Dear Parishioners,
I take this time to wish you and
your families a happy and holy Christmas season and a blessed New Year! Is it my imagination or does every year seems
to go by faster and faster?
In the Church, the Celebration of Christmas
lasts for eight days. The joy of
this wonderful solemnity is too great to contain within a single
day! We refer to this time as the Octave of Christmas. Most people would probably be surprised
to find out that the Christmas season
actually extends to January 11, 2015—the Baptism of the Lord. Sadly, by then many will not be in the
Christmas spirit any longer because of how early the commercial Christmas
preparations begin. By the time Christmas
arrives, people are ready to take down their decorations. They often seem exhausted from all of the things that they feel pressured into buying or doing.
With Christmas upon us, please
try to keep “Christ” at the center of the celebration. Society may tell us that we need to shop and
exchange gifts, to cook, to clean the house, to party and to do other
things. All of this seems to add to
increased tension and lack of peace in peoples’ lives. Our faith tells us to pray and to ready our
hearts for Christ. This spiritual preparation can bring us
peace, happiness and joy that the world cannot give. What type of Christmas do we want to
have? The choice is always ours to make.
I thank all who work so hard in
the parish and continue to strengthen our Christian community. Christianity is not like a “spectator sport”
where we simply watch and cheer from a distance. Rather, it truly involves active participation and a life commitment: prayer, attendance at weekly Mass, a
sacramental life, Christian service, love of neighbor, etc. Why not make it a New Year’s resolution to join
a committee, become a lector or other liturgical minister, take a bible-study class,
assist at PREP (religious education), or volunteer at a parish activity in 2015? Our parish family will be only as strong and
vibrant as the people who faithfully participate in it.
Be assured that all members of
this parish are remembered in my daily prayers and Masses. May I ask a small remembrance in your prayers
and Masses as well?
On behalf of Fr. Larry, Fr. Alvaro,
Deacon Bob, our Sisters, parish staff and me, have a blessed and peace-filled
Christmas!
Pastor
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