Title: TWENTY EIGTH SUNDAY YEAR C

                          THANKSGIVING

Today at St. Edward's we are Celebrating 127 years since the founding of our Parish. It is our Homecoming Celebration. People from different parts of the World converge here today. Bishop Denis J. Madden our Urban Vicar is here with us dispite Jet lag. We have Fr. Massenge and Fr. Macha all the way from Tanzania East Africa. Fr. Gerald Kasule from Uganda and Fr. Kinuthia from Kenya, Fr. Henry Kunkel From our Sister Parish St. Mary's Pylesville, with some of his Parishioners, Fr. Jeff Duaime the provincial of the Spiritans in the USA-E, Fr. Chris Promis ......., We have distinguished guests from many parts and Parishioners of St. Edward and many more.

Why such a gathering? The readings of today give a very clear answer. Just like Naaman in the first reading or one of the ten healed lepers, we come to God with hearts full of  Gratitude. In the Preface the Main Celebrant will call us to lift up our hearts, and we will respond "We lift them up to the Lord" then he will invite us "LET US GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD OUR GOD".  We will all respond with Joy, special JOY today "IT IS RIGHT AND FITING TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE"

 Gratitude implies a certain degree of humility. It is to admit our vulnerability. It is an acceptance that we can not always manage on our own. We at St. Edward's have gone through a lot and if it were not for God's presence, being there for us at the times of need, we would have given up. We would have broken down. But we have gone through fire and still pressing on, because God's love and Kindness has Powerfully yet gentily guided us and continues to guid us all the moments of our History.

Whenever in need  (we are well aware of what has troubled us in the years) just as the Lepers we cried to Him "Jesus, Master! have pity on us! And he has responded to our needs with favor. We are still on this corner doing God's work. For if we die with Christ we shall live with Him. If we persevere with him we shall also reign with Him.

As we give thanks to God today, Celebrating our Homecoming, we are calling on all those for some reason left our Parish to come back Home (if that is not asking too much) We will show you our skin it is a new one. Be informed that our skin like that of Naaman is like the flesh of a little child. Jesus told the Lepers to go and show themselves to the Priests. He has told us on many occassions to invite you to our homecoming to see us again and help us write a new page of our History. It is you who will declare to everyone else that St. Edward has a door open for everyone to come in. Thank you.

We are not looking at the past pain or any other weekness as we celebrate. Nor are we planning to look back on those in future. We are focused on our constant, continued, permanent condition of being alive and saved - Alive and Saved by the Healing, Merciful, Forgiving and Sustaining presence of God right here and now. We are focused with great Hope of the continued same action of God in our life History. Thus we have all the reason to give praise and Thanksgiving to God as Scripture tells us, in Joyful Song and with loud voice, never tiring, making it known to the whole world that we have come this far by faith in the healing Presence of God. And we believe that this healing Presence of God is always and everywhere and for all  (No one is an outsider, no one should be Marginalized..). This why we continue our celebration today making Psam 98 our song... (St. Edward's) and "All the Ends of the Eath have seen the Salvation by our God. Sing Joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; Break into song, Sing Praise"

HAPPY  HOMECOMING ; HAPPY 127 ANNIVERSARY

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