Faith Formation Reflections and Resources

The month of November often directs our minds to the end times, as we complete our observance of Ordinary Time and work our way to the Feast of Christ the King and the end of the liturgical year. This year, however, the first two Sundays of November give us different points of focus. On November 2, as we observe All Souls Day, we commemorate all those who have died; we remember that “the souls of the just are in the hand of God” and that, as St. Paul has told us, “hope does not disappoint”. The next Sunday, November 9, we celebrate the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the Pope’s church; we are told that we are “God’s building” and we see that, as he cleanses the Jerusalem temple of money changers and merchants, Jesus is consumed with zeal for his Father’s house. Neither of these Sundays has the usual focus of the last Sundays of Ordinary Time, which we experience on November 16, the 33^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time. On this day, we are reminded that the day of the Lord is coming; Jesus assures us, however, that by our “perseverance” we will be saved. We begin a new liturgical year with the celebration of the First Sunday of Advent; Year A, the new liturgical year, begins on November 30. You can always prepare for the Sunday readings at https://liturgy.slu.edu/.