From the Pastor's Desk

     In today’s world when a person is suffering from a serious disease, or has been exposed to a person who is inflicted, we place that person under quarantine. We of course do this so no one else will catch the disease and to avoid an epidemic. As today’s first reading, and Gospel reading, tell us this was kind of in place in ancient Israel especially when it came to Leprosy or any other skin aliment. But the rule to separate the person from the community had more of an effect than just preventing the spreading of a disease.  The Mosaic Law also declared that the infected person was also spiritually unclean and could no longer be a part of the community’s worship of God.  They were totally cut off from all life, physically and spiritually.  The Law also made sure that the person was kept apart from others, by requiring the leper to shout out: “unclean, unclean.”

    This was the Law for centuries, even during the time of Jesus so when we read the Gospel how the leper came up to Jesus and begged Jesus to make him clean he was taking a big chance.  He was violating the Law and there could have been great repercussions. But he was not the only lawbreaker, for Jesus moved with pity stretched out His hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.”   Our Lord or course breaks this law, so that He can make the man whole, and restore his relationship with his family and friends and most importantly with God as a part of the faith community.  But this could only happen if the man does what Jesus tells him to do once he is cured.  “…go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed…”

    The leper had a direct encounter with Christ and as a result was cured, and able to return to a full life.  But encounters with the Lord are not restricted to the Gospel or Old Testament Figures.  We too can have an encounter with Christ, and in a way that if far better than the leper or anyone in the Gospel.  Certainly, his cure was a miracle, but in many ways, this was just a one-time encounter with Jesus, and one that was alive only in his memory.  Our encounters with Christ come every day as we pray, read Scripture, attend Sunday and Weekday Mass, and receive the Sacraments.  The Sacraments especially are a direct encounter with the Risen Lord and they are a regular part of our lives as we live them out on this side of God’s Kingdom.

     The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the Sacraments as powers that come forth from the Body of Christ, which is ever living and life giving.  They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in His Body the Church; the Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church by which the divine life is dispensed to us.  The visible rites by which the Sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each Sacrament.  The Seven Sacraments touch all the important moments of Christian life: they give birth and increase healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith.  There is a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of spiritual life (just as we see lived out in today’s readings).  The Seven Sacraments are divided into three groups. The Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; the Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Anointing of the Sick; and the Sacraments of Vocation: Matrimony and Holy Orders.  Therefore, Christ is with us not only in our memories, but also in our weekly encounters in Word and Sacrament. 

    Please remember the Catholic Ministries Appeal and help that it offers for so many people in our Diocese and even here in our own parish.  Once again, our goals for this year is approximately $100,000; and remember that every pledge of $200 or more puts you in a raffle for 10 dinners for two with the parish priests and deacons and staff.  You have 10 months to pay off your pledge and a pledge of $250 is only $25 a month or only 68cents a day.  You can make a pledge at the table in the back, using the form in the bulletin, or by sending it directly to the Ministry Appeal Office: yes, we will get credit.

 God bless you always

Fr. Mike

     “On leaving the Synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.  Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.  They immediately told him about her.  He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.  The fever left her and she waited on them.”   The fever left her and she began to wait on them, some may say, “that’s some way to treat someone who was sick!” And for the most part many of us would agree, but not in this case.  Jesus is not being mean or cruel, and He is not forgetting the fact that she had a fever.  Nor is Peter’s mother-in-law forgetting that she had a fever, yet she wants to show Jesus how grateful she is and He allows her to do it.  But do not forget one thing, her fever did more than just break when Jesus touched her, she was completely healed: maybe better than she was before.  That is why she could not help but get up and serve them. 

    As the Gospel tells us, that trend continued, as people from all over the village brought people to Simon’s house for cures and the expulsion of demons.  Jesus was very busy and the people were all amazed and surprised when they could not find Him after sunrise.  So Simon and those with him pursued Jesus, and on finding Him he said, “Everybody is looking for you.” Yes, they were all looking for Him, hoping that He would come back and do more great things.  Yes, they wanted Him to come back so that they could keep Him all to themselves.  Who could blame them, who would not want Jesus to be in their town?  But Jesus tells them something they may not have totally expected.  He tells them drop everything, leave everything and everyone behind and, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also.”   Jesus is calling them to be a part of His mission and He is calling them to share the wealth of their experience with Jesus with others.    

