There is just one day left until the celebration of Christmas begins. Let’s live this last day of Advent well.
We read in today’s Gospel passage from Luke the wonderful words of the Blessed Mother's “fiat,” her “yes” to God’s plan. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” These are among the most beloved words in the Gospel. But the next sentence is also important for the Christian steward.
After Mary’s fiat, we read, “Then the angel departed from her.” Our Blessed Mother was left with a lot of unexplained details about God’s plan for her! Yet, she followed God’s will perfectly. She gave herself and her life fully to God as a gift. She was the first disciple. We are called to follow her example today.
This Christmas let us resolve to make our whole life a gift to the One Who has given us everything. He will give us all the help and strength we need. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023
Pastoral Pondering
Christmas is a wonderful time of year that comes and goes in the world much too quickly. The Church savors the principal holy days so that we can immerse ourselves more deeply in the profundity of their meaning. The world, however, because of rampant consumerism, is putting out stock for Valentine’s day before New Year arrives. Hence, as Catholics, we must be very intentional about allowing our celebration of the Lord’s Birth to continue even after the world has moved on.
With that in mind, I want to “plug” the resources that are available to our parishioners on FORMED.org, a tremendous Catholic on-line resource sponsored by the Augustine Institute. St. Mark has a parish subscription which provides access to the many FORMED resources to all our parishioners. You just need to sign up for a free account. Some of the resources that you can find there are: How to Keep Your Kids Catholic, 7 Keys to Catholic Parenting, and daily Scripture reflections by some well-known Scripture scholars. There are also great resources for children, youth, and every other demographic. With the FORMED app for smartphones, you can also listen to podcasts that focus on issues of faith important to the particular vocation of the laity.
Finally, as we celebrate the Savior’s birth, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. As Father Yumo often said, God is good all the time, and He has shown His goodness in the gift of His Son. Thank you for being a part of this parish family and be assured that the priests, deacons, and staff are praying for you as we enter into this Holy Season. Please pray for us as well that we might be attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and obedient to the call of the Father in our daily lives. Next week, I will get back to our discussion of marriage and family as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Until then, enjoy your week of Christmas joy!