From the Pastor's Desk

A Time to Refocus

Our national day of Thanksgiving is over and now the big push we hear about through the media is shopping. Black Friday began the big push. But so many retailers were anxious that they began their Black Friday “sales” a week or two ahead of time. Christmas is a wonderful time and we look forward to preparing to celebrating it with family and friends. It is good to give and receive gifts and to send and receive cards and other greetings. The key of course is to recognize why there is so much time, energy, and money being spent: we are getting ready to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ. The real Black Friday was not a day to shop but the day we crucified the one whose birth has now been celebrated for 2,000 years. We can, do, and ultimately must celebrate because Jesus is the gift. He is God who humbled Himself and came to live among us and to bring us into His life, the life He shares with the Father and Holy Spirit, along with His Mother Mary and the throng of angels, saints, and loved ones who are now rejoicing forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Advent is a wonderful time to refocus on who Jesus is in our lives. How much of a difference does He make in all we say, think, and choose to do every day? This year all the first readings for the Sundays of Advent are from the prophet Isaiah. This week Isaiah presents the beautiful vision and hope for all humanity: “He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (Isaiah 2:4) In the twenty-first century we have weapons that if unleashed in war can totally destroy our planet. But these weapons can only be used if human beings in positions of leadership choose to do so. Fighting with weapons is the result of injustice, anger, misunderstandings, greed, and a total lack of respect for one another. You and I are not going to push any buttons to set such powerful weapons off, but we are responsible for the violence and pain caused through our personal words, actions, and attitudes. As we pray the Our Father we conclude with these words: “Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.” Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Christ the King. The Gospel for that day was from Luke 23:35-43. As Jesus was hanging on the cross the crowds mocked and laughed at Him: The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.” Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.”