Brothers and Sisters,

I thought that they were all unhappy!

The words of Jesus might seem very strange to you.  The poor in spirit, the mournful, the meek, those who thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the clean of heart, those who bring peace, the persecuted . . . these He calls happy.  I wonder exactly how many such persons can be found in our parish.  If you number yourself among them, “Blessed are you!”

I’m sure that many of us do not even realize how fortunate we are.  The world generally looks upon us as weak. But our Lord tells us: “Blessed are you who seem to be defeated, because you are the victors; yours is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

I am worried, however, that I am often tempted to make those choices that will not lead me to eternal happiness.  All Saints Day is an occasion for you and for me to recognize the two voices that are fighting for our hearts:  the voice of the Good Shepherd and the voice of a blind escort.  Trusting in Jesus indicates that we choose to believe what HE says and to act accordingly – no matter how strange it may appear in the eyes of the world.  It is not Jesus who is strange, but rather we are the weird ones – a little short of holiness.  So, if you do find yourself a little short, what are you waiting for?  Let’s get to work, Brothers and Sisters.  Hopefully, as members of the community of St. Constance, we will have help in achieving our goal.

Your Priest,

Fr. Paul