Before I Forget…

§ Death is the great adventure, beside which moon landings
  and space trips pale into insignificance 
               -Joseph Bayly

§ This is the end--for me, the beginning of life.
                                                -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

§ To die will be an awfully big adventure.
                                                -J. M. Barrie

"Hey Buddy," said the taxicab passenger, as he tapped the driver on the shoulder.  The driver screamed and lost control of the cab, nearly hit a bus, jumped a curb, and stopped just inches from a huge plate glass window.  For a few minutes, everything was dead still and silent.  Then the driver said, "Man, you scared the living daylights out of me."
"I'm sorry," said the passenger.  "I didn't realize a tap on the shoulder would scare you so badly." 
"It isn't your fault, " said the driver.  "Today is the first day I've driven a cab.  I've been driving a hearse for the past twenty-five years."
     -Laughter is the Best Medicine, Reader's Digest

Will any one of us be ready for our last breath and that last ride ?  Death!  We know, and science confirms this, that all of us will eventually die.  A human being does not live forever… on this earth.  Science also tells us that the universe is going to die on a much, much longer time scale.  So, what is the point of it all?  If we simply look through the eyes of science, we might not find an answer.  But, as people of faith, people who believe in the resurrection, we also believe that the Creator has a will and purpose for the cosmos, and for each one of us.  We believe that God's purpose will not be frustrated by death, neither by the death of humans, the death of the universe, or the death of all creation. If we believe in the faithfulness of God, we can also believe in a destiny after death. 
So, the Church, with 2,000 years of tradition, invites us to pray for all the departed on the Feast of All Souls, today, November 2.  We remember and we pray for our dear

dead… all parishioners of St. John's, all our family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, those who have died alone, unloved and unmourned, and for all who have died in Christ.  Someday, others will be praying for us.  As a matter of fact, we are asked to spend the month of November praying for the faithful departed.
All of us are touched by the death of a loved one , a   parent, a grandparent, a spouse, a child, a sibling, a classmate, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, a niece, a nephew, an aunt or uncle, and the list goes on and on.  It is an incredible privilege to be with someone who is leaving this world for the eternal world, for their great destiny.  Death is a great sacrament for a dying believer.  They are about to encounter the Risen Christ forever.  Our spiritual task is to help them encounter Christ.  We need to be   thinking about the person who is dying and not so much about our grief.  Yes, because we love the person who is dying, there will be grief and sadness, but we deal with those feelings after the person has died.  During the dying process we need to be there for the person who is going on their final journey, to their great destiny.  How can we make the transition as easy and as comfortable as possible?
I believe that the dead are not far away from us.  They are very near to us.  We must pray for them and for their eternal happiness. So, this weekend, November 1/2, our liturgies are for those who have died, those who count on our prayers.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.

Fr. Bill

They are here!  Come and get yours!

You may pick up your copy of the directory after any Mass this weekend in the Narthex.  Please come up the ramp near the Sacristy into the Narthex. 

A limited supply will also be available for $5.00.

The directories will not be sent out - - please make an effort to pick up your copy this weekend.