Dear Friends,

There is much urgency in the readings for this Sunday as we move relentlessly toward the end of our Church Year. This urgency seems to reflect the mood in our country at present as we await the results of the presidential election. We are called to practice patience as we wait, in order that, as has been said, “We get it right.”

So, my friends, I invite you through this weekend to reflect on the Scriptures given us and consider how we need as a country to move forward. Let us keep our eyes on our brother, Jesus, to know the way to proceed.

I send you my prayers and my love–may you have peace–Pastor Kathy

P. S. And as always, please don’t hesitate to call if I can be of assistance to you–in any way–507-429-3616 or by email–aaorcc2008@gmail.com.

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Entrance Antiphon

Let my prayer come before you, O God; listen, and answer me.

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

Loving Creator God, strong is your justice and great is your mercy.  Protect us in the burdens and challenges of life.  Shield our minds from the distortion of pride and enfold our desire with the beauty of truth.  Help us to become more aware of your loving design so that we may more willingly give our lives in service to all.  We ask this of you, in Jesus’ wonderful name, along with the Spirit, One God, living and loving us forever and ever—Amen.

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Readings:

• Wisdom 6:12-16
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
• Matthew 25:1-13

Homily

   My friends, I don’t know about you, but this entire week has left me so very tired—in body, mind and spirit.  I think many of us had the hope that with this election, the good people of this country would have made a clear choice against the abhorrent lack of truth-telling these past four years that gave us a virus-out-of-control, evidenced by over 230,000 dead Americans with no resolution in sight, economic chaos and the uncovering, primarily, to white folk, finally, finally of systemic racism in this country through the Black Lives Matter movement.  But yet, that has not been the case. 

   As we move toward the end of our Church Year this month, we have some fine instruction this week in the first reading from the book of Wisdom.  The Wisdom writer tells us that [wisdom] is, “Understanding fully grown.” We are further told that we should, “Watch for her at dawn and [we] will not be disappointed.” Those who seek her will recognize her; we are told. Wisdom will, “graciously” appear in [our] path and meet [us] in every thought if indeed we do seek her.  Joan Chittister says of it, “We must live with attention.”

   It seems to me, in these times that, “wisdom—understanding fully grown” is so needed as we try to heal as a country in the aftermath of this election and what it has told us—basically that we are a very divided nation. 

   Sean Michael Winters, a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter shared a piece this past week; he said that if Joe Biden wins the presidency; he should follow-up his campaign promise to unite the nation by going to 5 or 6 states that voted to give the president four more years, and hold town halls to basically, listen to them. “Understanding fully grown”—wisdom, that is, comes from listening—learning the views of others, so as to understand where others, “are coming from.” The Wisdom writer basically says that “wisdom” wants to be found as much as we want to find her. 

   I have to believe that at the heart of all Americans there is a desire for peace, for what is best in all of us, to be front and center. Unfortunately, we are all capable of bad as well as good and it is particularly worrisome and abhorrent to me, when the worst that we as humans are capable of is stoked from on high instead of what is best for all. 

   It may seem to be a bit of an aside, but actually, it is not, to realize that the virtue of wisdom in the Old Testament text is spoken of in the feminine.  Wisdom is spoken of as “graciousness,” a term often connected with the feminine gender.  The words describing “her”—“love” and “desire,” seem to indicate that we will find, “wisdom” through the “heart.” 

   This may perhaps be why many in the hierarchy and priesthood in general of the Catholic church, don’t speak the message of Jesus in any consistent way as they tend to rely too heavily on, “the mind,”  through rules and regulations.  Jesus’ words to the Pharisees are reflective of this, “mind-first” tendency; “The Sabbath is for [people], not [people] for the Sabbath.”  This is just one more reason to involve women in leadership within the Catholic church.

   In these troublesome times, it gives me great hope to reflect on Paul’s words to the Thessalonians today where he is in fact comforting them in the knowledge that our brother, Jesus, is always with us—in Romans 8: 38-39, Paul says the same, “That nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus.” 

   I believe that we too my friends, in all that we do going forward, must keep our eyes on Jesus as we do the hard work that is before us to unite our country and that begins at home with family, with neighbors and with friends.  As suggested above–we must listen, listen and listen some more—even when we may not agree with others.  The listening may uncover some areas where we as individuals have not understood the plight of others. We must follow our brother, Jesus’ lead, showing compassionate love and concern. 

