Wars, famines, persecution, plagues, earthquakes, and signs falling from the skies are the warnings Jesus gives his listeners. How and when these times will come, only God knows. It is enough for Jesus to exhort his disciples — and all believers — to remember: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus proclaims that the Lord is “not God of the dead, but of the living” (Luke 20:38). This may seem obvious to us now, but Jesus’s words affirmed what we as Catholics believe about the Communion of the Saints. To be physically dead is not the same as being dead and annihilated. To be in God is to be alive forevermore.

Zacchaeus, the short, wealthy chief tax collector, was one of the most despised men in his community. Often corrupt and greedy, the tax collectors in Israel worked for the oppressive Roman regime, not only collecting taxes, but also adding their own fees to the total. Yet, Zacchaeus encountered Jesus and became a changed man. He was spiritually changed, and immediately righted the wrong he’d done to his fellow citizens. This is the power an encounter with Christ can have on all of us.

Fellow pilgrims, if Jesus said that salvation will happen to us today, please do remember this quotation from a spiritual writer, he said, “People go through three conversions: the conversion of their head, their heart, and their pocketbook. Unfortunately, not all at the same time.”

Our modern culture frowns upon weakness and vulnerability. The world tells us that to get ahead we must be strong, competent, and self-sufficient. This view is in stark contrast to our readings today, which calls us to embrace our weakness, recognize our inherent poverty, and allow God to transform us.

St. Augustine said: “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men [and women] as angels.” Thus, my questions to all of you are: “Who do you want to be: a Pharisee or a tax collector? Devils or angels?” The answers are in your hearts!

Persistence in prayer is a theme Jesus returns to again and again. In today’s Gospel reading we hear about a widow keeps coming back to the judge to demand justice. Finally, because of her persistence, the judge gives in to her demand. More than a lesson about nagging, this is a lesson the echoes the words of Jesus from other passages: if an indifferent judge can be persuaded to response through persistent appeals, how much more so will our loving Father respond to his children?

As we celebrate WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, please be generous in your prayers and material support for the missionary works of the Universal Church. Jesus Christ is counting on you!

“Have an attitude of gratitude” is one of those catchphrases fit for bumper stickers and children’s books. Yet, for Christians, this is more than a catchphrase. It is a basic command of Christian life. Notice in today’s Gospel reading the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus. All ten turned to Jesus in faith with their request. However, after they are healed, only one of the ten returns to thank him for answering their prayer. What lesson should we take from the story?

let’s show to God that we’re a generation of gratitude. Let’s remember what gratitude can do to us: it “unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” (Melody Beattie)

The underlying theme to all three readings this week is faith. The prophet Habakkuk cries out to God with a question common to every human heart: Why does God allow evil to persist in the world? As you read these three passages, consider how God doesn’t answer the question – and how he does. Ultimately, it’s a question of faith.

Last weekend were days of joy and fun! The drizzle was a blessing! And the concluded 2019 Harvest Festival was a panorama of ONE community: leaders and staff moved as one; volunteers were amazing; and visitors were wonderful. In one shot, it’s more fun at St. Paul the Apostle Parish! For all that has been, THANKS! For all that will be, YES! See you all at the 2020 Harvest Festival!

This weekend, September 27, 28 and 29, we celebrate our 2019 Parish Harvest Festival. Let our inborn goodness and our uncontested exercise of service be put into practice. Our Harvest Festival’s theme: “WE are ONE – one Heart, one Lord, one Community” calls us to continue becoming “visible signs of God’s love!”

Here Jesus tells the story of a rich man who feasted every single day while a beggar named Lazarus starved to death outside of the gates of the rich man’s house. The poor man ends up in the bosom of Abraham while the rich man ends up in Hades. There is a double lesson here about how we use our time and possessions in this life and how some people cannot hear or understand the Truth, even if spoken by someone who has returned from the dead. The common denominator for both is a pitiable hardness of heart that does not recognize the needs of others or the Truth when it’s right in front of them.

Many people find today’s Gospel passage a little confusing. It tells the story of the dishonest steward who shrewdly foregoes his commission on his master’s loans in order to gain favor among those who may be of help to him in the future. While Jesus is not commending dishonesty, He is challenging us to consider what we should give up in order to plan for the future. And not just any kind of future, but our eternal future.

As we continue celebrating the 173rd Apparition of Our Lady of La Salette, please be with us as we “walk the talk” of the great news of reconciliation that, to whenever and anywhere we minister, we always become the ambassadors of the ministry of reconciliation 24/7!

Do you remember a time when you lost something, perhaps a much-valued possession? When we lose something of high value, we search and search until we finally find it. And the discovery brings such a sense of relief. The greater the value of what was lost, the more we rejoice in finding it. In this Gospel, Jesus shows how our human feelings also echoes an eternal truth.

Don’t underestimate Jesus’ love. No matter where we are, no matter what condition we find ourselves, no matter how multitude our sins are, Jesus will continue loving us. Whatever it takes, he will forgive us - even dying on the cross, he will do it over again just for you and me. The reason is simple: Jesus loves us very much!

What are you willing to give up to follow Jesus? That’s the question in today’s Gospel. Jesus proclaims that no one is worthy to be called His disciple unless he “hates” those people dearest to him, or renounces his possessions, takes up his cross and follows Jesus to wherever He leads (and if one is carrying a cross, then that led to only one place). We may try to qualify Jesus’ words, but they proclaim a great truth: there are no half-measures when following Jesus. He requires everything of us. Are we willing to say yes to that?

Jesus is challenging every person who claims to be a Catholic to take a moral stand against the evils of our times, such us poverty, racism, violence, abortion and capital punishment.