On Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving. While it is a civic holiday and not a Church feast, it is a beautiful time to stop and think about the many blessings we have. More important, it is a time to stop and consider the source of those blessings. It is a time to turn to God in prayers of thanks. I will share that I am very blessed that Bishop Rhoades assigned me to this parish. This is a strong and growing parish and school. We have great numbers of people coming for Sunday Masses and also for daily Masses… and we have a beautiful mix of generations, ranging from the elderly to the newborns. We have incredible numbers coming for confessions. We have a generous parish which understands stewardship, donating to the parish and giving to every charitable cause we promote, while volunteering whenever help is needed. And I think that we have a very prayerful parish, a parish that understands the need for God in our lives. I see the Holy Spirit at work in this parish, and for that I am very grateful.
We will have only one Mass on Thanksgiving day, at 8:15 a.m. As usual, Fr. James cheerfully agreed to celebrate that Mass so that Fr. Bobby and I can both spend the day with our families. I’m grateful for Fr. James too!
Next weekend we begin the season of Advent. You can’t miss the changes in the liturgy. The color of vestments and altar cloths will be purple. Our Advent wreath will be prominently displayed. The Gloria disappears from Sunday Masses, and we will sing a Kyrie as well as the Lord’s Prayer. The readings will feature John the Baptist and Old Testament prophets who tell us to prepare for the Lord. Our liturgies remind us that Advent is not a time of wild celebration. That will come soon with Christmas. This is a time of prayerful preparation. We prepare for the Lord with quiet, with prayer, and with acts of charity and penance.
