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I pray this note finds you happy, healthy, and holy as we begin this new liturgical year. This is such a busy and yet wonderful time of year. We just celebrated the civic holiday of Thanksgiving, which gives us a great opportunity to gather with loved ones and friends and be grateful to God for all the many blessings he bestows upon us. Now just over a week later, we are drawing close to the Christmas Season. Decorations are up inside and outside of homes and businesses. Christmas music is being played on the radio and our children are practicing for their various Christmas concerts. We are buying presents for those in need and for our loved ones. It’s such a happy and blessed time of year. Yet in the middle of all this busyness, as we enter our Catholic Churches for Mass, there is a completely different tone.
We are now in the Liturgical Season of Advent, where we are reminded that amidst all of the Christmas-like things we are doing, we need to spiritually prepare for the coming of Christ. We all already have a long list of things to do to prepare for the season, but there are two more tasks to add to the list, which I will argue are the most important! So as we are drawn into this Advent Season I will give you two ways to help you prepare for Christ’s birth.
First, is to give TIME each day to prayer. This is such a grace-filled season where Christ is inviting us to open our hearts ever more fully to him in prayer. You can utilize The Little Blue Book our parish has passed out (there are still some available!) or any other Advent themed book to help guide your meditation. You can also begin to enjoy the Hallow App through our parish subscription. More information about this can be found below.
Secondly, schedule a time to go to Reconciliation and bring your spouse and children or even a friend. We are offering Confession weekly on Fridays from 12pm-4pm, which will include Friday, December 23rd. Additional opportunities for Confession will be offered on Tuesday, December 20th and Wednesday, December 21st from 4pm-6pm and Thursday, December 22nd from 6pm-8pm. May each of us give God TIME this Advent Season as we prepare to have a most Blessed and Merry Christmas!
In Christ,
Fr. Schultz
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