Nothing: This weekend is the 4th Sunday of Advent. It all started in Nazareth, a small village of Galilee in northern Palestine. Nazareth was a poor, small village. It was laughable to the Romans who occupied her and insignificant to the Jews who surrounded her. In fact, in John 1:40, when Nathanael hears of Jesus, he scoffs at the village’s insignificance: “What good can come from Nazareth?” Not much was happening in Nazareth. The city was small, life was simple, the pace slower. But it was here that God sent the angel Gabriel to a young woman. The angel said to Mary, “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” It seems impossible that Mary will conceive by the Holy Spirit, but nothing is impossible for God. It’s in our nothing-ness that God loves to act in us.
With us: God has come to us. Amazing!!! We thank God for giving us His Son to be born amongst us and to save us by His death and Resurrection. They called the Christ child “Emmanuel,” meaning God with us. We have a Presence that is ALWAYS with us and that is stronger than sin and death! His love is greater than all loves.
Blessings: On behalf of Fr. Dan and our parish and school staff we wish you a very Merry Christmas. May the encounter with the Christ child bring you hope, joy and peace—and most of all love—this Christmas season.
Thank you! On behalf of Fr. Dan, thank you for your support, kindness and generosity to us. We both love being here and are really happy to serve you!
Quick Change: Usually we have a few days to make the liturgical changes and decorations to our Church between the season of Advent and Christmas. Because the 4th Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve fall on the “same day” this year, we only have a few hours. Thank you to Jim Otis and his team of willing volunteers who had to do everything in a hurry to make the Church (and parish hall) beautiful.
Lots of Feasts: The Christmas season is twelve days long and this week we have a lot of special feasts. These include the Feast of St. Stephen (Dec. 26), the Feast of St. John the Evangelist (Dec. 27), and the Feast of the Holy Innocents (Dec. 28). Next weekend, we will celebrate our Feast Day, the Feast of the Holy Family.
Only One: From Tuesday, December 26 to Friday, Dec. 29, we will only have one daily Mass at 8 am. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. I will be spending a few days with family and friends.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed Christmas season to you and your families!!!
Msgr. Jerry
Saint quote of the week:
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14