As we light the final candle on the Advent wreath, I share these words of Pope Francis to reflect upon as we join with the Church throughout the world to enter in to our celebration of the Christmas Season this week: “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. These words might well sum up the mystery of the Christian faith. Mercy has become living and visible in Jesus of Nazareth, reaching its culmination in him. The Father, ‘rich in mercy’ (Ephesians 2:4), after having revealed his name to Moses as a ‘God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness’ (Exodus 34:6), has never ceased to show, in various ways throughout history, his divine nature. In the ‘fullness of time’ (Galatians 4:4), when everything had been arranged according to his plan of salvation, he sent his only Son into the world, born of the Virgin Mary, to reveal his love for us in a definitive way. Whoever sees Jesus sees the father (cf. John 14:9). Jesus of Nazareth, by his words, his actions, and his entire person reveals the mercy of God.” As we listen to the familiar words of the Christmas story, sing those timeless carols, and ponder that humble birth in the manger at Bethlehem, I pray we may realize God’s abounding mercy as never before. And please don’t let Christmas be a one-day affair! Stretch out your celebrations over the next few weeks—the Twelve Days of Christmas start on December 25, not end! Make an extra effort to attend daily Mass on the days between Christmas and New Years’ Day; these eight days constitute a special period of celebration and rejoicing in the Church called the Octave of Christmas. Share the Christmas story with your children and grandchildren and bring them to the manger. As we celebrate this definitive revelation of God’s love for us this year we can then be heralds of His love and mercy to our weary and hungry world. Best wishes for a Blessed and peace-filled Christmas! Welcome to all of our guests and visitors who are with us throughout Christmas Week, especially those who are “back home” celebrating with your loved ones. We are always enriched by your presence among us. And, for those who are traveling in the days ahead, we pray for safe travels and we look forward to seeing you when you return. Just a gentle reminder: the first collection at all Christmas Masses will be for your Christmas gift to our parish. Your continued and increased generosity at this special time of year will help us keep our parish’s financial affairs in order. The second collection is for the Children & Family Services Appeal. This collection is forwarded to our diocesan Catholic Charities to provide for those in need all year long. Each of us is called to be a leader in the effort to affirm the dignity of all human life. This affirmation begins at conception and continues until the end of natural life. Aiding our brothers and sisters in their struggle for social and economic justice is an ongoing pro-life commitment each of us makes as we follow the gospel message of Jesus Christ. May we be generous as God is generous with us! During the Octave of Christmas we celebrate the patronal feasts of both of our partner parishes… On Friday the Church celebrates the Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist. John and his brother, James, were the Sons of Zebedee; Jesus nicknamed them the “Sons of Thunder” for their often fiery and zealous reactions during his ministry [Mark 3:17]. Known as the Beloved Disciple for his close relationship with Jesus, John is present at many significant moments in Jesus’ life, most notably at the Last Supper, in the Garden, and at the foot of the Cross. In addition to the Fourth Gospel, John is also credited with authoring three New Testament epistles that bear his name and the Book of Revelation. He is the only apostle not to be martyred, rather, he lived a very long life (especially by first century standards), dying at Ephesus around the year 100. John’s Gospel is markedly different from the other three evangelists due to its emphasis on Christ’s divinity, which is expressed through symbolic language and poetic form. The eagle is the chosen symbol for John’s Gospel, representing the depth and height to which the human spirit must soar in order to grasp the meaning of John’s texts. [2018 Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays, p. 43] We will celebrate Mass on Friday morning at 9:00AM at St. John in honor of our patronal feast, with a continental breakfast to follow in the church’s gathering space. And next Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Although devotion to the Holy Family is deeply rooted in the history of the Church, this liturgical feast is a relative newcomer to the Church’s calendar. It was originally observed just after Epiphany when it was instituted by Pope Benedict XV in 1921 to build up devotion in family life but Pope Paul VI transferred it to the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas in 1969. Today’s feast upholds the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the ideal family. We hear in today’s gospel that Jesus lived in a real human family with real troubles and real fear—-just like us. What is evident in the life of the Holy Family, and what makes it the ideal for us, is the profound love present among its members. It is that selfless love we should all strive to model in our families at home, our parish family, and in the human family.
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