St. Patrickís parish is in
Kowloon, Hong Kong.Ý There are four
weekend Masses including a childrenís Mass at 10:45, Sunday.Ý This is the parish where I was formerly
pastor. [email protected].Ý Cf. also Social Concerns Education: www.acpp.org -- Fr. Gene Thalman M.M.]
A DOG NAMED SPORT
2 November 2003ÝÝ All Souls Sunday (B) John 11:
17-27
When I was about nine years
old, we lived a distance from town so I didnít have other children to play
with. I had a pet dog which I loved very much.Ý
His name was Sport.Ý He was white
with large tan spots.Ý We used to play
together.Ý I loved petting his soft
fur.Ý One day, Sport went to a nearby
restaurant and found a tempting pork chop. The meat was a bait full of rat
poison.Ý Sport suffered a great deal
that nightóthe pain was so severe that he ran up the wall of my room.Ý We had to put him in the basement.Ý He died that night. I was heart-broken.
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Even very small children gradually learn about death.Ý Today seven year old, Dubaker Klausen, gives his mother a beautiful red rose for her birthday.Ý A couple of days latter he sees his mother sadly putting the wilted rose in the garbage can. The beautiful rose has died.
Or one day our mother tells us: ìDo you know our next door neighbor, old Mrs. Lei Wai Lin.Ý She always gave you bean curd Popsicles.Ý Well, there will be no more Popsicles. Mrs. Lei died last night.Ý She is as dead as a doornail.î
Ý
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ As we grow older, we see more and more things die: plants, animals and people.ÝÝ And then one day, we conclude that death is powerful and that ìmeî will die, too.Ý Most of us in Wang Tau Hom believe that we can postpone death by good medical care and not eating too many hamburgers and French Fries.Ý But in the long run, death is the victor.Ý
Only one person was able to conquer deathóJesus.
GODíS WORD: After Jesus spent a
day in Jerusalem, he would be tired and stressed out.ÝÝÝ Jesus had many enemies in Jerusalem.Ý So in the evening, he would go to the town of Bethany, the home
of his special friends: Lazarus, Martha and Mary.Ý It was a two-mile hike. There he could take off his sandals and
relax, have a good meal and engage in pleasant conversation.Ý The family loved Jesus and he loved them.
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Well it happened the Jesus wasnít in
the area when news reached him that Lazarus was real sick.ÝÝ When Jesus finally reached Bethany, Martha
met him.Ý Lazarus had died four days
ago.Ý She complained: ìIf only you had
been here, you could have cured him.î Quite frankly, she was upset that Jesus
didnít come more quickly.
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Jesus wanted Martha, Mary and all of us
to know that death was not the end but the beginning of a new and wonderful
life with God.Ý Jesus said:
ìI am the
resurrection whoever believes in me, though he should die, will come to life;
and whoever Öbelieves in me will never die.î Jn. 11:
25-26.Ý (NAB)
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ To show his power over death, Jesus
went to the tomb and said: ìHey, Lazarus, you come on out.îÝ And Jesus got some big tough guys to remove
the big stone that covered the cave in which Lazarus was buried. And out jumps
Lazarusóalive and well!
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ By raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus
taught us that though we all will die but death is not the end but the
beginning of a wonderful life-- with God, our ancestors, our relatives and
friends and all the strangers we never had a chance to meet on earth.
CHURCHíS TEACHING:
[ìAll who die in Godís grace and friendship, but
still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but
after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary
to enter the joy of heaven.î Catechism of
the Catholic Church,Ý #1030.]
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ William invited Fergus to come to his
birthday party on Friday night.Ý Fergus
is delighted.Ý But before Fergus goes to
the party, he takes a shower, puts on a clean shirt and shines his shoes.Ý It took him an hour to get ready.Ý Then he runs to the party.Ý He wouldnít feel comfortable going to this
party if he wasnít clean and presentable.
All of those who died as good friends of God will
certainly one day join Godís heavenly gathering with the angels, their
relatives and millions of other people. However, like Fergus, some people may
not wish to join Godís party right away.Ý
They wouldnít feel right about joining the heavenly party before they
have cleaned up any dirty spots leftover by sins. This could take some
time.Ý And we on earth can help them get
cleaned up by our prayers and sacrifices.
1. Pray for those who have died.Ý Perhaps they are not quite ready to live in
Godís house.Ý We at St. Patrickís can
help them begin their eternal happiness sooner by our prayers and sacrifices.
They will be very grateful.
2.Ý We can think of those who have died and
remember that they love us and are with us even though at this time we canít
see them.Ý We donít want to do anything
that would make our ancestors ashamed of us.Ý
We can ask their help since they still love us and want us to be
happy.Ý They also have a special ìinî
with God.
3.Ý We pray
and make sacrifices for all the folks who have died and are still preparing
themselves to join in the heavenly festivities. Although we didnít know them
here on earth, we will get to know them when we gather with them in Godís house
after our own death and resurrection.
FINALE:Ý Would you
all repeat with me the words of Jesus?Ý (Together)ìI am the
resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, though he should die, will
come to lifeÖî Jn. 11: 25-26.Ý
(NAB)Ý Will you always remember
that?
ìYes, we will, Father!î
ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ
2 November 2003ÝÝ All Souls Sunday (B) John 11: 17-27
THEME:Ý Death
is a time of both sadness and consolation because it is the beginning of a new
life with God.Ý We start this new life
as soon as we are ready.
COMMUNITY:Ý Over two
hundred elementary school children plus their parents attend this 10:45 A.M.
Eucharist.
TEXT:Ý ìJesus
told her: ëI am the resurrectionÖwhoever believes in me though he should die,
will come to life.íî John 11: 25-26. (New American Bible)
DESIRED RESULT:Ý My children now have a positive view of the death
and see death as the gateway to life with God and everybody else whom Jesus
saved by his Passion, Death and Resurrection.Ý
My little children can help those who have died but have not yet reached
final happiness with God.
CHURCHíS POINT OF VIEW:Ý ìAll who die in Godís grace and friendship, but
still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but
after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary
to enter the joy of heaven.î Catechism of
the Catholic Church, (Mission Hills: Benziger Publishing Co, 1994), #1030,
p. 268.
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ In my former parish,
worshippers had to pass through the Kindergarten hallway to reach the
Church.Ý At the death of one of the
Catholics, I suggested that the body be brought to the Church for the Mass of
Resurrection.Ý But the Catholics
objected: ìThe Kindergarten children will see the coffin!îÝ Yet one wonders whether the children
themselves already have some concerns about death.Ý I think I was about four or five when one night I got scared of
dying and went to tell my grandma.
2 November 2003ÝÝ All Souls Sunday (B)Ý John 11: 17-27
NAME_________
Grade_____________
1. Name the two sisters and
their brother spoken of in his account:
_________ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ _________ÝÝÝÝÝÝ ____________
2.Ý Why didnít the apostles want Jesus to go to
Bethany?Ý Cf. John 11: 7-8.
ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ________________________________________
3.ÝÝ How far was Bethany from Jerusalem?Ý ______miles.
4.ÝÝ Why might a person who has died not
immediately join the party of the angels and
ÝÝÝÝÝ Saints?Ý
_________________________________________
5.ÝÝ (Optional) Describe a time when as a child
you encountered the idea of death.