That the feast of the Baptism of the Lord closes off the Christmas season in the Church? I am in awe at how fast the season has flown by, and also in awe when I ponder the question “Why did Jesus need to be baptized?” When we think of Baptism, usually we think of the Sacrament that washes away sin and begins our new life in Christ. Jesus doesn’t need either, since He is Christ, and He never sinned… yet He chooses to be Baptized anyway. At first it may seem a little odd that He does this, so the Catechism offers some insight: Our Lord voluntarily submitted himself to the baptism of St. John, intended for sinners, in order to “fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus’ gesture is a manifestation of his self-emptying.” (#1224). Jesus’ self-emptying action is a central part of all that He came to do. It’s a humbling action, echoed by many other things Jesus would do to demonstrate self -giving, summed up beautifully in the words of consecration at Mass: “This is my body, given up for you.” We are invited to step through the waters of Baptism and live a life like Jesus lived: a life of self -emptying for the sake of God and others.
That the Epiphany is the feast which celebrates the manifestation to the world of the newborn Christ as Messiah, Son of God, and Saviour of the world? We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that the feast of Epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men (magi) from the East,
together with his baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast of Cana in Galilee. As we begin this new year, we (including me) must remind ourselves to slow down, and take the time to adore our Lord and Savior Jesus. This may be in the form of attending our Benediction on Wednesday evenings in our parish, or just taking a moment after mass to offer a prayer of Thanksgiving for the gift of the Eucharist, that spiritual nourishment that helps us get through our days. And so we pray together…oh come let us adore him…each and every day of the year! New Year's Day is not just the start of a new year, it's also a Holy Day of Obligation in the Catholic Church! On January 1st we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, a liturgical feast day honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary's motherhood in the wake of the birth of the baby Jesus Christ. This holiday is also the Octave of Christmas or the 8th day of Christmas. As Mary's fiat reminds the faithful: "Be it done unto me according to Thy word." A solemnity is the highest ranking holy day in the Church calendar. As a family of believers here at St. Julia, let us begin the new year together, in prayer as we turn to our blessed Mother for her intercession as she takes our prayers and petitions for the year ahead to her son, our savior Jesus Christ! Christmas music has been on the radio since the beginning of November. Decorations have been up in our homes and in the malls for some time now. Yet, in the Church, our focus has been on one thing. The coming of Christ, who is now near, very near. When we gather, we have paused to take in the miracle of this historic event in salvation history. The Advent wreath, a powerful symbol of patient waiting, has been our simple decoration in our Church. For us, disciples of Christ, Christmas begins with the birth of Christ at Christmas. This is in fact when the 12 days of Christmas begin. This is when we joyously begin singing our Christmas music. It continues through to the Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ. This is what Christmas is all about. As we make our final Christmas preparations, let us find peace in the beauty of this season, and what this season is truly about.
This is our faith, this is what we believe! That the distance Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem was a journey of 112 km and took them approximately 3 days by donkey? That’s almost the exact distance from St. Julia Church to the CN Tower!
That the 3rd Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday (Rejoice Sunday)? I will admit that I only captured the meaning of this Sunday in Advent when I entered the Seminary. The entrance antiphon of today’s Mass says “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near” Advent is a time of waiting, anticipation, a time for a deeply religious experience – a time of hope and renewal- a penitential time, preparing for the coming of the Lord. But today, Gaudete ("rejoice") Sunday addresses the joy of Christ’s coming. The time is near, and we should be prepared, but are joyful in anticipation of the great gift of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity coming to redeem us. As we are now at the midpoint of Advent, let us rejoice, and take comfort in knowing that our Lord is indeed near.
That the sacrament of reconciliation washes away our sins and reconciles us with God? I personally think that this is one of the most beautiful sacraments, for just like erasing a chalk board, once we have confessed our sins and have completed our penance, in the eyes of God, these sins no longer exist, and our souls are wiped clean. What a wonderful feeling! The result? We return to a state of grace, and once again share in the supernatural life of God. I have had the privilege to work with our Grade 2 classes in preparing for this beautiful sacrament, and it has been a strong reminder for me of the power of this sacrament. One student after receiving their first reconciliation proclaimed “I am sin free!” Wow! In the coming weeks our parish will have multiple opportunities to celebrate this sacrament in preparing ourselves for the coming of our Lord this Christmas. Won’t you join me?
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AuthorFrom Our Pastor Archives
April 2024
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