I do apologize for not writing yesterday but I didn’t come up to my room till about 1:30am and couldn’t think clearly.
Today was a wonderful day and the perfect completion to an Advent that was “quieting”.
The morning began at 9:00am because I got to sleep in. I came to the office around 9:30 and two people stopped by for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and that is a great way to start the day. There were lots of people here decorating and so the 11:00am was moved to the chapel. I enjoy that because our chapel is more conducsive to intimacy. The readings brought Advent to a nice close with the prayer of Zacharia, that reminded us that God’s plan for salvation was from the very beginning and He has been faithful to it. John will be the “prophet of the Most High”. After Mass, I heard a few more confessions and then came to my desk.
I worked on my Christmas calendars, which is a fund raiser for St. Michael’s School and something I have done for many years for my family. It took quite awhile to fill them out and on Monday, I will mail them to my family. NO ONE GETS CHRISTMAS THINGS FROM ME BEFORE CHRISTMAS. It’s a family tradition.
Then I went and took a nap. I presided at the 4pm in the gym. There must have been nearly a thousand in the gym (don’t share this information with anyone involved in fire protection!). A childrens’ choir did a concert first, then Mass began and the Gospel was acted out and again with music. In my homily I asked if anyone had gone to the Mall, got in a line and sat on someone’s lap. They, of course, knew that was Santa. Then I asked if they had heard a song that someone sent me called “Where is the line to see Jesus?” I told them about it and then I said, This is the line to see Jesus. We are his brothers and sisters and that’s why we came here today, to see and hear about Jesus. One of the lines in the song is “Santa brings me presents, and Jesus came to give me life”. What a great present that is and He gave it to us in the way he lived and acted. He loved and so we must take His gift of Love and share it with others. In stead of the Creed, I asked the Baptismal questions and they all responded, “I do”.
I invited the children to come to the altar for the narration about what Jesus did, when He gathered with His friends around a table. The kids were great. There was a little girl, who I found out later was three and she couldn’t see, so I lifted her up and held her in my arm through the Mass. At the Sign of Peace, I sent them out to their families and neighbors to share that peace. Communion needed 8 stations. It was a great way to start the Christmas season.
Then I took a nap
We had another Mass going on in the church, while we were in the gym and then we had a 6pm and an 8pm. Between them, we had a very nice meal that a parishioners has been preparing and bringing to the rectory for the last five years. It was delicious.
Around 9:30pm, Cardinal McCarrick and Fr. David, his secretary arrived. The Cardinal presided at our 10:30pm Mass. There was a choir concert at 10. The sang a beautiful Goria in Latin that I remember from early seminary days. One of the soloist was Joy Stevens, who was a high school student at St. Bernard’s when I was pastor. She has a trained voice and often cantors here. Last night was just magnigicent!!
The Cardinal had a slight case of larengitis and suffered through his homily. We didn’t suffer because it was excellent. He was in Lebanon last week and met some of the people who survived the attack on the Cathedral in Bagdad a few weeks ago where 58 people were murdered. One man he met told him that after the attack, which he survived, he explained to his three young sons that they must leave Bagdad. The boys said they didn’t want to go. They liked their school and their friends and they wanted to stay. He told them that some of their neighbors wanted to kill them unless they would change their religion. The seven year old said, ” Oh, we can’t give up our religion, we are Catholics. I guess we have to leave.”
The Cardinal said that he hoped we adults are able to demonstrate by our words and decisions that our being Catholic can so influence our young people that they too will see themselves as Catholic no matter the cost.
After Mass, He greeted everyone at the door. Then we went to the rectory, for eggnog, and laughter. He is 80 years old and can no longer vote for the next Pope. However, he is still traveling around the world and feels called by God to do whatever he can to help Catholic Relief Services in their work. To me, he’s still, as Catherine Doherty described a bishop, ” the father of a priest’s soul”. Being with him on Christmas was good for my soul.
No wonder your posting was late!!!! You certainly had a full day!
May you experience God’s peace today!