   I spent much of the space within this homily uplifting the virtue of wisdom–“seeking after it,” because never before, have we needed—so much, to be clear thinkers and compassionate hearers.  In addition to the initial gift of wisdom—“understanding fully grown,” that is, which comes through the Spirit of God; the additional gifts of peace, a sense of security, of meaning and fulfillment, also come.

   Thus, when we wonder if, in fact, we are on the right path—we should check to see, if we are—basically, at peace.  That has always been “my check,” with myself—am I basically at peace? In all my major decisions in life—to join the convent, to leave the convent, to marry and to seek ordination as a priest; I have sought my answer in the Spirit and when there was a sense of peace, I knew, as much as anyone can know, that this was God’s desire for me. 

   The psalm response for this Sunday comes from #63 and we can sing with Marty Haugen—“O God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, your love is finer than life.”  We all need to reach out in love these days to all that we meet and interact with, just as Jesus did in his world.  Love heals and covers over so many sins—it’s truly what our world needs now as the popular song goes—and not just to those that are already in our hearts…

   We conclude today’s readings with the parable from Matthew’s gospel that says so well, “Stay awake”—in other words, “Be vigilant, [because] you do not know the day, nor the hour.”  All the Scriptures in these last Sundays in [Extra] Ordinary Time have an urgency about them.  The Wisdom writer encourages us to, “Seek wisdom early in the morning.”  I would suggest we do that throughout our day, asking for the assistance to be our best for ourselves and others—we must be, “pro-active,” the Wisdom writer tells us—always “seeking” the help that we need. 

   The parable that Jesus shares in Matthew for today might sometimes strike us as a bit cruel—that there seems to be, “a time element” for those allowed into the feast.  Again, we must not read literally here, but focus in on Jesus’ true message, which is the fact that, “being prepared” is something that only we can do for ourselves.  If we aren’t of a heart and mind to do what is right and just and merciful in our world, for ourselves and others, then we will miss many opportunities to do so. 

   Our lives, my friends, as Jesus’ followers are about being ready, every day, to be our best—to be good and true and just—this kind of living takes a good deal of practice and it is for this reason that we don’t give our children everything that they want, as we want them to grow strong, realizing that they can’t have whatever they want and must be about sharing the good of this world. 

   These past four years have unfortunately been about too much selfish rhetoric, devoid of care and concern for others, almost as if, in childish fashion; we have a right to whatever we want, no matter who is hurt by our unbridled desires. 

   Jesus calls us to so much more—to truth, to goodness, to concern for all the needs in our world.  Let us hear the urgency of this call, today—through the Scriptures and pray that perhaps, in this new time of November 2020, we might start again—Amen? Amen!

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

1. Bless your people, O God, help us all to find a place in our busy lives for you,  we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

• Dear Jesus, help us to respond in our world with the compassion and love that you did in yours, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

• For all who are suffering here today or in our wider community, be it in body, mind or spirit, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

• For our country of people so divided—send us your Spirit, dear God, to find our way to more unity and a desire to truly listen to each other so that we can move forward, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

5. For each of us here and for our wider Church, that we would realize today and always what a loving and compassionate God we have, slow to anger and rich in kindness, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

6. For our community, All Are One, continue to send your Spirit upon us to enable us to be an inclusive community, open and welcoming to all, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

7. For all those who have died this week from COVID 19 and all other causes and for their families who grieve their loss—may they all be at peace, we pray, Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

***Let us pray for your particular needs—you may say them aloud, then response

***Let us pray for the silent petitions on our hearts—pause, then response

Let Us Pray

Loving God, we thank you for your great love for us in sending Jesus, our Brother and Friend. Help us to model our lives after his, selflessly giving to those in need, being people of truth, faith and trust in your word. Let our lives humbly reflect mercy, goodness and joy to all that we meet. Help us as a faith community to realize our responsibility to always be welcoming of all who come to our table—realizing that you, O God, first welcomed us. Help us to make the wise choices that will allow us to truly care and make our world better, even when the choices may be hard ones. Bless us, keep us, and hold us in your love—we ask all this of you, Creator, Savior, Spirit—one God, living and loving us, forever and ever, Amen.

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Let Us Pray—Again, we can’t be at the table together, but help us to remember that our brother, Jesus is always with us. 

Prayer after Communion

Jesus, our Brother, we thank you for this community of love that we are privileged to be part of. Pour out your Spirit upon us and keep us single-minded in your service—we ask this is your wonderful name—Amen.

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Dear Friends, this Sunday’s readings and prayers ask us to consider what it is, “to be a saint” and if that is, in any way, our calling. If we consider that it is very clearly about being, “our best selves,” not only for ourselves but for those others in our lives, then we probably have a chance at it. If we consider, “saints” as folks that are way better than us, then we are pretty much left off the hook. Let’s consider that maybe, just maybe, this “saint stuff” might be for us as well.

