Love God, Love Others, Share the Good News!

This Week's Letter From Father

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time B                                                          

November 17, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As the Liturgical Year, slowly but surely, is coming to an end, the Church presents us today with apocalyptic readings (Daniel 12:1-3: Mark 10:11-14,18). The aim of the apocalyptic literature was to give the persecuted people hope that injustice, persecutions, oppressive powers and their personal sufferings along with afflictions will end. Eventually God will bring justice and peace to this world, and they will be rewarded with eternal happiness for their faithfulness to God. Because of God’s love for them they should stay strong, never give up hope and face the future with confidence and trust.

“Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come” (Mark 13:34). Only God knows the exact day and hour. However, God is not telling.

We know that worlds come to an end on a daily basis, some in large-scale catastrophes like wars, genocides or natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanoes, foods, hurricanes) which destroy humans and the environment.

The sun darkens, the moon does not give its light, and the stars fall from the sky in our personal worlds when we or our loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness, when someone dearest to us passes away, when a marriage or relationship fails, when adult children abandon elderly parents, when our finances are in dire straits. In such situations, we should be there for each other by comforting the sorrowing, visiting the sick, counseling the broken hearted, aiding the needy, feeding the physically and spiritually hungry or voicing our vices for justice.

Today’s readings, describing the apocalyptic end of the world, invite us to focus on the present, on who is truly important in our lives. We can pray for willingness to forgive those who hurt us; to listen to a spouse, a child, a parent, to those who are saying the last words we will ever hear from them; to recognize others’ talents and efforts to become better instead of criticizing them.

This Sunday we are reminded to appreciate the joys of life and to nourish our life in Christ. That way we will grow in faith.

                                                                                …..

Dolphins keep coming. I enjoyed their 84th visit.

The kingfisher said hello. I haven't seen him/her for months. I am glad they are back getting ready for the upcoming winter.

As always, I enjoy having coffee surrounded by my squirrels and birds in the garden. The weather is perfect for that now.

Thank you, Lesley and Randy Ferguson. It was nice of you to invite me again for lunch. We shared a wonderful afternoon together. Your kindness is always appreciated. Thank you also for the adorable squirrel. He/she is dressed up in finery, excitedly waiting for the holidays.

Thank you, Kelly Caufield, for baking a delicious cheese and sausage quiche for me. You are right, as the book states, “real men eat quiche”.

With Denise Leuci, we attended our Diocesan School Finance Summit-2024. We also attended the St. Egbert School Advisory Committee.

In his Apostolic Letter, Misericordia et Misera, Pope Francis designated the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time “World Day of the Poor”. The Holy Father wrote: “It will be a day that will help communities and each baptized person to reflect on how poverty is at the heart of the Gospel, and on the fact that, as long as Lazarus lies at the door of our homes (Luke 16:19-21) there can be no justice or social peace.” Please set aside the days before Thanksgiving for deeds of charity and for prayers for economic justice.

Next Thursday (Nov 21) we will celebrate World Philosophy Day to accentuate the enduring value of philosophy for the development of human thought for every culture and people.

An Ancient Greek philosopher from Athens and founder of Western philosophy, Socrates (469-399 B.C.E.) said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Happy World Philosophy Day,

Fr. Ryszard

Welcome Message

Greetings in Christ Jesus!

Whether you are just visiting for a short while, have moved here and are joining our parish, or are returning to your Catholic Faith, on behalf of our parish community, we welcome you to St. Egbert Catholic Church and the beautiful Crystal Coast of North Carolina.

When Jesus was asked which of all the commandments was the greatest, he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great, and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” These two Commandments form the foundation of our mission to Love God, Love Neighbor, and to Share the Good News.