Dear Friends, we are beginning the beautiful season of Advent and the start of a new Church Year with the Cycle B texts and the Gospel of Mark, the apostle. Mark tends to be someone of few words–just the facts, we might say. These four weeks are a wonderful opportunity for us to check in with our loving God who continually waits for us… Advent is a time of waiting–putting off for a bit the joy of Christmas as we prepare our hearts and minds as we would prepare for any special guest to our home.

We find ourselves now living amid a pandemic, hoping for many good changes with a new administration in Washington. These are hard times calling for the best from each of us. We are completing our Thanksgiving weekend and for many of us–most of us, this holiday of family and friends looked different as we are struggling to come to terms with a virus we can’t see and for unity to be restored within our country realizing that we can get through this time if we all work together. Let that be our prayer going forward. If I can be of help to you in any way, please don’t hesitate to be in contact: 507-429-3616 or aaorcc2008@gmail.com.

Peace and love to all–Pastor Kathy

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Entrance Antiphon

To you, my God, I lift my soul, I trust in you; let me never come to shame.  Do not let my enemies laugh at me. No one who waits for you is ever put to shame.

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

Mother and Father God, in heaven, our hearts desire the warmth of your love and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of Jesus’ coming may find us rejoicing in his presence and welcoming the light of his truth. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our brother, you, our Creator, and the Spirit of us all, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Readings:

• Isaiah 63: 16-17, 64: 1-8
• 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9
• Mark 13: 33-37

Homily

      My friends, you know, because I share with you every year, that Advent is probably my favorite time in the Church Year. This time of “expectant waiting” is then followed by my next favorite time, the Christmas Season, which says, in so many ways, how much our God loves us.  And, if we can make the connections—in our own lives, through the ways we reach out in love; we will continue this precious gift of loving, first bestowed on us by our God.  But, I am getting ahead of myself—back to that “expectant waiting” for a bit.

   The whole notion of expectant waiting is such a rich and life-giving concept.  For those of you who have been blessed with physically carrying new life, the idea of pregnant expectation can be very meaningful this time of year.  But whether or not one has actually carried physical life within; we have all grown the “life” of new ideas within, or made plans to renew our world through education and projects that benefit not only us, but the wider world.  And, we know the joy of carrying such tasks to completion. 

   That is where we are in our Church calendar—expectantly awaiting the time when our God will be fully present in our midst—a phenomena that happens little by little our whole lives until it comes to completion at the end of our time here—at the end of our journey of love.

   Kathleen Norris, in one of her less known books, Acedia and Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life, speaks some wisdom on the notion of “waiting.”  “Waiting,” she says, “seems at odds with progress”—[what most of us, or many of us seem to be about in our modern world] and we seldom ask whether it might have a purpose in and of itself.  Etymology helps us here, [she continues], for when we look up the word, wait, we are instructed to see, vigor.  Waiting then, is not passive, but a vigilant and watchful activity designed to keep us aware of what is really going on. Isaiah evokes this radical waiting,” [she says], “as a source of vitality:” ‘Those who wait for [Our God] shall renew their strength/they shall mount up with wings like eagles,’ (Isaiah 40: 31).

   Both Isaiah in chapter 63, today’s 1^st reading, and in the Gospel of Mark, continue this theme of “waiting expectantly” and underscore the notion that this activity is anything but, stagnant.  Mark as a writer, tends to be a “man of few words,” getting right to the point—“stay alert—be constantly on the watch.” 

   If we ask any child this time of year about “waiting” for Christmas to come, we probably will hear, “I can’t wait!”  Children don’t see any purpose in waiting, but we adults know the truth of what Kathleen Norris and Isaiah are saying—that waiting makes us strong and that, this is good for us. And we will tell our children and grandchildren much the same. 

   In truth, I must add that even though we adults know this truth—that waiting makes us strong; we too, at times, find it hard, to wait.  In this time of pandemic; we find ourselves waiting for many things: new leadership that is truly concerned about all the people, a vaccine so that we can all, once again, feel safe from a virus we can’t see, thus ushering in that time when we can all be physically together again—Zoom Masses are the next best thing, but I think we are all longing to be in each other’s physical presence again!  I believe Paul’s words to the Corinthians on this 1^st Sunday of Advent ring true for us, “I continually thank my God for you because of the gift bestowed on you in Christ Jesus.”  Or, in simpler terms—I feel so fortunate that our loving God gave us to each other—as a community.