    Jesus will tell them after His death and resurrection to go out to teach the Good News. Baptize all Nations, and to carry on in His place.  This is the command He gives to His Church beginning with the Apostles right up to Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Murphy, you and me!  Let us go out and build the Kingdom of God, let us go out and spread the great wealth of what God has given to His Church.  As St. Paul tells us in today’s letter, “If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me and woe to me if I do not preach it!”   This obligation is upon all who are baptized, we cannot live up to our Baptismal Promises if we decide I will accept only part of the task. Nor can we hope to receive all of the benefits of a life with Christ if we do not do our part.  For to have life with Christ means to accept all He wants to give us and to do all that He asks us to do: just as He told Simon and the others on that fateful morning.

     But demands on our lives, sometimes makes it impossible to do all that Jesus commands us to do in the Gospel.  Sometimes we are not able to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, cure the sick and dying, teach the next generation, and carryout The Corporal And Spiritual Works Of Mercy.  We may say, “Yes, I want to do all these things, but I do not know how or when.  And if I cannot, how can I be faithful to the Gospel?  There are many ways we can do this, even if we cannot do it ourselves. We do this by supporting the ministries of the Church and those who carry out these tasks.  We can help by supporting the Catholic Ministries Appeal.  We will speak about this Appeal this weekend and we will have volunteers in the Church Lobby to receive your pledge for this very worthwhile Appeal.  This Appeal helps so many people throughout the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and right here in Ronkonkoma. 

God bless you always,

Fr. Mike

     When we read the Book of Genesis, we see that God communicates with key people directly.  He speaks to Adam and Eve, even when He is expelling them from the Garden of Eden.  He speaks to Cain, after he kills his brother Abel, and He speaks to Noah to tell him about the Flood. God speaks to Abraham when He calls him to leave Ur and go to the Promised Land;  and God speaks to him when He makes His Covenant with Abraham and his descendants;  and, later, God will communicate directly with Jacob.

    After Jacob, it appears that God does not directly communicate with His people until He calls Moses to rescue the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  God comes to Moses in the Burning Bush, but there is no doubt that Moses is experiencing the power of God.  As the Book of Exodus continues, God communicates with Moses and the people and, as we see in today’s first reading, God communicates even in the Book of Deuteronomy.  However, as we see today, the people are upset over this for they are afraid of God.  God, for His part, gives in to their request; but He does not leave it at that!  God tells them that He will send them a prophet from their own people, who will speak like Moses and speak totally in God’s name.  When this prophet comes, all should listen to him.  As we see, “Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it.”

    The people were afraid and begged God not to let them see Him talking to Moses.  The same is not true of the people in today’s Gospel, when the promised prophet drives a demon out of the man.  The people in that Capernaum Synagogue were more amazed and realized that Jesus spoke with the authority God said He would in Deuteronomy.  Notice what is at work here, Jesus would not allow the demon to identify Him as the Holy One of God, yet He did not stop the people from spreading His name throughout Galilee.  That is because Jesus want human testimony, and He wants them to spread the Good News about Him, so others would be ready to listen to Him when He came to their town.  We too should not be afraid of God, we too should be totally amazed and accepting of His Divine Authority, and we too should be spreading the Good News: just as they did 2000 years ago.

    Today starts Catholic Schools Week and we are very blessed to have our own St. Joseph School.  During this week, we will have several activities to celebrate our school.  We will also have an Open House with student-guided tours and people will be able to speak with our Principal, Mrs. Arpino, and other members of the school community.  If you have children or grandchildren from Nursery to 8th Grade, and are looking for a great place to send them for their education, then look no further;  you have found it right here!  Yes, going to Catholic School means paying more for your child’s education, but you get back so much more than you can ever imagine.  Also, keep in mind that Tomorrow’s Hope Scholarships are available to those who qualify.  Please call the school at (631) 588-4760 for more information.

