Sept. 27, 2026
Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. (Phil 2:1-2)
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” (Matt 21:28-31)
I know a man who had two sons; he was my father. He would be over a hundred years old now, and the twentieth anniversary of his death is around the corner, but I still remember his love for his family and the way he gave us the attention we needed. He worked hard throughout his life, and I don’t remember him expressing his feelings very often when I was younger, but the older he became, the more reflective he was. In the years after my mom died, our relationship grew. She was no longer there to be the mediator between us, and somehow our relationship became a source of consolation after her loss. During those years, and in the decades that have followed, I have often wondered whether I had been the son I was called to be and whether I had made them proud.
I see my brother and myself in this week’s Gospel because there were periods in our youth and young adulthood when we behaved very much like those two sons. When I am truly honest, there were times when I took on the role of the first son, but just as often I played the role of the second. As he grew older, I think my dad became less concerned about past offenses and more concerned with knowing that my brother and I cared for one another. Paul’s words to the people of Philippi reflect the wishes of any parent who seeks solace within a family: that we might be “of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart.”
As members of parish families, perhaps we are best united not simply by thinking “one thing,” but by embracing One Mission: the Mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the time of year when we especially consider how we welcome our younger sons and daughters into the vineyard and help them discover a faith that can accompany them throughout their lives. Both of our parishes are experiencing transitions and new beginnings in intergenerational Faith Formation, but perhaps this is also an opportunity to remind ourselves that formation in faith is not something reserved for children. All of us are still learning. All of us are still being formed. All of us are still being called into the vineyard.
With that in mind, I especially invite adults, young adults, parents, grandparents and catechists from both All Saints on the Hudson and Corpus Christi to join me this Sunday evening 5:00 – 6:15 pm at the Church Hall, 52 William Street in Mechanicville, for a conversation about the power of Scripture in our lives. Because our originally scheduled facilitator is unable to be with us, I will be revisiting some materials from years past and offering a reflection entitled “Were Not Our Hearts Burning Within Us?” The title comes, of course, from the beautiful story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. As Jesus walks with them, he opens the Scriptures for them, and afterward they recognize that something had been happening within them all along: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
That will be our launching point. Rather than approaching the Bible simply as a collection of books, stories and teachings, we will look at how its many parts together reveal the living love of God and help us recognize Christ walking with us on our own journeys.
My hope is that we might rediscover God’s Word as something that awakens our relationship with Christ and gives us something worth sharing with our children and with one another. We will have pizza, antipasto and other light refreshments available, not quite a Sunday dinner, but enough to enjoy before or after yours! We will join together to discover again what those disciples discovered on the road to Emmaus: when Christ opens the Scriptures, hearts can still burn within us.
I will also be joined by catechists and representatives from both parish communities, including those who accompany people through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. They will be available to answer questions and share information about Faith Formation for children, young people and adults at both parishes. Whether you are a parent looking for information, someone interested in becoming a catechist, an adult wishing to learn more about the Catholic faith, or simply someone wondering where you might fit in, please come and talk with us. If you cannot join us Sunday evening, you are always welcome to contact me, and I will make sure someone reaches out to you as soon as possible.
Thank you, as always, for the many ways you love and support our parish communities. I am proud to be your pastor and grateful to be walking this journey of faith with you. God bless you!
“Were Not Our Hearts Burning Within Us?” Sunday Evening • 5:00–6:15 PM
All Saints on the Hudson Parish Hall 52 William Street, Mechanicville