The Catholic Church in the United States observes October as “Respect Life Month.” During this month, faithful Catholics are reminded to pray, protect, and support the most vulnerable – unborn human beings – from conception to their natural death. We also pray and help pregnant mothers who believe they carry a person with dignity and life.
Carl Jung once told a story of a man who asked a rabbi, "How come in the olden days God would show Himself to people, but today, nobody ever sees God?" The rabbi responded, "Because nowadays nobody can bow low enough." It takes tremendous humility and courage to pay attention to the reality of our Creator in the universe.
Church history tells us many great stories of men and women who refused to compromise the Church's teachings and the Bible's standards. One of which was the prophet Amos illustrated in today's first reading. Israel's poor were mistreated as wealthy leaders stole their money. Those leaders worshiped their material wealth and power instead of God. Therefore, God sent Amos as a voice for the poor.
Growing up in a small town, I remember the neighbors were good at telling stories about others. I recall a middle-aged woman; for some reason, my neighbors did not want to associate with her. They gossiped about her and her son and would ignore her whenever they saw her. After a while, she moved away, and no one saw her again. It must have been challenging to move, but perhaps it was the best solution for her and her son.
All are invited to the closing of the Jubilee doors of the Chapel of the Annunciation by Archbishop Gomez at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel on Saturday, September 10, 2022
When I reflect on my life, I recall being invited to secular or religious public events, and I made excuses not to attend. I came up with various reasons and excuses to shy away from the invitations. I convinced myself that I wasn't good enough or would make mistakes and be judged by others. I reflect on all the missed opportunities because my emotions governed those decisions!
Frequent travelers know that most major airlines have various seating selections: First-Class, Business, or Economy. A section that became popular with many travelers is known as Preferred. The Preferred seats do not provide extra leg room, but they are closer to the front, which is easier to access when boarding and disembarking the aircraft. Passengers who want seats with extra space, early boarding, easy access, comfortable seats, privacy, or first-class services will pay higher fares. When we get a good seat that we didn’t pay to reserve, we know there’s a good chance someone will ask us to move!
I had a classmate who could not function well unless he was under external pressure. For instance, he waited until a couple of nights before his term paper was due to start doing the research! In those years, most students had no personal computers; they had to use their departments' computer labs to type their papers. One time the power at the school went blackout shortly before he could finish his research paper. The procrastinating pupil had only one option – to ask his professor for an extension. The professor responded: "Your delay is not my emergency!"
In life, some decisions require us to make trade-offs, even to renounce personal interests, family, or friends to achieve our ambitions. A man told me about his dispute with the rest of his family for several years. He insisted that when his family learned that he was considering and in the process of converting to Catholicism, they tried to convince him to change his mind. However, they failed to persuade him; they were furious. They saw it as a betrayal of the family, ancestors, and beliefs. They disowned him and decided to cut him off.
Imagine you are alone in the middle of a vast ocean at night. In the distance, you see a flashing light. You could have two different attitudes about the light. You could avoid risk, stay away, and just go wherever the ocean's current takes you – going with the flow of life. Alternatively, you might see the attractive glimmer of hope the light signals and make an effort to get closer to it.
Life is like a constantly flowing river that cannot be stopped. The true meaning of life requires people to make continuous bids for affection. Life also demands we strive to adapt and change for survival, to succeed in our careers and family responsibilities. For instance, to win competitive sports, athletes spend hours upon hours practicing and building their bodies to meet the rigorous challenges. Job candidates practice by reciting what they will say during an interview. Parenting skills demand we dismiss selfish desires to focus on accomplishing family goals.
There are several benefits of growing a tree or plant in a pot. A gardener can move the plant or tree for better light exposure or indoors during the cold weather of winter. If a plant's owner must relocate, they can take their favorite house plants. Pots also hold soil, water, and fertilizer for the root system to absorb and transport nutrients and minerals into the plant. Without soil and water contained in the pot, a plant or tree cannot grow. The pot holds a crucial role in the functional development of some plants and trees. The pot acts as a protective caregiver. We might imagine the pot wondering if that relationship is fair. Could the pot think, "I'd like to be like the plant for a change and have something that cares for me?" Of course, we know this would go against the nature of being a pot, plant, or tree.
We are experiencing hotter days of summer this year. Studies have shown that high temperatures affect our minds and bodies with anxiety, excessive alcohol consumption, dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. In addition, hot days can contribute to physical conditions, like skin rashes, and pose higher risks to vulnerable individuals. In short, heat can change the human condition and the planet Earth.
Imagine arriving at a dead-end street and seeing an angry person. Close by, there are two places: a gas-fired plant and a water treatment plant. If you want to defuse the person's anger, which location would you take the person to? Similarly, when things happen unexpectedly, we can become angry or confused. What choices can we make to resolve our own moments of anger or other negative emotions?
On July 1st each year, across the Archdioceses' parishes, the pastors and associate pastors who have completed their assignments are reassigned or started to new parishes. These transitions can be challenging for priests who have been at their parishes for six or more years. Imagine leaving the community you have ministered to and cared for like family to become an outsider in a new community of strangers, facing surprises and uncertainties. We pray for God's Spirit to guide those priests transitioning to new parishes during this time.
When firefighters are on duty, their uniforms display their identity—their purpose, responsibilities, and commitment. To fashion that dedication, firefighters leave their personal lives behind, plans, hobbies, and even family responsibilities, to focus on their duties when scheduled. Upon receiving a call involving fire, disaster, and medical emergencies, they are the first responders to arrive on the scene.
Have you ever thought about how our body gets the energy to sustain life and adapt to environmental changes? The human body needs to consume food and water every day. The physical food we eat and the liquid we drink are crucial for our body, and they are processed in the digestive system that broken down into nutrients that produces energy, growth, and cell repair. If we do not consume the right food and water, the processing system will suffer, and our health will decline.
As we look back at how the pandemic progressed over the years, particularly during the lockdown, we can recall how grim periods all people have endured. Thus, we witnessed unexpected illness, separation, and the loss of lives. It was even worse when we saw people who could not have the slightest chance to say goodbye to their loved ones at the graveside or mourning with family members. To cope with such, some folks skipped the mourning process, while some others refused to acknowledge the horrifying outcomes so they could keep moving forward at a normal pace.
There is a story of a woman whose house burned down in a terrible fire, and she had three sons. She asked her sons to design and build a new home for her. The first son said, “I am an electrician; therefore, I don’t know anything about drawing, bricklaying, or plumbing. I can’t build the house.” The second son exclaimed, “I am a bricklayer. I don’t know anything about the electricity, plumbing, drafting, or roofing; I can’t build the house.” The third son said, “I am a plumber; I don’t know anything about the electricity, bricklayer, or carpentry; I can’t build the house!”
May is the month of graduation for many colleges and universities across America. Arriving on the day of the graduation ceremony, the graduates hold a fixed feeling—time to celebrate the achievement and time to say goodbye to friends, classmates, buddies, and allowances! The bonds and relationships they have formed for four years or longer are now about to end. While some friendships continue to unfold, others must accept that they will venture out into the open world, encountering new places and people. Saying goodbye to someone can be one of the hardest things to do. We congratulate the college graduates and best of luck with their future endeavors!