“HAIL, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, OUR KING OF THE UNIVERSE…
Have you ever heard the expression, “we lost the battle, but we won the war?” I feel that way every day as I look at the sad condition of our world, our nation, and even certain segments of our Church. We are continuing to fight battles – moral battles, ethical battles, spiritual and religious battles – and seem to be LOSING the war. The Evil One is spreading his sinful seed all around.

But make no mistake. He will LOSE the war! Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Warrior Who will win the eternal war between good and evil. And THAT is worth celebrating!

Spend this week slowly and prayerfully reading the three Readings, the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel for today’s Mass and let its message sink in! The vision of the Prophet Daniel. The Psalm proclaiming: “The Lord is King, He is robed in glory!” The Kingdom of God predicted in the Book of Revelation, with Jesus Christ Himself as “the One who is, and who was and who is to come, the almighty.” Pontius Pilate practically admitting and proclaiming that Jesus is a king, as Jesus stands before His Passion and Death. Listen to the voice of the Lord speaking in His Word. And then proclaim VICTORY in His Holy Name!

THE END AND THE BEGINNING…
As we END one year of grace, next Sunday, we will BEGIN another year of grace with the season of and the First Sunday of Advent. The circle of the different liturgical seasons of faith, like the wheels on the bus, “go round and round.” It’s cyclic. But the bus itself goes along in a straight line – from Creation (the Book of Genesis) to Salvation (the Book of Revelation)! That’s linear – a straight line.

The priest and the church are decked in purple – not the color of sorrow for sins, repentance and reconciliation – but the color of expectation, like waiting for the sun to rise in the dawn of a new day. The color of royal robes as we await the birth of our King. 

The season of Advent ends with Christmas Eve, which is the beginning of the Christmas Season. The world and the marketplace would have you think it began on Thanksgiving Day (or sooner!) Please note our Christmas Mass schedule for this year: 6:00 PM on Christmas Eve, and 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM on Christmas Day. Consult the bulletin in upcoming weeks for the Mass times at the other parishes in our “Saints among the Saints” Family of Parishes.

NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD…
As we proclaim our victory in Jesus Christ, How about also proclaiming your “attitude of gratitude” with us this Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, at 9:30 AM? Join us! Remember that there will be no Friday morning Mass as we all sleep in and recover from Thanksgiving Day!

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK… AND “SEE YOU IN CHURCH!”

​Fr. Nick

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