   And again, Isaiah reminds us, “No ear has ever heard, nor eye has ever seen any God like you.”  Additionally, he reminds us that this God is, “intervening for those who wait,” [that God is whatever you need God to be, including], “our mother or father,” [that we are truly], “the work of [God’s] hands!”

   So, my good friends, if you, like me, set up an Advent Wreath of life-giving green boughs and blue candles, representing “hope” in the green, the strength of our mother-sister, Mary, and the blessed nature of her son, Jesus, ever “waiters,” with us, of God’s goodness, in the blue, with a white candle for the third week, representing the joy over a God “wanting” so much to be with us, and, “almost here,” then you have much symbolism to reflect on these next four weeks!

   Besides the idea of “expectant waiting,” the other over-riding theme of Advent is that of hope.  Kathleen Norris makes the connection well, I think, of “expectant waiting” and hope in the notion of, “making a hop.”  She says of it, “To hope is to make a leap, to jump from where you are to someplace better.  If you can imagine it, and dare to take that leap, you can go there—no matter how hopeless your situation may appear.

    Advent is a special time given each of us to truly consider who we are at our core—what it is that we get up for each day—what it is that drives our lives.  I call this our “spiritual selves,” that deep part of us that is the best we have to offer.

   Last week we concluded the Year of Grace 2020, which included so much—for so many—a year to remember, perhaps to forget.  We celebrated, not a king above us, but a servant, among us.  Jesus, our brother and friend, an ever-present example, shows us the way through the beautiful days of Advent and into the Christmas season—may we be “expectant waiters,” vigilant—staying fully awake, keeping our hold on hope and living with full hearts.  Amen? Amen!

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response: “O God let us see your face.”

1. O God, be with us each day of this holy season of Advent—draw us ever closer to you that we might truly see you in each person that we meet, we pray—Response:  “O God let us see your face.”

2.  For all elected leaders in our country, may the wisdom and grace of the      Spirit overshadow them to be people who will truly work to care for the least among us and strive to bring peace to our world, we pray—   Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• O God, give each of us health of body, mind and spirit, and especially be with those walking with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses today, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• For those in our midst who have less than the basics of life, help each of us O God, to always see them,  and work to alleviate the core causes of their suffering, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• For our world and its people, that peace would reign in our hearts and that we would strive to bring peace to our world, especially assist us as a nation to work for unity,  now, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• For all those who suffer from mental illness, all those who are depressed, lonely and sad, help each of us to bring your love, dear Jesus, we pray—   Response:  “O God let us see your face.”

• For our community, All Are One, give us welcoming hearts to be open to all who come to us, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

8.  Loving Jesus, be with all families who have lost loved ones from COVID and all other causes, this week,—give them your peace, that they may find their way through their grief, we pray—Response:  “O God let us see your face.”

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

Let Us Pray

Loving and merciful God, we praise you today for all your compassionate care toward each of us, especially in your most generous gift of Jesus to us. Give us the strength to always follow his path, sharing the gifts of our earth and world with all, especially the least among us. Be with us this Advent to share your gifts of faith, hope, love and mercy with all who come into our lives. All of this we ask of you who are our God, living and loving us in Jesus, the Creator and Spirit, forever and ever—Amen!

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Let Us Pray—Again, we are not meeting in person, but through our prayers and even though we can’t share the bread of the altar, we know that you, Jesus, are always with us. 

Prayer of Communion

Jesus, may the time we spend with you, teach us to love heaven. May its promise and hope guide our way on earth and especially during this Advent.  We ask this through you with the Creator and Spirit who lives and loves us forever and ever. Amen.

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Dear Friends,

This is coming a bit early, but I will be away this weekend and wanted you all to have this material in preparation for Sunday–Pastor Kathy

We have come to the end of this Year of Grace and with all endings, come beginnings! How wonderful for all of us! But back to this Sunday which is a celebration of our brother and friend, Jesus, the Christ who now lives in glory, but yet is with us always as that same brother and friend for us to look up to and to follow. May our prayer this week for each other be one of gratitude for all that is, along with a prayer that each of us strives to be all that we can be for ourselves and for others.

May each of you know peace in your daily lives, especially during this time of pandemic. And as we move toward our annual, national feast of Thanksgiving which for most of us will look quite different this year due to the need that we all practice safety for the good of us all–I extend from Robert and I the utmost sense of gratitude for each of you–stay safe and well!

We will have the treat of a homily from Pastor Dick Dahl this Sunday–thank you Dick!

Please be in touch if I can help you in any way, or if you just would like to talk–507-429-3616 or aaorcc2008@gmail.com.