    Next week at all of the Masses, we will be speaking about the Catholic Ministries Appeal.  Volunteers will be available in the Church Lobby to take your pledge to support this worthwhile appeal.  Please pray about this and be as generous as your means allow; so many people are depending on you.

God bless you always.

Fr. Mike

    “The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying: ‘Set out for the great city of Nineveh and announce to it the message that I will tell you.’ So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh.”   Last week we read about the Divine call of Samuel and the call of the first disciples from John’s Gospel.  Today we see two more examples of God calling people. 

    Our first reading tells or how God called the Prophet Jonah to preach to the city of Nineveh that the end was near because of their many sins.  We also see in the Gospel another version of the call of the first disciples: as we see in Mark’s Gospel.  This time Jesus is not pointed out by John the Baptist; no He called Simon and Andrew and said to them; “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Jesus calls them to abandon their old way of life and follow Him in His mission to call all to salvation. 

   Observe that before Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, James and John, He is called to action by the arrest of John the Baptist.  Jesus’ first act is to announce; “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.”  This week the call to discipleship reminds us that it is a call to action.  Last week reminded us that the call comes to us in the quiet spaces of our lives (which was true for Samuel, Andrew and John), but it is also true for Simon and James and Jonah this week.  Why, because Jonah was first called by God in the quiet spaces of his life, and one can assume the same was true for all those called by God. Certainly, they had moments of quiet when they knew God was calling them or else they would not have been able to leave all behind and follow Jesus.  But after the call in the quiet, comes the call for action (Jonah goes to Nineveh, and the first Apostles dropped everything and follow Jesus)

    Remember that this call to discipleship is not limited to or restricted to those in Ordained Ministry, Religious Life, or Professional Lay Ministers of the Church.  No, the call is for all Christians, and they like the Apostles and Jonah are called to act. We are all called to live out and share the Gospel and to practice the moral teachings of the Church, which come from the Gospel.  We should be living out the Beatitudes every day and trying to put into practice the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.  The Spiritual Works of Mercy are: To Instruct those Ignorant of the Faith; To Counsel the Doubtful; To Advise Sinners; To Bear Wrongs Patiently; To Forgive Offences; To Comfort the Afflicted; and To Pray for the Living and the Dead.  The Corporal Works of Mercy are To Feed the Hungry; To Give Drink to the Thirsty; To Clothe the Naked; Shelter the Homeless; Visit the Sick; Visit Those in Prison; and To Bury the Dead.

    At the end of this month, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week and it promises to be a great week.  On the Sunday of that week, we will have school families sharing their experience of our beautiful St. Joseph School.  We will have an Open House with student-guided tours and people will be able to speak with our principal, Mrs. Arpino, and other members of the school community.  If you have children or grandchildren from Nursery to 8th Grade, and are looking for a great place to send them for their education, then look no further; you have found it right here!  Yes, going to Catholic School means paying more for your child’s education, but you get back much more than you can ever imagine.  Also, keep in mind that Tomorrow’s Hope Scholarships are available to those who qualify; please call the school at (631) 588-4760 for more information.

    Tomorrow, Monday, January 23rd, the Annual March for Life will be held in Washington, DC.  A bus will leave from St. Joseph’s immediately following a special Mass at 4:30 AM for those making the trip and for those who cannot make the trip, but want to show their support.

God bless you always.

Fr. Mike

        Six years ago, I commented in this space the following words about today’s readings.   Samuel as a young boy was sleeping in the temple area when he heard the voice of God.  He did not know who was calling him, so he assumed that it was the voice of his mentor Eli.  Even Eli did not immediately realize who was calling the lad, until the third time Samuel went to him, saying here I am you called me.  When Samuel finally does answer God, we see that God develops this calling into a life long relationship in which Samuel will offer God service upon service.  Samuel served as a Judge of Israel, and it was Samuel who anointed Saul king, and then David when Saul loses God’s favor.  Samuel is living in the temple area because his mother Hannah (who prayed to God to have a child who she would dedicate to Divine Service) brought him there to learn from Eli.  But as we see in the account, God calls Samuel to a deeper vocation than just a student of Eli’s:  Samuel is now given a change of perspective, to serve God not just in a local shrine, but to enter into Israel’s politics and be God’s Official Spokesman.

