Fellow St. Jude Parishioners,
In anticipation of the Church’s new year which begins the last weekend in November, I ask that we make a final push during the month of November to end this year on a positive note. So many of us — myself included — have experienced the majority of 2020 as one of the most anxiety-filled and challenging years of our lives. Since the Spring we have found various things happening that we never would have expected: our churches and schools were closed; much of our workforce furloughed or laid off; the social interaction that we rely on for our well-being severely restricted, to name only a few.
So I ask, that in the face of the reality that the Coronavirus will most likely be with us at least for the near future, we nonetheless look to God’s grace to give us the support to adopt an attitude of Hope, as we continue this same theme from our Novena.
Before we embrace the joy of Advent and the coming of Jesus, let us spend a little bit of time each day — or at least a few days out of each week — to jot down a few words of Hope for the days in November. I am including a calendar for the month — again, the last month of our Church’s calendar, which you can download and print to record your own thoughts of Hope in November.
I will share with you what I expect to jot down for some of the days.
November 1: We look to the great Saints, many of whom did not give up hope even though they endured many hardships including in some cases martyrdom.
November 2: I remember and find inspiration in the lives lived by my dad and grandparents and uncles and aunts and others who have predeceased me.
November 6: The first Friday of the month is traditionally devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - “In the midst of our trials and tribulations, we remember you, Lord, are always with us…”
November 7: The first Saturday of the month is devoted to the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Hope.
November 11: We are inspired by the great and heroic sacrifices of our veterans.
November 22: The mass prayers are for Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Regardless of what might be happening at the moment, Jesus always was and always will be King of the entire Universe.
Please bring your calendar to Mass on Thanksgiving Day or the weekend of November 28/29… or have your calendar with you when you watch the mass on your TV or computer. We can all as a parish community offer the thoughts and prayers of hope that we recorded throughout November, as we transition into a new Church and Liturgical Year, with Advent and the coming of Jesus.
Sincerely,
Fr. Henry
