My dear friends in Christ,
Are we willing to forgive? How do we forgive? What does forgiveness mean for us? For God? To this opening line of the Gospel reading for today, Jesus answered Peter, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” Forgiveness for Jesus is a quality; a way of being, a way of living, a way of loving, a way of relating, and a way of thinking and seeing. If we are to follow Christ then it must become our way as well. We need to forgive as much, maybe more, for ourselves as for the one we forgive. Forgiving those who trespass against us is the beginning stage of healing. It may not change the hurt that we feel for the one who hurt us. It may not even change the one who hurt us but it will make us more grace-filled, more alive, more whole, and more God-like for having forgiven another.
As I return from the priest convocation, I would like to thank Fr. Leo and Deacon Joe Donadieu for celebrating with you this past week. There are about thirty tickets remaining for our Spaghetti Dinner. I thank you all so much for purchasing tickets and look forward to spending an enjoyable evening with you on September 23, 2017.
This weekend is Catechetical Sunday and we pray over and with our Catechists for their time and talents offered for this up-coming ye ar. I wish to thank Mrs. Young our CRE and Mrs. Zagola, School Principal, for their efforts in grooming our young people for their Sacraments this year.
May God bless you all!
Father John