Dear St. Gabriel Parishioners:
IT’S HERE – Bathrooms Remodeling … Remember both upstairs’ bathrooms are remodeling at this time. … For the following weeks, please use the downstairs’ bathrooms. Thank You.
- Please remember and say a prayer for the late Archbishop Raymond G. Hunthausen on this First Anniversary of his death. He was the Archbishop of Seattle from 1975 to 1991. Archbishop Hunthausen often shared that the Second Vatican Council was indeed a defining time for him as a renewed Catholic and a Leader of the Church as a Bishop.
- The author of the Book – Ecclesiastes - calls himself Qoheleth, which is translated “one who assembles” or “teacher.” He is cynical about life, having lived a long time and seen the futility of much of his work. His book ends with a simple truth: the only worthwhile thing about life is the knowledge of God.
Also, in today’s Gospel, Luke has joined together sayings that contrast: -those whose focus and trust in life is on material possessions, symbolized by the rich fool of the parable, -with those who recognize their complete dependence on God, those whose radical detachment from material possessions symbolizes their heavenly treasure.
The Gospel of Jesus is not speaking against material wealth, but condemns being enslaved to and enchained by wealth. It becomes a blessing when it is shared with others, and it becomes an obstacle and a prison for those who do not have the wisdom to share it with others. We are not owners but rather stewards of the goods we possess: these, then, are not to be considered as our exclusive possession, but means through which the Lord calls each one of us to act as a steward of his providence for our neighbor
Storing up “treasures in heaven” does not mean setting out to secure a place in heaven. It means relying on God as the source of our security. It means having a genuine and sincere relation with God who knows us, accepts us, and gives meaning to our lives.
If we have the Lord as our “treasure,” then there is nothing more we need desire. We can forego everything else.
- Please, mark your calendar and plan to bring your family and friends to our Parish Annual Picnic Day – Sunday August 25th, after the 11:00 AM Mass at the ground of St. Gabriel. It’s a potluck style with plenty of hamburgers and hotdogs available for everyone.
Have a wonderful week with Jesus - The True Treasure of our lives.
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang