We are reminded in today’s Gospel what Jesus considered to be the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Let us strive to live by these two commandments every day.

Today is WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, celebrated by Catholics throughout the world. We celebrate this day by remembering our baptismal call to bring the Gospel to all! The second collection today for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith supports the work and witness of the Mission Church, as it provides for priests, religious sisters and brothers, and lay leaders who offer the Lord’s mercy and concrete help to the most vulnerable communities in the Pope’s missions.

Today we hear Jesus tell the story of a king who invites everyone he can find to a feast for his son. Today and every Sunday everyone is invited here to a feast where we receive God’s Son. Many Sundays we take this invitation for granted or see it only as an obligation. Let this be an opportunity to be reminded that the Eucharist is a feast, that God’s son offers Himself for us each time, and that this is just a foretaste of the heavenly banquet to come.

Like the last few Sundays, the readings today speak of a vineyard. It is an excellent time of the year to contemplate a vineyard — vines heavy with grapes waiting to be harvested. However, when Jesus speaks in parables, each element stands for something else. The vineyard we are invited to contemplate today is not just a large field planted with vines, but our very home in the Lord. The fruit it produces is not just grapes or wine, but the kingdom of God made manifest in our world.

Every October the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday in October is observed as Respect Life Sunday. As Catholics, we are called to cherish, defend, and protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning to the end of their lives, and at ever point in between. During the month of October, the Church asks us to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life.

The annual Blessing of Pets will take place on Sunday, October 8th at 10:00 A.M. behind the church, near the Veterans’ Flagpole. We pray through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi for the health and safety of all our pets.

Today, throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans, church parishes are celebrating FAMILY DAY. The purpose of Family Day is to provide the parishes an opportunity to gather their families and encourage them to renew their life together, strengthen friendships, form new ones, and to cultivate an appreciation for the importance and goodness of family life.

Today, we take up the collection for the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC). Your support helps the CCC engage and build Catholic communities in the United States and around the world using the internet, television, radio, and print media. Half the funds we collect remain here in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to support local efforts. Be a part of this campaign to spread the gospel message.

The liturgical gathering makes Christ present in numerous ways, such as through the proclamation of the Word of God and in the Eucharist. Perhaps the most overlooked reality of Christ’s presence comes through the physical gathering of God’s people, who are instructed to owe nothing to anyone except love. This love between us makes God’s presence visible on earth. In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus assure His disciples that “whenever two or three are gathered in His name, He is there with them. Our confidence in His promise assures us that Jesus is here with us now as we celebrate the Eucharist—the Mass.

As we celebrate Labor Day on Monday, let us remember in our prayers all those whose labor enhances our lives and the lives of others; we recognize the holiness of the work we do. Whether we labor for an employer, for our own families, or both, we set aside our own desires to expend our time and effort to do something for others. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples that they must deny themselves and take up their crosses. We all have crosses that we are called to bear and some of them can be found in the work we must do for others. Let us strive to make the work we do more closely unite us with Christ.

Jesus asks His disciples a question, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ— the Son of the living God.” Simon Peter didn’t “figure out” Jesus’ identity on his own. Rather, it was revealed to Peter by God our Father. When we say “Amen”, let it be our personal affirmation of Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question.

Isaiah, the prophet, reminds us today that the Lord’s house is truly a “house of prayer for all people.” We are gathered here today in a house of prayer, and so we welcome all people who have come here today to join together to pray to God in praise, in petition, and thanksgiving.

Tuesday, August 15th is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. Vigil Mass at 5:00 P.M. on Monday, August 14th. Mass on August 15th will be at 6:30 A.M., 10:00 A.M., and 6:00 P.M.

Welcome Meeting for the parish High School Confirmation Preparation Program will take place on Sunday, August 20, 2023 starting after 11:00 am mass in Church. All students need to attend with a parent. Registration packets have been mailed out to enroll in our Confirmation preparation program. Students attending Catholic schools or students who were not enrolled in the CCD program (especially 9th graders) should contact the rectory for registration information.

This weekend we take up The Catholic Relief Services Collection to reveal Christ’s love to our brothers and sisters in need. This collection helps six (6) Catholic agencies to provide relief and support for struggling communities and to work for peace and reconciliation among our marginalized brothers and sisters here and around the world.

There is a ‘break” from the usual Sundays in Ordinary Time today. August 6 th is the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. It is a major feast, so when it falls on a Sunday, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration. In Scripture’s symbolic language, mountains aren’t just places; they are experiences that put us closer to God. The Apostles, Peter, James, and John had a unique experience on top of the mountain; they experienced Jesus being transfigured before their eyes. Transfiguration promises that within our ordinary lives is the life changing presence of God, if only we listen for it.