November 1-8, 2026

 

Hello to all.

Well, Daylight time is over.  The dark of night comes earlier than ever. And as I prepare this, our national elections are tomorrow.  I trust you have been praying for our country and world as these are challenging times.  Be sure to vote if you have not already done so.

Our upcoming scripture readings are Wisdom 6; 12-16; Psalm 63; 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18; and Matthew 25; 1-13.  God-given WISDOM is the theme of our texts.  In the first reading, we are to seek Wisdom, who is personified and makes herself readily available to those truly seeking.  The account from first Thessalonians calls us to be wise about physical death that will come for all of us.  According to our faith, death is a transition into the Eternal Life that Jesus won for us by His Passion, Death and Resurrection.  The gospel has Jesus telling a parable in the setting of a middle Eastern wedding.  Since weddings are always a lengthy process, 5 maidens were prepared with extra oil for their lamps and 5 were not.  We are exhorted to be wise by constantly being ready for Jesus' return for us, since we do not know the Day or Hour of His Coming for us.    (The Eastern Churches (Orthodox and Catholic) at their Eucharist expect the deacon or priest who is proclaiming the Gospel to cry out to the assembled church community just before he reads : WISDOM, BE ATTENTIVE!)

CHAPEL SCHEDULE
Noon Tuesday Eucharist (November 3), Fr. John presiding
    +++++++Franciscan Fraternity First Tuesday Fellowship on GoToMeeting at 7:30 pm++++
Noon Thursday Eucharist (November 5), Fr. Jim presiding
5 pm Saturday Eucharist (November 7), Fr. John presiding
    +++++++Fr. Jim joins St John's parish in St. Joseph, Mo for their weekend Eucharist on Sunday.++++++

 

SAYINGS OF THE SAINTS
"My Jesus, by your loving-kindness, destroy all my iniquities; by your charity cover over and hide all my sins; and by your cherishing-love make amends for my negligence; by our love reestablish me in that freedom of spirit by which you, the heir of innocence, have set me free, dying for me by giving the price of your own blood.  Make me conform to your will so that I may transform my life in you.  Make me completely whatever you want me to be so that after this life, having left behind the cloud of my body, I may in jubilation see your mellifluous face. "   St Gertrud of Helfta in her Spiritual Exercises

And as I close this little news-note and send you out to live and proclaim the Gospel by your life, I cry out:  'WISDOM, BE ATTENTIVE!!!  And have a blessed week. 

Love,

Fr. John, OFP