33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s readings from Malachi 3:19-20a and Luke 21: 5 – 19 present apocalyptic images of blazing fires, “wars and insurrections …. awesome sights and mighty signs,” suffering and persecution. While these images may seem extreme to us sitting here in Peachtree City, it occurred to me as I read that I could be reading the Atlanta Journal and Constitution or watching the evening news on television. The media inundates us with vivid pictures of war, earthquakes, famines, plagues and mysterious signs in the sky every day. And while it is not likely that we Christians in Peachtree City will suffer persecution, more than 310 million Christians in many parts of the world are suffering persecution for their faith, today – now! Christians in North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Libia and Sudan top a list of 50 countries where people suffer for their faith (Open Doors International World Watch List 2025 ).

The difference between what we read in the AJC or watch on the evening news and what Jesus describes in Luke 21 is a message of hope and a call for perseverance. Jesus told his disciples and he tells us not to be deceived and not to be terrified. Yes, terrible things happen. We can expect to experience natural disasters and tragedies invoked by humans. What Jesus offers us is the courage to face disasters and tragedy. He says, "When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand" (Luke 21: 28).

These are not easy times. It could be easy for us to become complacent and absorbed with our own daily lives. But as citizens of the kingdom of God, we know that we must "Be vigilant at all times and pray... [for] the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21: 36).

O God, the beginning and the end of all things,

you fashion all humanity

into a living temple for your Son.

Through all of this life’s changes,

its joys and its sorrows,

may we hold fast the hope of your kingdom,

certain that by our patient endurance

we will come to possess eternal life.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

A Hermit's Prayer

 I Pray…

That I may depend on You and myself;
That You, Jesus and Your Spirit will fill my emptiness;
That I will ask You for help;
That You will give me a sense of well being;
That You will fill my loneliness;
That I will yearn only for You;
That Your Blessed Sacrament will give me dignity;
That I will solve my own problems with Your guidance;
That I will face myself;
That I will face the responsibilities of life;
That I will face my commitments;
That I will face life's tensions one day at a time;
That I will face myself;
That I will find my security in Your mercy;
That I will know that I am not alone, that You are with me as You said;
That I will turn myself over to Your care and protection;
That I will be available to myself;
That I will recognize my delusions and other's illusions;
That I will intimate with myself;
That I will ask for faith;
That I will know You are with me;
That will know that You will make up for my inadequacies;
That I will understand that I am worth your Son's life;
That I will know I am in Your arms and You will never let me go!

~ Sr. Emmanuel Bryant

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Every year on November 9, the Church celebrates the anniversary of the dedication of the Basilica of the Most Holy Savior and of Sts. John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran. The Catholic Church has observed this feast since the 12th Century. The Lateran Basilica is the mother church of all Christians. It has been a place of worship since the 4th century. The building was a gift from the Emperor Constantine probably to Pope Miltiades who hosted a synod of bishops there in 313. Pope Sylvester I celebrated the official dedication of the Basilica in 324 AD when he installed the Papal Throne making it the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. It was home to the Popes for over a thousand years.

The Lateran Basilica is a symbol of the endurance of the Catholic Church in the world. It survived an attack by the Vandals, an earthquake and two major fires. Rebuilt after each calamity, it stands today, a magnificent tribute to our Catholic heritage. However, as St. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading from 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, we “are God’s building.” We are the church, the body of Christ. And like any good building, we must have a strong foundation. As St. Paul tells us, “Each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.”

When we observe the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, we celebrate our efforts and the efforts of the whole Church to make the Kingdom of Heaven a real presence in our world. Our Parish, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, here in Peachtree City, Georgia is part of this one Church. We share in the mission of our mother church to bear witness to the risen Christ.

Father,

You called your people to be your Church.

As we gather together in your name,

May we love, honor and follow you

To eternal life in the kingdom you promise.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

One God, forever and ever.

AMEN

Feast of St. Charles Borromeo

No age of the Catholic Church's history is without its share of confusion and corruption. Still, even in moments when disorder may seem overwhelming, individuals and movements eventually arise to propose the faith with clarity and demonstrate it in action. St. Charles Borromeo, a central figure in the Council of Trent, is remembered on November 4, as a model of such leadership in difficult times.

The circumstances of Charles' birth, in 1538, could have easily allowed him to join the ranks of corrupt Renaissance-era clergy. He was born into luxury, the son of noble parents, with a guaranteed income comparable to modern “trust funds.” Early on, however, the young man signaled his intention to go against the cultural grain. He announced his desire to serve the Church with sincerity, asking his father to give away the majority of the fund's money to the poor.

Charles could not escape a certain degree of wealth and prestige, which were expected due to his social class, but he insisted on using these forms of leverage to benefit the Church, rather than himself. When he was 22, his opportunity came: the young lawyer and canonist's uncle was elected as Pope Pius IV. Charles soon assumed staggering responsibilities, serving as a papal diplomat and supervisor of major religious orders.

The young man relaxed from these tasks through literature and music, taking no interest in the temptations abounding in Rome during the late Renaissance. He considered renouncing even this temperate lifestyle, for the strict observance of a monastery-- but found himself more urgently needed in the work of concluding the Council of Trent.

