Parent Teacher Talk
November 5, 2017
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Matthew 23: 1 - 12
In the Gospel, Jesus echoes the first reading reprimand to church leaders who preach, but do not try to practice what they preach. As parents, we know we need to live the rules we set or we are seen as not authentic. We are here reminded that rules are not set to place someone in authority, but that the authority is granted to help guide people into a closer relationship with God. What are the ways we can grow closer? Those are the "rules" God provided - not arbitrary acts to show obedience, but actions that naturally lead to becoming more aware of God in our life and naturally leads to a growing love for Him.
Important Dates
November
5th................ Daylight Savings! Set your clocks back one hour!
5th....1:00 pm All Soul's Reception in Parish Dining Hall
11th - 12th .... Women's Christ Renews His Parish Retreat - Join us to recharge your life!
15th...6:30 pm Monthly Rosary - Ask Mary to help you offer authentic thanksgiving to God
16th...7:00 pm First Reconciliation Celebration! Gather in your assigned pew before 7:00 pm!
18th............... Christmas Bazaar at St. Thomas More
19th... 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.. 8th Grade Pancake Breakfast
26th............... Thanksgiving Holiday! No PSR, CLOW, or RCIA Gatherings.
December
3rd.................... First Sunday in Advent
9th.................... 8th Grade Confirmation Retreat at Jesuit Spiritual Center in Milford
12th.................. Parish Reconciliation Service
13th.................. STM Christmas Musical
20th......6:30 pm Monthly Rosary - Come ponder with Mary the amazing reality that God humbled ........................ Himself to take on a human nature, from conception through His death on the ........................ cross, out of love for His human creations
24th & 31st...... Merry Christmas and New Years Eves! No PSR, Children's Liturgy or RCIA.
NEWSY NOTES
TIME CHANGE!! Remember the time change this weekend - or you'll be REALLY early.
Meditation
“Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God,
at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts."
-Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Greetings Parents,

Yesterday was Halloween - Hallowed (Holy) Eve (Night Before). Today is the Holy day for which Halloween was the "Night Before the Holy Day," namely All Saints Day - a school holiday when I was a child...also a holy day of obligation - attending Mass this day is as important as attending Sunday!

My boys love to debate the "Mass outside of Sunday" requirements ( their language - mine is opportunity). We can teach but we can't make anyone believe. I can give all the logical arguments that helped this author's science-oriented brain see the reason in all things Catholic. Sometimes it took some real digging to get to what "made sense," but there was always eventually a sound answer.

My children, however, are not ones to be persuaded by pure reason. The logic part of the brain isn't fully formed in us until our twenties - thus the incredibly emotional "discussions" we have with our teens. Their hearts can be all in the right places, but their reasoning subdued by emotions (leading to emotivism, where moral value are determined by what feels right). Considering strong emotions evoked by a situation can be a strength, if there is someone with good moral formation who they trust to guide their understanding. It was much easier when they were small and they asked, we answered, they accepted.

This could be one aspect of Jesus' statement that we must be like little children. Once we have come to trust God, we need to be like little children in trusting His Wisdom and not assuming that we know better than He does.

"I know suffering is a part of life and we can turn it to the good, but surely, God, You didn't mean this!" (Just FYI: Christ, Mary, and countless saints endured horrible, and sometimes extended suffering. God wants good for His children, but we departed from His Holy Will and earthly suffering is a natural consequence that will end when we join Him in heaven.) "Yes, I know some actions aren't good, but if someone doesn't mean anything evil by them, then they're not really hurting anyone else...are they?" (Actions can be intrinsically evil, although a person might have less "fault" in committing them, but an evil is still committed.) "I know God said keep the Sabbath holy, but, really, going every Sunday and holy day is just not always practical in today's world." (Attending Mass is for our spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical health, in part by strengthening our relationship with God. While we might not be aware of the "hunger pains," our entire being suffers loss when we do not attend Mass on holy days of obligation and Sundays just as our bodies, emotions, and mental state suffer when we miss earthly meals for a week.)

There are so many ways we independent, self-directed, rational Americans can talk ourselves into a Church of our own rules - I've been there and done that - and the result is always a drawing away from the true God and a drawing towards the mirror god, me. It is so hard to consider the teachings that are so opposed in our culture, "God doesn't belong in the bedroom." But only God can be present at the beginning of every life for there to be life. Anything that might bring life will always bring God. It can be a long hard road away from my mirror into God's realm, one that a part of me fights terribly, but the price is so worth the reward.

As we tell our children, anything worth having is worth working hard to get. So too is authentically living our faith. Nope, not easy. Yep, it doesn't really get easier. Sometimes the battle gets harder, but the closer we draw to God, the more we can feel the effects of the reward and the more we can yearn to attain that great goal, making the greater sacrifices easier to manage.

Hug those precious free-thinkers tight, ask all of those saints who've been where you are for help and may God bless you and your family abundantly. 

-- Linda Bader, St. Thomas More
Articles for Parents

Cherishing children with disabilities! The article at the link below shares one woman's mission in life to help people recognize that rather than eradicate Down Syndrome through abortion, people with Down Syndrome, like her, love their life and value their days. Rather than valuing life based on a person's utilitarian to society and family, people should be valued simply for being human.
Our medical advances bring wonderful cures for life and easing of suffering, but they also raise new ethical questions. A popular topic in recent years is assisted suicide of those who no longer appear to be conscious. Pope John Paul II gave an incredible witness of what authentic "Dying with Dignity" means. From a Catholic perspective, we did not create the human soul that combines with a human body to become a human person. We do not have the right to alter a human person by separating that soul from the human body that God Almighty, Creator of the Universe decided to give it. Without a faith background, this can be difficult to discuss in general society, but a celebrity who was saved from euthanasia and is now dancing across the stage speaks from her own life experience.
We know about many ways to protect our families from physical harm and probably have heard about protecting them from society's negative influences that hurt them mentally and emotionally, including substance abuse, access to harmful media, and poor choices in the company we keep. As spiritual people, our Catholic faith also warns about the spiritual dangers. Some we know - the various vices and other actions or inactions that draw us away from God. One not thought of, because it isn't fashionable to consider these days, is the very real presence of demons .

Jesus affirmed the existence of the devil and demons - he even cast them out of people and into pigs! One man who has performed thousands of exorcisms shares that there is also one particular demon whose specialty is to attack the family . Any negative thoughts about our spouse or domestic life are a delight to this demon who revels in the break-up of families. We must constantly be aware that our thoughts might be swayed by one who has nothing for hate for each of us and everyone we love. Destroying unity is his victory. Hear the exorcist's own words at the link below.