Drawing Near
The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent always prepares us for the celebration of Christmas. This year we hear the story of the Annunciation to St. Joseph, where God, through his angel, calls on Joseph to not be afraid and to welcome Mary, and through her, Jesus, into his home.
Throughout Advent we have been reminded that just as the Lord Jesus came to us in time, so He will also return to us at time’s end. He also draws near to us in many and varied ways each day; one of the most common and wonderful ways in which He does this is in and through the people we encounter daily. Dorothy Day once wrote: if everyone were holy and handsome, with ‘alter Christus (another Christ)’ shining in neon lighting from them, it would be easy to see Christ in everyone. If Mary had appeared in Bethlehem clothed, as St. John says, with the sun, a crown of twelve stars on her head, and the moon under her feet, then people would have fought to make room for her. But that was not God’s way for her, nor is it Christ’s way for himself, now when he is disguised under every type of humanity that treads the earth. May we open our hearts to the grace of God that allows us to see Him drawing near to us, especially in our sisters and brothers.
As Christmas draws near, I encourage you to make some time for just you and the Lord; it may not be as much as you would like, but any time with the Lord yields piece and grace. We tend to romanticize Christmas as a time of calm and peace, yet it fails to be that for so many. Make time for the Lord; the world will not make the time for you, just as it will not give you true peace. We must make time for the Lord so that He can give us what we truly need.
Vigil of the Longest Night
This week we will once again be having the service of the “Vigil of the Longest Night” at 7:00PM on Wednesday, December 21st. While many people may be feeling a rush of excitement in the days leading up to Christmas, others may feel something quite the opposite: stress, anxiety, or grief from the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, or some other hardship in life. This service is held on the first day of Winter, the longest night of the year, to remind us that God is always present, and calling us to find hope and peace in him. Afterwards, the church will remain open until 10:00PM for anyone who wishes to sit and pray in the silence after the service, or to stop by later in the evening for some quiet time. The empty manger will be placed at the foot of the sanctuary to collect prayer intentions from anyone who wishes to leave them. Even if you are full of Christmas joy and anticipation, perhaps consider coming to pray for those who are finding the season challenging. All are welcome.
Thank You…
Many thanks to our CTK choir members and musicians and to those from Laurel United Methodist Church for providing us with the beauty of this year’s cantata Love Came Down at Christmas. Thank you for the hard work and effort that you put into this labor of love while also working to be prepared for the music of our Christmas Masses. God bless you for your generosity!
If you will be here for Christmas, I will see you next week; if you will be somewhere else, please be safe in your travels and may the good Lord bless you and yours with a grace-filled, joy-filled, and Merry Christmas!
Father Chris House
PS, Christmas only starts on December 25th; keep that tree and Nativity scene up and those lights on!