FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
1 DECEMBER 2019
The
Season of Advent prepares us to celebrate the first coming of the Lord at
Christmas. Advent invites us to prepare
for his second coming at the end of time or at the end of our lives. But Advent also makes us more aware of the
ways in which the Lord comes to us now.
He comes to us in the Sacramental life of the Church, most especially in
this Eucharist. Sending us forth from
this Mass, he remains with us in his risen presence throughout our daily lives,
if only we open ourselves to that presence.
The prophet
Isaiah says that the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills. We see that
prophecy fulfilled in the Mystery of the first coming of Jesus Christ at
Christmas and culminating in the Mystery of his death and resurrection at
Easter. He wants to establish his house as
the highest mountain of our hearts.
Advent invites us to take a closer look at all the mountains of our
hearts, all of those realities that are important to us. Those mountains include our desire to ensure
that we have adequate possessions, good jobs, good reputations, and that we
provide for our families, among many other goods. However, if we want the swords of our lives (cutting
things apart) turned into plowshares and the spears (poking us at every side)
turned into pruning hooks, then the highest mountain must be the presence of
the risen Christ in our daily lives. In
preparing for him to come again, his presence cannot be one of many mountains
that we acknowledge only on Sunday. His presence
must ultimately be the highest and most important in our lives.
That is why
the persistent pattern of prayer is so important. People sometimes think that stewardship is
about raising funds. Because stewardship
involves living as committed disciples, spending time in prayer is the first of
the other two legs of stewardship:
service and sacrificial giving.
Please read the materials on the stewardship of prayer which we sent
home (or pick up your packet in the Parish Life Center). Be sure to join us on the next three Tuesday
evenings for our communal Advent prayers.
Take one of the booklets at all of the doors to help with personal
prayer. Allow Advent to assist in renewing
a persistent pattern of prayer. If you
don’t believe me, please listen to Stephanie Rucano as she explains how this
has happened in her life.
The Stewardship of My
Prayer
Thank you,
Father Bill, for inviting me to share a little bit of my prayer journey.
I am happily
married to wonderful man named Tony and have an amazing daughter named Camille.
Today, my
relationship with our Heavenly Father is very intimate, but it was not always
that way.
Prior to now,
I was that lost sheep. I was a struggling mom trying to juggle life and do
everything. So, it was rare that I’d attend mass or the sacraments. I was just
too busy to go! My prayer life consisted of saying a prayer now and then if I
needed answers immediately or before meals when I didn’t forget.
Shame and
guilt were both weighing me down. I felt a nudge to go to confession, so I did.
Then, I looked at the priest as I confessed my sins and saw the most amazing
thing. It was Jesus Christ sitting before me. He said, “Your sins are forgiven,
and you will be fine in your life-now go in Peace.” The moment I walked out I
felt the weights lifted and my relationship with the Lord has been growing ever
since.
I start and
end my days with our Lord. Whether I’m driving somewhere, going to the gym, or
attending daily mass I need to hear the Living Words. There seems to ALWAYS be
a message for me that I need to hear to help balance my day.
As a
Eucharistic minister during communion, I see Jesus in each one of your faces.
After I’m done, I go back to my seat, kneel and pray for each one of you as my
Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
Recently, I
was showing a non-Catholic visitor around and we walked before the chapel and
saw Jesus was displayed in adoration. I told her, “that is my Best Friend and
he knows everything about me. It’s where I go and have a conversation with Him,
and we are All invited.” I turned to look at her at that moment and she had
tears rolling down her face. She said she could feel Him in her heart.
With a parish
this size I have responded to his call to be with families as they grieve the
loss of a loved one. The connection with these individual’s is truly a path I
was intended to take guided by the Holy Spirit.
With the
opportunities here at St Pius I ask you to accept the invitation, to help your
prayer life grow and draw you closer to our Heavenly Father.
Looking up
at the Good Shepherd, know that you will never be lost.
Take the
path that was created for you, accepting all the Graces and Blessings along the
way.
Thank you
and God Bless.
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