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Notes from Our Pastor
December 9, 2018
Dear parishioners:
If I were to make one suggestion on how to spiritually prepare for Christmas,
it would be to take the time to read and marvel at the first two chapters
of Matthew and Luke's gospels.
These four chapters, called the "Infancy Narratives", help instill in us a sense of wonder and awe!
What incredible love God has revealed in the incarnation of His Son, Jesus!
The chapters are only eight pages long, but read and reflected upon, have the
power to make your Christmas the Feast of Love it can be!
Hope to see you this Wednesday night, December 12th at 6:30pm for Benediction and Advent Evening
Prayers. A quiet half hour to hear the prophecies of our salvation offer a chance to slow down and reflect.
The following Wednesday, December 19th, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available shortly
after the 8am Mass until all are heard, and then again Wednesday evening at 6:30pm until all are heard.
And a reminder . . . Christmas Eve masses will be at
4:00 pm and 11:00pm.
Christmas Day Masses will be at 9:00am and 11:00am.
Come Lord Jesus, Come!
Fr. John
December 2, 2018
“We proclaim your death O Lord and profess your Resurrection, until you come again!”
Dear parishioners:
“Until he comes again!” we live in between two advents. For Christians, that Christ will come again as
sure as His first coming in the Incarnation. We live between two advents. The First Advent
turns our eyes and hearts toward the mystery of God’s presence among us. We remember His coming
as a baby at Bethlehem: angels heralding His birth, Magi coming with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The Second Advent commands us to turn our eyes and hearts towards the Word of God that reveals the
mystery of God’s plan for us and the world. It reminds us that we are just pilgrims here on earth and that our only true home is in the kingdom of heaven!
May these coming weeks not just be for us a frenzied countdown for Christmas, but the memorial of
Christ’s first coming.
May they also be a time of grace where we find a few moments to contemplate the fact Christ will
most assuredly come again to bring us to the kingdom.
For those looking for a quiet time, I invite you to join us on Wednesday, December 5th and 12th as we celebrate with sung Advent Evening Prayers and Benediction.
Remember that you are always welcome to spend quiet time in adoration in the Ursuline Chapel on
the lower floor of the Parish Center. (code: 1406.)
From God who was and is and is to come, grace and peace!
Fr. John
November 25, 2018
Dear Parishioners:
As we gather this Sunday to celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, we end another Church year. As we enter the Advent Season next weekend, we begin a year in which we will hear the Gospel according to Luke. I thought it might be helpful to prepare ourselves with this short commentary of Luke’s Gospel. “Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. The Gospel reveals Luke’s expertise in classic Greek style as well as his knowledge of Jewish sources. The character of Luke may best be seen by the emphases of his Gospel, which have been given a number of subtitles:
The Gospel of Mercy: Luke emphasizes Jesus’ compassion and patience with the sinners and the suffering. He has a broadminded openness to all, showing concerns for Samaritan, lepers, publicans, soldiers, public sinners, unlettered shepherds, the poor. Luke alone records the stories of the sinful woman, the lost sheep and coin, the prodigal son, the good thief.
The Gospel of Universal Salvation: Jesus died for all. He is the son of Adam, not just David, and the Gentiles are his friends too.
The Gospel of the Poor: “little people” are prominent – Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, Simeon and the elderly widow, Anna. He is also concerned with what we now call “evangelical poverty.”
The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit: He shows Jesus at prayer before every important step of his ministry. The Spirit is bringing the Church to its final perfection.
The Gospel of Joy: Luke succeeds in portraying the joy of Salvation that permeated the primitive Church.
So here is my New Year wish for all of you (and for me)! May the Word of God be in your heart and on your lips, so that we may worthily live and proclaim the Gospel in our daily lives!
In Christ.
Fr, John
