Posted on November 24, 2023 View all Pastor's Letter
Dear Parishioners:
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and shared and enjoyed it with your family and friends. I shared a lovely day differently than in other years, but I have thanked God for all the goodness received, especially for being your pastor and being part of this great community.
We are just a few days away from starting the last month of this year, a year that, like the previous one, has been full of significant challenges that make us grow and mature, as well as substantial achievements and perhaps changes, I think that everything that this year has brought should help us renew hope, and above all to look at ourselves in our failures and weaknesses. We must be grateful to God because we are still alive and, for many, in good health. May this last month be to examine ourselves and see in each one how much we have grown in holiness and in what areas we should continue working.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe; with this great feast, we end the liturgical year and prepare to start a new one. Next weekend, we will begin the time of Advent, and we will start to prepare for Christmas. Within the framework of this solemnity, Jesus speaks to us in the gospel of the final judgment, and with that metaphorical illustration of sheep and goats, He makes us see that it will be a judgment of love. Saint John of the Cross says more formally that “we will be examined about love at the end of our lives.” In other words, love will have the last word. But Jesus goes further because He shows us that the meaning of royalty – or power – is service to others. He affirmed of himself that He was Master and Lord (cf. Jn 13:13), and also that He was King (cf. Jn 18:37), but He exercised His leadership by washing the feet of the disciples (cf. Jn 13:4 ss.) and reigned by giving His life. Jesus Christ reigns from a humble cradle (a manger) and, later, from a very uncomfortable throne, the cross.
Above the cross was the sign that read “Jesus of the Nazareth, King of the Jews” (Jn 19:19): what appearance denied was confirmed by the profound reality of the mystery of God, since Jesus reigns on His Cross and judges us in His love. “We will be tested on love.”
On another topic, I know we are not yet in the time of Advent and even less so at Christmas, but I want you to save December 10th in your calendar. That day, we will have the first breakfast with Saint Nicholas, a morning to share and prepare for Christmas. The feast of Saint Nicholas is on December 6th, but we will celebrate it four days later. Breakfast will be after the 8:00 and 10:00 AM masses in Hannan Hall. In advance, I thank the Knights of Columbus for their collaboration. You will find the flyer with all the information in the bulletin later.
Also, I thank everyone who generously collaborated to purchase the new church nativity. Several people and movements contributed, especially the Knights of Columbus, who donated most of the cost. We have a little extra money, and with that surplus, I want to buy the canopy used in the Holy Thursday and Corpus Christi procession since the one we have is very old and damaged. Little by little, I am renewing many liturgical articles that no longer work well, and it is fair and worthy to have newer ones. In the future, I will give you more information.
I hope you have a lovely week. May Jesus and Mary bless you!
Fr. Alex
