Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the universe
Dear Friends,
This weekend we arrive at the last Sunday of the Church’s year. We honor Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe, His triumph on the cross and expected triumphant return at the end of time. It is the culmination of our liturgical calendar. Next week, Advent begins and the new church year for 2024 as we prepare Him room. We will be exploring the Secrets of Christmas - a new message series for Advent, and we hope you will set time aside during this bustling season for the spiritual preparation of worship.
This week is also a special time to give thanks. We look back over the year to give thanks for our blessings and the many ways the good God has invited us to grow in His graces. It is a treasure to spend some quality time together with family and friends, hopefully with special attention to the gift of presence, and giving your phone a break for the day.
Personally, I give thanks to God for YOU, for the gift of our parish, and for the many ways I witness us together building up the Body of Christ. In a special way, I extend heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all the volunteers who have served over the past weeks. Together, we have hosted a wonderful Christmas Bazaar and Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit. Both events required a wealth of talent and time. Thank you for pitching in to make it all happen. Special thanks to the leadership who organized, coordinated, and guided. We accomplish very little without the dedicated support and assistance of many committed servants. Thank you for serving our parish and our Lord!
Our Gospel on this Feast recounts the moment of judgment when Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. Those who inherit the kingdom are those who dedicate themselves to loving our Lord in and through loving their neighbor. The Gospel is a certain lived echo of the greatest commandments we heard a few weeks ago (Mt 22:34-40). Love God with all you are and love your neighbor as yourself, literally the challenge of a lifetime. That was the same weekend we celebrated Stewardship Sunday. We were reminded that these unique commandments are maximalist not minimalist, and that God invites us to give our whole selves over to the mission.
Today, Jesus presents more detail on how He hopes we will love our neighbor, what we call the corporal works of mercy, seven practical ways we can live out our faith and make the Good News come alive in our world. On Stewardship Sunday, we asked you to make a financial commitment to our parish for 2024. And coming up here in Advent we are hoping to receive your commitment cards. Also, on the back of the card, we asked you to share your hopes and dreams for our parish.
It is a great question, but a hard question to answer. What do you hope and dream to see come alive in our parish family? If you want to see more emphasis on building community, that is awesome! I love it. Joining a small group is the best way to build community in our parish. Participating in Community Sunday and other events is also a wonderful way to get to know one another. Maybe a chili or soup dinner could be a good addition?
When I dream of our parish, I would like to see these Corporal Works of Mercy come alive in our work and service. Feed the hungry; cloth the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; bury the dead. I would like to see these imperatives more visible in our parish life.
One great way to accomplish some of these is by joining the Saint Vincent de Paul Society - that extraordinary but quiet organization which is in charge of distributing alms to the poor. The Knights of Columbus are another group dedicated to charity. We also kicked off Operation St. Nick last week, which organizes efforts to help purchase Christmas gifts for families in need. Check it out on page 8.
As you may recall, we attempted to repurpose our convent as a sanctuary for families, but that collaboration faltered. Still, I think we can do more to provide shelter and good homes for people right in our community. How awesome would it be to head up a habitat for humanity home right from our parish, coordinating with folks right here in town?!
We are also actively seeking ways to better accompany the sick and homebound, as well as to journey with our families through the loss of a loved one. If either of these ministries tugs on your heart, please give us a call.
Those are some of my hopes and dreams - but I want to know yours! As I said: we accomplish very little without your dedicated support and assistance. What would you like to see come alive in our parish family?
Please do not forget to pray over your 2024 commitment to our parish. Your financial support makes the mission possible. Please share generously with the gifts that God has shared with you. Take some time; pray over your gift; and plan your tithe for the upcoming year. It is your support that will help fulfill the mission. It will take all of us, as together we seek to build up the Body of Christ.
God’s abundant blessings!
Fr. Joel
