GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 21:31B

Jesus has entered Jerusalem. He knows he is on his way to his cross. He is in the temple area talking with the Jewish religious leaders, and he is taking on the chief priests and leaders of the people, then the Pharisees, then the Sadducees, and ends with cursing the scribes and Pharisees. By the time he’s done, the religious leaders are ready to kill him.

Beginning with the chief priests, Jesus contrasts a son who initially refuses to do his father’s will but then repents to a son who initially says yes but never does. Jesus tells the leaders that tax collectors and prostitutes who repented at the Baptist’s words will enter the kingdom before them because they responded to John with self-righteousness.

Jesus emphasizes the need for awareness of our sinfulness over and over, such as the tax collector in Luke who prostrates himself in the Temple while the Pharisee is comfortable in his prayers and generosity.

This year our sins have caught up with us. The cities have burned with outrage over racism and our forests and grasslands have burned over our materialism. Get of copy of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’d and take some time and sit quietly and read it. There are also two more session in our Adult Religious Eduction Series, The Sin and Tragedy of Racism, October 15 and November 5 and 7:00 p.m. See the bulletin for more details.

Also worth reading: a reflection by Ed Taylor, former parishioner and father of an STCA alum at https://www.kuow.org/stories/i-want-my-hair-to-be-fully-gray-the-lives-of-black-folks-should-end-with-dignity .

Father Maurice has announced that if attendance at the 11:00 mass reaches 50, he will restart the 8:30 mass. Currently attendance is a bit over 30. Masks are worn, social distancing is in force, there is no communal singing (sob!) and there is lots of ventilation. Use Sign Up! from the website or your phone to reserve a spot, though currently there is plenty of room for walk-ups. Y’all come! (If you use Sign Up! on your phone, the button is at the bottom of the scroll, not on the right were it appears on a computer.)

Let us be generous with our financial resources:

• For several weeks we’ve been about $1100 short of our Annual Catholic Appeal Goal. We can’t stop this close! Please support the work of the Church of Western Washington by clicking on this link: Annual Catholic Appeal. Much of your contribution comes back to the parish in the form of central office services, such as facilities and personnel consultations, payroll servicing, and management of employee health insurance and retirement funds. If you have questions about the Appeal, please email me at jvrussell85@gmail.com
• Give to the St Vincent de Paul Society by going to our website at st-therese.cc.  Scroll down to the St Vincent de Paul button near the bottom of the home page. If you prefer to write checks, please send them to Sr. Kathleen -SVdP , 3514 E. Marion St. , Seattle, WA 98122. The St. Therese conference has been overwhelmed by requests in the St Edwards area, which our conference is now serving. When the ban on evictions is lifted, the amount of accumulated delinquent rent will be crippling to many families. Please be generous!
• You can make a contribution online at st-therese.org and clicking on the “Donate Now” button or use the Push-Pay app on your phone.

Finally, join the Social Justice Commission! If there was ever a moment that St Therese needs a Social Justice Commission it is now! If you want to work for justice, email Trisha Tinsley at citizencoach@gmail.com.