The parish office is closed for Labor Day Monday, September 1st.
Pride and sinfulness go hand-in-hand. Our readings this weekend, especially the Gospel, call our attention to this fact of our humanity. Yes, we are made in the image and likeness of God, but we are not God – we remain His creation. If we are to realize our fullest potential in the Imago Deo, then we need to connect with humility, not pride, as we examine our own lives.
We commit sin, every day – and Jesus still loves us.
We fail to love our neighbor – and still, Jesus loves us.
We fall short on patience, mercy and forgiveness – while Jesus remains patient, merciful and forgiving. You get the picture!
Now, what might we doing about it? Jesus spoke of banquet places in the Gospel and advised taking the lowest position; from there, the host may invite a guest to move higher up, to a better seat. But if we race for the lowest seat in order to be singled out, then pride has determined our actions.
I think that the reality of what goes on for most of us is simply our human nature, and our human condition is one weighed down by Original Sin. We do believe – I hope – in the effectiveness of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but still we carry with us feelings of guilt. Father Henri Nouwen described in his writings that we sometimes feel weighed down by unfinished efforts to become better. He wrote of the thoughts we have about who else we didn’t visit when we chose to visit this person, or what good tasks we might have done, except we have chosen to take care of one particular, pressing matter.
It might simply be that we fear not doing the best good thing available to us, so every decision is left open for debate. All of this amounts to a deeper understanding of our hundreds of choices each day. Sometimes we choose to sin, yielding to temptation. Sometimes we choose between multiple good or positive actions, and time forces us to choose only one. In our human nature, it is easy to get caught up in analysis paralysis about which action could lead to the most “success,” leaving us doing nothing. The end of our Gospel reading gives us a filter through which we might choose to measure our actions: “…when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you” (Luke 14:13-14).
Jesus forgave before we were sinless, and He loved us before we could fully love Him back. Let us do the same; let us forgive others without needing them to forgive us and let us love others even if they don’t or can’t love us back. Let us choose our humility before God, before acting with pride before both strangers and friends.
- Father Jim
Hospice Care Information
Faith at Home
These links provides you with the latest one-page resource for families, Faith At Home; it connects to the theme of the upcoming Sunday Liturgy. This resource is updated each week and can be found on the diocesan webpage at www.dioceseoftrenton.org/faith-at-home and en Español at www.dioceseoftrenton.org/fe-en-casa.
May God continue to bless us and keep us close to Him.
Please support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul so that together we can help local families in need. Those needing help should call the SVDP helpline at 856-291-7313. Click this link to visit the SVdP website: www.SVDPmoorestown.org
Local food pantries include:
St. Matthew's Church, 318 Chester Ave.
First Baptist Church, 19 West Main St., Moorestown
Bethel AME, 512 N. Church St., Moorestown
Prince of Peace 61 E Rte 70, Marlton, NJ 08053
SVDP also has Thinking of You cards available. A gift can be given to the poor in the name of someone special at your
request. You will be remembered in the prayers and works of the Moorestown Vincentians. We are so very grateful for your
generous ongoing donations.
Our Promise to Protect
The Diocese of Trenton is committed to the initiatives outlined in the U.S. Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in regard to the reporting and investigation of sexual abuse allegations involving minors. The Diocese has in place a Victim’s Assistance Coordinator, who is available to obtain support for your needs and help you make a formal complaint of abuse.
If you have been sexually abused as a minor by a member of the clergy or anyone representing the Catholic Church, or if you know someone who was, you can report that abuse through the diocesan Abuse Hotline: 1-888-296-2965 or via email at abuseline@dioceseoftrenton.org.
The Diocese encourages anyone with an allegation to also report that abuse to their local law enforcement agency. The Diocese reports all allegations received to the appropriate county prosecutor’s office.
ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS
please click on the corresponding hyperlinks below
