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12/26/21 Father Owen's Bulletin Message
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The Feast of the Holy FamilyDear Parishioners:
We gather on this beautiful feast of The Holy Family, December 26th, literally the day after Christmas! I hope your Christmas was holy and beautiful. These last two days of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were Blessed days to reflect on God, the Son who became Man to save us. Today, we call to mind the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We consider Mary born, immaculately and given freedom to answer the call of God or not. Mary chose yes. She bore the child, Jesus in her womb and with Joseph as her husband, brought Jesus to maturity and love. We consider Joseph, the just man who also followed the will of God. Their safe and comfortable lives in Israel were certainly disrupted by the birth of Christ. They had to go to Nazareth to be enrolled according to Roman Law. Having arrived in the city teaming with people, Mary gave birth. How hard it must have been to give birth in a stable and without the usual comforts of home. Within days, the family was uprooted by Harrod’s hatred of the child, Jesus. They fled to the safety of a foreign land, Egypt. They became immigrants who left everything they knew to preserve the life of their son, Jesus, who is God. During this time of the Feast of The Holy Family, we consider immigrants from all over the world, calling to mind people who came from Latin America, the Middle East, parts of Africa and China seeking safety and the ability to live in decency. Let us pray this weekend for all immigrants; those who are trying to flee and those who are trying to adapt in a new land with a new language. We know that our lives can be very fragile and at times, fearful. We also know that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, our role models for living, guide us and the world through the joys and sorrows of life, that eventually bring us toward the glory of God.
I commend all parents, godparents, and grandparents for the passing on of our Catholic faith and for the ability to teach those for whom we have responsibility. We teach by living example, by word, deed, and action. We do reflect the strength that comes directly from the gospel and the sacraments of our faith.
This coming Friday, December 31, and Saturday, January 1st, we celebrate the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. I will celebrate Mass on Friday, December 31st at 5 pm and January 1st at 9 am as we begin the New Year honoring Mary, the Mother of Christ, who is our mother also. We consider today, Jesus’s gifting us with his mother as he prepared to die on the cross. Jesus handed his mother into the care of St. John and at that point, Mary became Mother to all Christians. Mary was the mom figure to the early Christian Church and continues in that role today. Let us consider Mary’s trust in God and her loving humility as she points us always towards Jesus, who is the way the truth and the light. Saturday evening, January 1st begins The Feast of the Epiphany. The 5 pm Mass on Saturday celebrates The Feast of the Wise men. I will write about this feast day next weekend.
On behalf of Fr. Hubert, Deacon Ray, and our staff, I wish you a Happy New Year filled with the blessings of our Almighty God, our Blessed Mother and the angels and saints.
Happy New Year!
Fr. Owen