From Father DePalma:

Well, here we are, in the month of October. For many of us, either directly through reading certain books or listening to certain videos, or indirectly, you've heard what other people are talking about, October according to some prophecies is supposed to be the month that all sorts of events on a world-wide scale will happen. Are we going to go through another variation of the virus, this time much worse? Is there going to be heightened civil unrest? Will there be some sort of "illumination" some sort of communication from God? Will the world come to an end in October? The answer to those questions is actually a simple one. Could those things happen? Yeah, could be. But if we are truly living our lives as a good and faithful Catholic, though some of those things are things to be concerned about, we don't worry, we don't fear, we don't get so anxious and fearful to the point where we become paralyzed and can't move, emotionally and especially spiritually. And why are we not afraid? Because our Lord Jesus has conquered sin and death. What is the worst thing that could happen to us? So and so gets elected?! I have to keep wearing a damn mask?! No! It's death. That's the worst thing that can happen to us. But Jesus has already taken care of that as long as we live for him, as long as we continue to believe and not to lose all hope. We are but pilgrims, sojourners on this earth. We are to live our lives with "our bags packed" so to speak because we are not supposed to live on this earth forever, we are called to enjoy the eternal happiness of our home in heaven. And from that perspective, death then becomes both the worst thing that could happen to us, because God the Father never intended death when He created the universe, but death from a perspective of salvation is actually one of the best things that could happen to us because that would simply be our ticket back home. We have to stay balanced. Now I know that this notion of living with "our bags packed" of being ready every day to go back home to heaven, sounds good to those of you who have been living on this planet for several decades. For many of you who are older it's like, "Yeah, I'm totally ready to go back home, get me out of this mess down here!" But what about those of you who are still in high school, still in college? What are you saying? "It's like wait a minute, my life was just getting started, and now I'm supposed to be thinking about heaven? I still have student debt! Well, maybe going back home won't be so bad after all!" Here's what we all have to keep in mind. Whether you live here on this earth for 95 years or 95 days, compared to eternity, either one is just a blink of an eye. We are all going to be in eternity before we know it. So yes, taking care of things down here on this earth is terribly important, such as making sure that all people are treated fairly and that there is true justice because there is true peace. But by far the number one reason why Jesus himself established the Catholic Church was not to provide hospitals and orphanages and universities and other means of helping the poor and the outcast. As important as those things are, those are not number one. The number one reason why there is a Church is to prepare all of us to go back home. So instead of panicking and losing sleep and going through your day like a crazy person, just keep this in mind, this quote from St. John Henry Newman: "Looking beyond this life, my first prayer, aim and hope is that I may see God. The thought of being blest with the sight of earthly friends pales before that thought. I believe that I shall never die; this awful prospect would crush me, were it not that I trusted and prayed that it would be an eternity in God's presence. And for others dear to me, my one prayer is that they may also see God." Do everything you can with the help of God, to prepare yourself to see God face to face in eternity, starting now, today. Take your Catholic faith very seriously. But also do everything you can to take as many of your loved ones, as many people as you can with you.