When the late General Dwight D. Eisenhower was returning from Europe after V.E. Day, his plane landed in the Azores for breakfast. The general walked around the island, shaking hands and signing autographs. He was ready to take off when a young soldier came on the run, calling out: “I missed Gen. Eisenhower. I must see him and shake his hand.” An aide said to Ike: “A friend of yours is outside.” At once the future president got off the plane, put his arm around the boy’s shoulder, shook his hands, and signed an autograph. Again the general boarded the plane.
This desire to see prominent people and to meet them is common to all of us. Zacchaeus, in this Sunday Gospel, had this desire. He wanted to see Jesus. He had heard so much about Him, his message, his good works, his magnetic personality, that he wanted to meet Him, even if it meant climbing up a tree, because he was so small. This same desire was in the hearts of the shepherds when the angels told them about the Babe in Bethlehem. “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see the thing that has come to pass” (Lk. 12:21).
Two thousand sixteen years later you and I have that same deep desire to see Jesus, to catch a Glimpse of Him in any way possible. The wonderful truth is that we can see Him, we do see Him. Like Zacchaeus, you have made an effort to catch A GLIMPSE OF JESUS by coming to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. At the consecration the priest will hold up the Body of Christ and then the Blood of Christ.
Lift up your head and your heart; look at Him and say: “MY LORD AND MY GOD.” Just before Holy Communion the priest will hold up Jesus for you to see as he says: “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Look at our Lord. Look at Him as you are about to receive Him. We old timers were taught to close our eyes when receiving Communion. The new and better now is to keep our open and fixed on the sacred Host, our Lord Jesus Himself, as we receive. We see and hear Our Lord in the Good News announce to us every Sunday. We see Christ in the person of the priest who presides over the MASS.
We can also see Jesus in those around us, especially in the needy, the poor, the hungry, the sick, the sad, and the retarded. Jesus hides in their bodies and in their clothing. “What you do to them, you do it to me.” Our desire to see Jesus is a big reason why we Catholics have pictures of Christ in our homes in various forms – the Holy Family, the Sacred Heart, and Hoffman’s head of Christ. Yes, we want to see Jesus as much as possible. Like Zacchaeus, like the young soldier trying to see Eisenhower, we make every effort to see our Lord. And we see Him – this very hour.
Key Concepts: Role of Leadership. As traditionally defined, the successful stewardship and development team requires the participation and interaction of leaders as follows: a) Executive – the pastor and other executive staff; b) Volunteer leaders – board members and other lay leaders; c) Staff – paid staff.
This Sunday is called Priesthood Sunday, hence let us pray for all priests in the world. Monday is Halloween. Nov.1 is the Solemnity of All Saints. Nov.2 is All Souls’ Day and Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. This is the day we bless the “TREE OF LIFE” at the 6PM Mass as a memorial for all our beloved departed parishioners who had lived in the parish. This is the first week of November, remember our First Friday and First Saturday devotion Masses to fulfill them. This is for now, watch for the next bulletin. God Bless!
Your Priest-Servant and Parochial Administrator,
Fr. Reggie