Pastor's Note from Fr. Szparagowski 📝 - [September 27th Bulletin]

Dear St. Philip Neri Family and Friends,

We give praise and thanks to God for His graces and blessings!

Today Jesus gives us the parable of two sons. The father goes to the first son and says,

“Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.”

The son says,

“No, I will not,”

but later he changes his mind and goes. The father asks the second son, and he says,

“Yes”

but he never goes.

I think there are times when all of us can recognize ourselves in both of these sons. Sometimes we can be like the other son. We say

“yes”

to God with our words, but then we do not always follow through with our actions. We say we will pray, but we become too busy. We say we will forgive, but we hold on to our hurt. We say we will help someone, but we find an excuse. We say

“yes”

to God, but sometimes our actions do not match our words.

Yet, the beautiful message of the Gospel is that God does not give up on us. God is a God of love and mercy. He continually gives us the grace to change our hearts and to return to Him. His mercy is always being offered to us through the Holy Spirit, who moves our hearts and helps us to do what God asks.

At other times, perhaps we are like the first son. We may be reluctant. We may complain. We may say,

“I don’t want to do this.”

We may not understand why God is asking something of us. But then, something happens within our hearts. We listen to the voice of God, and we go into the vineyard. We do His will.

This is what God desires, not simply that we say the right words, but that we open our hearts and allow His grace to lead us. Even when we are reluctant, even when we struggle, even when we have failed in the past, God continues to call us. His love and mercy are among the greatest blessings He gives us in our lives.

I want you to know that during our recent pilgrimage to the Shrines of Our Lady, especially Fatima and Lourdes, I remembered all of you at the Masses we offered at the shrines. I prayed for you, for your families, and for all of your intentions. I brought those intentions with me to Our Blessed Mother, asking her to intercede for all of us and to bring our prayers to her Son, Jesus.

I also brought back some Lourdes water, and I have placed it in all of the holy water fonts throughout our church. So, when you enter the church and bless yourself with the holy water, perhaps take an extra moment to say a simple prayer to Our Blessed Mother:

“Mary, our Blessed Mother, bless us, protect us, and watch over us and our families.”

May that simple gesture remind us that God is always calling us into His vineyard. Even when our first answer is

“no,”

or when we are reluctant, may we have the grace to change our hearts and say

“yes”

through our lives.

May we always trust in the love and mercy of God, and may Mary, Our Blessed Mother, lead us closer to her Son, Jesus.

I pray for you every day, especially at Mass. Please pray for me.

Please invite someone to Mass today.

St. Philip Neri, pray for us. Have a blessed week,

Fr. Szparagowski