The Catholic Liturgy
for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sept. 30, 2018. Readings: Num.
11:25-29, James 5:1-6, Mark 9:38-48. Theme: Faithful Stewards of God’s Gifts.
Today’s Scriptures all follow a common theme: we are each called
to use what God has given us to glorify Him by putting His gifts to us – whatever
they are – at the service of others, especially the poor, the sick and the
vulnerable. We Catholics has taken this responsibility so
seriously that we are, and always have been, the largest charitable community on
the planet. We can’t help it…that’s just who we are!
It flows out of us, as the fruit of our faith-relationship
with Christ who very clearly said, “whatsoever you do to the least of my
brothers and sisters, you do to Me.” One awesome way to
respond to these words of Jesus is through the Society of St. Vincent
de Paul. St.
Sebastian’s is very blessed to have had a parish Conference of Vincentians
continually serving Christ’s poor for over 40 years of those years, doing something beautiful
for God and for the poor.
Like many residents of Marin, you might be
surprised to learn that there
are so many truly poor and vulnerable people living within our neighborhoods. They face tough decisions every day to just
get by. Some real-life situations that Marin Vincentians encounter include:
- Elderly who have to decide
whether to buy food or medicine with the remnants of their social security
check because they can’t afford both…
- Families whose members take
turns sleeping on the one mattress they possess…
- The under-employed who are
literally just dollars away from being homeless every single month…
- Children who struggle at
school, not because they have learning problems, but because they live out
of a car and are unable to have even just a stable place to study and do
their homework.
- Recovering addicts out of
rehab with no family or financial help and who need seed money to get
started on a new life.
If these stories speak to your heart then please know that
three ways in which you can personally become part of this “something beautiful
for God and for the poor”:
First, Spiritual Support. We seek to bring Christ and His
love to those we serve while seeing to the vital things they need to live a
decent life. We truly cannot function or bear fruit without a solid foundation
of prayer and spiritual support coming from our parish community. This is
something everyone can do.
Second, Material Support. It should come as no surprise to
anyone that relieving the suffering of the poor requires financial resources
from those who have the means to give. We make this formal appeal to the parish only once
a year and St. Sebastian parishioners have always been extremely generous. You
enable us to provide for the poor. Thank you.
Lastly, Active Membership.
If anyone has a desire for something more, to jump start your faith and
put the Gospel into concrete practice, to make the gift of YOURSELF to Jesus in
the poor, then seriously consider joining us in the Society. I wholeheartedly
invite you to become a living channel of Christ’s Presence and make a
difference in someone’s life. As you ponder and pray over this option of
becoming a Vincentian, I ask you to consider these words written by a saint
about those who minster to the needy:
Christ has no earthly body now - He needs you to
continue his mission of mercy…
Yours are the eyes through which he looks with
compassion on the needy…
Yours are the feet with which he walks to
bring good news to the poor…
Yours are the hands through which he touches
and relieves those who are suffering.
Yours is the smile through which he brings joy
and light to those who feel hopeless…
You do not need to worry that you will not be
up to the task at hand
For the One who calls you to this mission is
the same One who said,
“I am with you always, until the end of the
world.”
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