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"The Manger and the Cross" by Fr. Chris House
January 6, 2023
This weekend the Christmas season reaches its second highpoint in the great Solemnity of the Epiphany. I say a second highpoint because Epiphany at one time was the Church’s celebration of Christmas, marking Jesus’s appearance in the world by using the term of his “manifestation.”
The Manger and the Cross
This weekend the Christmas season reaches its second highpoint in the great Solemnity of the Epiphany. I say a second highpoint because Epiphany at one time was the Church’s celebration of Christmas, marking Jesus’s appearance in the world by using the term of his “manifestation.” While the celebration of his birth since early centuries has been differentiated from today, we remember that the Lord was manifested to all nations in the persons of the Magi who followed the star and found the infant savior.
While the story of the Magi gives us warm images of their joy, the gifts they brought, and the light of a star, we cannot forget that connected to the Epiphany is the great tragedy of Herod and his brutal command to murder all the boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger. Historically, Bethlehem at that time had approximately 300 people living in it so there would likely have been around ten boys or so at the age of two or under.
There is an old saying that says the manger always stands in the shadow of the cross. We know this to be true because of the dark parts of the Epiphany story but also because most of us have come to know that the joy of Christmas does not spare us from disappointment, grief, or pain and loss even in these most sacred days of the year. I have been especially mindful of this truth this Christmas due to various events and circumstances that I have been witness to in the lives of parishioners and friends. Even without Herod and the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, this truth is still foreshadowed in the visit of the Magi and the gifts they present.
Of the three gifts, myrrh is the most foreign and mysterious for most of us. Derived from the thorny branches of the Commiphora myrrha tree and originally sought as a perfume, used especially with the preparation of a body after death, myrrh is seen as a prophetic sign that the child Jesus is the sacrifice who will take away the sins of the world. In this gift of myrrh, hidden in the warmth of that image of the adoration of the Magi is one of the first predictions of the Lord’s Passion.
Since the Cross is an inescapable part of our lives as disciples, even in this festive time, what are we to do? I suggest that we turn to Mary our Blessed Mother for the answer. Last Sunday, when we celebrated her motherhood, the Church gave us the Gospel passage of the adoration of the shepherds from Luke, and in that passage Mary is mentioned three times: first she is seen as remaining close to Jesus, second she is found meditating on God’s actions in her life and the world around her, and third we see her being obedient to God’s will in her life. If we emulate Mary’s example of discipleship in our lives we will find, first, that it is the antidote for any traces of Herod in us, or the temptation to be completely self-centered. Second, Mary’s actions allowed God to be central to her whole being, giving her the peace that comes from Him alone. If we follow her example of discipleship, we can have that same peace that anchors us in the knowledge of God’s love even as we suffer.
So the manger stands in the shadow of cross; this is ultimately how it is in this life. But let us not forget that the cross gives way to the empty tomb. May the grace of God always keep this wonderful truth before our eyes, through our joys and sorrows, and in every season of our lives.
Godspeed, Pope Benedict!
On New Year’s Eve morning, Pope Emeritus Benedict was freed from the bonds of this earthly life. His election to the Papacy was one month before my third anniversary of ordination and I vividly remember watching to see who would come out on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica; I was delighted, to say the least, when his name was announced that day. Several years before he was elected pope, his theological writings were a part of my seminary formation and I remember several bishops then remarking that he was one of the easiest and kindest prefects to deal with in the Vatican. While his theological contributions to the Church will still be unpacked and evaluated for many years to come, personally, I would say that his lasting contribution to the Church was his resignation from the Papal office, which was a monumental display of both humility and strength, and demonstrated that the Church is far greater than anyone who holds any specific office within it, except for our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
I am blessed to have met both his predecessor and his successor, but I am sorry that I never had the privilege to meet him, either as when a cardinal or pope. I am grateful to God for the gift of Pope Benedict to the Church and I pray that His Holiness may now have the reward of the good and faithful servant. May Pope Benedict XVI know light, joy, and peace forever in heaven.
May the Lord continue to abundantly bless you and yours at the beginning of this new year!
