November 6 – Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
“That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called out ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Lk 20:37-38)
Dear Friends,
While the month of November is not a liturgical season per se, it is a transitional month as we move from the abundant harvest of all the fruits of creation to preparation for winter. Daylight Savings Time ends today and we see the ever increasing minutes of darkness. November is the month when we conclude liturgical year 2016 with the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 20 and prepare to enter a new liturgical year 2017 with the First Sunday of Advent on November 27. During the month of November we especially remember all the faithful departed. Our scriptures help us focus on the “last things”: death, judgement, the resurrection of the dead and the return of Christ in glory.
Our focus this month is on the heavenly Jerusalem where all the saints and angels gather around the throne of the Lamb to sing God’s praises. We celebrate our unity as the communion of saints, in solidarity with all those who have reached the goal of heaven and those in the process of purification. We can pray for each other and those on the other side of the fence can intercede for us. During this month our churches have a Book of the Dead with the names of those who died in 2016 and before.
Finally, this is the last weekend before elections on November 8th. Please ask for the grace of the Holy Spirit to choose the right candidates for public office.
I conclude with the consoling words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians.
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
P.S. Please pray for the Confirmation candidates who will be on retreat this weekend.
Fr. Mike Michalski
