This week, January 29 - February 4, 2023, we celebrate National Catholic Schools Week. It reminds us of the value and importance of Catholic education. We are blessed to have our own parish Kindergarten through 8th-grade school, our own early education center, and also to have several Catholic high schools in our area. I hope you see the great things that are going on in them!
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) In our Gospel we hear the call of Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow Jesus. They would become Jesus’ closest friends. Friendship with Jesus is what our faith is all about. Pope Benedict XVI died on December 31, 2022—may he rest in peace. This made me recall he wrote about end emphasized friendship with Jesus. Here are some excerpts from his writings for us to meditate on:
Pope Benedict XVI’s First Encyclical Deus Caritas Est “God is Love”, December 25, 2005
I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)
The Archbishop’s Call to Share (ACTS) kicks off this weekend. This is an annual appeal to fund many important ministries of the Archdiocese that we could not do alone as a single parish. It is the equivalent of our annual parish stewardship which funds our parish ministries, except this appeal funds Archdiocese-wide ministries which benefit us and many others (see examples below). I know our 2023 ACTS goal is increased to $353,495.
Merry Christmas, Happy Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, Happy New Year and Thank You! Thank you for all the cards, gifts, goodies, and prayers you have given to me!
Merry Christmas! I am so glad you are with us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. No matter if you’ve been with us all year or you are just visiting for today or you were drug here by someone else against your will, no matter what it is good to be with you for Christmas!
Jesus is with us too! As the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 1:20-23) relates:
Welcome to the fourth Sunday of Advent. This is the time of year when the wait for Christmas becomes almost agonizingly unbearable. Holiday shopping is in full swing with people buying, buying, buying. The Marthas of the world are busy organizing and prepping holiday meals. Companies are showing their appreciation for their employees by having ‘Holiday Parties’ and sending ‘Seasons Greetings’. The festivities end with someone drinking a little too much eggnog and eating a little too much barbecue.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near.” This is the prayer of the entrance antiphon from today’s Mass.
The name of the third Sunday of Advent, “Gaudete Sunday”, is taken from that antiphon - the word, “Gaudete” is Latin for “Rejoice.” And Gaudete Sunday is a Church’s subtle reminder that Advent is supposed to include a certain “darkness” quality.
Many of you are likely preparing and sending out Christmas cards at this time. But have you ever thought of sending out an “Advent card”? If not, I have proposed an initial design to Hallmark using a line from St. John the Baptist in our Sunday Gospel. On the outside of card it would quote him, “You brood of vipers!” and maybe it could have a cartoon picture of vipers on it.
First, much thanksgiving is in order. Personally, many thanks to all who wished me well and prayed for my running of the New York Marathon on November 6th! The school kids made me a medal of 26 medals each sponsored by a class with prayers prayed for me—how awesome is that! So, my results were mixed. I did finish the marathon, all 26.2 miles, in a total time of 5 hours and 49 seconds which works out to an overall pace of 11:29/mile. So finishing was awesome, and the crowd support in New York was beyond incredible.