Next Sunday is Catechetical Sunday. We will offer a special blessing for all catechists and for all those who are involved in our various faith formation programs: Children and Adolescents – Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday including Sacramental Preparation for First Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Confirmation; and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (Sunday mornings). Please keep all of them in your prayers. Remember that parents of baptized
children have already made a commitment to “…accept the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?” The parents and godparents made this promise at the Mass or at the celebration of Baptism and made a public proclamation in response to the question by saying: “I do.” The parish community promises to help the parents in this great responsibility. Let us support one another in every way so that our children have the advantage of a personal relationship with Christ, as members of Body of Christ who need each other as parts of the body need each other (See 1Cor 12:12-31).

Given the Gospel message this weekend, I pray that all of you, with me, will pray for the healing of our community of faith. There are persons in the parish who are in conflict with one another. There are parishioners involved in ministry that are unreconciled with other parish members. We can see and feel tension at times between so-called “majority” groups and “minority” groups. Some of our members have been discriminated against because of skin color, national origin, language, and cultural traditions. Some family members are in conflict with one another because of past injuries. They are either too proud to ask for forgiveness, or not humble enough to accept the forgiveness of their siblings or parents or aunts or uncles.

And yet, we have Peter’s question to Jesus about forgiveness. Jesus’ response is that we must be relentless and constant and consistent in our desire to forgive and be forgiven. And in all these interactions we must be just, compassionate, and merciful, as God is just, compassionate, and merciful. Let us forgive our brother/sister from the heart.

Peace, Fr. Andy