Peace and love, Pastor Kathy

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Entrance Antiphon

The lamb that was slain is worthy to receive strength and divinity, wisdom and power and honor; to him be glory and power forever.

Let us pray—

Opening Prayer

All Good Creator, God of love, you have raised Jesus, the Christ from death to life, resplendent in glory as our true Model in all of Creation.  Open our hearts, free the entire world to rejoice in Jesus’ peace, justice, and love.  Bring all humankind together in Jesus, our Brother, whose kin-dom is with you, loving Creator and with your Spirit—all, One God, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen

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Readings:

• Ezekiel 34: 11-12
• 1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28
• Matthew 25: 31-46

Homily

Do you feel you know God, that you experience God? We seek God in many ways and places. Some say God seeks us. 

We are given many images by which to find God in the Scriptures. The first reading today is from the prophet Ezekiel who spoke from exile in Babylon. He spoke of the Lord God in the image of a shepherd and did so more than anyone else.  Ezekiel was using the image to refer to the kings of Israel who acted more for their own profit than for the needs of the people. He presents the Lord God, however, as a different kind of shepherd of his people. He searches for his sheep who are scattered. When he finds them, he examines them. The injured he binds up and the sick he heals. He cares for each one. He will bring them back to good grazing land.

Ezekiel was encouraging the Israelites in exile that the Lord would restore them, free them from captivity and bring them back to their homeland. He is to them what a good shepherd is to his flocks. Centuries later Jesus used this image when he identified himself as the good shepherd, not literally, but with the connotations Ezekiel had given to the image. He also used Ezekiel’s description of how shepherds separated the sheep and goats in their flocks. They did this at night because goats need protective cover more than sheep do. But Jesus will use the image of this separation in a different way.

What does this have to do with today? We’re not looking for a shepherd. But we are privileged by Jesus to see God as one who cares about us, individually and collectively. God does not abandon us in whatever form of misery we may find ourselves.

In the Church’s Liturgical Year today is called the Feast of Christ the King. Strange isn’t it that the church insists on giving Jesus a title he never claimed or sought for himself. Why does the tendency to identify greatness with worldly titles and images often override the images Jesus gave of himself and his followers—meek of heart, often persecuted and misunderstood, etc.?

We know that after the Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity the religion of the empire early in the fifth century, church leaders became more accustomed to power and prestige, rather than identifying with the persecuted outcasts of society as Jesus had done. They downplayed and may have forgotten the basic message of Jesus in his sermon on the mount: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, you when they persecute you and say all manner of falsehoods about you because of me; rejoice then, the kingdom of heaven is yours.” 

The Gospel reading today changes our focus from the past to the future. Matthew describes Jesus in glory surrounded by angels, before the nations of the earth. He is described as saying, “Look, paradise stands open for you.” Then, astounded at being addressed as friends by him whom the angelic hosts are clearly unable to behold, those saved ask, “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you? Master, when did we see you thirty and give you a drink? When did we see you, whom we hold in awe, naked and clothe you? When did we see you, the Immortal One, a stranger and welcome you? When did we see you, lover of all, sick or in prison and come to visit you?

The answer to those questions brings us finally from the future to the present. Word has it that he is truly alive and among us. When and how do we find and see him? 

After all, we believe him to be the most important person who ever walked the earth, God himself in human form! Shouldn’t we expect to find him among the powerful and famous? The people in ties and suits? The bishops in brocaded vestments or priests in Roman collars?  Hardly in homeless shelters or crack houses, in refugee camps and cages along our southern border.

We thus can easily, instinctively, get it all wrong. We must listen to him: He identified the least human person with himself. He insists that we all bear the presence of the Most High, no matter how diminished or devalued we may seem. Perhaps then the first place to look for Jesus today may not be in seats of power like the White House or the Vatican.

Let’s spell out this most revolutionary message as it has been lived out in time: Before contemporary time, entire tribes of indigenous peoples disappeared in North and South America, sacrificed to idols of gold. Jews were banished or forcibly converted long before the abominable “final solution.” Holy “religious” wars were launched in the name of God. Children of every color and tribe have been traded or killed upon birth.

To such a bleak history, the Lord of history has spoken: “As often as you have done this to the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me.”

Like all of holy Scripture, the parable of the end times is a judgment on the world. In human mayhem, we dismember the body of Christ. “You have done it to me.” The starving, the unwanted old, the criminal, the enemy—“the least”—are him.

