33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Praise be to Jesus Christ

 

How was your week?

May God lead us towards the path of hope.

 

It has snowed a lot this week.  The Hillside has received 18 inches of snow on Thursday.  This is a record amount of snow in one day since 2007 and the temperature has dropped below 32 degrees consistently.  The temperature has gone down to 9 degrees this morning.  

 

Despite the low temperature and snow, I hope we can keep our hearts warm.  Through our warm hearts, we can brighten the world and create new hope for all of us.  Caring about the poor and needy is a way to keep your hearts warm.  

 

This Sunday, the church recognizes the poor and needy in the world.  

 

There are many types of poverty in the world:

Those without material goods.

Those who suffer economically.

Those who are poor in spirit.

Those who face great difficulties and with post traumatic scars.

Those who are poor in health.

Those who suffer from disease and aging.  

 

Typically those who are poor in health may suffer from cancer.  It sometimes is a death sentence for some.  The treatment process is difficult and grueling.  

 

One of the fund raising campaigns is “No Shave November.”  The idea is to grow hair freely and donate the money saved from hair care to the cancer patients.  The funds are used to help the patients in many ways.  

 

I am participating in the campaign.  How is this picture?  It has been ten days and I have not shaved.  As I participate, I think about the cancer patients and share warm heart.  

 

As the liturgical calendar near its end, the gospel speaks to the end time (apocalypse): “In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and powers in the heavens will be shaken.” (Mark 13:24-25)

 

Given the numerous natural disasters, which have intensified, the passage is more significant to me:  

Floods in Germany and China.  

Volcanic eruptions in Japan and La Palma Island.  

Earthquakes in Japan and Haiti.

Heat waves in the U.S.A. and Canada.

 

The destructively dark end comes to us but we find hope: “And then they will see the Son of Man in the clouds.” (Mark 13:26)  It is a day of salvation.  

 

As we spend today, we should prepare for our salvation.  Love one another as God commanded and live next week with warm hearts.  

 

Let us meditate for a moment.