Pastor’s Letter & November 29 Bulletin

Pastor’s Letter & November 29 Bulletin

27 Nov 2020 | Posted by: chadmin

The November 29 bulletin is available online. 

Dear friend,

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  This year is certainly different than any other year any of us has lived before. We all have our individual family challenges, but to have a global pandemic is a new challenge for all of us. Whether it’s family gatherings, or work environments, our ordinary daily schedules, our schools or our hobbies, everything has been adjusted by this pandemic. While our celebration of Thanksgiving was different this year, the meaning behind this time is the same. The original pilgrims came to this Land for religious freedom and a new way of life. The pilgrims were met by natives to American land that mutually found a way to care for each other and share in a meal. The Thanksgiving meal continues that comradery of mutual care, despite the difference in background. As with any holiday, Thanksgiving has taken on individual meaning, importance, and significance that may stray from its original intention. While it is good for us to personalize all aspects of our lives, may we keep one eye on the past and one on the future. The Catholic Christian faith invites us to focus on our lives in this world and how a life well-lived prepares us for heaven. With one foot on earth and one seeking to step into Heaven, we are all capable of balancing the many aspects of our lives, our culture, our faith, our jobs, and our families.

In every day and age, there are aspects of life for one to be thankful. As Catholic Christians, we are called to reflect on a spirit of thanksgiving at every Mass we attend. The Lord Jesus showed His love for humanity by laying down His life. He calls us to receive this gift by giving Him time, with a thankful heart, by our participation at Mass.  His Real Presence in the Eucharist feeds us at every Mass. But God truly desires to be close to us every single day. Just like any relationship in our lives, it doesn’t grow without time. God asks for our time in order to help us focus our priorities. Every time we come to Mass we give God the opportunity to provide guidance and meaning to our lives. As we enter the Season of Advent, may this new Church Year call us to offer more time to God daily, especially at the celebration of the Mass.

The Season of Advent begins a new Liturgical Cycle. We repeat the Feasts of the Lord in order to further reflect on the eternal significance to our souls. Advent is a time of preparation for the final coming of Christ, at the end of our lives or the end of time. Advent is also a time to remember the miracle of Christmas. While this Advent will certainly be different than any previous preparation for Christmas, our remembering of the Coming of Christ brings a newness of spiritual possibility to our lives. Let us spend the next few weeks asking the Lord to challenge our use of time, our daily prayer, our communication with others and the use of our talents to be fulfilling in this life and the next.  Have a great week.

God bless,

Father David