In just a few short weeks, we will begin the season of Advent, which is the start of a new liturgical year. Advent is one of my favorite liturgical seasons. Although the shortest in time, only four weeks, it is, for me, a time of deep spiritual preparation.

We are blessed as a parish community to have St. Teresa of Calcutta’s Missionaries of Charity sisters here in our convent. Mother Teresa herself brought over the first group of Missionaries of Charity sisters here to the Diocese of Brooklyn at Our Lady of Victory convent almost 30 years ago.

On this 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we can’t help but feel the rapidly approaching end of the year. The trees know it, as their enchantingly colored leaves are blowing away in the autumn wind.

Just as I sat down to write this reflection, I received a phone call. Apparently, someone using my name was trying to scam a parishioner. This has happened to me and other people I know, and the general consensus is to assure people it wasn’t us and move on.

As this year’s election cycle ramps up, we might lament that there never seems to be an ideal candidate. Certainly, we must be realistic, we know, but choosing “the lesser of two evils” doesn’t make us feel much better in the booth.

As a seminarian, I spent a summer in Mexico working on my Spanish. I grew up speaking Spanish, but my grammar left much to be desired. Part of the program involved a professor teaching us history and culture, and one of the lessons that hit me the hardest was his description of the arrival of Spanish
missionaries.

This Sunday’s readings offer profound insights into how we live out our faith amid life’s challenges and diverse ideas of success.

In today’s world, where power, prestige, and wealth often define success, the concept of humility seems increasingly countercultural. Yet, the wisdom found in ancient texts offers us a perspective that challenges our modern understanding of greatness. Through the lens of Scripture and real-life examples, we are called to reflect on what greatness truly is.

This weekend’s readings invite us to reflect deeply on the nature of true discipleship — a call that extends beyond mere verbal profession to a life of action, sacrifice, and unyielding trust in God. Discipleship is not a path of comfort or ease; it demands courage, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace the cross, as countless saints and believers have demonstrated throughout history. 

Today’s readings invite us to reflect deeply on the transformative power of God’s love and the call to recognize and respond to the inherent dignity of every person, particularly those who are often marginalized or misunderstood.