Father Chris House
We are all familiar with the Beatitudes. Blessed, blessed, blessed. In the context of the liturgy of the Church, they are drawn from again and again. But these beatitudes we encounter in this weekend’s Gospel seem different. They seem brief. They seem to cut a little deeper. There is a very simple explanation for this: these are not the ones we are used to hearing! In our Gospel this Sunday, we are given the privilege of hearing from St. Luke’s account of the Beatitudes as opposed to the more familiar ones from St. Matthew’s Gospel. Rather than being placed in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, as in St. Matthew’s Gospel, Luke sets this discussion of the Beatitudes within the context of the Sermon on the Plain. If we were to map out a chronology of Jesus’ ministry according to all four Gospels, the Sermon on the Plain would appear to be earlier than the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount took place alongside the Feeding of the 5000, but in Luke’s Gospel, the Sermon on the Plain is much earlier in the timeline of Jesus’ ministry. That is probably enough worrying about the timelines of these two Gospels. Instead, let us turn our attention to the truths Jesus reveals to us in our Gospel reading. In Luke’s account of the Beatitudes, we first encounter the same phrase of “blessed are…” However, we are soon turned over to a new proclamation: “woe to you.” For those of us who, at one point or another, find ourselves with a touch of cynicism, it is a bit of a welcome refresher from what we normally associate with Jesus. For some, the “woes” make us uncomfortable–many times throughout my life, I would prefer to be the things Jesus warns us about. It would be nice to have some money in the bank, to not worry about our bare necessities, to always be in a good mood, and to be well-liked by others. Certainly, we have all experienced a touch of this desire. While it is indeed prudent for us to have a healthy concern for these earthly things, we must look a little beneath the surface. Whatever we desire in this life, we are called first to recognize God’s handiwork and providence. When we lose sight of God, our creator and our redeemer, when we decide to place our desires in mere shadows compared to the Lord of life, we risk giving up the greatest gift of this life–eternal life with God. If we allow ourselves to choose the things, the created things, of this world over the very creator, something less than God rather than God Himself, we have fallen into the trap the evil one desires in which to ensnare us. We worship something other than God. These “woes” which Jesus gives us serve not to inform us of the vast punishments which await us when we fall. We know we have a God who seeks to extend His mercy to us. Rather, the “woes” serve to warn us of the dangers in which we put ourselves when we choose to separate ourselves from God. Blessed are we who seek above all else to be in union with God. Warm Welcomes Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Fr. Zach Samples, currently the Parochial Vicar at St. Agnes. Fr. Zach has graciously offered his assistance over the next two months while Fr. Chris is on sabbatical. On most weekends, he will rotate in as the celebrant at one of the Masses as well as hearing Confessions and celebrating Mass on most Thursday mornings. This will be a great help for me in taking a little off my plate and allowing me to have a day off through the week. Fr. Zach and I go way back to our days as students at EIU in Charleston before either of us was in seminary. Thank you for your assistance, Fr. Zach! Father Alex McCullough
Casting the Nets of our Lives Today’s Gospel brings a change in scenery from last Sunday’s Gospel; it may be a small detail but it is an important one. Last Sunday Jesus was in the synagogue in Nazareth. The “home town boy” was at first received well by those in the synagogue but the mood turned as the assembly found themselves challenged by Jesus. Luke records for us that the scene culminates with the crowd being so angry that they are preparing to throw Jesus off the edge of a cliff but he manages to get away. From Nazareth, Jesus returns to Capernaum. Capernaum was one of nine towns on the Sea of Galilee; the “Sea” of Galilee is actually not a sea as we understand the word today, being that it was thirteen miles, north to south, and about eight miles wide; the Scriptures also refer to it as the Sea of Tiberias or the Lake of Gennesaret. Today, the area around the Sea of Galilee is mostly buzzing with pilgrims, but in Jesus’s time those nine towns around it would have had a total population of tens of thousands of people. While this is the first time that Luke records Jesus actually being in Capernaum, we know he has been there before because of the previous Sunday’s Gospel where the synagogue crowd mentions Jesus performing miracles in Capernaum. This Gospel continues in the on-going theme of Epiphany that has been presented to us for the past several Sundays because of the astounding catch of fish that Simon and the others bring it. Experienced fishermen, they have worked all night, but at Jesus’s insistence they cast their nets one last time, against their own judgement, and their willingness is rewarded. In response to this manifestation of God’s grace and power, Luke tells us that Simon falls to his knees saying “depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Jesus does not go away but