Sunday, November 28, 2010

First Sunday of Advent (starting the year late again)

My Companions: As we celebrate the first part of the Church Year let us continue our prayers of thanksgiving for all the gifts the Lord has given us to help build God's Kingdom.  I have much good news to share: Pat Serveiss has recovered well from the awful spider bite; Joseph Gregory Foresman now weighs-in over six pounds and lives at home with mom, dad and sisters; Gina Leba's brother has his heart issues regulated; Nancy Fitzgibbons looks very good... and it's nice to share "good news."  Let's pray that this holiday season gives up opportunities to open our hearts to the glory of Christ in our world.


Birthdays: Kathy DePriest (12/3)

Keeping in-touch: Marge and I had a very nice, quiet Thanksgiving.  We're "enjoying" our trips to the rec-center on Mon, Wed and Fri.  We'll get in shape now that we're "younger elders" (Marge found the classification somewhere).  We're looking forward to our trip to Chicagoland for Katie Lay's wedding and some holiday time with our son, daughters and grand children and Dad and all my sibblings. We have the Christmas decorations in the yard and I completed a nativity scene for Mark and Sue.
The Readings: First Sunday of Advent

Comments on the Readings: Fr. Foley, "Advent is like this. A time to pull in our scope a bit and realize that emptiness is a healthy and normal part of our lives. We are continually refilled if we let ourselves be. Strange to say, waiting for fulfillment is also itself a fulfillment. It lets us be what we are—not God but human."
My comments: Reading The Apocalypse as we ended the liturgical year, I spent many moments reflecting on how people missunderstand that challinging part of Scripture.  The writer encouraged his faithful readers to see the glory of Christ among us... to live in the fullness of faith.  But we're overly concerned about "the end times" and/or "The Second Comming of Christ" and may fail to celebrate the glory of God in all things.  I hope this Advent will be a time of renewal, a time of awareness with moments that "take our breath away."
May the peace of Christ be with each of you,

John

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