My dear brothers and sisters,
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!
As we gather to celebrate the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, I invite you to reflect on our calling to give God the glory, honor, and service that belongs to Him alone.
In the first reading, God calls Cyrus, a pagan king, to become an instrument of His plan for the salvation of His people. This reminds us that God can work through unexpected people and circumstances to accomplish His purposes. Even when we do not understand what is happening around us, we are invited to trust in His providence and recognize that He remains at work in our world.
Our responsorial psalm proclaims, “Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” Everything we have is a gift from God, and our lives are meant to reflect His goodness. We glorify Him not only through our prayers and worship but also through our daily acts of kindness, generosity, and love.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells us, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” While we have responsibilities as citizens, our deepest identity belongs to God, for we are created in His image. Let us therefore offer Him our hearts, our talents, our time, and our lives, becoming faithful disciples who serve others and promote peace and justice.
I also wish to thank you, my dear sisters and brothers, for your prayers for us clergy during our annual study days this past week. We reflected on our schools, explored synodality and how to strengthen communion, mission, and participation in our parishes through listening and welcoming, and discussed parish finances and liturgical guidelines. We also considered Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” and the challenges of advancing technology, particularly artificial intelligence. These developments can serve humanity when approached with caution, moral responsibility, and ethical understanding, always promoting unity, peace, and love.
May St. Paul’s words inspire us to live out our “work of faith and labour of love and steadfast of hope.” Together, let us continue journeying as the People of God, using every gift and opportunity to serve one another and give glory to the Lord. May we continue listening to one another, discerning God’s will, and using our gifts to serve our community. Let us give God what belongs to Him by becoming faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, bringing His light and love to the world. May God bless you and your families abundantly. Amen.
God loves you!
~ Fr. Neil