Third Sunday of Advent

12-15-2024Letter from the PastorFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Hope is indelibly engraved in the human heart because God our Father is life, and for eternal life and beatitude we are made. Every child born is a sign of trust in God and man and a confirmation, at least implicit, of the hope in a future open to God’s eternity that is nourished by men and women. God has responded to this human hope, concealing Himself in time as a tiny human being. Saint Augustine wrote: “We might have thought that your Word was far distant from union with man, if this Word had not become flesh and dwelt among us” (Conf. X, 43, 69, cited in Spe Salvi, n. 29).

Thus, let us allow ourselves to be guided by the One who in her heart and in her womb bore the Incarnate Word. O Mary, Virgin of expectation and Mother of hope, revive the spirit of Advent in your entire Church, so that all humanity may start out anew on the journey towards Bethlehem, from which it came, and that the Sun that dawns upon us from on high will come once again to visit us (cf. Lk 1: 78), Christ our God. Amen.” - Pope Benedict XVI

St. Pope John Paul II, who brought so much hope to our world, especially to the youth, referred to the home and the family as 'the little Church.' As ‘the little Church,’ families are blessed with opportunities to make God present to each of its members (parents and children) and to the world. Each 'little Church' is invited to share the life-giving power of faith, the courage and comfort of hope, and the strength of generous, self-giving love. The ‘little Church’ is how we respond to Christ's command to evangelize, to make disciples, and to bring the good news of salvation to all the world.

The family has been attacked and fractured by cultural forces such as social media, television, movies, and music, which undermines and threatens its integrity daily. As Christians, it is our responsibility to push back against all that opposes God and attacks the family. By our baptism, we are to bring the truth of Jesus Christ first to our families who then bring His message and love to society. Sharing the love and mercy of God is part of our vocation and our call as disciples.

The Sacraments, especially Holy Mass and Confession, are the principal ways by which we receive nourishment for our life as Christians. The feasts and seasons of the Church year are part of the structure of a "Christian culture". But modern civilization, for all its many benefits, seems to look at religion and people of faith as ignorant and/or superstitious. God may be seen by those with no faith as an “oppressive and dangerous threat” to human freedom. It is the love of Our Lord Jesus and His sacrificial love for His Church that compels us to invite those who never heard of Our Lord and His Church to fall in love with Him who is love.

As Christ gives Himself to us in the Eucharist and we receive Him into our heart, gift-giving during Christmas seems appropriate. When a person knows they are blessed, they want to share those blessings with others. Sadly, all the commercialization of Christmas has caused many people to forget the reason for the season. I remember the Christmas celebrations as being high points of my childhood. Whether it was lighting the Advent wreath each night before dinner, making Christmas cookies (and eating them), decorating the tree, hanging the lights, visiting my cousins, waiting for Santa, we found our way to the church for Holy Mass every Sunday without fail. I must admit, it is all kind of blur in my mind, but a blessed blur.

It is my hope that we, as people of faith, want to make the celebration of Our Savior’s birth important to our children as well by keeping Christ in Christmas. May you and your family grow in faith, hope, and love of God and His Son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline

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