The Church's nineteenth Ecumenical Council had begun in late 1545, but experienced many delays. Its twofold mission was to clarify Catholic doctrine against Protestant objections, and reform the Church internally against many longstanding problems. As a papal representative, Charles participated in the council's conclusion in 1563, when he was only 25. He also played a leading role in assembling its comprehensive summary, the Roman Catechism (or Catechism of the Council of Trent).

In reward for his labors, Charles received even greater responsibilities. Ordained a priest during the Council, he was named as archbishop and cardinal only months later. He found his diocese of Milan in a state of disintegration, after two generations of virtually no local administration or leadership. The new bishop got straight to work establishing schools, seminaries, and centers for religious life.

His reforms of the diocese, in accordance with the decrees of the council, were dramatic and effective, so much so that a group of disgruntled monks attempted to kill him. His survival was called miraculous.

The new archbishop's efforts for catechesis and the instruction of youth were especially fruitful, initiating the work of the Confraternity for Christian Doctrine and the first “Sunday School” classes. He also gave important pastoral attention to English Catholics who fled to Italy to escape new laws against the Catholic faith.

St. Charles Borromeo's amazing diligence, frequent travel and ascetic living eventually took their toll. The once young prodigy of the Papal Court also died young at the age of 46 on November 3, 1584. He was canonized 26 years later, in 1610.

He is the patron of catechists and catechumens.

All Souls Day

Pope Benedict XVI, wrote: “I would go so far as to say that if there was no purgatory, then we would have to invent it, for who would dare to say of him/herself that he or she was able to stand directly before God”. He goes on to say that purgatory means God can put the pieces back together again that we presumably have broken off by our sins.

This is the feast we celebrate today, a remembrance of friends and loved ones who have passed away. This day follows All Saints Day in order to shift the focus from those in heaven to those in purgatory. This feast reminds us of our obligation to live holy lives; to live the way God has told us to live in the Scriptures.

Let us pause for a time today and remember all of those who in the past have had a significant difference in our lives, who were good people, and ask God to receive them into his Kingdom.

May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

All Saints Day

A saint is anyone who tries to live their life according to the way of God. The Church has always honored those who die in the Lord. The history of the Church is filled with stories of these people, some remembered throughout the ages, and some forgotten and never to be remembered again. They may be people we know right now and try to imitate. Some have been canonized or recognized by the Church; others have not been recognized but tried to live as God revealed he would like them to live. We honor them all on this day.

This feast that we call All Saints Day began as a feast of All Martyrs early in the Church’s history – the 4th Century. It came to be observed later on May 13 when Pope Boniface (608-615) rebuilt as a Christian church an ancient Roman Temple called the Pantheon or Temple of All Gods. The Church re-buried many martyrs here and dedicated the Church to the Mother of God and All the Holy Martyrs on May 13, 610.

About a hundred years later, Pope Gregory III converted a new chapel in the Basilica of St. Peter to all Saints (not just martyrs) and set the date of the feast on November 1. The vigil of this important feast, All Saint’s Eve, Hallowee’een, was apparently celebrated as early as the feast itself.​

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

Today we observe the Feast of All Souls, commemorating all the faithful departed. Our society has a tendency to deny the reality and inevitability of death. Most advertising we see focuses on the vitality of youth, trying to sell us anything that will make us look, feel and stay young and alive. Like Juan Ponce de Leon, we seem to be on a never-ending quest for the Fountain of Youth. This feast brings us back to earth as it reminds us of our mortality. Our physical bodies will die eventually no matter how hard we try to stay young. However, as Christians we believe that death is not “The End.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “the souls of all who die in Christ's grace . . . are the People of God beyond death. On the day of resurrection, death will be definitively conquered, when these souls will be reunited with their bodies"(CCC 1052).

In today’s gospel, John 6:37-4040, Jesus tells us that “this is the will of my Father that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” Yet, God gives all of us free will. We make our own choices even as we die. We can choose to “die in Christ’s grace,” or we can choose to reject God and, like many of the subjects in St. Matthew’s parables, be cast into the darkness “where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” If you are reading this Pastor’s Desk, I think it is safe to assume that you want to die in Christ’s grace. The great monk and mystic Thomas á Kempis said, “Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out. Death would have no great terrors for you if you had a quiet conscience … then why not keep clear of sin instead of running away from death? If you aren’t fit to face death today, it is very unlikely you will be tomorrow” (The Imitation of Christ, 1, 23, 1).

Each time we participate in the sacrifice of the Mass we pray for those who have died and gone before us marked with the sign of faith. And when we pray the Rosary, we ask our Blessed Mother to pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Praying for those who are dying or have died is a great act of love. We all need prayer. So today as we remember our departed family members and friends, let us pray for them.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May the souls of the faithful departed,

Through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Merciful Father,

Hear our prayers and console us.

As we renew our faith in your son,

Whom you raised from the dead,

Strengthen our hope

That all our departed brothers and sisters

Will share in his resurrection,

Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

One God, forever and ever.

AMEN