By + Guy Sansaricq
In the first place we celebrate the 24th Sunday of the year. The lesson of the Scripture readings stresses the overwhelming requirement of FORGINENESS within the Christian heart. God is love! He calls us to radiate that same love in our relationships with one another. He who refuses to forgive his enemy betrays the COVENANT, he betrays Christ. There is no room for him in the kingdom. Let us accept to be challenged by this Gospel commandment!
Today we also joyfully celebrate the first time admission of 11 children to the Eucharistic banquet. They are making their FIRST COMMUNION. Through HOLY COMMUNION we pledge our wholehearted acceptance of the NEW COVENANT. Our commitment to JESUS must be radical…not superficial. The one who embraces Jesus as Lord and Savior cannot tolerate hatred, prejudice and rancor in his or her life. Forgiveness is the hallmark of the Christian!
We also celebrate the feast day of St. GREGORY, the Patron Saint of this Parish. He stands as a model we must strive to imitate and as our principal INTERCESSOR before the throne of the Almighty. St Gregory was born in Italy in the year 540, the son of a rich Catholic family. He received a very good education and then got involved in the social life of Rome. Because of his natural gifts of leadership he soon became the mayor of Rome and involved himself in cleaning up the administration of the city and in promoting policies that provided employment, lifted up the social conditions of the working class and the general wellbeing of the population. The emperor delegated him as an ambassador to Greece. He was successful in breaking down the secular hostility between these two competing nations.
But he was not happy with these worldly endeavors. Once returned back to Rome he joined a Benedictine monastery where he spent many years in assiduous prayer. When the pope died in 590, the crowds of Rome took to the streets and demanded that Gregory be elected as the new pope. He pleaded against this popular acclamation but finally yielded to the general pressure. He was then ordained a priest, then a Bishop and at once installed as the next pope. During his thirteen years in that position he signaled himself as an outstanding SHEPHERD of the flock, He reformed the clergy, sent missionaries to England, reformed the liturgy and was universally recognized as GREGORY THE GREAT. The GREGORIAN CHANT came to life under his guidance. His Pastoral letters hold pride of place in the Church archives. He is designated as the solid rock upon which was built the successful Church of the MIDDLE AGES.
Let us allow ourselves to be fascinated, deeply inspired and challenged by today’s celebration!
Our real vocation is HOLINESS.