This judgment of God is a moral command as well. In the eyes of Christ’s followers, the bodies of the wounded and murdered are bodies of Christ. Thus, killing is sacrilege. All wars are unholy. Implementing the death penalty is an ungodly act.

Scripture, in its greatest depth, does not merely present a moral challenge or a judgment on the world. It is, rather, a story of the mystery of salvation. For at the end of history, Jesus Christ, the Word of God made human flesh, will tell us again, “Whatsoever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did to me.” These words that challenge us are the very words that save us. (John Kavanaugh, SJ)

This may lead us to think he is only among victims of poverty, famine and war in foreign lands. On the other hand, as Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS writes, those in need are also actually very near us. Wherever there is human need, there is Christ and we are called to respond.  

In Matthew’s great parable of the last judgment the blessed and lost are separated by one norm: the care of others. If you and I accept, with our mind and heart and actions, the vision revealed by God’s Word, then he will address us as friends. He will say: “Inasmuch as you received, clothed, fed, and gave a drink to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, that is, to the poor, you did it to me. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me.”

Where is he then? How can we find him? Everywhere. 

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response:  “Jesus, our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

1. Bless us Jesus, help us to find, and take time, each day to spend with you, that we might better be able to model our lives after yours, we pray—     Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• Jesus, you lived a kingly life in the truest sense, help us to respond in our world with the compassion and love that you did in yours, we pray—    Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For all who are suffering here today or in our wider community, be with them and their families, who know the uncertainty of unresolved issues, be it in body, mind or spirit, we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For all who are suffering because of war and conflict around our world today—help us as creatures gifted with this planet to beat our swords into plowshares enabling us to be people of peace, instead of conflict, we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For those in our world who suffer because of how our loving God created them, enable us all as your people to appreciate differences as gift, especially as we see these differences in our youth, in women, in those of our LGBTQ community and elsewhere—help us to see all as “equally blessed” we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For our community, All Are One, show us the ways to reach out to other Christian communities, to our non-Christian brothers and sisters,  for which we may work toward that day when we will truly “be one” and gathered around the same table of praise and fellowship, we pray—Response: “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For all those who have died in this week and for their families—from COVID and all other causes—may they all be at peace, we pray,  Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

8.  For our country as it struggles toward justice and truth, and well-being for all, we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

          ***For all the silent intentions on our hearts, pause, we pray—Response:

Let Us Pray

   Good and gentle God, we praise and love you for sending us Jesus to show us the way to life and love. Continue to be our strength in each year of our life, constantly drawing us through the mystery of Jesus’ life on our earth, closer to you and to him. Let us always be convicted of having followed his lead—let us never fear of doing the right thing, no matter the personal cost. Grant us your peace as the sign that we have at least attempted the way toward justice for all. As we finish this Year of Grace, help us to make a truthful review of our lives and recommit ourselves to love, mercy, justice, truth, and all-around goodness. We ask this of you, of Jesus, our model of kingly life in the truest sense, of the Living Spirit—all One God, living with us and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Let Us Pray—again, even though we cannot be at the table together in a physical way, let us remember that our brother, Jesus is always with us.

Prayer for Communion

Loving God, you gave us Jesus, the Christ, our true Model in all of creation as “food” for everlasting life.  Help us to live by the Gospel and bring us to the joy of Jesus’ kin-dom where all goodness and love exists, forever and ever, Amen.

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Dear Friends,

22 of us gathered today for a Zoom Mass and it was so good to be together, at least in this way! Stay well everyone–stay safe–do all the hard things to keep yourself and others safe. If you need me, please don’t hesitate to call, 507-429-3616, or email, aaorcc2008@gmail. com. Below, find today’s homily–peace and love, Pastor Kathy

______________________________________________________________________________ My friends, as we move toward concluding the Church Year on this final Sunday in [Extra] Ordinary Time, and prepare to bookend this Year of Grace, as always, with the feast of Jesus, that the Church Universal names as, “Christ the King,” I once again invite different terminology for the feast coming up next Sunday—a title that more accurately names Jesus and his earthly life among us—“Jesus, Brother and Friend.” But for now, let’s proceed into today’s readings.  

   Our lives are about beginnings and endings and this is reflected in our Scripture readings today.  And to each of us, who have lived any length of days, we know too, by experience, that life is full of beginnings and endings. 

   There are, as we age, the ever-present endings as we lose loved ones completing their life journeys and amid these losses, there are the beginnings, as new life continues to enter our lives—as children grow and change—“in wisdom and grace,” hopefully, finding their way in the world. 