instead formally calls Simon, as well as James and John, to follow him. They leave everything behind and accept the Lord’s invitation. Like Peter, James, and John, the Lord is also calling us to follow him and become “fishers of men.” Jesus’s preaching and teaching was primarily done on the sea shore, in towns, and on the road, not in the synagogue or Temple. Our bringing souls to Christ must be done wherever we are, and while we witness to the Lord at Sunday Mass, being at church is not where this call is primarily lived out. Jesus is calling us to cast the nets of our lives; those living nets are to be constructed of our love, charity, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and faith and they are to be cast at home, work, school, everywhere our daily living takes us. These “nets” are what bring other souls to the Lord. We need to examine our lives to be sure that sin, bad attitudes, a lack of hospitality, and so on, have not made holes in these nets. If we find holes are present, God’s grace is there to help us mend these nets of our lives. As with Peter and the others, we may find ourselves tired, frustrated, unsure, maybe even lacking in faith, but Jesus is still asking us to put out the nets of our lives for a catch. Hopefully we will each say yes. The Musings of Father Alex…. ….will be gracing this page soon as I am now at Saint Meinrad, getting re-acquainted with the library. When these eight weeks are over I will probably have spent more time in the library at Saint Meinrad now than when I was…..never mind. Below is an older aerial photograph of Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary. Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
Last Sunday, the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, presented us with the Gospel of the wedding feast at Cana, particularly the sign of the water made wine. This first miracle by our Lord, as reported by John, points to the dawning of a new age, a new time: the time of the Messiah. These days of the Messiah are a time of grace and mercy, when God has opened up his own divine life to us in and through Jesus Christ. The good news for us is that these days are still upon us as the world continues to live in them until the Lord Jesus returns in his glory. This Sunday’s Gospel continues the theme of Epiphany with Jesus’s proclamation in his home synagogue in Nazareth of the words of the Prophet Isaiah. Jesus proclaims The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord . At the end of the proclamation, Jesus announces that today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing. He is the one of whom Isaiah spoke. He is the fulfillment of the promise of the prophets and the ultimate manifestation of God’s life, love, and grace in the world. To bring sight to the blind, liberty to captives, glad tidings to the poor, and freedom to the oppressed is a monumental task, one that is fit for the Messiah…and for us. We cannot do any of these things as Jesus did, but, as disciples, we are called to carry Christ into the world each and every day. It is the Lord Jesus who brings true freedom and sight, who lifts up the soul and fills it with richness. We are the vessels, the messengers by which he chooses to be continually made known in the world. We are called each day to be deliberate in our discipleship, to make the conscious choice for him every day so that we may be an avenue through which Jesus can be known and touched by those whom we meet. We are not tasked with this responsibility without any assistance. Luke tells us that in making this proclamation in Nazareth, Jesus had returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. The same is true for us. Through Baptism and Confirmation we are imbued with power of the Spirit to proclaim Jesus Christ in every aspect of our lives. Let us avail ourselves to the power of the Spirit that, in and through us, the Lord Jesus may continually be made known in the world, a world that needs to know and accept his love, his grace, and his mercy. Now is the acceptable time for us to answer this call. Information About My Upcoming Sabbatical Last month I announced here in my column that I will be heading out on a two month sabbatical. I was originally to spend it in the Holy Land last year but, as I am sure you are aware, conditions there made that impossible. I will be heading to Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology located at Saint Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana; this is where I attended minor seminary; there I will spend those months in prayer and reflection but also doing research for my doctoral dissertation in canon law which will hopefully also lead to me getting some writing done while I am there. I will be gone from February 4th thru April 8th, back just before Holy Week begins. While I am gone I do not expect the rhythm of parish life to be altered but slightly. Father Zach Samples, parochial vicar at St. Agnes, will be taking a Mass just about every weekend to save Father Alex from offering four Masses; Father Zach will also be taking the Thursday morning Mass so that Father Alex is able to have a day off each week. There are two minor alterations to note. First, Father Alex will be attending a workshop for priests in their first year of ministry from February 10th - 15th. There will be Communion services each morning that week with Deacon Scott. Second, beginning the week of February 17th, there will be no Wednesday 