    In John’s Gospel, we read all about the call of the first disciples.  They are already serving in a religious vocation in the fact that they are following John the Baptist.  Their interest is peaked, when John points out Jesus and says; “Behold the Lamb of God!”  He tells them that Jesus is their new Rabbi, so they leave John and follow Jesus.  After spending the whole day with Jesus, they realize that they too have been given a change of perspective, as they are now called to a deeper relationship with God and are given new avenues to offer service.  They are no longer disciples of the forerunner; they are now disciples of the Christ.  While at first they do not totally understand who Jesus is, they are excited about this encounter.  In fact, they are so excited that they go out and spread the good news with others, as Andrew call his brother Simon to meet Jesus.

    Here is another story of a call within a call and it takes place in the life of a young woman in what was then Yugoslavia.  The girl’s name was Agnes Bojaxhiu, and at a young age, she learned to care deeply for the sick and the poor.  At 18, she joined the Loreto Sisters and after she made her vows, she went to teach in a girl’s school in Calcutta.  After 19 years of teaching, while on a trip to Darjeeling (where she was recuperating from tuberculosis), she had an experience that helped her have a change of perspective.  She revealed, “It was on a train that I heard the call to give up all and follow Him to the slums, to serve Him in the poorest of the poor.”  In her response to her call within a call, she founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, and brought to the world’s attention the plight of the poor and dying in India and throughout the whole world.  That sister was Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta! 

    Judges, Apostles, Saints, what wonderful examples they provide us with, and I am sure we can all come up with stories from the lives of our favorite saints.  Who does not like hearing stories about the saints?  How comforting they are and how safe they are: safe in the sense that at times we can use the fact that they are saints to excuse ourselves when we fail to do as they did!  We excuse ourselves because we say they were saints and they were given a special call from God that call within a call but surely, that’s not me!  Wrong!  Of course, God is calling you and each one of us.  The first call comes with Baptism and the second call comes from our state in life (Ordained Minister, Religious Life, Married, dedicated Single Person).  God calls each of us to use our Baptismal and Confirmation Gifts in unique ways, which help us and others, to have a change of perspective!

    At the end of this month, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Weeks and it promises to be a great week.  On the Sunday of that week, we will have school families sharing their experience of our beautiful St. Joseph’s School.  We will have an Open House with student-guided tours and people will be able to speak with our Principal Mrs. Arpino and other members of the school community.  If you have children or grandchildren from Nursery to 8th Grade, and are looking for a great place to send them for their education then look no further; you have found it right here!  Yes, going to Catholic School means paying more for your child’s education, but you get back so much more than you can ever imagine.  Also, keep in mind, that Tomorrow’s Hope Scholarships are available to those who qualify; please call the school at (631) 588-4760 for more information.

    On Monday January 23rd, the Annual March for Life will be held in Washington, DC and a bus will be leaving from St. Joseph’s immediately following a special Mass at 4:30 AM for those making the trip, and for those who can not make the trip, but want to show their support.

God bless you always.

Fr. Mike

        “…behold magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem.  Saying, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.’” “They were amazed at seeing the star, and entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother…and did him homage.”

    Today’s celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord (also known as Little Christmas)  reminds us that even as an infant, Christ our Lord was made manifest to the whole world as signified by these gentile from several places coming to see the newborn King. Just imagine how excited they were, as their long journey to Bethlehem began with the sighting of that wonderful, strange star that moved through the night sky: a star, which indicated that something equally wonderful was happening here on Earth. Imagine their confusion when the star they were following disappeared as they approached Jerusalem; the place they believed would be their destination. Think of how taken back they were to not find him in a palace, but in a humble house; a stable as Luke tells us in the Christmas account.  Here is where they found not just the newborn King of the Jews, but also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Many would have said we have come to the wrong place; there must have been a mistake.  But keep in mind these where scholars not just of the sky, but of the religious traditions of all the peoples in the area.  They knew the promise of the Prophets of Israel, they knew that a Messiah was expected and hoped for, and they knew that God works in His own way.  So instead of turning around, they dropped to their knees paid Him great homage and placed before gifts fitting a king.  They totally understood what God had done, how God would make His Messiah manifest, not in a palace, but in a simple humble place, so that all could benefit from His mission on Earth.  They may not have known that Jesus was God made one of us, but they did know that He was indeed one sent by God to make all things new.