   I was always amazed during my years of chaplaincy at our local hospital and nursing home, witnessing entire families gathering, giving their loving support, as a beloved mom or dad or a grandparent was dying.  Always among these families was evidence of this cycle, in the ending of one life and the beginning of another as a little one crawled on the floor. 

   We are blessed in the Midwest with four wonderful seasons wherein nature shows us in stark contrast, endings and beginnings.  We may not always relish the “stark” changes of spring-summer-fall and winter in the Midwest, but we have to admit that the changes from one season to the next make abundantly clear, the beginning and ending of life. 

   I find the obvious changes in seasonal weather, here, very conducive to the journey my physical, emotional and spiritual life seems to take each year.  The warmer weather through spring and summer gets me outdoors in many physically, busy tasks—gardening and yard work with all the equally emotional and spiritual connections to our God who made so much earthly beauty for us to enjoy.  As the year moves into fall, I find my physical self, slows down, with the outdoor life around me—as the earth prepares, here, to go dormant, I too, shift my focus.  I find that I turn more to my interior self at this time—to more quiet and reflection on what life is, really—all about. 

   So what does all this have to do with the 33^rd Sunday in [Extra] Ordinary Time, you may ask? Let’s look to the readings:  We have three selections today that help us focus well, I think, on the cycle of our lives, and especially, this Sunday, on the “end times” as we do indeed, wind down the Church Year.

    The beautiful reading from Proverbs today was in past times entitled, “The Virtuous or Valiant Woman.”  The Priests for Equality text, that we use here, in their wisdom, have made this a gender-less specific reading in order to impress upon each of us, male and female that the traits espoused here are universal and genderless—we are all called to strive after perfect love—instilling confidence equally in each other, bringing advantage, not hurt, doing our work willingly for the benefit of each other, holding out our hands to the poor—these are the traits that are to be praised at the city gates, because these traits last, unlike physical beauty.  We have to wonder that if these traits were more universally practiced across the genders, would we ever have the kind of abuse that allows one to be first to the detriment of another.

   The obvious example of course, is the present divide in our country over many issues, but primarily, at present, our recent presidential election. Much of the divide, unfortunately, in this matter and others facing our country is stoked from the White House by a selfish individual who can only see his own needs to the detriment of those he promised an oath to serve.

   Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, further encourages us to, “not be asleep as others are,” let us “be awake and sober.”  Our lives as Christians, as followers of our brother and friend—Jesus, do indeed call us to always, as we say here often—“look at the fruit” to know the way we should go.  At the danger of becoming too political, it seems to me that if more people in our troubled world looked, with eyes open, and hearts full, “at the fruits,” or lack thereof, coming out of either position in our country’s divide, it would be most clear, which way we need to go.

   I shared last week that in major decisions in my own life; I look at what brings peace—for the most part, and then I proceed. And that strategy has never failed me.  Suffice it to say, those who wish to be in positions of power wherein they have the opportunity to lead, need to realize that this privilege, and it is a privilege, is never, ever, for the individual, but for those the individual intends to lead, ultimately—“to serve.” I can’t stress enough, this is about service! The “fruit” we are looking for is “service, not “selfishness.”

   For us too, my friends, our life as Christians should always be about service—that is what Paul is really stressing with the Thessalonians and us by extension—[don’t] be asleep as others are, be awake and sober.” 

   Our final reading this week comes from the gospel of Matthew.  We are asked to consider the plight of three employees being given a gift by their employer and what they ultimately do with the gift.  The Scripture says, the employer “entrusted” each with a gift of silver pieces.  It seems to me, that to “entrust” someone with something says much more than to simply “give” someone, something.  The dictionary definition speaks about, “assigning responsibility for doing something.” A current, meaningful example might be the fact that each year our country “entrusts” someone to lead us—to basically care for the needs of our people and our country. 

   The Scriptural example shared by Jesus makes clear I believe, what God expects of those “entrusted” with silver pieces or anything else, considered precious.  It seems that “darkness” is associated too with not using our gifts to better ourselves and others.

   So, my friends, our task seems clear in these troubling times—let’s face what we have to face with open eyes and hearts—this is not a time at all to, “be asleep,” but a time to take seriously what it means to be human among other humans and most importantly, for us, what it truly means to be Christian.  Our faith allows for endings and beginnings—as our Church Year is ending, let us reflect on all that we did right—all that we could do better, and as Advent beckons, and Christmas follows, let us begin anew to be all that we can be for ourselves and others! Amen? Amen!

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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