Calendar: This Sunday marks the beginning of a new Church year. Each of us mark anniversaries and birthdays. We celebrate milestones. We define ourselves by those dates and spans. In the same way, in the course of the liturgical year, we receive repeated exposure to the major events of salvation history. The calendar year continuously reveals how God is saving us in Christ Jesus.
Stay Awake: This Sunday’s readings and the new liturgical year opens with a reading from the prophet Isaiah. He laments how often “we wander from God’s ways and harden our hearts.” But then he proclaims, “Yet, O Lord, you our father; we are the clay and you are the potter: we are all the work of your hands.” It’s comforting to know that we are in God’s hands. God always has our good in mind. Hence he sends his Son to come to us and save us. Advent is a time when the world awaits the Savior of the world. In today’s Gospel Jesus invites us to “stay awake” in joyful anticipation of his coming.
Go to your Mother: This Friday, Dec. 8, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the patron saint of America. In 1854, Pius IX solemnly proclaimed: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary he said to her, “Hail, full of grace.” Our Blessed Mother is full of grace and without sin. This day is a holy day of obligation. Masses will be at 5:30 pm on Thursday, Dec. 7, and then at 6:30 am, 8 am, 5:30 pm and 7 pm on Dec. 8.
Powers: This Tuesday, Dec. 5, both Fr. Dan and I will be helping out with confessions for Powers Catholic High School. They literally have confessions all school-day long with an opportunity for each student to attend. Lots of priests are helping out.
Hoping: Speaking of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, during Advent we usually have a penance service during a weeknight. However, some priests in our area wanted to try something different. Therefore, on Saturday, Dec. 16, we will be offering extended confession times from 8:30 am – Noon. Really hoping this time frame will work for you. And, of course, we still will have confessions during our regular scheduled times during the week.
Lansing: On Thursday afternoon, Dec. 7, I have a College of Consultors meeting. Later that day, I plan on heading to the retreat center in DeWitt to support staff member Linda Blondin as she completes her spiritual direction program. I am grateful for Linda’s willing spirit to serve.
Candlelight: Blessings to all the women participating in this Thursday’s Advent by Candlelight. May this event be a spiritual boost for all of you.
Novena: December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. There is a novena in honor of her. Our day to participate in this novena is on Saturday, Dec. 9 after the 8 am Mass.
Holy Spirit: Approximately 70 students received the Sacrament of Confirmation the evening of Nov. 28. What a blessed night! And Bishop Boyea did it all in 75 minutes!!! Thanks again to the confirmands for saying yes to God and his desire to fill you with His Spirit.
Another Beatified: In America, we rejoiced at the Beatification of Fr. Solanus Casey. I recently read about the beautification of Sister Rani Maria Vattalil, a member of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, in India. Vattalil worked with the landless poor, insisting they receive a living wage from their landlords, and encouraging them to give up bad habits. She also taught farmers more modern agricultural methods, and helped parents send their children to school. However, because of her defense of the poor for higher wages, this Indian nun was stabbed 54 times in front of more than 50 passengers on a bus in 1995. What’s unique about this situation is that the paid assassin, Samandur Singh, was at her beautification. Mercy and forgiveness are the only ways to peace.
North Pole: Speaking of saints, Dec. 6 is the Feast of St. Nickolas. St. Nickolas’ parents were very wealthy, but died during an epidemic leaving Nickolas with lots of money. He used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He would often walk past houses of the poor and throw little bags of gold through an open window. The bags often landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Many of the drawings of St. Nickolas show him with a big white mustache and beard—much like how Santa Claus is depicted. This reminds me of asking first graders if all the saints are in heaven. One replied, “All of them except one.” When asked which one, he said, “St. Nickolas, he’s at the North Pole!”
May you have a Blessed Advent Season as we await the Savior of the world.
Msgr. Jerry
“I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION”
This was our Blessed Mother’s response to St. Bernadette’s repeated request to know her name in 1854.