If there is anything that I can do to be of help to you in this time of pandemic, please do not hesitate to call,507-429-3616 or email at aaorcc2008@gmail.com. Peace and love to all, Pastor Kathy

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Entrance Antiphon

Let us all rejoice with Jesus our Brother and keep a festival in honor of all the saints. Let us join with the angels in joyful praise to the First Born of God.

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

God, Loving Creator, source of all holiness, the work of your hands is manifest in your saints, and the beauty of your truth is reflected in their faith. May we who aspire to have part in their joy be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that having shared their faith on earth we may also know their peace in your kindom. We ask this of you, in Jesus’ wonderful name and with the Spirit, All, One God, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Readings:

• Revelation 7: 2-4, 9-14
• 1 John 3: 1-3
• Matthew 5: 1-12

Homily

   My friends, November 1^st which each year marks, All Saints’ Day doesn’t always fall on a Sunday—the last time it did, was in 2015, so while each year we remember this feast, which is about all of us—really, in the broadest sense; this year we have the opportunity to look at this feast squarely, in that today, as you know, is November 1^st! 

   Above, I said that this feast is, “about all of us—in the broadest sense.”  If we were to ask someone in the hierarchy of the Catholic church; we might hear something like the definition that I found in the dictionary:  A saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, or likeness or closeness to God. I found another definition named as “slang” which read:  A saint is a person who is holy, or just very good.

   Declaring someone to be a “saint” today in the official Church is much more of a process than it was for the first 1,000 years of our existence after, Jesus.  In 993, St Ulrich of Augsburg, in Germany was formally canonized a saint by Pope John XV and by the 12^th Century, this process was centralized in Rome with the pope. 

   It would be my guess that prior to this time, recognizing someone with “exceptional holiness—goodness and closeness to God,” came from people within the community where the person lived. Often these folks could see and name someone, “exceptional” long before the Church, in its hierarchy got around to it. 

   One present day example that I remember was Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador who was assassinated in 1980 for his social justice work speaking out against poverty, torture, and assassinations carried out by those in power within the country.  The people named him, a saint, immediately, but the hierarchy of the Church didn’t make it official until 2018.  One could say that politics got in the way and wouldn’t be far from the truth. 

   Keeping in mind that this feast is about, “all of us, in the broadest sense,” the slang definition of “saint,” “a person who is holy, or just, very good” is the one that I would like us to focus on more, as I think it makes this feast day, more real for us—something that we too, might attain. 

   Now that having been said, I don’t wish to belittle the saints that the Church, in its hierarchy have given official canonization to, but only to lift up a more attainable example for us.  In this light, throughout my adult years; I have kept a file that I call,  “Present Day Saints”—those I have recognized as persons to look up to and model my life after.  It must be mentioned that none of these folks were “perfect” by way of life actions, but each kept and keep trying to be their best—my working definition of a saint.  These folks many times stood alone, doing what their consciences told them was right. I say, “Keep trying” because some of these people are yet alive.  Saints are not named officially while yet alive, as we know, even though many of us look at them and their deeds as worthy of the title long before their deaths. 

   In my “Present Day Saints” file are the likes of Gandhi, Sister Joan Chittister, Father Paul Nelson—former principal of my Catholic high school, Father Dan Corcoran, priest in the Winona diocese, a former pastor and friend, to me and my family, Father Dan Berrigan—peace activist and Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, who introduced himself, often, to his people in Chicago, as “their brother.”  Cardinal Bernardin was also known for speaking of life as, “a seamless garment”–birth to death, that is, and everything in between.

   Bishop Raymond Lucker, another saint in my estimation, pastored the New Ulm, MN diocese, beginning in 1976, for 23 years before his death in 1999.  At his death, Father Richard McBrien, who taught at Notre Dame University, said that, “Raymond Lucker was one of the finest bishops this nation ever produced.” I had the privilege of working with Bishop Lucker to complete my graduate pastoral research paper in his diocese on inclusive issues within the Catholic church, specifically, language and women in ministry, and I have never known a more pastoral man of the Church. 

   And of course, my file included Mother Teresa who was officially canonized in 2016 by Pope Francis.  As an endnote to my present day saint file; I find it interesting that both Oscar Romero and Mother Teresa—both exemplary human beings had to have their causes for canonization wait until—shall we say, a more merciful, less political pope—Francis, advanced their causes.  But again, that is another homily.

