Message from our Pastor
First Sunday in Advent
December 1, 2024
I wonder what we would do without GPS? This app gives us direction on how to arrive at our destination by the shortest route. Of course, knowing the shortest route will get us to our end point in the quickest way. That is how it is done in our modern day and age. Can I interject that Advent, if we had a GPS, could tell us that the season will quickly unfold, but the destination is somewhat obscure? I mean, Bethlehem was not the most visited place in the time of Jesus’ life. However, it was the most convenient place for Joseph and Mary to be as they were expecting their child’s birth.
The season of Advent has always been one of Hope. The attitude of Hope is that God will break into the world and will renew the face of the earth. Most of the world would not expect this to happen but God not only taking on human flesh but coming to us as an infant child. God as a child strikes us kind of unusual if not somewhat humorous. It does not make sense. Why not come as a grown man and quickly establish what the prophets had foretold?
God’s ways are not our ways! God has eternal patience and counts all of us as his own. He respects the freedom he has given to us so much that we can even choose not to believe in him. The season of Advent is just over three weeks this year and Christmas falls directly in the middle of the week, but with all the craziness of the holiday and holy season of Advent we must be ready, or all gets lost for us. Do you hear the wording Jesus uses in the gospel today? “Be aware that your hearts do not become drowsy,” and “Be vigilant at all times.”
With this language in mind, I wonder how many noticed what happened in Bethlehem that first Christmas night. The GPS for this Advent season are the likes of John the Baptist who calls us to repentance; the Prophets of the Old Testament who call us to attention that God will come due on his promise; Mary and Joseph who will listen intently to the demands and commands of God and find themselves in this small out-of-the-way place called Bethlehem to birth a child destined to change the world. Our GPS
will not show us the shortest or most timely route to God, but the GPS of our Faith will help us understand that our effort makes all the difference.
Our Advent Speaker Series is set to begin this Thursday, December 5th in Hanson Hall beginning with dinner at 6 pm followed by a presentation on four Carmelite Saints. This Thursday, Bishop Michael Woost will be our speaker with the life and spirituality of St. John of the Cross. Monday, December 9th, Wayne Simsic will offer reflection on the life of St. Teresa of Avila. Thursday, December 12th, Mary Pat Frey from our parish staff will present the life of St. Therese of Lisieux. Monday, December 16th, Fr. Dave will present the life of St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross. This is a great line-up, and our hope is that you can come to be a part of all or some of these evenings.
Thank you to all those who participated in the Thanksgiving Food Drive. Because of your generosity and donations, you have made a difference to many in our local community. Thank you for your generosity.
Please note the confession schedule coming our way in preparation for the Solemnity of Christmas. Friday, December 20th 9am to 10am; Saturday, December 21st 9 am to 10 am: Sunday, December 22nd 7 pm to 8 pm; Monday, December 23rd 9 am to 10 am and 7 pm to 8 pm. Hope these times will work for you.
Masses for Christmas are as follows; Tuesday, December 24th 4 pm in the Church and Hanson Hall and 8 pm in the church. On Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25th Masses at 8:30 am and 11 am. Looking forward to seeing you there.
As we begin this solemn season of Advent, we enter with a sense of patience and calm and pray that we do not get caught in the chaos at this time of the year. Rather, we seek that patience and calm of the Spirit that allows the story of our faith to unfold before us and help us to see God working in our lives. Enjoy these Advent days.
My prayers always,