The liturgies of the Church bring us such beauty during the month of December. On the 7th and the 8th, we will remember how the eternal plan of God allowed the mother of Jesus to be conceived without the mark of that original sin. The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a holy day of obligation, and Masses will be offered in both English and Spanish. (See our home page for Mass times.) Come and pray with me, that we may follow the example of Our Lady, and surrender our wills to the will of the Lord.
Later in the week, we will celebrate another feast day of Our Lady. The feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the 12th of December) remembers the apparition of Our Lady of the Americas, as she communicated her love for the peoples of the Americas through her servant St. Juan Diego. The Spanish-speaking portion of SJN will begin this celebration on the 11th, with an 11 pm Rosary (in Spanish) and a midnight Mass in Spanish. On Saturday morning, I will offer a morning celebration of the feast in English. Padre Armando will conclude our community prayer that Saturday evening (following the Vigil Mass), with a 7:30 pm Mass in Spanish. Come and rejoice, that Our Lady of the Americas... north and south... calls us to follow her Son, as members of his world-wide Catholic Church.
Then, near the end of the month, comes the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord. The season of Advent ends by remembering the gift of the Messiah King, born in simplicity, born to be our Light, our Lord, our Savior. The Solemnity of the Nativity, or Christ's Mass (Christmas), is such a joy for SJN. On the 24th, we will offer three liturgies at 5:30 pm, in English; two liturgies at 7:30 pm in English, and one in Spanish (Donnellan Hall); and, we will offer the traditional Midnight Mass. Please note that there will be NO morning Masses on the 24th. On Christmas day, the day of the Solemnity of the Nativity, we will offer two morning Masses in English (8 and 10 am) and one in Spanish (Noon).
With all the wonderful construction happening at SJN, the parking situation this year will be... very stressful. Please know that we are working on a "parking plan" for the 24th, and will get that to you as soon as it is set. Still, I would hope that many of you would consider carpooling with a neighbor or friend. The office will be closed during these holy days, from 4 pm on the 21st through the 1st. The office will be open for business on the 4th of January. Though the offices will be closed during these holy days, the daily liturgies will be offered, as scheduled.
Let us stay in Advent until the 24th, no matter what the television and the stores try and tell us. Let us stay in the spirit of Advent, remembering that first coming of the Lord (in Bethlehem) and pondering that final coming of the Lord, at the end of history, when all will stand before God and account for the gifts given us. Our managing of these gifts given... our stewardship of the blessings of God... that's the kind of Christmas gift the Lord is seeking from us!
Msgr. David Talley
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|