Dear Parishioners:
- Happy Veteran Day – This year we observed on Monday, November 11. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and November 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.
A special word of “Thanks” to all parishioners from Prince of Peace and St. Gabriel Parishes who minister to the veterans at “Retsil – Washington Veteran Home in Port Orchard” every Wednesday of the week, especially, this past Wednesday (November 6) in anticipate of this important Veteran Day.
- “A big word of Thanks” to all from Prince of Peace Parish who have support by buying hand-made items, 50/50 tickets and participation in Baskets Drawing in this year “Holiday Winter Bazaar” at St. Gabriel Parish Community Room to assure of a successful event. All proceeds from this “Holiday Winter Bazaar” will go to “Share and Care Ministry” to help the poor and needy in community.
- In today's Gospel (Luke 20:27-38) we encounter the Sadducees, one of several groups or parties within Judaism. Sadducees were of the priestly class, many of them aristocratic, wealthy, and theologically conservative. Scripture for them consisted of only the five books of Moses. No teaching was authoritative if it was not found in the Pentateuch, and they found no doctrine of the resurrection in the books of Moses. There is among them no spirit of inquiry or desire to learn. They are simply baiting Jesus with one of their classic "what if" questions, a question on which their minds had been settled long ago: There is no resurrection of the dead.
The Pharisees and many of the Lord's contemporaries hoped for the resurrection. They not only included the prophets and the writings in their Scripture but also believed in the authority of the oral tradition from Moses. The basis for belief in the resurrection was found in that oral tradition. The subject was heatedly debated between the two parties of Pharisees and Sadducees, a fact that Paul made use of to draw attention away from himself during his trial before the Jewish Council (Acts 23:6-10).
Christian faith in the resurrection has met with incomprehension and opposition from the very beginning. On no point does the Christian faith encounter more opposition than on the resurrection of the body. The question of the resurrection is vital not only to the Christian faith but to all people who reflect on life and death.
- As all the parishes in our Archdiocese of Seattle are conducting the annual tradition of Christian Stewardship Renewal, including our own parish at Prince of Peace, let’s be mindful of what Christian Stewardship is all about: “God give it ALL and then call us to SHARE”. Everything we have and everything we are, indeed are gifts from God. So, Stewardship is the ability to share our gifts of life – Time, Talent and Treasure – with others; with no strings attached and no conditions. We share these gifts out of our love for God and gratitude to God.
- Lastly, there is a “Prayer Book – Labeled For the Deceased” that you could write in the names of your loved ones whom you want our parish community to pray for them in this month of November. Also, it’s not too late to send in the All Souls’ envelops with the names of your loved ones who have passed away and wanting our parish to pray for them.
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Phuong Hoang