7AM Mass but all are welcome to attend the school Mass which will still be held at 8:30AM. Mass will still be at 7AM the other four weekdays. The reason for this is that a priest may say no more than two Masses on a weekday. By temporarily eliminating this one Mass time, it frees Father Alex to be available for a funeral Mass M,W,F, with Tuesdays already having two Masses due to Mass at area nursing facilities and Thursday being his weekly day off. The 7AM Wednesday Mass will resume the week of April 7th. This May I will be ordained twenty-three years and this past August I marked twenty years working in the curia at the Catholic Pastoral Center. Honestly, I am looking forward to the short break, minus the research and writing but I’ve been asked to do it and so I will. While I am gone you will remain, as always, in my daily prayers. I won’t be responding to email or getting phone messages. Should there be a serious need that requires my attention, Father Alex and Mrs. Seaton, our principal, will get in touch with me. This will be a great learning experience for Father Alex and he is up to the challenge….please just don’t make the learning curve too steep! Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
The Good Things to Come The time has come for us to move beyond the manger, for white and gold to give way to green. This Sunday brings us to the end of the Church’s celebration of Christmas with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord as we prepare to enter into the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. This feast jumps us about thirty years forward in the Lord’s earthly life and is understood as the event that inaugurates his public ministry. The Scriptures that the Church has chosen for this feast bring us full circle from where our pre-Christmas journey began in Advent, to Christmas itself, and now to the end of this holy season. Some six weeks ago we began our Advent journey and over the course of that journey we heard those familiar words of the Prophet Isaiah that are proclaimed to us again this Sunday. The second reading for this feast, from the letter of Titus, is the same second reading that was proclaimed at the Mass at Night on Christmas Eve. We might say that in today’s feast we are given a recap of what has already been revealed and proclaimed: that God has heard the cry of his people and has responded to that cry in the coming of Christ his son. What was already made known to Mary & Joseph, the Shepherds, Simeon & Anna, and the Magi is now made known to a wider audience by the Spirit at the Jordan River when the voice of the Father proclaims of Jesus “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” As with the Magi, so now at the Jordan, God continues to make known through Jesus that his divine life and love are open to all people who will receive him, and all who receive him belong to him. Now that we have celebrated the coming of Jesus at the beginning of the Church year, we are now prepared for the unfolding of another great mystery; the mystery that is life in Christ and what that means for us as his disciples as the events of his passion, death, resurrection, and overall ministry are recounted for us over the rest of the Church year. This mystery of life in Christ is what we are called to contemplate and celebrate each day and in every season. We have been called and chosen to be children of God, not because of any merit of ours, but because of God’s great love for us; because of this we should in turn see our lives as something extraordinary. Luke’s Gospel for today’s feast tells us that “the people were filled with expectation.” May it be the same for us. May expectation of the good things that God wants to do for us sustain us every day. May we carry the light and joy of Christmas with us throughout the year. As we begin Ordinary Time may we remember that in Jesus there is nothing ordinary about who we are because we have been claimed by him. Ice and Snow, Bless the Lord Those aren’t my words, they come from the Prophet Daniel. I hope that everyone fared well in light of last weekend’s weather. We still had about 2/3 of our normal Sunday attendance and I was edified by both the devotion of those present and by the desire of those who wanted to be but rightly chose the natural dispensation. I want to thank our facilities staff as well as the few other volunteers who worked to clear snow for safe movement around the parish/school property. “New” Nativity Scene My first Christmas at CTK I discovered that we did not have a nice full nativity scene. We have a lovely carved Holy Family that was generously given to the parish but we were lacking in a substantial nativity with all the persons of the nativity story. Last year we acquired a nice resin set and that will go either to the parish center or the school. We were offered something wonderful this past summer. The set we used this year was offered to me by my friend who is a pastor in our diocese. The set was given to his parish but they already had a nice set. All we had to do was have the figures repaired. The figures were restored by the Autenrieb Family in Edwardsville. Autenrieb has a long wonderful history of church and statue painting and restoration throughout our country beginning in 1925 with Max Autenrieb; the Stations of the Cross in the back chapel were painted by Max Autenrieb (either the founder or his son). The ladies who did the work on our scene estimated that our figures are around a century old. The figures are all made of plaster except for the angel and the camel; they are new additions and are made of fiberglass. I have enjoyed spending time in prayer before our “new” nativity scene; I hope you have too and that others will for years to come. Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
