Fourth Week of Advent

Merry Christmas! Let the Christmas season begin!  I just love Christmas song.  Because of this I want to thank all the choirs for the wonderful music this weekend.  This week we have combined the bulletin for the 4th Sunday of Advent and the 1st day of Christmas because the last Sunday of Advent happened to be December 24th, the day before Christmas.  Why did I say the 1st day of Christmas?  That is because Christmas is not just one day but a whole season 12 days long.
 
Like I said earlier I love Christmas songs.  This year I particularly enjoyed the song title, “The 12 Days of Christmas.”  It reminded me of the joy of receiving gifts for twelve days from our true love.  Many cultures wait to open presents on the Epiphany of the Lord which happens every year on the 6th of January.  Epiphany is not a day of Christmas, but it’s own special day. So the first day of Christmas is the 25th of December, the second day is the 26th and so on until we get to the 12th day of Christmas on the 5th of January.  Trust me I counted them.
 
Jesus is our true love.  He gives us in the Church 12 days to celebrate his birthday.  Take the opportunity this year to celebrate the 12 days with your true love, Jesus, by bringing him the gift of your faith.  We will have two special celebrations outside of the normal calendar at 7pm on December 28 and January 4.  Come and sing!  Merry Christmas!.
 
      Fr. Jeff
 

Third Week of Advent

Happy Advent!  Jesus gives us the job during advent to prepare for his second coming and his first coming at the same time.  We get ready for his second coming by praying and doing good works.  We often prepare for his first coming by decorating the church and buying presents for those we love.  We also prepare starting today by looking at Jesus and the titles given to him by the “O Antiphons.”
 
The O’ Antiphons are and ancient prayer of the Church tied in with the Liturgy of the Hours and the Mass that express the different titles of Jesus.  They begin every year on the 17th of December and run until the 24th of December.  Each antiphon describes a title of Jesus and then asks Jesus to come into our lives.  These are special prayers to Jesus which help us prepare for his coming to us on Christmas Day.  
 
The week before Christmas, December 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd we are going to have a special parish mission of prayer in the evening.  The theme talks will be about the “O Antiphons.” Please come and pray with us from 5pm until 9pm these days getting to know  Jesus in the sacrament of confession, mass, rosary, evening prayer and night prayer as we discuss the titles of Jesus while preparing for Christmas.  Happy advent!  See you soon! is in your generous hands.  Happy advent!  See you Sunday.
 
      Fr. Jeff
 

Preparing for Christmas in Advent
12-10-2017

Preparing for Christmas in Advent Happy Advent! Jesus gives us the job during advent to prepare for his second coming and his first coming at the same time. We get ready for his second coming by praying and doing good works. We often prepare for his first coming by decorating the church and buying presents for those we love. I can tell you that I feel loved here at the parish. Already Christmas Cards are coming into the office expressing your joy at being members here at SEAS.

Some of you have asked me what I want for Christmas. Well I am like any other parent. I want my children home for Christmas. That’s you all. You call me “Father.” I guess that makes you in a spiritual way my kids. Besides coming to Christmas Mass I want to decorate the church inside and out to prepare for Christmas Mass. So what do I still want? Before Christmas I want more lights on the church! I have to admit I’m a bit obsessive when it comes to lights on the church. It brings so much joy to me, to you, and to the neighbors. Last year so many new people came to our church in the evening just to look at the lights and be inspired by our joy.

So if you don’t mind buy some lights this week. What kind? I would like specifically, 10 boxes of cool white LED lights with a green cord, 10 boxes of clear LED icicle lights with a white cord, 10 boxes of red LED lights with a green cord and some random LED green stringed lights. I put all of this in your generous hands.
Happy advent!

See you Sunday.
Fr. Jeff
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Holy Spirit
July 9, 2017

Come Holy Spirit Come and let us see you active in our lives!  Two weeks ago I wrote about  some of the symbols of the Holy Spirit that are found in sacred scripture.  This week there is a shift as we can come to recognize the Holy Spirit as the Lord and giver of life.  
 
When I go out to look at our garden here at the church I like to eat the blueberries.  When I’m doing that and visiting with the gardeners I think about how the Holy Spirit has blessed us with such diversity in creation.  The catechism tells us, “The Word of God and his breath are at the origin of the being and life of every creature.”(CCC703).  This is revealed to us in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis when the Wind or Holy Spirit hovers over the waters of chaos.  But when God commands life to exist he breathes on it and it has life.  Most important of all is the breath of life he gives to Adam and Eve.  That is God giving us the Holy Spirit.
 
This week, take a walk outside and enjoy the diversity of nature and the company of family and friends to admire the diversity of creation by the Holy Spirit as the Lord and giver of life.  Come Holy Spirit, Come!
 
     
 
         FR. JEFF