“Quo Vadis?” Where Are You Going? was a famous movie of my young days. Where was Peter going? To Rome to continue his mission. Today I’m on my way to Rome too, to support our mission for the common good through and with the Laudato Si Action Platform 5th anniversary gathering. Pray for the Church and the world.

November 3. SEE. Fear of loss.   Mrs Page, the parish’s volunteer psychologist shared with Fr Michael, “Isn’t it strange how often people avoid what needs to be addressed, whether it is a terminal illness and approaching death, a marriage running into difficulties and fears about divorce or issues with children, other family members or work related matters.  Is there a great fear of loss, so much so that we manage to hide it and pretend it doesn’t exist?” “Or even refuse any help that is offered,” he responded. “That always saddens me but thank God that isn’t always the case.” 

JUDGE. Reflect, share, Scripture:  A man gave a great banquet and invited many. When the time came he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited. “Come, for all is now ready.”  But they all began to make excuses.  From Luke: 14: 5-24. Pope Francis: the life of every family is marked by all kinds of crises, yet these are also part of its dramatic beauty. Couples should be helped to realise that surmounting a crisis need not weaken their relationship, instead it can improve, settle and mature the wine of their union. AL 232. Pope Leo:  While some regions spend heavily on superfluous interventions or dreams of individual enhancement accessible only to a select few, other parts of the world lack the essential equipment needed to save millions of human lives. To think that new technologies will automatically benefit everyone is to ignore the evidence. MH161

ACT AND PRAY. COMMUNAL PRAYER FOR THE DEAD. 

God, Our Father, we remember in prayer those who have had a special place  in our hearts and in our lives and are now no longer here with us.  We thank you Lord, for the gift of life we have shared together.  We ask forgiveness for the hurts we caused and forgive our loved ones too. Comfort us through the memories they leave us. May those memories give us courage for our journey into the future. Grant them a place of peace and joy in your kingdom where there is no more suffering and grief.  And when each of us is called to depart from this life May we be reunited with them in eternal happiness.    Amen

November 4. SEE.   “What on earth could Jesus mean by saying we have to hate everything and everyone and take up one’s own cross to follow him?”  Jasmine had often pondered over this statement. “Can he really mean hate, or is he using exaggerating language to make his point more strongly?” When her husband left her for another woman she was devastated. There were times when she felt as if she hated him and even the whole world and she prayed a lot about that. Gradually as she came to see Jesus’ statement differently she realised that for her not having that earthly attachment could be a way forward.  

JUDGE. Reflect, share, Scripture: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”  Luke14:25-33. Pope Francis. The joy of the gospel is such that it cannot be taken away from us by anyone or anything. The evils of our world, and those of the church must not be excuses for diminishing our commitment and our fervour.   EG 84.  Pope Leo:  The dignity inscribed in each of us by the Holy Spirit can also be seen in our capacity to reflect critically, choose and love freely, and form authentic relationships. No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil. Even when machines excel in efficiency, a human face that asks to be gazed upon remains the center of our history. This human face is the fullness toward which history is moving.MH233

PRAY FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME OF THE LOCAL ELECTIONS HELD IN SOUTH AFRICA ON 4 NOVEMBER. MAY THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL THE FAMILIES BE OUR GUIDING FACTOR IN MAKING OUR CHOICES.