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This Sunday after Christmas we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Holy Family is a timeless model for Christian living. In this Sunday’s Gospel we encounter the Holy Family in the Temple, presenting the infant Jesus to the Lord according to the Jewish law. Simeon, a righteous and devout man, takes the child in his arms, and in a beautiful hymn of praise, acknowledges Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. This moment is a testament to the faithfulness of the Holy Family to the demands of worship. The Holy Family's example teaches us the importance of faithfulness to God's commands and the rituals of our faith. Just as Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple, we too are called to actively participate in the sacramental life of the Church, nourishing our spiritual journey through prayer, the Eucharist, and the other sacraments. Mary is our model of humility and openness to God's plan. Her "yes" to the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation and her continuous pondering of God's mysteries in her heart demonstrate a profound receptivity to the divine. As we celebrate the Holy Family, we are reminded to model Mary's openness to God's will in our own lives. Joseph exemplifies obedience and trust in God's plan. Despite the challenges and uncertainties that he faced, Joseph remained faithful and protective of his family. His unwavering commitment to God's will serves as a powerful example for fathers and all individuals entrusted with the care of others. The Holy Family faced trials, including the flight into Egypt to escape King Herod's wrath. In their journey we can find encouragement for our own struggles. The challenges they encountered underscore the reality that family life, like any aspect of our journey with God, is not immune to difficulties. However, within the context of these challenges, faith can be deepened and strengthened. As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, may we draw inspiration from their lives. May we cultivate faithfulness to our religious duties, embody trust in God's providence, nurture humility and openness to His will, and find strength in our families especially in times of trial. The Holy Family, through their example, invites us to make our homes a dwelling place of love, faith, and mutual support. May their intercession guide us on our journey of Christian living. Mary. Mother of God – New Year’s Day January 1st is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, a holyday of obligation . Mass for the feast will be celebrated on Tuesday evening, December 31st, at 5:30PM and Wednesday, January 1st, at 9:30AM. Continuing our Christmas Journey As always, we need this joyous season of light during the darkest days of winter. Even though the light has begun to lengthen ever so slightly, and the darkness has started to recede, it takes a while to notice it and feel its effects. Please continue to enjoy the beauty of the Christmas season that began, not ended, on December 25th and continues through the feasts of Epiphany (January 5th) and the Baptism of the Lord (January 12th). May the joy of Christmas continue to be yours and may you know God’s abundant grace and blessings in 2025. Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead and for a grace-filled and happy New Year! Father Chris House
Christmas is almost here. This Tuesday on December 17th, the focus of the season of Advent changed. We found ourselves looking primarily forward to the return of Jesus at the end of time for the majority of the season; the tale-end of Advent, always starting on December 17th, invites us to remember the coming of Jesus as the child of Bethlehem. In the first reading this Sunday we hear the Prophet Micah speaking of Bethlehem. The Gospel tells us of Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth where Mary finds her faith in the words of Gabriel confirmed by the fact that Elizabeth is with child. What both Bethlehem and Mary have in common is that no one would have expected either of them to have anything to do with the coming of the Messiah; Bethlehem lacked the glory of its neighbor Jerusalem, even though Bethlehem truly is “David’s city.” Mary was a girl from a non-descript family in a back-water town called Nazareth, a town of maybe two-hundred people or so at the time. However, with both Bethlehem and Mary we see God doing wonderful things in and through them. As we prepare to approach the manger, may it remind us that God performs some of his greatest acts in the unlikeliest of situations with some of the unlikeliest people. If God chose for the birth of his only begotten son to take place in these circumstances then why do we at times think that God is limited by the circumstances of our individual lives? Psalm 126 declares “the Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” The birth of our savior truly is a great and wondrous thing, but the goodness of God is not locked in the past. God is still looking to do great things in our lives. Like Mary, may we open our hearts in faith to the power and