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Life Is Christ!
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September 18, 2020St Paul's Letter to the Philippians is filled with Joy, Peace and Hope in Christ. In this weekend’s Second Reading (Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a), St. Paul proclaims, “TO ME LIFE IS CHRIST.” What a powerful and inspirational statement! How do these three words "LIFE IS CHRIST" apply to your own life? They are challenging. Of course, as Christians, our life is to “center on Jesus Christ, our Savior, who died for our sins on the Cross and rose on the third day giving us such a great hope in eternal life.” But in reality, there are so many distractions and difficulties in daily lives that most of us tend to focus on ourselves, and how to resolve our daily challenges alone, forgetting to ask God's help.
Through St Paul's exemplar life, God is inviting us to say, "To me too, like to St Paul, LIFE IS CHRIST.” Last week's second reading (Romans 14:7-9) amplifies this theme, "None of us lives for oneself and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord, we are the Lord's. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” As we believe that our souls never die, life in Christ never ends. It begins here on earth and continues through the life of the soul after the death of the body. This is our HOPE in eternal life.
Jesus Christ said, "I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) If we stay with Jesus Christ, we will have life in him here on earth, and then in heaven. This is why participating at Sunday Mass, adoring and receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is so important, it is giving us the grace to stay with Jesus, the grace to have the desire for union with Christ, the desire to live in Christ, to live with Christ, and to live for Christ.
In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16a), Jesus gives us an insight into the Kingdom of Heaven. To enter Heaven, God is calling everyone to come and work in his vineyard. The vineyard itself is the Kingdom of God where we become united with Jesus Christ, Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches, the workers producing the fruits (John 15). To accept to work in the vineyard is to receive God's promise of eternal life with Him. God is a generous and merciful God. Even if we join his vineyard at the 11th hour, we will receive the same reward as those joining from the first hour of the day at dawn. The same reward is "Life in Heaven.” This is the good news! God gives us a chance to change our lives and turn to Him as long as our bodies are still alive. As a priest, I have witnessed people converting just before they died. This is the promise that Jesus made to the repenting good thief on Calvary, "Today, you will be with me in paradise!"
As we conclude the celebrations of our 40th anniversary this Saturday, let us pray that our parish will continue to be strong in Faith, Hope, and Love, putting Christ at the Center of our lives and inviting everyone to come to Christ and to be ONE IN HIM!
If you have not yet signed up for the 5 pm Mass with Archbishop Gregory this Saturday September 19, please do so now as there are many seats available in the overflow in the Father Martin Hall, where you will watch the live Mass on two large screens, will receive Communion, and also the Archbishop will come to greet you and give you a special blessing at the end of the Mass. To sign up, CLICK HERE.
Jesus, we trust in You. You are our Life! Send your Spirit upon us so that we can always live in you, with you and for you! Mary Help of Christians, OLHOC Patroness Saint, keep protecting our parish and leading all of us to your Son Jesus!
One in Christ,
Fr. Alain
