In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus gives 3 more parables to explain what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. This term, “Kingdom of Heaven” in Matthew’s Gospel, or “Kingdom of God” in the other 3 Gospels, has a tremendously rich meaning and a number of different theological interpretations. Throughout the centuries, much ink has been spilled trying to explain it. I favor the interpretation that posits our Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Kingdom, the “pearl of great price.” Because Jesus is the Head of His Mystical Body, and the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church is His Mystical Body, (also, the Bride of Christ), it is the presence of the Kingdom of Heaven extending through time and space to all parts of the world, permeating, like yeast in a batch of wheat dough. By remaining faithful to the teachings of the Church and continuing the practice of our Faith regardless of the trials and inconveniences, we remain faithful to Jesus, our King and Kingdom.
We need to do more! If we don’t, we Catholics will continually be harassed, denigrated, and always labeled as “non-essential.” I want to assure you that I will fight for your right to worship in person, to worship God in a church and receive the Holy Eucharist, and not be forced to sit on your camping chairs in the middle of a hot parking lot or only seeing the Mass on a screen.
In the 2nd reading from St. Paul, we hear, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” When Paul writes “all things,” he means the good, the bad and the ugly. We are encouraged to see that the present suffering resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the latest shutdown of our indoor Masses, can “work for good” for us who have been called “according to His purpose” through our Baptism, and for us who love God by keeping His Commandments. Our merciful Father wants to bring a greater good from all suffering, from “all things,” we are asked to endure. If we remain faithful through all these inconveniences imposed upon us, we will grow in the gifts of the supernatural virtues of faith, hope, and love.
With that said, Jesus in this Gospel, as well as last week’s, sternly warns us of the weeds of the evil forces growing alongside us, the “children of the Kingdom.” He says, “all who cause others to sin” and “all evildoers” are adamantly opposed to the Divine mission of the Church, are enemies of the Church, and would love nothing more than to see her cease to exist. So, as faithful followers of the true King and citizens of His Kingdom, we have to seriously talk about how we can respond to the limits to our public worship, primarily have Masses outdoors only and the 100-person limit. I have emailed our dear Bishop Cotta encouraging a more public and forceful (much more) “push back” against the latest restrictions imposed on us by Governor Newsom. We need to do more! If we don’t, we Catholics will continually be harassed, denigrated, and always labeled as “non-essential.” I want to assure you that I will fight for your right to worship in person, to worship God in a church and receive the Holy Eucharist, and not be forced to sit on your camping chairs in the middle of a hot parking lot or only seeing the Mass on a screen. Pray for our Bishop, and all the Bishops of California, and your priests, that we can courageously stand against the evil forces, human and demonic, hell bent to bring down the Church. In spite of all the evil we see going on, we must remain hopeful and continue to trust Jesus, who Himself established His Church and promised the “gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it” (Matt 16:18). Our Lord Jesus assures us all the enemies of the Kingdom of Heaven, the enemies of Christ and His Church, “will be at the end of age … thrown into a fiery furnace where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” St. Joseph, Terror of demons, pray for us!
We need to do more! If we don’t, we Catholics will continually be harassed, denigrated, and always labeled as “non-essential.” I want to assure you that I will fight for your right to worship in person, to worship God in a church and receive the Holy Eucharist, and not be forced to sit on your camping chairs in the middle of a hot parking lot or only seeing the Mass on a screen.
In the 2nd reading from St. Paul, we hear, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” When Paul writes “all things,” he means the good, the bad and the ugly. We are encouraged to see that the present suffering resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the latest shutdown of our indoor Masses, can “work for good” for us who have been called “according to His purpose” through our Baptism, and for us who love God by keeping His Commandments. Our merciful Father wants to bring a greater good from all suffering, from “all things,” we are asked to endure. If we remain faithful through all these inconveniences imposed upon us, we will grow in the gifts of the supernatural virtues of faith, hope, and love.
With that said, Jesus in this Gospel, as well as last week’s, sternly warns us of the weeds of the evil forces growing alongside us, the “children of the Kingdom.” He says, “all who cause others to sin” and “all evildoers” are adamantly opposed to the Divine mission of the Church, are enemies of the Church, and would love nothing more than to see her cease to exist. So, as faithful followers of the true King and citizens of His Kingdom, we have to seriously talk about how we can respond to the limits to our public worship, primarily have Masses outdoors only and the 100-person limit. I have emailed our dear Bishop Cotta encouraging a more public and forceful (much more) “push back” against the latest restrictions imposed on us by Governor Newsom. We need to do more! If we don’t, we Catholics will continually be harassed, denigrated, and always labeled as “non-essential.” I want to assure you that I will fight for your right to worship in person, to worship God in a church and receive the Holy Eucharist, and not be forced to sit on your camping chairs in the middle of a hot parking lot or only seeing the Mass on a screen. Pray for our Bishop, and all the Bishops of California, and your priests, that we can courageously stand against the evil forces, human and demonic, hell bent to bring down the Church. In spite of all the evil we see going on, we must remain hopeful and continue to trust Jesus, who Himself established His Church and promised the “gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it” (Matt 16:18). Our Lord Jesus assures us all the enemies of the Kingdom of Heaven, the enemies of Christ and His Church, “will be at the end of age … thrown into a fiery furnace where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” St. Joseph, Terror of demons, pray for us!
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