October 20, 2023October 20, 2023
by in Communications, Uncategorized
17

From the Pastor’s Desk

Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Oct 22, 2023

“Whose image is this and whose inscription?”
-Matthew 22:20

Brothers and Sisters,

What do you think of your mugshot? In this “Age of the Selfie,” some of us collect thousands of them while others do their best to avoid the camera lens altogether. For me, picture-taking is like hearing a recording of my voice; it feels awkward. While logic tells me I am no longer growing, it always seems my forehead is getting larger.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus navigates a “trap” set by the Pharisees, who presumed to have cornered him with a fallacy that there are only two moral choices regarding taxation. The Pharisees know that if Jesus answers that taxes are unethical, he will be at odds with the Romans. Still, if he acknowledges the validity of taxes, Jesus’ authority comes into question. But Jesus shows them (and us) why placing ourselves in a box is dangerous when making decisions, especially when a “yes” or “no” answer is not possible. And while Jesus’ answer validates taxes (sorry to all my anarchists, brothers, and sisters), the crux of his message regards something much bigger: our very being! We are created in the image and likeness of God. So, every selfie we’ve snapped or camera lens we’ve smiled back at, those resulting images are imprints of God’s image. We owe everything to our Lord, our very likeness, and our very lives. We must make our lives an offering to the Lord.

As I prepare to deliver the annual stewardship update next weekend, I want to say, “Thank you.” Above all, thank you for giving yourself to the Lord in your discipline of prayer and worship, your attentiveness to the service to your neighbors, and your eagerness to learn and grow as disciples. Your generosity allows our parish to thrive! I appreciate all the many ways you give of yourselves and offer generously to support our good works. As this weekend marks the annual World Mission Sunday, celebrating the spread of the Gospel, I’m also grateful for the many ways our parish lives up to the theme: Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move.

My gratitude is also to our music director, Eli, who is sending a personal message about the value of organ donation. Please pray for a fellow parishioner in need of a living donor for a kidney – check out www.UMMCLivingDonor.org.

Lastly, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work with Project Rachel, a ministry dedicated to those wounded after an abortion. Please pray for the upcoming weekend, November 10-12, and those who are participating. If you or someone you know is searching for confidential, non-judgmental help (whether women, men, grandparents, siblings, family, or friends), reach out to projectrachel@archbalt.org, call (410)625-8491 or text (410)299-9345.

In the Lord,

Rev. Michael S. Triplett

Other Considerations in and around our Community:

  • HEALING MASS – St. Bartholomew Church’s Mass of Healing is scheduled for Sunday, October 29, at 10:00 a.m. in the New Church-2930 Hanover Pike, Manchester, MD 21102; this will be a Sunday Mass followed by praise and prayers for intentional healing with Eucharistic Adoration which will begin around 11:10/11:15 a.m. Please come and bring a friend! They have recently received several good reports of physical healing and spiritual graces from prayer recipients and attendees.
  • MOUNT de SALES ACADEMY – Open House Sunday, November 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mass will be offered in our campus chapel at 9 a.m. With a student guide, you will tour our historic campus, meet our faculty and coaches, and learn about all aspects of Sailor life! If you would like more information, you can contact admissions@mountdesales.org.
  • MARYLAND CATHOLIC WOMEN’S CONFERENCE – “Holy Women, Holy Lives,” Saturday, Nov 11, 2023, St. John the Evangelist, Severna Park, MD. This day-long conference is an opportunity for up to 600 women from around the state to come together and deepen their faith by engaging in opportunities for confession, adoration, and Mass, as well as listening to dynamic Catholic speakers and enjoying fellowship. The conference is designed for women desiring to learn about their faith at any age or stage of life. This year, we are excited to offer talks in Spanish and limited childcare services to make the conference accessible to even more women.
  • VOCATIONS FAIR Our Lady of Victory Church and The Office of Vocations are hosting a Vocation Fair on November 4 at Our Lady of Victory Church. Everyone is welcome to attend to celebrate the gift of every vocation and to reenkindle zeal for our own vocations. And, of course, it is a great place for those discerning their vocation to meet various Religious and priests and to witness first-hand the joy and peace that is possible in every vocation. Numerous priests, seminarians, and religious and 3rd-order groups will be available. There will be live music by seminarians from St. Mary’s Seminary, vocation talks/testimonies, activities for kids, and adoration.

Going on at OLPH:

The Knights of Columbus October Social Meeting on Monday, October 23 at 7:00 pm in Harrison Hall is open to men, women, and youth as Ryan Maurer will speak about and show slides from his trip to Iceland, where he photographed the eruption of Iceland’s newest volcano, Litli-Hrútur, or “Little Ram,” which was born via a fissure that fractured the ground on July 10 and has been spewing rivers of lava. Ryan captured the world’s newest volcano and will share his experience with us!

ANGEL FRIENDS are needed to help expectant mothers and their families. The Gabriel Network is a church-based ministry that helps expectant mothers in the area and empowers women to choose life. Mothers often need emotional, spiritual, and material support, and the team here at OLPH needs more Angel Friend women volunteers to pair up alongside them to support them. Bi-monthly online training is provided. If interested, please reach out to Benjamin Hung at 315-921-2543 or benjaminwhung@gmail.com.

OLPH FOOD PANTRY – the OLPH Food Pantry serves 158 disadvantaged families yearly with food and household items. In addition to food, each family will also receive a gift card provided through your Poor Box donations. At this time, our pantry supplies are very low. Please consider the following items as you shop and drop them off at the church narthex: pasta and pasta sauce, beef stew canned, instant potatoes, coffee, tea and hot chocolate, granola, breakfast bars, crackers, mac and cheese, soaps, juice. THANK YOU!