Dear St. Luke friends,
On this 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Christ promises us the fullness of happiness in His kingdom. We are all given access to this invitation of being guests in His banquet. There is no distinction, the good and bad alike, the poor and rich, the young and old are all invited. That is how God shows us his generous mercies, how much He desires all people to be saved and come to feast in His kingdom. It is up to us whether we will accept the invitation or not. God wants us to be counted among those who are chosen and remain His faithful VIPs till the end.
How do we accept this gracious offer and prepare for this grand event? St. Paul advises us, as God's chosen people, to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love (Colossians 3:12, 14). These garments are tailor-made especially by the Holy Spirit, woven within us through Christ's Word and sacraments. We are filled with the Spirit of God each time our stained garments are washed clean through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are clothed with the righteousness of Christ and cloaked with His Spirit of love, healing and peace each time we receive Him in Holy Communion during each Eucharistic celebration either in our St. Luke Church or virtually in our own homes. In the Most Blessed Eucharist, the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, Christ Jesus our Lord and King, continues to unfold. And we, who are called to partake of this feast, are able to witness glimpses of God's glorious and eternal reign.
In solitude before the Lord, allow Him to still your soul...listen to Him speak... What kind of invitation do you receive from God each day? How do you react and respond to this call? In moments of failure, do you get disappointed and resentful or do you trust in God's grace and allow His generous Spirit to take over? In what ways does God help you to grow deeper into a more generous response to His invitation to be His chosen disciple? How ardent is your longing to be a special guest in God's feast in heaven and see the Lord of hosts in all His glory? As you end your meditation, thank God for inviting you to His banquet and ask His help to be found prepared and qualified. Imagine yourself among those who are blessed to be a part of His feast, after living a life of total dedication to the Lord and His command of love. Take your seat at God's eternal banquet and cherish the fellowship with loved ones and friends, and all God's children. And here, with our Blessed Mother and all the angels and saints, become united in exultant praises, singing forever God's unending glories.
In gratitude and trust, let us continue holding on to Christ's promise. Let us surrender all to His sovereign love and endless mercies, and answer His call each moment of our lives.
A safe and grace-filled holiday to all.
Blessings and peace in Christ,
Rev. Jonathan Paala
Pastor
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1) INDOOR MASS SCHEDULE
SATURDAYS - 8:30am and 5:00pm
SUNDAYS - 8:00am and 10:00am
WEEKDAYS - 8:30am
2) ALL SOULS ENVELOPES are now available. Please drop your filled out envelopes in the All Souls Box in the Community Center or in the parish office mail slot. The Masses on November 1st and 2nd and all Mondays of November will be for the special intention of the souls written on the All Souls Envelopes.
3) Monday, October 12, is COLUMBUS DAY. Offices will be closed and there will be no morning Mass. Have a blessed and safe holiday.
4) Next weekend, we will celebrate WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. Pope Francis reminds us, especially in this year of crisis, that we are personally called to mission – as baptized Catholics – to bring Christ’s love to those most forgotten, our brothers and sisters in need around the world. He asks us to respond through prayer and sacrifice and to be generous in next weekend’s collection for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith.
5) The Archdiocese of San Francisco is sponsoring the SACRAMENT of CONFIRMATION of ADULTS on November 21, 2020 at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco. For those interested, please register at the Parish Office on or before October 31, 2020. Click here for more details.
6) You are required to submit your CONSENT FORM (click here to download and print) each time you attend Mass. This is in compliance with the San Mateo Health Officer's guideline and will serve as a waiver to limit St. Luke's liability and will be used for contact tracing purposes. Forms will be kept confidential and will be discarded after 45 days.