15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME....."ALL ARE WELCOME"..........

The opening song I chose to have music minister Ray Riehle lead the congregation in singing at my Installation as Pastor Mass last night was, "All Are Welcome". It conveys the opening theme of inclusion and hospitality I want my servant-leadership of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish to help achieve. The Pastor Emeritus Father Anthony Traynor, who presented me to the Dean of the American river Suburbs Father Eduino Silveira, last night and concelebrated the Installation Mass with us, gave me a quote during the week that also underscores the spirit with which I hope OLOL will thrive during my pastorate. The quote is from the renowned Irish poet, William Butler Yeats, who wrote, "THERE ARE NO STRANGERS HERE, ONLY FRIENDS WHO HAVE NOT YET MET".....Those words also speak to welcooming, including, being hospitable, and sharing fellowdhip, with others no matter their status or station in life. And the Gospel Proclamation for this 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time proclaims just such a message of care, concern, charity, and compassion, for all others. Luke 10:25-37, teaches us the uncompromising necessit of living the great command to love God and others, unconditionally. The man who became the robber's victim should have been treated and responded to immediately by the priest and the Levite who instead ignored his plight and quickly passed him by. The Samaritan on the other hand, a virtual outcast in that society, treated without dignity or standing, is the only one of thyese three to respond properly. And the Samaritan went well beyond ordinary means in providing for the needs and the healing of victim. That is the message to us and the Gospel value we are meant to practice as Disciples of Jesus the Christ as we journey forth in faith and fellowship into this coming week. How will you become a stronger, more active welcoming, hospitable, inclusive, and charitable, to all who come into God's House and seek to join us in the fellowship
of God'Spirit, to build one Community,.....one Kingdom,.....Now And Forever,
Fr. Troy