    Today also reminds us that God can be seen in so many ways in our lives, all we have to do is be open and look carefully.  We must be the like the Magi who did not reject what they saw at Bethlehem, but embrace what God has shown each of us in our lives.  If you are not sure what He has shown you than take time to thing, ask God to show you again, and stop looking for God to act in grand, miraculous ways.  Remember He works more commonly in little ways, and in ways that you least expect it.

    Today at the 12 Noon, Mass we welcome all of our children who were baptized here at St. Joseph’s during the last year for a special blessing for them and their families.  We are doing this today because of the way Christmas fell this year on a Sunday.  Normally we would do this on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (which is on the last Sunday of the Christmas Season) but this year we will remember that on Monday. 

    A very special thank you to all who helped decorate the Church for Advent and Christmas and for all who helped at the many liturgies: you all did so wonderfully.

     At the end of this month, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Weeks and it promises to be a great week.  On the Sunday of that week, we will have school families sharing their experience of our beautiful St. Joseph’s School.  We will have an Open House with student-guided tours and people will be able to speak with our Principal Mrs. Arpino and other members of the school community.  If you have children or grandchildren from Nursery to 8th Grade, and are looking for a great place to send them for their education then look no further; you have found it right here!  Yes, going to Catholic School means paying more for your child’s education, but you get back so much more than you can ever imagine.  Also, keep in mind, that Tomorrow’s Hope Scholarships are available to those who qualify; please call the school at (631) 588-4760 for more information. 

Let us pray: O God, who on this day revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy that we, who know you already by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.   Amen 

God bless you always and for the last time this year.

Merry Christmas

Fr. Mike

     Happy New Year!  Last weekend we celebrated the great Solemnity of the Incarnation and today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God.  These days remind us of the love that God has come down from Heaven and become one of us in the person of Jesus the Child of Bethlehem.  Now humanity has been raised to a level it had never known before, and through Jesus, we are greater than Adam and Eve were before they ate the forbidden fruit, and sin entered into the human family. It was the old Adam and the old Eve that made us captive to sin, but now we are reformed according to the nature of the New Adam and the New Eve: our Dear Blessed Mother.  This is of course what we celebrate on this January 1st.  For on this day, we honor the one who has given us a perfect example of Christian Discipleship, and we honor the great gift that God has given us in the Mother of His Son.

    Of course, on these two days, we are remembering more than just the birth of a child 2012 years ago and we are remembering more than just His mother.  We are remembering and celebrating Humanity’s Salvation.  One of the other reasons why God takes on our Human Nature is to show us what we as humans are capable of doing, and what in fact He expects us to do: as seen in the teachings of The Gospel.  We should also bear in mind, that what we are celebrating on these two weekends, we celebrate for the entire Christmas Season and for the whole year (as we pointed out last week). 

    Let us pray:  O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant we pray that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.  Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

    On behalf of Fathers: Henry, Boyle, Thomas, Peter Liu and Deacons: James Altonji, Joseph Dougherty, Joseph Califano, Michael DeBellis, Frank Dell’Aglio, Bill Dobbins, Michael Devenney, our Seminarian, Deacon Michael Duffy, Sr. Anne Marie Dean, CSJ, Mrs. Leona Arpino, Mrs. Anne Kelly, Mr. Michael Keller, Mrs. Ann DeBellis, Mr. Gerald Peters, and the entire Staff of St. Joseph’s we wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

God bless you always

Fr. Mike

    “Beloved: When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we have done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.”

     These words from St. Paul’s Letter to Titus, read at the Christmas Mass at Dawn, reminds us exactly what we are celebrating today on this Feast of The Nativity of the Lord; The Feast of the Incarnation. While we may find joy in the colorful lights, the decorated trees and wreaths, and the singing of carols (both secular and religious), we are here to celebrate the Birth of Jesus: who came into the world to bring us closer to God.  As St. Paul tells us in this letter, we have been saved not by anything we have done, but by God willing it!  Paul points out that Jesus’ birth puts us into a new relationship with God. Until He came, God was looked at as the King before whom people stood in awe and cringed in terror, the ruler whom they could regard only with fear. Jesus coming as an innocent babe and then as a powerful preacher, shows us that God is a Father whose heart is open and whose hands are extended in love.