possibility of God’s action in our lives. As we approach the great Solemnity of our Lord’s Nativity, I encourage you to keep the Church’s celebration of Christmastide. Don’t fall into the world’s trap of leaving Christmas behind on December 26th. Keep your home and heart festive as the Church celebrates the coming of the Christ child through the varying feasts of Christmas up to the feast of the Lord’s Baptism on January 12th. Fr. Chris Sabbatical Bishop Paprocki has granted me an abbreviated sabbatical for two months in late winter 2025. I originally was to go to study in the Holy Land last year, then this year, but the political situation did not allow for it. From February 4th thru April 8th, I will be on a mini-sabbatical at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in Southern Indiana, alma mater to myself and Fr. Alex. A sabbatical is meant to be a time for prayer and renewal and also study; during that time I will be doing research (and hopefully begin writing) for my doctoral dissertation in canon law. While I am gone I do not foresee any changes in the day to day life of the parish. You will likely see a visiting priest here or there as I will try to have someone rotate in to take a different Mass each weekend so that Fr. Alex does not have all four, as well as having another priest take one of the week day Masses. You’ll receive more information from me in the new year when the final details are worked out. No Wednesday Exposition December 25th and January 1st There will be no exposition of the Blessed Sacrament the following two Wednesdays being that they are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Wednesday exposition will resume on January 8th.  On behalf of Father Alex, Deacon Scott, and the parish & school staff, I wish you and yours a Blessed and Merry Christmas. May the Lord turn his tender face to you and gift you the joy and peace that come from him alone. God bless you! Father Chris House
On this Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, we are invited to rejoice, to live with joy and hope as we await the coming of the Lord. The theme of joy is strikingly present in all the readings today, beginning with the prophet Zephaniah, continuing through St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, and culminating in the joyful proclamation of John the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke. In our first reading from the prophet Zephaniah, we hear a message of consolation and hope. Zephaniah, who prophesied during a time of great turmoil and destruction in Judah, tells the people that God is coming to save them. “Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!” (Zephaniah 3:14). Despite the darkness of the moment, Zephaniah assures the people that God is in their midst, and He will bring an end to their suffering. He will not leave them abandoned or oppressed. For us, too, this message is relevant. Even in our own moments of struggle, doubt, or anxiety, we are called to remember that God is always near, and His presence brings us peace and joy. Advent calls us to look beyond the immediate difficulties and to focus on the coming of Christ, who is the source of our ultimate joy. In the second reading, St. Paul offers a similar message of joy, but with a particular emphasis on the attitude of the heart. In his letter to the Philippians, he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). This command to rejoice is not conditional upon external circumstances but is a call to choose joy because of our relationship with Christ. Finally, in the Gospel of Luke, we encounter John the Baptist, who delivers a message of repentance, but one that is filled with hope. John’s call to repentance is not just about turning away from sin, but about preparing for the coming of the Messiah. He invites the people to bear good fruit, to be generous, to share what they have, and to live with justice and compassion. When they hear the message, the people are filled with hope because they believe that the Messiah is near, and He will bring salvation and new life. The joy of Advent is not just about anticipating a future event or remembering the past; it’s about the present reality that Christ is coming to transform our lives. The joy we experience in Advent is closely linked to the ways in which we open our hearts to repentance and renewal. In preparation for Christ’s coming, we are invited to live with greater generosity, justice, and love toward others. So, what does all of this mean for us today? First, we are invited to rejoice because the Lord is near. Even in the midst of struggles, we are called to remember that God is with us. This joy is not based on our external circumstances, but on the knowledge that Christ is present in our lives, and that His coming will bring lasting peace and joy. Secondly, we are invited to let that joy shape how we live. St. Paul’s call to rejoice always is not a suggestion but a command, and it is possible when we remember that God is at work in us, even when we don’t see immediate results. We can rejoice in the hope of transformation and salvation. Finally, John the Baptist’s message calls us to prepare for Christ’s coming by living lives of generosity, justice, and repentance. We can make Advent a time of personal renewal, of turning away from sin and turning toward the joy that comes from living as disciples of Christ. Let us live this Advent for what it is supposed to be: a time to let our joy overflow into acts of kindness, compassion, and justice. Many Thanks Thank you to the Men’s Club for hosting Breakfast with Santa last Sunday. Also a tremendous thank you to everyone who donated to the Angel Tree . It gave my great joy to once again open the door to the large closet where the gifts are stored and have them actually fall out into the hallway due to them being stacked to overflowing. Christmas Masses Masses for Christmas will be as follows: December 24 th , the Vigil of Christmas, at 4:00PM, 6:30PM, and 10:00PM; December 25 th , Christmas Day, at 9:30AM. There will be no 7:00AM Mass on the morning of Tuesday, December 24 th . Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
