Hallowe’en.  All Saints Day.  All Souls Day.  Remembrance Day. November comes upon us, and we see the signs of death in nature: falling leaves; wet windy days; long chilly nights; the first snowfall. Inevitably – and even more so in this pandemic year – November invites us to ponder our mortality, finitude, and vulnerability.  Our faith takes death seriously. But it also teaches us that death is not the final answer. “Death, where is your victory? Where is your sting?” For Christians, death is not the end, but the final transition: it is the movement from time into eternity, a movement beautifully captured in the uplifting, hopeful funeral liturgy of the Church.  

Last Sunday, as we commemorated the solemnity of All Saints, we celebrated not a “Mass for the dead”, but a “Mass of Resurrection”. We lit candles in remembrance of the departed members of our parish, with a special place in our heart for our beloved Fr. Bertoli.  Whether in person or from our homes, we prayed together, reflected on God’s Word together, and shared in the Eucharist, Christ’s promise and pledge of life triumphant over death.    

This Sunday, our readings invite us to seek wisdom and to practice vigilance. At the beginning of the pandemic, some people seemed to think that the pinnacle of wisdom was to make sure you had enough hand sanitizer, flour, bottled water, and toilet paper to last you through a year of isolation!  Today’s Gospel invites us to emulate the “wise” bridesmaids, who remembered not only their lamps but oil to refill them when they would go out.  What are the qualities that we need to develop, in this time of pandemic, to ensure that we are ready for whatever comes?  I suspect it is not so much about stockpiling supplies, as it is developing the virtues that we will need to get through this long night: patience, perseverance, gratefulness, and solidarity.  These are the things that we cannot afford to run out of!!

When will the pandemic – or even, for that matter, the “red zone” – be over?  In the words of Jesus, we know neither “the day nor the hour.”  What we can do is to prepare as best we can, trusting that when the time for the wedding feast comes, we will be ready to go in and join the party.  And won’t it be nice to go to a party again? 

Please join us for our Live-stream Mass this Sunday at 11:00 a.m.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button on our YouTube channel and to follow us on Facebook, if you have not yet done so.  And remember that it’s still possible to support the parish financially by following the Donate link on the website.

As well, immediately following the Mass, Fr. Raymond will be hosting a virtual café!  Just remain on the live-stream and type your questions and messages into the live chat!  

I am happy to announce that next weekend, we will be resuming our Saturday 4:00 PM Mass.  You can register in the same way that you do for the Sunday Mass: on Eventbrite or by calling the parish office.