FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Dear Parishioners,
I hope this letter finds you well and having had a healthy and happy summer. I was away for two weeks and had a great vacation with my family. It was a time to relax and renew. As summer ends, I could not help but think of the gospel this weekend and the Pharisees and their “problems” with Jesus and the disciples. Cleanliness is the most important in all cultures. In early Jewish culture, it was very important. It was also highly ritualized as well. It was tradition. Jesus answers the Pharisees with a quote from the Book of Isaiah, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…”. There is much misplaced emphasis on religious observance to the detriment of works of justice and charity.
It was widely believed that if a person ate or used a utensil that was not correctly purified, it would corrupt them. Jesus argues this is not the case. He states that human beings are made “unclean” from within. When emotions such as greed, hate, envy, murder & malice come from within and pollute the mind and heart. How often can we let a past hurt or injury fester in us and it can consume us. In the end, this negative feeling can kill the light in our soul and make us bitter. We can dress in good clothes, eat the best meals, yet be so dark on the inside if we allow hate & rage to make a place in our heart.
As children of God, we are called to make our souls and hearts clean. We are called not to let vices corrupt us. We are beloved sons and daughters of Christ, and our hearts and minds should be on the values of Christ and our Roman Catholic faith. In the end, God alone knows our hearts and what has made a home in our souls. We may be able to fool others, but we can never fool or hide from God. May we always do our best to keep our hearts and minds pure (our hands too!). This can be a challenge in today’s world, but it can be done. When we do fall, let us never despair, but turn to our Lord in the great sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession. It is in this sacrament that we can find mercy, love and forgiveness. Let us do a little soul-searching every now and then, to see what vice has made a home in our heart. Let us see what can be removed and allow God to make His home within us.
Peace,
Fr. Monteleone
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