Happy Feast Day! This Sunday we celebrate our patronal feast, the great solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This feast marks the final Sunday of the liturgical year, a powerful reminder of the kingship of Jesus, who reigns not just over one nation or one people, but over the entire universe past, present, and future. This feast invites us to contemplate what kind of king Jesus is and what his kingdom is like. The gospel reading from John takes us to the trial of Jesus before Pilate. Pilate, representing the Roman Empire, the earthly authority of the time, asks Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus’ answer is profound: “My kingdom does not belong to this world.” Jesus does not deny being a king, but he redefines kingship. His kingdom is not a political entity or a military power. It is not bound by the limits of earthly nations or territories. Instead, Jesus’ Kingdom is a spiritual reign, a Kingdom of truth, justice, and mercy, where his rule is based on love rather than domination. This is a radical statement. In a world where kings and rulers often reign through force and control, Jesus’ kingship is marked by humility, service, and sacrifice. He says to Pilate, “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” Jesus does not reign through military might, but through the power of truth; God’s truth, which is revealed in His life, death, and resurrection. His kingship is one that sets us free, not through oppression, but through the truth that is found in him. As we reflect on the kingship of Jesus, we must remember the example he gave us. His coronation was not in a palace or cathedral, but on Calvary. He did not wear a crown of gold, but one of thorns. His throne was not a majestic chair, but the rough wood of the cross. This is the King we are called to follow: a King who serves, who loves, and who sacrifices himself for his people. The Kingdom of Jesus is a Kingdom of truth. In the Gospel, Jesus tells Pilate that everyone who belongs to the truth hears his voice. As disciples, we are called to be people of truth. In a world filled with lies, deceptions, and false ideologies, we must be witnesses to the truth of Christ. This truth is not merely an intellectual concept but a lived reality. It is the truth of love, of forgiveness, of justice, and of peace. It is the truth that liberates us from sin and death, from the attachments of this world, and calls us to eternal life. Pilate, in his skepticism, asks Jesus, “What is truth?” This question echoes through the centuries to us today, as people continue to struggle with the meaning of truth in a world full of competing values. As Christians we know that truth is not a concept or an abstract idea, but a person: Jesus Christ, who says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). To be citizens of his Kingdom is to live in accordance with his truth, allowing his words and his example to shape our lives. To be conformed to the ultimate truth is to be conformed to Christ our King. If we are to be conformed to Christ then we must be agents of his Kingdom, working to bring God’s justice and peace to our world. We must be witnesses to the truth, even when it is unpopular or uncomfortable. We must serve others, especially the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed, following the example of our Lord. In this way, we participate in the ongoing work of building up Christ’s Kingdom here and now. As we conclude the liturgical year and reflect on Christ as King, we are invited to renew our commitment to him. Is Jesus truly the King of our lives? Do we allow his reign to shape our actions, our decisions, and our relationships? Are we willing to follow him, even when it means suffering as he did? To say Jesus is King is not just to profess a belief, but to live that belief with all our hearts, minds, and strength. Let us pray that we may always be faithful to the Kingdom of Christ, that we may live according to his truth, and serve as he served, so that we might reign with him forever. Thanksgiving It is important for our lives to be marked by thanksgiving. Thanksgiving must be a way of life for the Christian, not simply a day on the calendar. Acknowledging that God is the giver of all good gifts, and that our talents and resourcefulness emanate from him, keeps us humble as well as open to receiving the continued graces that he wants to bestow on us. Please consider joining us for Mass on Thanksgiving morning, this Thursday, at 8:30AM . On behalf of Father Alex, Deacon Scott, and our parish & school staff, I wish you and yours a blessed and happy Thanksgiving! Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