    Paul reminds us that the grace of God is richly poured out upon us because of His great goodness and He gives us the gifts necessary to produce not only warm feeling, but also generous action at all times: action, which allows us to fully share in this love and to share this love with all.  We receive this grace throughout our lives, but we are first given it in Baptism, which gives us as Paul writes, “the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”  

    So as we celebrate this great day and the 12 days that come after it, let us contemplate the great gifts God has given us through His dearly beloved Son.  Let us share this joy and love with all we meet, not just during this season, but also for the whole year. 

      Let us pray: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, as we are bathed in new radiance of your incarnate Word, the light of faith, which illumines our minds, may also shine through in our deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.  Amen.

     On behalf of Fathers: Henry, Boyle, Thomas, Peter Liu and Deacons: James Altonji, Joseph Dougherty, Joseph Califano, Michael DeBellis, Frank Dell’Aglio, Bill Dobbins, Michael Devenney, our Seminarian Deacon Michael Duffy, Sr. Anne Marie Dean, CSJ., Mrs. Leona Arpino, Mrs. Anne Kelly, Mr. Michael Keller, Mrs. Ann DeBellis, Mr. Gerald Peters, and the entire Staff of St. Joseph’s we wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 God bless you always

Fr. Mike

     Today David asks Nathan whether or not he should build a temple for God, after all he was living in a nice house of cedar while the Ark of the Covenant was kept inside a tent.  Nathan, God’s Prophet who spoke directly to the King, believes that God would say yes to David.  After all David was God’s anointed one, God had allowed David to do great things, so of course the answer would be yes!  But God surprised David and Nathan when He told them that David would not be the one to build the temple, and as we see later on in the Second Book of Samuel, Solomon would be the one to build it.   If you notice at the end of this reading, God does give David some comfort when He tells him that his house and kingdom shall endure forever.  Of course God is speaking beyond David’s or even Solomon’s reign or even any of their descendants: with the exception of One.  The Father is speaking about His Son who will be King forever and His Kingdom is not Israel, but what it stands for: the Kingdom of Heaven. 

    God has indeed surpassed David’s hopes, desires and plans, and even Solomon’s Great Temple by His Son dwelling in the new Ark of The Covenant spoken about in the Gospel; The Blessed Mother. “Do not be afraid, Mary, four you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”   As the Archangel tells her, she is the perfect dwelling place for The Most High.  On the 4thSunday of Advent, we are almost at the moment we have been waiting for.  The Human Race will be redefined in the birth of the Virgin Mary’s Child.  We will be brought to a level we never before imagined and we will be made whole.  For as God dwelled in a wonderful way in the womb of the Blessed Mother, we must keep in mind that He dwells forever in His New Temple the Church, and we are the Church! 

    Now, as we come close to the end of this period of waiting we must ask ourselves; are we providing the Holy Spirit a good dwelling place in our soul?   Are we allowing Christ to be the soul’s constant guest or just someone we invite over for the holidays?  Can we eliminate from our lives all that separates us from God and each other?  There is still one week to go, so let us try to make this the best week of this Advent Season.

    On Wednesday December 21st, from 7-8 PM we will be hearing Confessions, as well as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Mornings following the 7 and 9 AM Masses. Please note that since Saturday is Christmas Eve we will not be hearing Confessions on Saturday Afternoon!  Our schedule of Masses for Christmas Eve and Day is as follows: Saturday December 24th, Christmas Eve: 4 PM Mass Upstairs and Downstairs; 6 PM, and 10:30 PM (there is no Mid-Night Mass).  On Sunday Christmas Day we will have Mass at 7, 9, and 10:30 AM, and 12 Noon.  There is no 5 PM Mass on Christmas Day!  For our celebration of New Year’s Day the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, we will have 5 PM Mass on Saturday December 31st and on Sunday January 1st we will have our usual Sunday Mass schedule; including the 5 PM Mass.

