24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioners,

Sunday’s Gospel is the fascinating text of Luke 15, the mystery of God’s Mercy. Three different stories explaining that His Mercy is beyond our understanding and also these three stories give us a taste of how precious each one of is for him. The lost sheep deserves to be searched for, even though it means leaving the other ninety-nine. The lost sheep is so valuable to the Shepherd, he is ready to leave everything else just to look for it. And when he finds the lost sheep, he is so happy, and I am sure the sheep was too! Their encounter fills them both with joy.

Jesus is trying to show us how great is our dignity and worth for God the Father. It is not what we have done that matters, what is important is that we are at home with him again. I think we have a clear invitation this Sunday, discover and accept His Merciful love.

Love for each one of us, in every moment and every single day. And He is calling us to help Him to look after our brothers and sisters in the same way that He does, that they can discover their value too. This month, we may grow in sensitiveness for all that surround us. We are part of His Creation, we are His beloved ones along with all the rest of His Creation. May we learn to be good shepherds like Him carefully looking after everything that He has entrusted us. May we be good brothers and sisters, who welcome others like Him. Part of being good shepherds, being brothers and sisters is to care for God’s Creation, our Common Home.

The Earth, our Common Home is in crisis. When there are problems at home, many families have the custom to gather all together to discuss what can be done, to look for solutions. We too need to think as a parish community and as a family, what can we do, big and small to make a difference. We are together in this journey.

Have a blessed week, Anabel Gonzalez, FMVD

Encyclical Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis, no 11… If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs. By contrast, if we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously. The poverty and austerity of Saint Francis were no mere veneer of asceticism, but something much more radical: a refusal to turn reality into an object simply to be used and controlled.

No 14. I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet… Regrettably, many efforts to seek concrete solutions to the environmental crisis have proved ineffective, not only because of powerful opposition but also because of a more general lack of interest… We require a new and universal solidarity.

No 245. God, who calls us to generous commitment and to give him our all, offers us the light and the strength needed to continue on our way. In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward.