Dear Friends: Obedience is not a popular virtue in our world today; we value our independence; we like to do things our own way. Obedience seems to imply a lack of freedom, something that reduces us. The word comes from a Latin root and literally means “listen to.” When we obey, we are listening to someone. In making choices, we are listening to someone; we may think that we are listening to our own thoughts or desire, but are we? What forms our thoughts, what shapes our desires? We do not necessarily generate our thoughts independently from the world around us. We are under the influence of many things: our culture, our experiences, the people around us. Amid these many influences, believers also acknowledge the voice of God at work in the world, in the Church, in the Scriptures, and in the depths of our hearts. Believers seek out the voice of God, so that we can hear what He has to say to us, that we may listen to Him, that we may obey Him. Our readings today speak about that obedience to God, hearing Him and doing what He asks of us. We cannot just hear God’s voice; we need to respond. Jesus models this virtue of obedience for us. Though He was God, he put aside self-interest and “became obedient even until death, death on a cross.” Through that supreme act of obedience, Jesus undoes the effects of our disobedience stretching back to Adam and Eve. We are now invited to listen to God and find in His service the happiness that our hearts seek. October is Respect Life Month. Life is a precious gift from God, and we must do all we can to nurture and protect life from its beginning at conception until it’s natural end. Caring for the unborn, expectant mothers, the poor, sick and elderly, and all who are vulnerable is essential to our mission as followers of Jesus. We must do all we can personally and as a parish family to nurture God’s gift of life. Our Walking with Moms program, partnership with the Women’s Shelter, The St. Vincent de Paul Society, and assisting with local food pantries are all ways in which our parish is caring for the vulnerable and promoting a respect for life. This Sunday, following the noon Mass, we will pray before the Blessed Sacrament for an end to abortion and all forms of violence that threaten human life. Please take the time to join us. This week we will have the Blessing of Animals on Wednesday October 4th, 2:00 p.m. at Saints Peter and Paul School and on Saturday, October 7th, 1:00 p.m. at Saint Cecilia Church. Bring your furry friends for a blessing! God bless, Father Howard