Prepare the Way!
Dear All Saints Parish Family,
I sincerely pray all of you had a delightful celebration of Thanksgiving. Now that the “holiday season” has officially begun, it behooves us to consider how the Lord, through His Bride, the Church, invites us to celebrate these next several weeks.
First is to really consider the fact that Advent is its own liturgical season, with its own customs and “vibes”. These four weeks are marked by simplicity, quiet, preparation, expectation. Find an Advent playlist, read from the Book of Isaiah, light the Advent candles on your own wreath at home. Yes, let’s prepare our homes and the church through festive decoration, but let’s all the more prepare interiorly to acknowledge that the Eternal Word of God took on human flesh and dwelt among us. Let’s wait with the Blessed Mother, who knew that the birth of the Savior of the World was coming soon, but it wasn’t here yet. Eager expectation leads to greater elation. So try to keep Christmas in Christmas…prepare now, and then celebrate for the full Christmas season, which goes to the Baptism of the Lord in mid-January. Just because everyone else is already celebrating Christmas doesn’t mean we have to! We celebrate not as the world does, but as the Bride of Christ does. I highly highly highly encourage us all to really dive into the richness of Advent, and find the good things the Lord has “in store for those who wait”.
Next, with the Blessed Mother in mind, is to remember to celebrate the Immaculate Conception on Monday, December 9. Normally this solemnity falls on the 8th, but as that is a Sunday in Advent, the feast is moved to Monday. It is a holy day of obligation this year, so yes, we are called to go to Mass on both Sunday the 8th and Monday the 9th. We will have our full Holy Day schedule in place to ensure everyone has access to a Mass that day. Our Lady is a perfect icon of Advent waiting…celebrating what God has done in her will only cause us to love God more!
As a final thought, I invite us all to be very intentional about the “reason for the season” – the coming of Jesus Christ. When family situations get tense, when expectations are not met, when lines are long, when in any way the enemy tries to steal your peace…let the Lord in. He came not only some 2,000 years ago and not only will He come at the end of time…He constantly stands before the door of our hearts knocking gently. Choose to let Advent be a time to prepare the way so that when we can that knocking and open with confidence and faithful trust. He is good! He is kind! He is merciful!
Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!
All you holy saints of God, pray for us!
Peace in Christ,
Fr. Michael
Pastor