Reflection for Music Blog—Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Where have you found true joy in your life? In reading through this weekend’s Scripture passages, I am struck by a common theme--joy. The prophet Jeremiah imparts the words from the Lord: “Shout with joy..” (Jer 31:7). Psalm 126 tells us: “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” Finally, one cannot help but feel the immense joy of the blind man Bartimaeus after years of begging by the roadside for help. He has finally found the real help he needed—healing from his physical ailment as well as more importantly, he has finally discovered the One who holds all of the answers, that is Jesus Christ, the true Light of the World. This weekend we will be singing the hymn “I Have Loved You” by Fr. Michael Joncas at Offertory. The repeated lyrics of “I have loved you with an everlasting love,” are really quite overwhelming. To think that God, the Creator of the universe loves each and every one of us is beyond comprehension. Yet, I know it is true. I know that he has taken care of me day by day and without Him, neither I nor my loved ones would be here. These words cause me to think back on my life and to recognize the times when I know God was with me, leading me to the people in my life and to my current role. I try to make each day a prayer seeking God’s will, asking Him to help me to be His “hands and his feet,” and this weekend’s Gospel reminds me to also seek to be His eyes and his ears. The words of the second verse of the offertory hymn, remind me where I have found joy: “Seek the face of the Lord and long for him: he will bring you his joy and his hope.” When I try to recognize the face of Christ in others, it is through those interactions, I have found joy. Like Bartimaeus, I must seek to see Christ, and I must listen for Him. When I do, he will continue to fill me with strength, courage, and inner peace to follow His way that leads to everlasting joy. -Karen Stolz; Director of Religious Education, cantor and instrumentalist
Here is the music for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time to be presented at the majority of the Masses. https://bit.ly/3DVPaT7 October 23 and 24 https://bit.ly/3vpHUf8 Mass of Renewal parts