From the Pastor - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Our Blessed Mother takes center stage on this fourth Sunday of Advent, and fittingly so, as we draw near to the celebration of her Son’s birth. After our Lord Himself, Mary is our model and guide to a stewardship way of life.
Today’s Gospel passage from Luke describes Mary’s actions immediately after her “yes” to the angel Gabriel’s message. “Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah… and greeted Elizabeth.” Mary immediately begins to think of others before herself, setting out quickly to be with her cousin, modeling two of the pillars of stewardship – Hospitality and Service.
What warmth and humility the Mother of our Savior shows, traveling to Elizabeth to spend time with her, rejoicing with Elizabeth over her own incredible pregnancy, and assisting her in a time of need. And what joy this hospitality and service brings to Elizabeth.
Our Blessed Mother’s example of a stewardship way of life is one that we, her children, can follow in our own lives today. With all the gifts God gives us — our time, our talents, our material possessions — we, too, can offer ourselves to God by using these gifts to serve and glorify Him. In so doing, we will effectively spread the Good News of the Gospel to the world around us today. We will be stewards after our Mother’s own heart.
© Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2021
Pastoral Pondering
At the beginning of the month, we announced that St. Mark was partnering with Catholic Charities of Charlotte to assist with their refugee resettlement program. I wanted to share with you feedback that I received from our parish liaison:
“I just want to thank all of you for meeting with me and saying ‘yes’ to supporting Catholic Charities and most imminently the Afghan Refugees. I am incredibly humbled by the continued generosity of our Saint Mark family. The swift turn around is unprecedented and is a direct reflection of our incredible staff and its effective marketing.
In just 10 days we have collected a carload of household items. With money donated, I have purchased 17 car seats and 6 strollers, and there is money to spare (no more space to store until they are used). Most importantly we have recruited two co-chairs and five (on the team for support. This is beyond what any other church has done in such a quick timeframe.”
As we celebrate Christmas later this week, I think that those comments reflect the spirit of our parish. When there is a need, you respond. Whether it is assisting refugees, helping with the Angel Tree or providing for food baskets at Thanksgiving, the spirit of Christmas, sacrificial love, is always abundantly evident here at St. Mark. God bless you all!