Hello Families!
The example Jesus poses in today’s Gospel could have been taken directly from family experience. Each of us can recall instances in which family members spoke one thing but then did another. The point of Jesus’ story is to show that our actions speak louder than words, even with God.
As you gather as a family, talk about times when a family member said one thing and then did another. Acknowledge that sometimes the action taken displays a true change of heart. Then read today’s Gospel, Matthew 21:28-32. Observe that Jesus faulted the religious leaders for not allowing John the Baptist’s message of repentance to change their hearts and actions. The word we sometimes use for this change of heart is conversion. Jesus wants us to do more than pay lip service to the Gospel; he wants us to be transformed by his word. Pray together that your family will experience a conversion to God and show evidence of this in both actions and words. Pray together today’s second reading, Philippians 2:1-5.
Meet Our Extended Family – St. Francis of Assisi, Feast Day October 4
Francis was born into a wealthy merchant family, served as a soldier, and was a prisoner of war. He left this life behind when he heard God call him to “rebuild his Church.” Francis was never a priest, though he was later ordained a deacon. Francis preached about returning to God and obedience to the Church. Slowly companions came to Francis, people who wanted to follow his life of sleeping in the open, begging for garbage to eat, and loving God. He eventually founded the men’s Order of Friars Minor, the women’s Order of St. Clare, the Third Order of St. Francis, and the Custody of the Holy Land. His love of nature helped him see all of God’s creation as part of his brotherhood. He later became associated with patronage of animals and the natural environment, and it became customary for Catholic churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day.
Partners in Faith,
Phyllis Chudzinski
Calendar
- Wed., October 4 – Faith Formation Class 5:30-7pm and Mandatory 7th & 8th Grade Confirmation Meeting @ 5:30
- Wed., October 11 – Faith Formation Class 5:30-7pm and Mandatory First Communion Meeting @ 5:30pm