“Wisdom is readily perceived by those who love her and found by those who seek her.” As we rapidly approach the end of another church year, it would be a good time for us all to reflect on this gift of the Holy Spirit; Wisdom. Wisdom participates in God’s capacity to order all things properly, and a wise person accomplishes in his or her life what God does for the whole of creation.
Wisdom invites itself in our daily lives. Wisdom is not a level of education, nor does it require us to read more books or memorize things. Rather, wisdom is a capacity to live well, and to make informed decisions. Such wisdom is only possible with good judgment, stemming from experience and everyday knowledge, through listening, observation, reflection and then putting it into practice. Wisdom, in order to be gained, must be sought out and desired. Each of us seeks in our own heart and mind the people that we might ask for advice in our lives. Those people are usually important figures for us, whose practical judgments we would trust and also whose spiritual advice could be helpful. Our first reading this Sunday reminds us that we need to seek wisdom to “the perfection of prudence,” and once we obtain some wisdom, we would be wise to treasure that wisdom. True wisdom figures and reflects the wisdom of God.
Wisdom can be seen as a preparedness for Jesus’ return. Our Gospel from Matthew today brings us back to wisdom. The parable that Jesus gives to us illustrates the practical nature of wisdom. All ten of the virgins wanted to meet the bridegroom but five of them did not bring enough oil to keep their lamps burning. A person who knows about oil lamps will know that extra oil must be taken along if the wait is going to be long. Seems a practical foresight , but five of the virgins did not have that wisdom. When the bridegroom was delayed, those five ran out of oil.
The point of this parable is to ensure we are ready at all times for the Lord. To be ready for the Lord, we must be willing to wait for the Lord. To wait for the Lord, we must be willing to do all the things that will allow us to be ready as we wait. And so the question is, “do we live our lives in such a way that we are always ready for Him?” We must live and conduct our lives in such a way as to mirror the life Jesus has presented to us. Our question may be “how does Christ know us?” He knows us when He looks into our hearts and sees Himself. We trust and follow Him, taking to ourselves His truth so that it becomes our truth. Then the door will open for us. May you be filled with the Wisdom & Peace of Jesus!
I would like to thank all of our volunteers and staff for helping put on a very successful Fall Festival last Sunday. It was so nice to see so many of our parishioners come out and participate in our parish life. When several of our volunteers were informed that we were in the middle of an additional transition for our event coordination position, they quickly stepped up to aid in planning and execution. Building on last year’s event, we added a few new elements, including a chili cook-off, bike rally, and quilt raffle. Each gave parishioners a chance to win some great prizes for participating, but also allowed for sharing their God-given talents. Speaking of talent, Fr. Steve and I participated in the Bike Rally, but we were not the quickest. In our defense, it is hard to ride a bike while wearing a habit.
A few weeks prior to the festival, we were able to again fill the vacant event, hospitality and outreach manager position, with parishioner Vicky McCarthy stepping into the role. I told her not to panic too much about the festival because I knew our wonderful volunteers had it under control. Vicky was there on Sunday helping and taking notes, already thinking of what we can do next year.
Last Sunday was busy enough with Masses and the festival, but I was called to spend the second half of the day in St. Petersburg at the Cathedral, and for a great reason. Tony Miranda, a parishioner here at Sacred Heart since 2017, was selected to receive our parish’s St. Jude Medal for 2023. The St. Jude medal is awarded annually to individuals and couples from each diocesan parish and mission for outstanding service to their communities. Tony is an amazing volunteer who helps where ever he is needed. Every Saturday, Tony works with Hands of Hope preparing and serving food to the homeless, while also serving as an active member of the Knights of Columbus, and our Parish Advisory, Outreach, and Maintenance Committees. Sunday was also a busy one for Tony as he volunteered at the festival for several hours before making the trek to the Cathedral to receive his award at the prayer service with Bishop Parkes.
Lastly, I’d like to thank all of our parishioners on behalf of the Outreach Committee for making our first Socktoberdrive a very successful one. In planning, we set a goal that we felt would not only be achievable, but one that directly reflected the homeless that we intended to serve within our community. The annual average population of those considered homeless in Hillsborough County is 1,600, so we set that number as the goal. That simple message must have created a spark, because we pushed well past goal by the end of the drive. A conservative count, not including any last minute donations, saw parishioners donate 4,325 pairs of socks. Many of you will remember that the Behavioral Resource Unit of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, who directly interact with the homeless of our area, offered to match donations for the last two weekends of October. That match will result in an additional 2,529 pairs of socks, bringing our drive’s total to 6,854 pairs. Collected socks are already in the hands of our partners at Tampa Hope, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and our Hands of Hope ministry. When you are homeless, a simple thing such as clean, dry socks can make a difference. I’ve been a part of Socktober drives in several of my previous parishes, and it has always been very successful. Again, I thank all of you for your generosity, and look forward to holding this drive again in the future.
Commissioned by Bishop Emeritus Robert Lynch in 1999, the St. Jude the Apostle Medal is given each year by the Diocese of St. Petersburg as a way to recognize parishioners who show outstanding service to their respective parishes. At a ceremony on Sunday, October 29, held at the Cathedral of St. Jude, parishioner Tony Miranda received this year’s distinction from Bishop Gregory Parkes, alongside pastor Fr. Mike Jones, OFM.
Registered and participating at Sacred Heart since 2017, Tony tirelessly gives of his time and talents to our parish, most notably through his participation as volunteer coordinator with our Hands of Hope ministry, as well as through his service on our parish’s outreach, maintenance, and advisory committees. A Tampa native and first generation Cuban-American, Tony’s commitment to service is rooted in an upbringing that showcased hard work and opportunity.
