32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Epiphany Family, 

I write just two days before the election. By the time you are reading this presumably we will know its results. We have all unfortunately seen the great contention, division, and polarization of this election season. The Church has urged us to form our consciences according to her teachings, which we hold to be the teachings of Jesus Himself, and seek to vote for life, justice, and the common good of our society. This is both our civic and moral duty to infuse society with the values of the gospel, to be light and leaven to all around us. Still our call as Catholic Christian disciples does not end here. We are called to be more than merely being good citizens, to remember that our true citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). We are called to be saints! We are called to put Jesus in the center of our lives and say with St. Paul, “yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Jesus calls us realize His presence in our neighbor, to do the hard work of loving those around us – those we may not agree with, those who may annoy us, those who mistreat us, those who misunderstand us, those we live with, those we work with, those who do not realize their dignity and more. Saints truly change the world, not politicians or governments, disciples of Jesus who bring His light into the darkness and offer the hope of a life beyond this world. We are called to be agents and witnesses of His love, peace, hope and justice in our daily lives. 

There seem to be many people who act as if the election does not go the way they think it should, the world will end. Yet as Catholics we know the end of the story – Jesus wins! He has defeated sin and death, and only when He comes again will all be made right in this life. Jesus is truly Lord of all and invites us to fully depend on and put our trust in Him. No matter what happens on election day, if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the mystic Julian of Norwich reminds us that “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well”. 

In Christ, 
Father Eric