Yes, I want everyone to remember that Christmas is a Season and not just a day; and there are lots of Christmas blessings that flow during this wonderful time of the year. Hopefully you have unwrapped the most important of our Christmas gifts, a new and wonderful relationship and understanding of the central importance of Jesus Christ in your life!
As the Christmas Season unfolds, we gather for the Feast of the Holy Family. Our families are central in importance in our lives; so, as we gather this weekend, we will extend a special blessing to each family in attendance. Consider bringing your extended family members to join us for Mass on this Feast of the Holy Family and celebrate the gift we are called to be for one another.
Next, we gather on New Years Eve at 6:00 P.M for Mass and at 10:00 A, M. on New Year’s Day. At each of these Masses we will continue the parish tradition of anointing everyone in attendance. The Sacrament of the Sick is healing for body, mind and spirit. What a better way to begin a new year than asking God to take the brokenness of the past year and making us whole, holy, untied and set free to begin stepping into a new calendar year. Of course, our usual tradition will follow the New Years Eve Mass by toasting the new year with champagne and soft drinks and asking everyone who has leftover Christmas cookies to being them over to the parish house to get rid of them for good!!!!
We then celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany and finally the Baptism of the Lord which ends the Christmas Season on January 12th. But more on those as they approach!
Bring the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love with you into the new year. I am hoping that you, like me have plenty to look forward to in 2020. I’m looking forward to our parish trip to Germany, my 50th High School Class reunion from Bartlett High, meeting our Legacy of Hope Target, an opportunity to elect new leadership in Washington, and of course, all the surprises God has in store for each one of us!
Lots to celebrate, and so I repeat, Happy Christmas Season to us all!
Fr. Bill