Dear Friends in Christ,

This week on Wednesday, we will celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints, a holy day of obligation. This provides us with the opportunity to rejoice that there are countless people who have gone before us who are now enjoying the beatific vision, all the glories of living within the love of the Most Holy Trinity.

Then on Thursday, we will celebrate All Souls Day. On this day we recognize that many who die in a state of grace are not immediately prepared to stand before God and see Him face-to-face. God cannot look upon sin. The only way possible for us to stand before an all-righteous God is if every attachment to sin is purged from souls. But we should ask, how many people die in such a state?

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Pharisees come up with a new plan to try to trap Jesus during one of their debates by bringing up the hot topic of paying taxes. They inquire, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Jesus ably distinguishes between the rights of God and human authority; clearly pointing out that we are bound by our conscience to be honest with God and with others.

Dear Friends in Christ,

From our Gospel for today we can learn: We have all been invited to heaven, but whether we get in or not depends on each individual person. Arriving there is the most important task of your life and mine. What’s the good of a comfortable lifestyle, a successful career if we lose our soul? As St. Teresa of Avila says about true wisdom, “In the end, the one who gets it is the one who is saved; and the one who isn’t saved doesn’t understand anything at all.”

Dear Friends in Christ,

So, you have friends, neighbors or relatives that you are hoping might become Catholic, what can you do? Well, first of all, pray for them. Include them in your rosary, pray for them at adoration and pray for them during the Mass. As the gifts are brought up, offer your intentions with those gifts.

Another effective action you can take is to simply invite them to Mass. Many never do this because they are not sure how to make the invitation or perhaps, they fear rejection. I would like to offer some suggestions on inviting friends or family to Mass.

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Church’s entire social doctrine is guided by the fundamental principle that every human life has innate dignity and incomparable value: “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14a) As disciples of Christ, we are called to make a sacrificial gift of ourselves for the sake of our neighbor, for “to love someone is to desire that person's good and to take effective steps to secure it.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in veritate (Charity in Truth), no. 7.)