   Also, I find it interesting, that the priests that I have considered, “saintly” men in our Church, the likes of Paul Nelson and Raymond Lucker never advanced beyond their ending positions once it was discovered that they would speak their hearts and minds for the good of the People of God.  Something to consider…

   So my friends, perhaps you are wondering why the direction of my comments today—with a lack of focus on the really acclaimed saints of the Church, those canonized and put up on pedestals with deference to the seemingly more common folks walking among us.  Very simply put; I want each of you and me to realize that our vocation in this life is to be, at the least, the “slang” definition of saint,” “just a very good person.”  If we can do that, whether or not we get it perfectly right; we will have fulfilled our baptismal and confirmational promises to follow, as best we can, in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth.

   Certainly, those acclaimed, placed on pedestals and admired officially by our Church can be looked up to; but I, for one, at age 70, know that I can’t aspire to their greatness, which seems far above my abilities, but I do marvel that they could!  For me, as your pastor; I am here to say that I can aspire to be more like many good people who walk among you and I—some I have mentioned here and others that you may know.  We can challenge each other to do that—at the very least! 

   Our Scriptures today have much that I would name as, “rich” as we strive to be, “our best selves”—shall we say, “saints?”  The writer of Revelation, John the apostle, says of the heavenly gathering that we are all invited to—“I saw an immense crowd, without number, from every nation, people and language.”  To that I can only say, “Amen!” 

   It reminds me of Gandhi, who was said to move toward Hinduism more than any other faith system as he came out of a somewhat eclectic religious background.  It was said of him that at one point in his lifetime, he was drawn to Christianity and visited the Catholic church in his Indian village. As he came in he saw a sign that said, “All Untouchables please sit in the back pews.”   He immediately left saying that he would become a Christian on the day we began to live like Christians! An interesting thought on this day that we consider what it is to be, “saintly.” 

   In the reading from John, the Apostle’s first letter, he reminds us of God’s lavish love in calling us—“all God’s children.”  Additionally, John reminds us that when we all meet in heaven, we will see God as God truly is—a cause for hope—certainly. 

   And so friends, for the interim, Matthew shares our brother, Jesus’ words making it very clear what our God wants of us—nothing more or less—that we would work for justice, that we would be sure about what is truly important in life and work toward that—we would call that, “being, poor in spirit.”  Additionally, we must be about showing mercy, being compassionate and truthful, working for peace, even when persecuted—the Beatitudes.  It would seem that the kin-dom is about all this and if we can, at least, keep trying—while not always, being perfect, that kindom will one day, be ours.  Amen? Amen!

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response: “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

1. Loving Jesus, help us to realize our call to be saints, your chosen ones, living more fully the beatitudes in our lives, we pray—Response: “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

• Loving Jesus, help us to follow the model of your saints of old and in present times, without the official title, we pray—Response:  “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

• Loving Jesus, help us to see that peace in our world begins with each one of us, we pray—Response: “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

• Loving Jesus, you were one who welcomed all to the table—to life and to love—be with our community, All Are One, to always welcome everyone at our table and into our lives, we pray—Response:  “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

• Loving Jesus, be with those today—this week, who need work–help that miracle to happen through their willingness—their need, we pray—     Response: “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

• Loving Jesus, give each of us, what we most need today, we pray—    Response: “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

7.  Loving God, be with our national political process, allowing the candidates who are best for all the people, to be elected, we pray—     Response:   “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

 8. Loving Jesus, be with all families who have lost loved ones this week, due to Covid 19 and all other causes—give them your peace, that they may find their way through their grief, we pray—Response:  “Loving God, hear our prayer.”

***Let us pray for your particular needs—you may say them out loud—then response

***Let us pray for the silent petitions on our hearts—then response

Let Us Pray

Loving God, on this feast day of all saints, be with us, giving us strength to emulate the examples of these people called to love you and your people in special ways. Help us not to be daunted by their examples, but challenged to be our best selves as we strive to be “beatitude” people. Help us to realize that we are never alone, but that we have our brother Jesus as our guide and friend.  All this we ask in his wonderful name, with you our Creator and in the guidance of the Spirit, one God who lives with us and loves us forever and ever—Amen.

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Let Us Pray—Once again, we realize that we aren’t able to physically gather at your table, but we recall that you Jesus  are always with us.

Prayer after Communion

Creator, holy One, we praise your glory reflected in the saints. May we who share this community of friends be filled with your love and prepared for the joy of your kin-dom where Jesus is, forever and ever, Amen.

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