This weekend we see that Christ is intensifying his public activities. He begins visiting the surrounding villages, preaching the good news, for after all this was the purpose for which he came. The plight of man after his fall into sin, made his existence seem as a "battle", as Job put it in today's first reading. Job clearly speaking of the existential pain, the sense of human life, that without God becomes a prison a torture: "I will lie down, saying to himself:" When it is dawn, will get up? 'But the night becomes an eternity to me, tearing and pain until dusk." This is hopeless existence, when it comes to suffering and pain, similar to the one that befell the Job. Then the only answer is to appeal to God. And into this void stepped Jesus. Jesus came from God to bring solace to people and the help of divine grace in the form of healing in body and soul. Wherever they came to him suffering, he brought relief and peace in their hearts. And so it was with Peter’s mother-in-law who at the mere touch of Jesus’ hand was healed, as were many others who suffered day after day despite the desire of their loved ones for them to be healed. He also reproached the evil spirits that caused sorrow and resignation. Everyone sought him in the hope of healing. What about you and I. Do we seek Him out for healing? Do we seek Him in our suffering? Do our loved ones invite us to reconcile through Him? More importantly do we inviting them to reconcile through Him? Last week we celebrated along with other Parishes, the beginning of Catholic School Week. We included a special collection to help support our school. I thank everyone who was generous with their prayers, their kind words about our school and their financial support. Today begins a three week program we have embraced for several years that asks us for financial support for pastoral purposes throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. I am talking about the Annual Catholic Appeal. It has been through the Annual Catholic Appeal that parishes have meet many of their own local objectives and the many initiatives of the Archdiocese. One of the largest benefactors of this program are the Catholic schools, helping further education of Catholic leaders to be able to support the pastoral work of priests, which wanes with each passing year. Seriously, if I were retire or die there is no new priest to “replace me” because of the lack of new vocations to the priesthood. Finally, are those assisted by the support of the many institutions of Catholic charity in Chicago. As you can see the money collected can give satisfaction to every donor, since each donated dollar, is like the coin given by the poor widow into the treasury of the temple, which is multiplied by the spreading of the Kingdom of God and human goodness. Over the past years we have given over and above what we were assessed and that excess has always been returned to our parish and benefited us greatly. I hope that this year all will again have open hearts and their financial situation, will allow them to share with others the gift for spreading the Kingdom of God in our Archdiocese. May God bless you for your generous understanding. Fr. Richard