Letter from the Pastor
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December 31, 2023I trust that you had a blessed Christmas and Santa was good to you all. We pray for our parishioners who are travelling home today or tomorrow. Fr. Clarke and I want to express to you a deep and abiding sense of gratitude to you for a holy, and beautiful Advent and Christmas Seasons. Also, thank you for all your cards, presents and goodies that you shared with us.
Today is the 7th Day of Christmas. Remember, Christmas lasts 12 Days. Just remember the song and sing along each day until January 6th. What did your true love give you this day?
Tomorrow is New Year’s Day; it is the beautiful feast of Mary the Mother of God and World Day of Prayer for Peace. Since it falls on a Monday, the obligation to attend Mass drops. The Mass schedule will be only 9:00AM. It is a good thing to begin the New Year with Mass.
However, today is the beautiful and all-important feast of the Holy Family. The Feast of the Holy Family has its origins in the 17th century when devotion to the Holy Family was quite strong. The feast itself was instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 and was extended to the whole Roman Church by Pope Benedict XV in 1921.
Today we already shift our gaze from the manger of Bethlehem, where the Savior was born on Christmas Night, to the house of Nazareth. There, we contemplate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in the festive, family atmosphere of Christmas.
The Savior of the world chose the family as the place for His birth and growth as a human, thereby sanctifying this essential and fundamental institution of every society. The greater part of Jesus’ life, (thirty years) was spent in Nazareth; those years are known as “the Silent Years.” The only story from these years as told in the Gospels is Jesus in the Temple at the age of 12. Nothing else is mentioned, but in those silent years, our Lord was formed by the faith and love of His earthly parents. However, if we aspire to a deeper understanding of Jesus' life and mission, we must draw close to the mystery of the Holy Family of Nazareth to observe and listen.
Our family life becomes holy when we live the life of the Church in our home. We become the "church in miniature" or the "domestic church." Our family should be a place of prayer, respect, love and unity. Our homes should reflect the faith as well. When a visitor comes into your house, would they know this is a Catholic house? Is there a crucifix or statues or holy pictures, a holy water fount by your door in your house? Do you pray together as a family? Prayer helps to make the family life better. Remember it is called a holy family, not a perfect family. May God bless you and your family in this New Year, may we grow together in holiness as a parish family, with bonds of genuine affection and true Christian concern.So we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
