St James Catholic Church

Dear Parishioners,
Today we celebrate The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day). Jesus told his disciples, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Today we mourn all those who have died, especially those we love, and those who are close to us. But we indeed are comforted by sharing our memories of them, by sharing our grief with our loved ones, and by our faith which tells us that death is not the end. Their souls are in the arms of God, forever comforted from the suffering and hardships they faced in life. Our faith in the Resurrection allows us to be pilgrims of hope in this life, hope and prayer from despair, placing our trust in God’s love and mercy.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus gave life to those in need. Early on, it was to people who were ill or possessed by demons, freeing them from conditions that worsened or shattered their lives. He cured lepers, restoring them to life in society. He forgave the woman caught in adultery, saving her life. He raised Jairus’ daughter, thought to be dead, and Lazarus, already entombed. Finally, he sacrificed his own life, saving us from the permanency of death when he was raised to eternal life. We can rejoice, for in Jesus we have a savior who offers us the fullness of life, both now and forever. We are all members of the communion of saints, joined by all those who have died in the faith and await that ultimate unity with God, along with the saints who are already with God. That communion not only spans space and time, it also spans life and death itself. Our parish community and all who have ever belonged to it, are an example of that communion. We are joined with an ever-growing communion of saints. May that console us as we remember those we have lost, for they live on in our communion as we all wait our heavenly reward.
Love, Peace, Joy,
Fr. Bob
Sunday, November 2, Daylight Saving Time ends. Be sure to set your clocks back one hour if you haven't done so. Also, National Vocation Awareness Week is November 2-8. Pray for vocations to the priesthood, deaconate, religious life, and lay ministries.