Pastor’s Letter & December 12 Bulletin

Pastor’s Letter & December 12 Bulletin

10 Dec 2021 | Posted by: chadmin

The December 12 bulletin is now available online.

Dear friend,

This Sunday the Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent. “Gaudete,” a Latin word meaning rejoice, is the first word of the Latin entrance antiphon for Sunday’s Mass. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” Philippians 4:4-5. These words of St. Paul exhort us to rejoice invite us also to understand the result of true rejoicing. When the Lord is near, we are called to “have no anxiety at all” that the Lord will guard our “hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” St. Paul goes on to tell us that rejoicing in the Lord will help us know that whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious will help us prepare for the coming of Christ both this Christmas and when we meet Him face to face. No matter the challenges we face, our God comes to save us. We can all get so bogged down by the daily anxieties of life and lose sight of what truly matters in life. Mass on the Sabbath Day is an invitation to set aside the troubles of life and enter peacefully into God’s presence in Church. As we acknowledge the beauty of each human life, we are called to rejoice in the Lord for all of our past and present life blessings. This week’s liturgy opens us up to rejoicing in real gratitude for life, family, forgiveness, and the promise of eternal salvation.

Again this weekend, we are presented with a Gospel reading about the ministry of John the Baptist. John served as the bridge from the Old Testament prophets and priests to the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ. John is the one who was told by the Spirit of God to point to Jesus and proclaim, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” When John pointed out Jesus, essentially all of his followers left to follow Jesus. However, during his time of ministry and preaching, John called the people to live their best lives. As people from different occupations asked John what they were supposed to do to follow God, he challenged them to use their jobs, positions of authority and their very lives to support the needs of others. John said to “Share with the person who has none.” “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”  “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.” As we pray through the Advent Season, it is important to let the Spirit guide us in all our opportunities for growth.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a true gift of grace and healing from God. There is no better gift we can offer ourselves for the coming of Christ at Christmas, than a reconciled relationship with God, family, and neighbor. Especially if you have been away from the Sacrament for many years, Confession is always a great opportunity for spiritual renewal. As a priest, I cannot over emphasize the moment of Grace that God offers the soul who comes to confession. Please take advantage of the opportunity for Confession this Advent and approach the newborn Son of God, at Christmas, with a renewed spirit. We have several additional confession times this Advent to accommodate our varying schedules. Please don’t hesitate to call me at the office if you’d like to set an appointment for confession outside scheduled confession times.

God bless,

Father David