Pastor's Corner
The First Sunday of Advent 11/26-11/27/2022
The coming and going of Thanksgiving gives the opportunity to be thankful with family and friends for the blessings of Almighty god which visit us in grace throughout the year. We are thankful for health and wellbeing, for satisfaction of our human needs, for the presence of love both in our hearts and offered from the hearts of others. We are thankful for faith which acknowledges the God who made us and cares for us and draws us back to Himself. We are thankful for the opportunity to do what is right and good for our neighbor and at the same time return favor to God in doing so.
Our thanksgiving extends in this week to our anticipation of the great gift which is Jesus Christ born of Mary and anxiously awaited in the Season of Advent which begins this weekend. We pray in hope for four weeks which will culminate in the coming of Christ into the world in the celebration of Christmas. Each week we light a candle in the wreath which stands in the middle of our liturgical celebrations and reminds us of the gift who is Christ, with us in the Eucharist and waited for in the announcement of his birth.
Isaiah speaks of this light when he prays that we will walk in the light of the Lord and see His glory in the coming of the holy mountain on which His holiness might shine. The Psalmist encourages us to pray for the peace of the Lord that we might see clearly His intentions for us. The gospel of Matthew encourages us to remain alert and awake waiting for that day when God's glory will come to us in the gift of the Son of Man. "So too, you also must be prepared for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. May this Advent Season bring you peace, hope and many opportunities to grow in faith in Jesus Christ.
We will celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday December 8th with Mass at 12:10p.m. in the upper church and with an anticipated Mass on Wednesday December 7th at 5:00p.m, also in the upper church. We hope many will come and announce what is our community of belief in the intercession and blessing of Mary. We continue to seek satisfaction of our goal for the Grand Annual Collection, which is $35,000. Please be as generous as you can. Thanks and have a great week.
God Bless,
Fr. Joe