Self-Improvement

Dear Parishioners,

I hope that your Labor Day weekend was fun and that summer has wrapped up well! This past week, we celebrated the birthday of the Blessed Mother, our spiritual mother. The special evening Mass we held on Tuesday, September 8, was our birthday gift to her. Thank you to everyone who made that possible and participated!

Thinking on our Bible readings this Sunday, a good rule for life comes to mind: “don’t compare yourself to what someone else is like today, but instead, compare yourself to what you were like yesterday.” Our lives are our own adventures to live, and our story should be our own, not another’s. Let’s focus on always improving ourselves, and embracing the adventure ahead of us. If we harbor grudges, let anger consume us, or withhold forgiveness, ultimately, we are only hurting ourselves—and we hold ourselves back from the freedom of living our own lives. Of course, everyone is imperfect and flawed. That’s not necessarily a bad thing… as long as we continue to grow and improve. The readings remind us to think about the end of our lives as well. Many studies show that people who are willing to contemplate their mortality live much happier and fulfilling lives than those who don’t want to face the reality or who don’t make time to consider it.

As an aside, the anecdote of the wicked servant in the Gospel illustrates the Catholic doctrine of purgatory. Purgatory is a merciful accommodation that God makes for our imperfection. Rather than totally condemning the wicked servant, God keeps him in prison until he can pay back the last penny. Sin creates a debt, and purgatory is one way that God provides for us to repay whatever debts we owe, instead of requiring absolute perfection. While Heaven is perfect, and we are all imperfect, we can still be confident of reaching the goal. God is merciful and provides all the necessary steps for us to take. Therefore, let us be merciful with ourselves and others.

I want to personally invite you to Sanctuary on Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM in the St. Vivian Gather Rooms to learn more about your faith! Sanctuary begins this weekend (September 13), and is an evening of learning why Catholics do what we do from yours truly, staff, or guest speakers. This Sunday, we will learn about participation in the Liturgy: what participation is and why we do it.

Also at St. Vivian, in Ursuline Hall, children and family programs begin on September 20, so parents can drop off their kids, and come to learn and grow their faith at Sanctuary. Then if you want, you can stay for the evening Mass at St. Vivian at 7:30 PM. Keep an eye out for other faith opportunities, such as Alpha; it’s a good group to invite folks who aren’t Catholic, maybe don’t want to become Catholic, but just have questions about God and faith.

No matter what our past might have been, God’s plan is for us to have an abundant and fulfilling future. Let’s take that message to heart, and share this Good News with others.

Yours in Christ, with Mary,
Fr. Henry Hoffmann