    As you know the Christmas Collection is one of the most important collections taken up here at St. Joseph’s during the year.  Through this collection, we have been able to pay off many of the bills we incur during the course of the year.  In the past, you have been very generous to our beloved parish and I take you from the bottom of my heart.  I do know as we discussed last month that times are very tough, but please be as generous as you can. Remember we can not do it without your very generous support.

Let us pray; Father, all powerful God, your Eternal Word took flesh on our earth, when the Virgin Mary placed her life at the service your plan.  Lift our minds in watchful hope to hear the voice, which announces his glory, and open our minds to receive the Spirit who prepares us for his coming.  We ask this is Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Happy Last Week of Advent

Fr. Mike

     This week we continue with John the Baptist from the point of view of John’s Gospel.  Recall John’s Gospel does not start with the Stable in Bethlehem, like Mathew and Luke, or even with John the Baptist; as we saw last week with Mark’s Gospel.  John begins in Heaven, and in his Prologue we see that Christ or The Son of God existed from the beginning (realize that beginning is not a proper word to use) with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  It is this pre-existent (before all of Creation came about) Second Person of the Blessed Trinity which John calls the Word or Logos (in Greek), which comes down from Heaven.  The Divine Logos becomes one of us in the person of Jesus and He is the Light of the Father that the Darkness of Evil cannot and will not overtake.  The Word made Flesh is the one who John was sent to give testimony to. 

    Once again, we see the forerunner preparing the way of the Lord, but he does make sure that no one confuses him with the one who is the Messiah. This is why John is very clear in his answer to the ones who come out from Jerusalem to question him, and to the Pharisees, who came out later to ask if he were Elijah or Jeremiah (the Prophet) or even the Messiah.  “John answered them, ‘I baptize with water, but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me whose sandal strap I am unworthy to untie.’”  No, John wants no mistakes, he wants all to know that the Messiah is the one they should pay attention to, and he is just doing his job to prepare people when Jesus does start His Public Ministry.

    John’s preaching was not just for the people of 2011 years ago, it for us today as well.  As we saw last week, we are likewise to prepare the way of the Lord and knock down any barriers that prevent others or ourselves from coming closer to Christ. We too must listen to John, but unlike the listeners of 2011 years ago, we are to join John in testifying to the Light.  But how are we to do this?  We can do this when we realize that the Spirit the Lord is upon us and He has anointed us to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, etc.  With the Power of the Holy Spirit we can achieve anything! Keep in mind, that when we are doing this, we should not get in the way of the Holy Spirit.  Follow Paul’s advice in his Letter to the Thessalonians to give thanks to God for having given us life through Christ and saving us from the darkness of evil, but also not to quench the Spirit from others or ourselves.

    Again, the question is given to each of us, how well are we preparing for Christ to come?  How well are we building the Kingdom of God here and now? How well are we welcoming Christ this year? 

    On Wednesday December 21st, from 7-8:30 PM we will be hearing Confessions, as well as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Mornings following the 7 and 9 AM Masses. Please note that since Saturday is Christmas Eve we will not be hearing Confessions on Saturday Afternoon!  Our schedule of Masses for Christmas Eve and Day is as follows: Saturday December 24th, Christmas Eve: 4 PM Mass Upstairs and Downstairs; 6 PM, and 10:30 PM (there is no Mid-Night Mass).  On Sunday Christmas Day we will have Mass at 7, 9, and 10:30 AM, and 12 Noon.  There is no 5 PM Mass on Christmas Day!  For our celebration of New Year’s Day the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, we will have 5 PM Mass on Saturday December 31st and on Sunday January 1st we will have our usual Sunday Mass schedule; including the 5 PM Mass.

   As you know the Christmas Collection is one of the most important collections taken up here at St. Joseph’s during the year.  Through this collection, we have been able to pay off many of the bills we incur during the course of the year.  In the past, you have been very generous to our beloved parish and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I do know as we discussed last month that times are very tough, but please be as generous as you can. Remember we can not do it without your very generous support.

Happy Advent!

Fr. Mike