Notes from the Pastor

We all spend a lot of time getting ready for Christmas. There’s the gifts, the cards, the decorating, the cooking, the visits to Santa, the children’s pageants. Why do we do all this? “Well, everyone else is doing it,” you might say. “We can’t be the only house on the block without Christmas lights.” There’s some truth to that. After all we want to join those who are celebrating the birth of Jesus. The gifts are meant to be an expression of our joy in God’s gift of His Son, for He so loved the world. The cards might seem insignificant, but they are really important. Perhaps there might be someone we drop a card to whose life will brighten when they hear from us. And as far as the children are concerned, we want them to be full of joy on Christmas and we need to spend time reminding them why this is a day of joy. The music specific to the Christmas season is important too. The carols get us in the mood to celebrate as they remind us what we are celebrating.

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of .Advent. The season of Advent is a period of preparation in which we await the celebration of the Birth of the Lord. Waiting is never a passive exercise. It always involves commitment on our part. Would we invite a guest to our home for dinner and then be surprised - and unprepared - when the guest shows up? No. We would clean the house and make preparations for a grand meal. When we say we are waiting for something, we cannot live as if we are waiting for nothing. Our waiting is a dedication and a preparation. Our Advent waiting dedicates us and prepares us for the coming of Christ. Advent is a season in which we should be particularly mindful of our need for repentance and good works as we listen to the long-ago cry of John the Baptist: ''Prepare the way of the Lord!"

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. In today’s First Reading (2 Samuel 5:1-3), as the Israelites anoint David as King of Israel, they recognize not only his success in battle but also his call by God to shepherd God’s people. The Israelites welcome David as king because of his care for them – the same care he gave to the sheep of his father’s flock before God called him to kingship.

In today’s Readings, we hear about things that will happen before Christ returns in glory. In the First Reading (Malachi 3:19-20), from the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi warns that the end is near, and that the final judgment is coming. In today’s Second Reading (2 Thessalonians 3:7-12), St. Paul admonishes the Thessalonians to be mindful of their own behavior and not worry about the indiscretions of others. This comes directly after his warning against deception regarding the Second Coming of Christ. And in the Gospel (Luke 21:5-19), Jesus warns his disciples that there will be wars and insurrections, earthquakes, famine, plague, awesome sights and many signs from the sky. These are dramatic predictions, and many of these things have been experienced throughout history, but keep in mind that Jesus also said that no one knows the day or hour of his return, except the Father in Heaven.

Next weekend is “Stewardship of Treasure” Sunday, and we will be invited to renew our commitment to Sacrificial Giving (tithing) as the principle means of stewardship within the parish. Stewardship is based on the spiritual principles of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Stewardship is a way of life based on the premise that all that we have and all that we are have come from God and, as a way to thank God for all His many blessings, we return a portion of the time, talent, and treasure that have been given to us. Stewardship encourages a spirituality that deepens our relationship with the Lord. Stewardship involves intentional, planned, and proportionate giving of our time, talent, and treasure.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 19:1-10), we heard the story of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus. I invite you to focus on the details of this passage. The encounter takes place in the town of Jericho, which is perhaps most famous for the battle that was fought there when the Israelites first entered the Promised Land at the end of the Exodus from Egypt. During that battle, the Israelite army issued battle trumpets, normally restricted to squad leaders, to every soldier. At night they marched around the city, blowing their trumpets and raised such a commotion, that the inhabitants of Jericho were terrified and surrendered without a fight. The walls came tumbling down.

This coming Friday, November 1st , we will celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints which is a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses will be held at 6:30 am, 8:15 am, and 5:30 pm. It is a day when we honor the lives of all saints – those officially recognized by the Church, as well as countless others known only to God. As part of the Apostle’s Creed, we acknowledge our belief in the “communion of saints.” The communion of saints describes the spiritual union that exists among the saints in Heaven, the souls in purgatory, and the faithful living on earth.

The three Readings today bring to mind the meaning of persistence. In the First Reading (Exodus 17:8-13), as long as Moses kept his arms raised (eventually with the help of Aaron and Hur when Moses got tired), Joshua and the Israelite army prevailed in their battle against Amalek and his army. In the Second Reading (2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:2), St. Paul reminds Timothy to remain faithful to what he has learned and believed. In the Gospel (Luke 18:1-8), Jesus uses the parable of the persistent widow to remind his disciples about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.