From the Pastor S Desk

ST. MARY’S PARISH COMMUNITY BRYANTOWN FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK in the reading today, by His rising Jesus raises up to life Dear Parishioners, all who believe in Him. Therefore, because of Jesus, A number of you commented that you found my death becomes the door to eternal life for us who have homily last weekend on the subject of death helpful. So I been baptized into His death & Resurrection. So for the am printing it here. If anyone wants to follow my faithful Christian believer death is a time of transition. It suggestion and make their funeral Mass preparations is like the traveling we must do to reach a desired now, please give me a call. destination. Sometimes the traveling is difficult, but reaching our destination makes it more than worth it. With my prayers, Fr. Conley For these reasons then our belief in Jesus Christ should have a profound effect on our view of death, our own & We would have you be clear about those who sleep in death of others. In fact, because of what Jesus has done death, otherwise you might yield to grief like those for us by winning for us eternal life, there are three facts who have no hope." that we need to remember about death.

1. These words from our second reading today were 4. First of all, we should not fear death. Through faith written by St. Paul to the Thessalonians because they we see that death is only the moment of our entrance had questions about death. They were concerned about into a new season of life. Our lives are a series of the fate of their loved ones who had passed from this seasons – childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age world before Christ’s return so Paul wrote to console and then eternity. In the parable that Jesus tells in them. We all have questions about death but some today’s Gospel the virgins are looking forward to the people don’t want to think about them because they are grooms’ arrival because it will be a celebration. The afraid of death. Some people even seem to think that if groom of course is Jesus and we should be looking we don’t talk about it, death will leave us alone and forward to His coming for us. So we do not need to fear somehow we and those we love will not die. There’s death. What we should fear is committing serious sins even an old expression about “whistling as we go past because only serious, un-repented sin can keep us from the graveyard” meaning that we try hard to deny the eternal happiness. existence of death because it frightens us. 5. Secondly, we should prepare for death. In the 2. We see this fear of death in the way our society Gospel, Jesus says that half of the virgins are wise emphasizes youth over age. (Societies that are religious because they prepared themselves for the coming of the don’t do this.)Our attempt to deny the reality of death is groom by making sure that they have oil in their lamps. also apparent in the desperate measures people use to The lamp that each one carries is her faith. And the oil prolong life. Not only do we expect modern medicine that fills their lamps and keeps them going are their to cure all our ailments, we half expect our doctors to charitable works. Our acts of love, keep our faith eliminate death altogether. burning brightly. St. James tells us that “faith without works is dead.” These are all understandable reactions because from a purely natural perspective death is frightening. Death is In another place in the gospel, Jesus tells us that our like a door we must all pass through and we can’t see lights must shine before others so that they will give what is on the other side of the threshold. However, glory to our heavenly father. Our lights shine before because of what Jesus has done for us by His own death others when, in the power the Spirit, we show them the & resurrection, He calls us to get over the fear of love and compassion that we have received from the death. Jesus wants us to reach a supernatural Lord. Jesus tells us that we have a particular obligation understanding of death based on our faith in Him and the to care for those who are need, the weakest of His resurrection. brothers and sisters. And we are called to persevere in doing good works throughout our lives, regardless of our 3. The Bible tells us that physical death is a age. Even if we are physically limited we can still pray consequence of Original Sin. Our first parents lived in for others as a work of spiritual charity close communion with God and by their communion with Him shared His eternal life. However, through their Jesus also says: “Stay awake for you know neither the disobedience, the communion of God with mankind was day nor the hour.” In other words, we should always try broken and death entered the world. To restore our to be like Jesus and live every day as if it were our last, communion with him, God sent his only Son, Jesus not in fear but in