As we shift into November, we begin a busy two months until the end of the year. There are a lot of activities at the Church that warrant our attention and participation, and, of course, most all of us will undoubtedly have a number of family commitments as the holiday season comes into full view. But as hectic as it will undoubtedly get I pray that we might all remember to slow down and focus on the “one thing” that deserves our utmost attention, namely the Lord. As we hear abundantly clear in today’s readings from Deuteronomy and the Gospel of St. Mark, “You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Put that love of the Lord above all else and, like the scribe in today’s Gospel, we too “will not be far from the Kingdom of God.”
I call your attention to our special Mass this coming Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. for families who have lost a child in the womb or at birth. While it is true that memories of our deceased loved ones can bring, after a time, joyful memories of a long life well lived, there are mothers and fathers who grieve greatly for a child lost during pregnancy. Often they can suffer alone or in silence and never really get the chance to properly commend their child to God in the Church.
If you or someone you know has suffered a stillbirth or miscarriage, please join us this week as we remember these precious angels to the Lord. It will be our regular Wednesday evening Mass, but we’ll hold it in the main church instead of the chapel. All are welcome. If you have a picture or sonogram image of your child, or would like to bring a special memento like a toy or stuffed animal to remember them by, feel free to bring it to the Mass and we’ll have a table set-up where they can be displayed.
In other news, let me remind you one final time that tickets are on sale after all Masses this weekend for the CtR School 11th annual Chili Cook-Off set for next Saturday, Nov. 9 from 6-9 p.m. We’ve got a number of teams lined up to compete for the top prize, and you can sample all the chili that your heart (and tummy!) desires. In addition, we’ll have hot dogs, desserts, beer and wine, and all manner of goodies. There’s an impressive line-up for both the live and silent auction, too, with many great items up for bid. There will be plenty of activities for the kids and everything will take place on the back parking lot with room for everyone.
Over the past 10 years the Chili Cook-off has become one of the great events on the CtR social calendar and not to be missed. Tickets are just $40 for adults (includes three drink tickets for beer and wine), $25 for teens (ages 13-20) and $20 for children (ages 3-12), and there is a family pack available, too. It’s our biggest fundraiser for the school and 100 percent of the proceeds go to support tuition assistance and teacher initiatives to assist in the classroom. Mark your tickets, get your tickets, and make plans to join us for a great night of fun – and chili! – for the whole family.
There were two major developments in the life of the Church last week that I’d like to call to your attention. First was the publication of Pope Francis’ fourth encyclical letter, “Dilexit Nos.” The title translates to “He loved us” and is subtitled, “On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ.” As you might surmise, it’s a reflection on the heart of the Lord, and how we, as a Church, might open our hearts up to the infinite love of Jesus. This encyclical explicitly presents the spiritual and theological foundation underlying Pope Francis’ message to the Church and the world for the past 12 years, namely that everything “springs from Christ and his love for all humanity.”
Like most papal writings, it is long (28,000 words) and full of rich theological imagery and biblical references. I’ve only perused it so far, and what I’ve read is beautiful. You can read it online now at the Vatican website, or wait a few weeks until a booklet is published. (We will order copies for our gift shop when they become available.) That’s the way I like to digest the writings of the Pope. I bring a copy with me into the church or adoration chapel when I’m in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and read it slowly over a few days. I find it to be a great aid to prayer to let it sink in over time.
I plan to do the same with the recently published final documents from the Synod on Synodality that was also published last week. It’s the final document of the three-year process of the worldwide Church, including us here at CtR and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. We hosted a number of roundtable and listening sessions and contributed our responses to the work of the larger community of the faithful. The working team of bishops, priests, and laity, along with the Holy Father, sifted through that and produced this final document that now carries the weight of magisterial teaching.
The final document calls for a new approach for the Church, no longer viewing it as a “corporation” with branches but as a communion of churches. The term “universal Church” has been reframed to emphasize unity within diversity, seeing local Churches not as subordinate levels but as unique expressions of faith within a single Body of Christ. It lays forth a vision of a united journey reflective of the Church’s origins, one that calls the Church and her members to conversion, not only moral but relational, encouraging deeper, more diverse ecclesial relationships. Again, it’s deep stuff, but well worth our time, prayer, and attention. We likewise hope to have copies of the final document in our gift shop soon.
With these two documents to inspire us, may we as members of Christ’s body continue to ever unite our hearts more and more with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, praying for unity in the Church and in our world, and a greater love and respect for the dignity of the human person.