Our Lady of Sorrows
    info@oladyofsorrows.org
    956-686-0251
    • Home
    • News
      • Weekly Bulletin
    • Homilies
      • Msgr. Gustavo Barrera
      • Dcn. Ray Thomas
      • Dcn. Johnny Gonzalez
      • Dcn. Crawford Higgins
    • About Us
      • Office Directory
      • Worship & Liturgy Schedule
      • Our Pastor
      • Photo Gallery
    • Donate
    • Sacraments
      • Baptism
      • Matrimony
      • CCD
      • RCIA
    • Ministries & Organizations
      • Adoration
      • Altar & Rosary Society
      • Altar Servers
      • Asamblea de Oracion de Matrimonios (AOM)
      • Catholic Daughters of the Americas
      • Homebound Ministry
      • JCDA
      • Choir
      • Knights of Columbus
      • Legion of Mary
      • Readers of the Word (Lectors)
      • Serra Club
      • Star of Hope
    • Faith & Spirituality Groups
      • Bereavement Support
      • Centering Prayer Group
    • Become a Parishioner
    • Funeral Information
    • Quinceañera Information
    • OLS YouTube Channel
    • School
    • Diocese of Brownsville
    • Contact Us

    32 Sunday, Cycle B

    11/8/2015

     
    Mark 12:38-44
    ​
    In the old days a widow was a nobody.  Once her husband died, she was left to the mercy of her relatives.  If there was no brother, no son, no brother-in-law, she was as good as dead.  A woman could not work—no such thing as applying for employment somewhere.  Women were not educated, had no rights, and had no future without a man.
     
    Both the first Book of Kings and the Gospel story of St. Mark parallel the plight of widows.  And in both accounts the widows come out as winners because of their trust—their faith in God.  Tuff to trust God when one is at the end of the rope—on the last penny—down to the last bit of food.  Ever been there?  Ever felt like there was no tomorrow?  Many can relate to a time when they had plenty and then there was nothing.  The depression, the stock market crash, loss of employment.  However, although the economic level is important, emotional health can be just as critical.  Some folks can be feeling good one day and then, without warning they feel depressed—and no one seems to understand.  Depression is becoming more widespread.  One of the reasons is because we don’t talk to each other.  We text or email but rarely have a conversation.   We are forgetting how to talk with each other.  The worse thing that can happen is to think that whatever tragedy we are suffering—that we are all alone.  Or that what we are experiencing has never happened to anyone else.  Or that others will think less of us if we share.  “So you’re broke, so you feel depressed, You discovered that your spouse has been unfaithful.”  Whatever the problem is, we are never alone.  And we are never tested beyond our capacity. 
     
    There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.  But we’ve got to walk into the tunnel, not be afraid, have the confidence that God is holding us by the hand.  Life can get pretty spooky.  Never understood why some folks like to watch spooky movies, when life is spooky enough.  Seems like the more blood and guts, the violence, the explosions are what sell movies.  Guess that the folks in war-torn countries would not be anxious to see such trash—because they see it every day.  Perhaps there is some sub-conscious satisfaction in seeing someone worse off then our self.  The old axiom “Misery loves company” might not be far from the truth. 
     
    Not that we would ever get pleasure of seeing someone else’s suffering, but we can become indifferent.  Since we are exposed to so much real-life situations, we tend to develop a callus.  Jesus had to point out the widow in the Gospel who had gone unnoticed by the disciples.  “Seen one widow, you’ve seen them all.”  “Just another poor person.”  “One of the countless who’s asking for money.”  The majority of poor people came to the synagogue to ask for money, not to make an offering.  Although it is commonly known that some of the most generous are some of the poorest, as in the case of the widow.  She gave all that she had.  Obviously the amount was not what was important.  $100.00 in Las Vegas is just for starters.  But $100.00 in Church takes on a different meaning.  For someone who has nothing $100.00 is a lot of money no matter where they are.  Time to take a look at ourselves and our own trust level of God’s mercy.  We can never out-do God in generosity.  The sacrifice, if our giving is indeed sacrificial, will come back many times over.  The percentage is not important—our attitude is what God sees. 
     
    What we do on the weekend at Holy Mass should only be a part of our overall giving of stewardship.  Time, talent, and treasure represents the big picture.  God wants us completely.  After all, He is the One who has provided all that we are, all that we have.
      

    Comments are closed.
      Picture
      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera,
      ​celebrated his first Holy Mass as pastor on September 15, 2007, the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. With his enthusiasm and spiritual guidance, OLS continues to serve our Catholic family in a way that challenges us to grow as an evangelizing community.

      Archives

      February 2023
      January 2023
      December 2022
      November 2022
      October 2022
      September 2022
      August 2022
      July 2022
      June 2022
      May 2022
      April 2022
      March 2022
      February 2022
      January 2022
      November 2020
      October 2020
      September 2020
      August 2020
      July 2020
      June 2020
      May 2020
      April 2020
      March 2020
      February 2020
      January 2020
      December 2019
      November 2019
      October 2019
      September 2019
      July 2019
      June 2019
      May 2019
      April 2019
      March 2019
      February 2019
      January 2019
      December 2018
      November 2018
      October 2018
      September 2018
      August 2018
      July 2018
      June 2018
      May 2018
      April 2018
      March 2018
      February 2018
      January 2018
      December 2017
      November 2017
      October 2017
      September 2017
      August 2017
      June 2017
      May 2017
      April 2017
      March 2017
      February 2017
      January 2017
      December 2016
      November 2016
      October 2016
      September 2016
      August 2016
      July 2016
      June 2016
      May 2016
      April 2016
      March 2016
      February 2016
      January 2016
      December 2015
      November 2015
      October 2015
      September 2015
      August 2015
      July 2015
      June 2015
      May 2015
      April 2015
      March 2015

      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera, Pastor.

      Categories

      All

      RSS Feed

    About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Office Directory
    • Stewardship
    • Pastor
    • Our History
    Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • First Reconciliation
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
    • Anointing of the Sick
    Parish Life
    1. Become a Parishioner
    2. Bulletin & Newsletters
    3. Planning Center Log-in​
    Worship and Liturgy
    • Daily Readings
    • Liturgy of Hours
    • Mass & Reconciliation
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    Faith Formation
    • CCD
    • RCIA​
    Links & Resources
    • CDOB
    • USCCB
    • Vatican: Holy See
    • American Catholic
    More
    • Homilies
    • Online Giving
    • OLS School
    • OLS on YouTube
    Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
    1108 W Hackberry Ave.
    McAllen, Texas 78501-4370
    Telephone
    : (956) 686-0251
    Picture
    Picture

    Website Development by The Parish Solutions Company
    Our Lady of Sorrow Image Copyright Cromo NB permission to use by CNB Basevi.
    Back to top