anticipation of His coming so that our Christ, into the world. So, that whoever believes in Him lamps will be burning bright when the Lord comes for will not perish but have eternal life. As St. Paul tells us us. THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME NOVEMBER 19, 2017 On a simply natural level, part of preparing for death is ARCHDIOCESE CATECHETICAL LEADERS making our own funeral arrangements. I really urge all ASSOCIATION (ACLA) presents an evening of of you who have entered into the senior years to do this dinner and soulful presentations for your Advent for the sake of your families. They will thank you if preparation for the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus you’ve done it ahead of time for them. Also make sure Christ. The Howards will lead participants in four that they have a funeral Mass offered for you. And you dynamic presentations on the theme of “The can even plan the funeral mass yourselves ahead of time. Gatekeeper,” from the Gospel according to St. Mark. This really is a great gift to your family. If you’ve ever Each presentation will sprawl deeper to insights that will had to deal with someone else’s funeral you know how certainly make this Advent season spiritually hard it can be to make all those decisions in a very short transforming for you, your family, friends, and strangers amount of time. Sometimes families even make foolish who may ask: “Why do you have so much joy this decisions under the pressure of time. For example, they season?” The Howards are known nationally and in the may plan a very expensive funeral out of some mis- Archdiocese of Washington for their contagious joy of guided sense of guilt. Don’t let your family waste your teaching the Gospel. hard earned money on things that aren’t really necessary Where: St. Peter’s Church Waldorf, MD and will be buried in the ground. Also, do them the favor When: December 3, 2017 of cleaning out your house and getting rid of all your Times: 3:30 – 5:45pm Presentation junk before you pass away. In doing so, you can have 6:00 – 8:30pm Mass & Dinner the pleasure of giving away your things to people now Free will donation! and see what joy it brings to them. RSVP: Alice Culbreth: 301-843-9583 or email: catechetical [email protected] for dinner 6. Thirdly, we should surrender in trust to the Lord reservation and fellowship after Mass. when he calls us from this world. We should imitate Jesus by making our acceptance of death as our greatest KNOW OF PARISHIONERS WHO ARE act of surrender to the Father's will. In fact, I can tell you HOMEBOUND? Please contact Fr. Conley or Sister from my experience working with those who are dying, Theresa at the rectory so we can minister to their whether we have a happy and peaceful death or a spiritual needs. difficult one is largely determined by our trust in God. If we have lived our lives knowing and accepting that God MASS INTENTIONS FOR THIS WEEK: does indeed love us then it will be easier to let ourselves SUN: 8am Mary Knobel, 10am Joanne Wein garden, go when the time comes. Our physical death will be the 12n Parishioners, MON: 8am Mary Ann Higgs, opportunity to surrender once and for all into the arms of TUES: 8am All Souls, WED: 8am Anna Stonestreet, our Heavenly Father. THURS: 8am Jennifer Christine Long, FRI: 9:30am Paul Istvan, SAT: 9am All Souls, 4pm Elise Mire. 7. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about death because they were grieving. He reminds us that through PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR DAILY faith we share in Christ's victory over death. So when we PRAYERS: Mary Bowes, Roy Allen Butler, Frances are facing our own death or the passing of those we love, Card, Joseph Chapman, Joe Cross, Kendall Farrell, we grieve too. But because of what Jesus our Lord George Fassel, Arlene Gandolfi, Martha Gehring, Judy and Savior has done in conquering sin and death, we Istvan-Windsor, Angie Kalnasy, Regina Kijesky, Marie grieve with great hope. Because of what Jesus has done Knobel, Lillian Komar, Susie Logan, Maurice Long, for us, we are indestructible. Therefore, as Christians we Mary Emma Middleton, Larry Miller, Joseph Mona, should be filled with unwavering hope, knowing that Wayne Mullings, Lenora Proctor, Joseph Quade, nothing can separate us from the love of God given to us Sylvene Savoy, William Leon Savoy, Edna Sweeney, through Christ Jesus. Homily of Pope Francis Nov 1, Lisa Thompson, Beth Weise, Tim Welch, Brice Zimmer. 2017 OFFERTORY COLLECTION LAST WEEKEND, OUR THANKSGIVING DAY MASS WILL BE AT $8,964.72. Of the 770 registered households in the 9:30 AM. PLEASE BEGIN YOUR parish, we received donations from 252 identifiable CELEBRATIONS THE RIGHT WAY BY COMING contributors (55% of the parish) using envelopes or AND THANKING THE LORD OUR GOD FOR checks. The unidentified donations totaled $712.72. ALL HIS MANY BLESSINGS. We received $33.00 for our School Support.