These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb. Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen." (Rev 7:2-4, 9-14)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110124.cfm
The Feast of All Saints is the celebration of the heavenly Jerusalem as we remember all the saints, not only the official ones, but all the holy men and women who have touched our lives. And we praise the victory God has won in them, and we give thanks that we walk with the saints.
Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:10-20)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103124.cfm
Our last reading from the Letter to the Ephesians asks us to be prepared for whatever may come, and to clothe ourselves with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, prayer, supplication, and the word of God. And when we are tired and not sure if we can hold on or if we can stand fast, we are reminded to draw our strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. (Lk 13:22-30)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103024.cfm
Those who want a smaller, purer church are really out of luck. The vision of Jesus is as wide as his arms of love: many will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and sit at table in the Kingdom of God. How could it be any different? For Jesus is the one who welcomes sinners and eats with them. And as the liturgy joyfully proclaims: Blessed are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb. For the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world invites us to the Table in the Kingdom of God.
Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church, he himself the savior of the Body. As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband. (Eph 5:21-33)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102924.cfm
Probably this is one of the most misquoted, misunderstood and misinterpreted passages in all the Scriptures. Even the writer recognizes that the analogy doesn’t really work when it comes to human relationships and claims that it’s simply a reference to Christ and the church and then drops all talk of subordination and simply says that a husband should love his wife, and a wife should respect her husband. A good warning to all preachers.
Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Eph 2:19-22)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102824.cfm
The dignity of our baptism, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, a temple sacred in the Lord, a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. If we could only treat one another as our dignity deserves and recognize Christ Jesus that holds us all together. The Synod in Rome has concluded and Pope Francis has approved its final declaration. May we unite around the Chair of Peter, with wheels or without, and go forward in hope with the Spirit.
