the mulberry tree to be uprooted and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you. Well, you and I know that we have a long way to go. Let us keep asking the Lord then to increase our faith.
On the Feast of St. Jerome, 30th September 2019, Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter titled, “APERUIT ILLIS.” Through this letter Pope Francis earmarked the Third Sunday of the Year as the Sunday of the Word of God. In the letter Pope Francis says:
“At the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, I proposed setting aside “a Sunday given over entirely to the word of God, so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and His people” (Misericordia et Misera, 7). Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of His word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world. Here, we are reminded of the teaching of Saint Ephrem: “Who is able to understand, Lord, all the richness of even one of your words? There is more that eludes us than what we can understand. We are like the thirsty drinking from a fountain. Your word has as many aspects as the perspectives of those who study it. The Lord has colored His word with diverse beauties, so that those who study it can contemplate what stirs them. He has hidden in His word all treasures, so that each of us may find a richness in what he or she contemplates” (Commentary on the Diatessaron, 1, 18).
With this Letter, I wish to respond to the many requests I have received from the people of God that the entire Church celebrate, in unity of purpose, a Sunday of the Word of God. It is now common for the Christian community to set aside moments to reflect on the great importance of the word of God for everyday living. The various local Churches have undertaken a wealth of initiatives to make the sacred Scripture more accessible to believers, to increase their gratitude for so great a gift, and to help them to strive daily to embody and bear witness to its teachings” (#2).
When we approach that Sunday sometime in January, we will celebrate it and renew our love and passion for the Scriptures. One of the main tasks will be for us to make sure that each household has a BIBLE to start with. We will have a team to help us celebrate this Sunday.
Please do not forget to collect your pictorial directory at the office. Please be attentive to the many activities that go on in our parish. Please read the bulletin and visit the website for more update. I am sure that there is something for everyone to be engaged in. If you are discerning what to do, you begin by visiting the Adoration Chapel for prayer anytime from 6a.m. to 8p.m. where the Lord may give you some insight into how you might get involved. Once again I am deeply indebted to so many of our lovely parishioners who generously invest so much of their time, treasure and talent to make our parish the vibrant parish that it is.
Be Blessed!
Love,
Fr. John