The liturgical year has made its final turn and will culminate on our patronal feast of Christ the King coming up next Sunday. This Sunday we are given readings that speak to the end of time, to the final fulfillment of God's plan for the world. These readings invite us to reflect on the ultimate victory of God, the hope that sustains us in the midst of trials, and the call to remain vigilant and faithful. As we approach the end of the liturgical year, the readings often turn our attention to the theme of eschatology (the “last things”). The first reading from the Book of Daniel speaks of a time of unprecedented suffering, a "time of distress such as never happened since nations first came into being.” This may sound ominous, even frightening. However, it is important to understand this passage in its broader context. In Daniel’s vision, this time of distress is followed by a glorious promise: "But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. This promise is both a warning and a source of great comfort. While trials and challenges will come, and at times they may seem overwhelming, those who remain faithful to God will be delivered. The vision of eternal life in this passage reminds us that beyond the suffering of this world, there is a future of light and peace for those who have persevered. Just as Daniel’s audience was encouraged to trust in God’s ultimate victory, so too are we called to trust. In moments of personal or global suffering, we must remember that God’s final word is not suffering or death, but salvation and life. In the Gospel today, Jesus speaks about his Second Coming and the signs that will precede the end of the world. He uses vivid imagery of cosmic upheaval, with the sun darkened, the moon not giving its light, and stars falling from the sky. These apocalyptic signs remind us that the world as we know it will come to an end, but they also point to the ultimate arrival of the Son of Man in glory. Jesus assures us that, even though these things may seem frightening or mysterious, they are part of God's plan to bring about a new heaven and a new earth. The key message here is one of hope: Christ will return to gather his people, to judge the living and the dead, and to establish his kingdom of peace and justice. Jesus also emphasizes the importance of being ready: "Be on guard! Be alert!" (Mk 13:33). We are called to remain vigilant, living in faith and holiness, so that we can stand before Christ when he comes. This vigilance is not about predicting the exact time or date of Christ’s return, something that Jesus himself tells us is unknowable (Mk 13:32), but about living each day with the awareness that God is at work in our lives and in the world. The second reading from Hebrews shifts our focus to the person of Jesus Christ, the High Priest who, through his one perfect sacrifice, has secured our salvation. The author contrasts the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament with Christ’s once-for-all offering. "By one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated (Heb. 10:14).” In the face of suffering and trials, this is the heart of our hope: that Christ’s sacrifice has conquered sin and death. We do not need to fear the end of the world or the judgment that will come, because Christ has already secured our place in God’s eternal kingdom. His sacrifice gives us confidence, not only in the life to come but also in the grace we receive in the here and now. We are reminded that because Christ has offered himself once for all, the final fulfillment of God’s plan for humanity has already been accomplished. As we await his return, we live in the light of this finished work, trusting in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for our salvation. As we approach the end of the liturgical year, today’s readings invite us to contemplate the final fulfillment of God’s promises. We are reminded that, no matter the trials or suffering we face in this life, God’s ultimate plan is one of victory and salvation. In the midst of our struggles, we can take comfort in the fact that Christ has already triumphed over sin and death. His return will bring about the fulfillment of all things, and those who remain faithful to him will share in his glory. Let us therefore live with hope and vigilance. We do not know when the end will come, but we know that it will be the beginning of something far greater — the full revelation of God’s kingdom. As we wait, let us be faithful, let us be alert, and let us trust in the eternal sacrifice of Christ, who has secured our salvation. November 22 nd – St. Cecilia, Patroness of Musicians This week the Church commemorates the feast of St. Cecilia, patroness of musicians. In light of the upcoming feast, I wish to extend my gratitude to all who are involved in music ministry here at CTK. Music ministry can be one of the most challenging and underappreciated ministries in parish life; I hope that we all realize how blessed our parish is with such a wonderful and diverse group of dedicated folks in this ministry. Thank you to all who help us to lift our hearts and minds to the things of Heaven through the gift of music in our Masses and other celebrations. Parish Breakfast for the Parish Feast Once again the ladies of the Altar and Rosary Society are graciously hosting a breakfast for everyone after the 8:00AM and 10:00AM Masses next weekend, November 23/24, in celebration of our patronal feast. All are welcome! Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead! Father Chris House
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