October 18, 2009 – Mass of Hope

Dear Parishioners,

The last time that I shared with you my thoughts on this Bulletin page, I talked about celebration. Our desire to celebrate and remember the good times in our lives is a normal and good thing that we do. I would like to continue sharing with you another thing that we do which is also normal and good. 

Service! Service to God; service to each other; and service to the Church. By service, I am referring to all those small ways we attend to our parish community. But I am also talking about bigger things we do for the Church and each other as well. For me, service isn’t measured by the size of the action but by the act itself of helping someone else at some task that only gets done because so many pitch in and do it. Our parish is known for its helping hands, from the PALS ministry to the social services to the local poor. We help feed and clothe the needy while occasionally even help build their homes. We visit the sick and elderly and in our spare time meet to meditate and pray over the scriptures. We do many wonderful things of service here at St. Al’s.

On Thursday evening, October 29th, we will be gathering in the Church to celebrate and to pray with each other, expressing our HOPE for the present and the near future. We will be putting into the context of sacred liturgy, living out Jesus command to us, to nourish ourselves at His altar in the desire to be of service to our brothers and sisters in financial hard times. We do this not to smooth over or downplay the necessity but to highlight God’s loving presence in our midst and rediscover the strength and power of a community committed to help and serve one another. Come and participate with us at 7:00pm Thursday night, the 29th of October. I think it will be a beginning of great things, may I say miraculous things to come. 

Please do come and be a part of and share in God’s wondrous love. I will see you there!
 
Gratefully, Fr. Andy