“My parents were immigrants, and so I saw from a young age the value of hard work,” Miranda explained after receiving the award. “I was unaware of my nomination until I received a notice from the Diocese, and later, a call from Fr. Mike. It’s a privilege to then to be in the Cathedral praying with like-minded, service driven folks, and to have that moment with the Bishop. I am humbled by this, as I just see myself as a cog.”
Those who know Tony wouldn’t be surprised by his humility in receiving the award, nor by the mechanical metaphor about his place in ministry at Sacred Heart. Miranda is a retired engineer, who after more than 20 years working in circuit design, primarily in Arizona, moved back east to begin a different career, paying forward the work of another influence that lead to his life of service.
“When I was in high school, at Jefferson, I had a few teachers encourage me to pursue more coursework in the STEM areas, after seeing that I had a knack for it,” Miranda described. “That led me to a very successful career, and so I wanted to find a way to essentially pay back that influence.”
Tony (far left) has been an important figure with the Sacred Heart Council #12110 of the Knights of Columbus since joining the parish. Miranda has been a Knight since the early 2000’s.
Tony joined Teach for America, and spent several years teaching math and science courses in the Bronx after leaving Arizona, before life brought him back to Tampa. Tony then taught for several years at Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High, a Catholic college preparatory school and work study program sponsored by the Salesians of Don Bosco, which forms underserved young men and women who will actively live faith, hope, and love. When moving back to the Tampa area, Tony found that his affinity for city living followed him from New York. He moved into downtown and began attending Mass here at Sacred Heart, joining up with the Knights of Columbus Council #12110, and later, Hands of Hope.
Tony currently teaches math at Hillsborough High School, and is grateful for the friendships and respect his live of service has provided him. “Each weekend, when distributing meals with Hands of Hope, we pray before opening the food line, and we always tell our guests that it is a blessing to be there in community with them.”
The parish would like to thank Tony for his continued efforts, and congratulate him on receiving this year’s award.
In Matthew’s Gospel more than in any other, the Jewish authorities look for ways to trap Jesus into taking sides on a disputed issue. In the case of our Gospel today, the issue was the census tax. The Herodians thought it should be paid, the Pharisees did not. They took their time preparing the proper wording to try and throw Jesus off by making him choose one over the other. Jesus’ answer to them didn’t matter, because either way He would have been caught in a trap with His own words. They asked Him “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus replied, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed Him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that, He said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
No matter what side Jesus took, it would get Him into trouble with someone. Jesus was not about to fall into the trap. Nor was He about to miss a chance to point out there were far more important things to worry about. He doesn’t answer the question on the legality according to the Jewish law. Rather, He turns their focus to the question of what they should be giving to God. Whether they pay the tax was a matter for Caesar to take up. Their faithfulness to the Ten Commandments and to loving and serving God with all their hearts was the real question. Were they giving God their wholehearted obedience there? Are we?
We need to take Jesus’ example of our obligation and responsibility to the state but live the larger obligation to God and be Christ in the world through our actions toward one another. The same way the image of Caesar on the coin makes it Caesar’s, God created us. We belong to God and no one else. In all we say and do, we give glory and honor to God.
If we want to be more like Jesus, then we need to put our beliefs and actions into everything we do. All we say and do reflects God’s life in us. God works through our human hands. How do we help those who can’t help themselves? Do we feed and cloth the homeless through our generosity of all we have? How do we stand up for the voiceless in our society? Do we write to our government leaders on issues that affect them? How do we protect the sanctity and dignity of every human life from conception to natural death? Do we pray for those on death row?
There is so much to be done. If we just take the time to pray and ask God where he needs us most, and give ourselves absolutely to God, then remarkably we are free to give to others in ways that are gracious and life-giving. He will direct us to His people’s needs. We just need to listen to His words and not get tricked by agents of the devil who tried to trick Jesus.
How will you love and serve God today with your whole heart?
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, “I don’t like wedding receptions.”
As a Franciscan, I own neither a suit nor a Roman collar. I never bring a plus one (and when I did it was my 85-year-old friend, Sr. Kate), and once I find that little piece of paper with the number on it and make my way toward the table, I can see the look of disappointment on the faces of my tablemates. Nothing puts an end to a good time quite like sitting with a priest. Even my own family says this! So, today’s Gospel according to Matthew (22:1-14), which depicts heaven as a wedding banquet following a life spent as a disciple of the Lord, is difficult for me.
I find much more Good News in our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah (25:6-10) where the Lord provides “a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy rich food and pure choice wines.” The fact that Isaiah uses those words twice hints at the lavishness, generosity, and sensuousness of what we can expect. Death is destroyed, and tears are wiped dry; now that is something to look forward to! And let’s not forget the mouth-watering food and choice wine! All this is ours since while alive here on earth, we look to the Lord to save us.
We are being saved since God became human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The Incarnation is a wedding in itself: Two, God and the human, become One, in time and forever in eternity. At the Ascension, Jesus did not leave his humanity behind, but took his human nature and his human history with him. This Jesus, God become human, now sits at “the right hand of the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Jesus will judge us on how we have shown our faith, or in other words, given our faith “flesh.” We do this by living as if we are already in heaven by serving one another through acts of charity.
In our second reading, St. Paul (Philippians 4:12-14; 19-20) is reminding us that no matter what the circumstances of our life are, whether in riches or in poverty, in sickness or in health, Christ is with us. The good news is that even death does not end the loving bond Christ has with us.
Every Mass is a wedding banquet, a feast of the unbreakable bond Christ has with us and indeed all of creation. We feast of the richest of foods, the very body of Christ and the choicest of wines, His precious Blood. It is Christ himself who becomes united with us and invites us to become united with one another. This unity we experience here at Mass is a foretaste of what we will experience in the fullness of heaven. At this wedding feast which we call Mass, we are invited, changed, empowered, and sent to invite others.
