From the Pastor - First Sunday of Advent
Welcome to Advent, the season to prepare with awe and wonder for the Feast of the Incarnation of Jesus — born to us as Savior and Brother. It is a season to prepare for His return at the end of time. It is also a moment to remind ourselves that our individual judgment day is coming, too, when we will be called to give an account for all that God has given to us during our lifetimes. In other words, Advent is a steward’s season!
Our readings for the first week of Advent waste no time in calling our urgent attention to these themes of reflection and preparation. They seem to shout, “Wake up! Get ready!” and offer us some practical advice as we enter into this season.
The Gospel, from Luke, warns, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life.” How easy it is to lose focus on our Lord either by too much indulgence in our lives or by too much worry about our lives. During Advent, we Christian stewards must ask ourselves some hard questions. Am I staying faithful to my prayer life? Am I using my energy and skills to serve others? Am I overly concerned about material gain? Am I relying on my “stuff” or my investments as my source of comfort or security? Am I living for the moment or for the coming of the Lord?
Get ready Christian stewards! He’s coming! Let us prepare with awe and wonder. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2021.
Pastoral Pondering – As we begin a new Church year, we have an opportunity to once again, as we do every year, walk with the Lord in His life and ministry. It is a chance to look at our spiritual lives and see what needs a tune up or improvement; a resolution for the New Church Year. There are lots of good Advent resources that are available on-line and in the bookstore. Take advantage of those as a way of sanctifying the season. One great way to do this as a family is by displaying an Advent wreath and using an Advent calendar in the home. This allows the family to celebrate together and prepare for the Coming of the Lord.
On another note, we can all agree that this has been a challenging year. A song that came to mind as I was preparing to watch this, was We Need a Little Christmas from the musical, Annie. The Christmas spirit is about hope and joy at the birth of Christ. Christmas also calls us to be more conscious on the needs of the other, especially in how we share with them the reason for our joy as Christians.
Christmas this year falls on Saturday. This is challenging in terms of the parish Liturgical schedule, but with the help of our staff and volunteers, we are confident that all will be prepared and in place. In terms of preparing for our Christmas Mass schedule, we will once again use Sign-Up Genius to better handle the attendance at our Christmas Masses. This allows us to determine the most effective way to accommodate those who plan to attend and to adequately prepare and schedule liturgical ministers. Please check the pertinent information on the website and in the bulletin as you make your Christmas plans and sign up accordingly. I would ask that you please not sign yourself and your family up for multiple Masses. This is unfair to others who want to be accommodated. There will be room for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation.
As we begin this holy season, please know that the clergy, staff and I continue to pray for you and your intentions. May this season of hope-filled expectation afford all of us an opportunity to renew our commitment to Christ and truly fill us with that joy that Christmas brings.