September 27, 2026: Be the Body of Christ

Be the Body of Christ

[I start talking about the gospel. My cell phone goes off. I look at it] Oh no, it’s Edna. She’s not in good shape. She probably doesn’t realize that I’m doing Mass. I dread talking to her anyway, she just complains. [I turn the phone off] Whew, dodged that bullet.

But wait. I wonder if she’s OK. [I call her back]. You OK? Great, I’ll talk after this Mass. OK.

You know sometimes we get phone calls at the worst time. [Phone rings again] Hello. Oh hi Eugene. Oh no I’m not doing much. Oh that project with the Diocese. Yes, it’s so important. Yes, I’m all for it. When is it? Uh-uh. Let me look at my calendar and I’ll get back to you. [I hang up]. I don’t need to look at my calendar, there is no way I’m going to do that. Geez.

Ok those weren’t really phone calls. Think of the two sons in the gospel as being two parts of you. Sometimes our sense of empathy kicks in and we overcome busyness. And sometimes we say the right thing at the moment with no intention of following through.

But Jesus seems to be asking us for something more than good intentions. Show me. Show me with your time. Show me with your gifts. Show me with your generosity. Show me by getting involved.

And that brings me to something very practical. How do we actually live our discipleship here at Christ Our Light? Because it’s pretty easy to say, “I love this parish. I support this parish. I’m all for what we’re doing.”

On the weekend October 10/11, we’re having our Stewardship Sign-Up Weekend. And I want to encourage every one of you to take it seriously—not as another form to fill out, but as an opportunity to ask: “How do I want to be part of the Body of Christ this year?”

This is about discipleship and generosity. That means looking at your finances before then and determining what you can give financially. We’re asking everyone to prayerfully consider their giving for the coming year, including the goal of tithing—around 5% of our income as a starting point. Price of everything keeps ​going up. We are stewarding our expenses. We want to keep pace with inflation through your contributions.  Prayerfully consider what you can increase. There’s a chart in the bulletin in a yellow box that describes what giving 5% looks like.

Also, it means saying, “Yes, I’ll continue serving in the ministry I’m already doing.” That could mean maybe it’s time to try something new. Maybe you’ve thought, “I’ve always wanted to help with that.” Well… this is your chance. Maybe you’ve been thinking, “Someone should really help with that.” If not you, then who? For new members, this is a great way to feel connected. For you seasoned members, there is no saying, “I’ve done my part.” Remember parishioner Gloria Fobbe? She was great at just coming up to people and asking, “So what are you involved with at church.” She felt no one is ever too old to give their time to the church.; 

And there’s something important about this. What makes our parish so vibrant is that so many of you are involved. You don’t just simply show up and watch. We want to be a parish where everyone participates. Not just spectators—but disciples.

Not just people who say, “This is a good parish.” But people who help make it a great parish.

Not just people who say, “I support the programs and activities” but people who actually step up and get involved with programs and activities. It’s like President John F Kennedy would say, “Ask not what the parish can do for you. Ask what you can do for the parish.”

And you can do more than just what’s on the sign-up sheets. Every time you welcome someone at the door, thank that young person for serving or being a cantor, or when you smile at the parent with the fussy toddler (and give them the evil eye), or when you actually open your mouth during a song . . . you are making Christ present.

St Paul said in the second reading, “Complete my joy by being of the same mind, the same love, unite in love . . . look not for your own interest but also for those of others.”

So on the weekend of October 10/11, prayerfully consider how you want to help out. A sample sheet will be available next weekend. 

As St. Teresa of Ávila said, “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ looks with compassion on the world. Yours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which Christ blesses the world.” You are the Body of Christ.

Don't just say you love Christ Our Light. Show it.
Don't just say you're a disciple. Live it.
Don't just come to the Body of Christ. Be the Body of Christ.