St. Julia Parish
  • Home
    • Sacraments >
      • Baptism >
        • Baptism Request Form
      • First Communion/Eucharist
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Holy Orders
      • Sacrament of the Sick
    • Parish Ministries >
      • RCIA
      • Eucharistic Ministry
      • Lectors
      • Choir
      • Altar Servers
      • Hospitality Ministry
    • Parish Groups >
      • Catholic Women's League
      • St. Vincent de Paul Society
      • Knights of Columbus
    • History of St. Julia Parish
    • Other Links
    • Parish Social Activities
  • About St. Julia
    • St Julia
    • Our Altar
  • Newsletter
    • 2025 Newsletters
    • 2024 Newsletters
    • 2023 Newsletters
  • MASS INTENTIONS
    • 2025 Mass Intentions
    • 2024 Mass Intentions
  • YouTube
  • Bulletin
    • 2025 Bulletins
    • 2024 Bulletins
    • 2023 Bulletins
    • 2022 Bulletins
    • 2021 Bulletins
    • 2020 Bulletins
    • 2019 Bulletins
  • Bishop Bergie Letters
  • Donate
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

12/11/2020

 
My dear friends,
​
As you may already know, I spent many years working in retail.  In the midst of the busy Christmas shopping season I can recall around this time looking forward to it all being over – the craziness of the season.  Christmas day would eventually come, and I was grateful that the day had finally arrived – because I knew that I made it through another season.  Add on to that the fact that I had been listening to Christmas music in the store from the beginning of November and I will admit that I was done.  Christmas day was a day of rest, and it all began again on Boxing Day.  Yes, we would attend Christmas Mass together as a family, yet the true meaning of the season was somehow lost.  This was the reality of my life.  That was then, and this is now.
 
This year for some reason is especially different.  Yes, the Christmas music has been on the radio since the beginning of November, yet I am in the car less these days, and in the shopping mall even less.  While everything has changed and slowed down in the midst of the pandemic, somehow I am in awe that it is December the 12th, and I ask myself where has the year gone?  Now, here we are, at the third Sunday of Advent, the midpoint of the season of preparation for the coming of Christ into our hearts at Christmas, and we speak of the rose candle of Joy.  I ask myself what is it that I am feeling?  Does joy come to my mind?  Does joy come to your mind?
 
Just like the season of Lent all those months ago, this is a very different season of Advent.  Yet there is something very different between the two.  We are able to gather together at St. Julia for the celebration of Mass, the source and summit of our faith.  For that reason, I feel a sense of joy.  For us as disciples, it is at the Mass that we are fed with the Word of God and the Eucharist, the real presence of our Saviour, body, blood, soul, and divinity.  It is what is keeping us going through these times, as people of hope, peace, love, and yes, joy.  Some may be reading this thinking I have not been to Mass in nine months.  Imagine that, nine months.  Yet I know that you are home safe, longing to return to Mass.  I rejoice in the fact that I know you are safe.  I know that this too shall pass, and that one day we will all be one again at St. Julia.  And that is what the Eucharist and Communion is – one – one with Christ.
 
Once again, I remind us not to dwell on the past or to worry about the future.  That is a sure way to suck the joy out of the present moment.  As Dr. Josephine Lombardi put it recently, worry is the thief of the present moment.  When we live in the moment and count our blessings for what we have and the gift of our faith, we can live in the peace of Christ, the peace that Christ, and I, want for each and every one of you.  We look forward to when we can all gather together as one.  And in a more profound way, perhaps like never before, we wait with great expectation for the coming of Christ into our hearts this Christmas.
 
May we be ready to welcome our Saviour with open arms.
 
Please, please know of my continued prayers for your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, and may God continue to bless each of you and those that you love.
 
Fr. Greg
Picture

Comments are closed.

    Author

    From Our Pastor
    Fr. Gregory Schmidt

    Archives

    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019

    Categories

    All
    Abstinence
    Acsension Of The Lord
    Advent
    All Souls
    Ash Wednesday
    Baptism
    Christmas
    Christ The King
    Concomitance
    Confirmation
    CorpusChristi
    Covid 19
    Covid-19
    CWL
    Did You Know
    Divine Mercy
    Easter
    Epiphany
    Fasting
    First Communion
    God
    Good Shepherd
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Week
    Hope
    Jesus
    Joy
    Lent
    Liturgical Season
    Mary
    Mercy
    Mother Of God
    Mothers Day
    New Year's Day
    Palms
    Palm Sunday
    Pentecost
    Prayer
    Saints
    Theological Reflections
    Trinity

Picture
251 Glenridge Ave.
St. Catharines, ON ​L2T 3Y7
​
Home
Sacraments
Events
Blog
​Contact
History
Donate
​Covid-19
©2021 St. Julia Parish
Tel: (905) 684-5603
​Fax: (905) 684-9479

[email protected]
  • Home
    • Sacraments >
      • Baptism >
        • Baptism Request Form
      • First Communion/Eucharist
      • Reconciliation
      • Confirmation
      • Marriage
      • Holy Orders
      • Sacrament of the Sick
    • Parish Ministries >
      • RCIA
      • Eucharistic Ministry
      • Lectors
      • Choir
      • Altar Servers
      • Hospitality Ministry
    • Parish Groups >
      • Catholic Women's League
      • St. Vincent de Paul Society
      • Knights of Columbus
    • History of St. Julia Parish
    • Other Links
    • Parish Social Activities
  • About St. Julia
    • St Julia
    • Our Altar
  • Newsletter
    • 2025 Newsletters
    • 2024 Newsletters
    • 2023 Newsletters
  • MASS INTENTIONS
    • 2025 Mass Intentions
    • 2024 Mass Intentions
  • YouTube
  • Bulletin
    • 2025 Bulletins
    • 2024 Bulletins
    • 2023 Bulletins
    • 2022 Bulletins
    • 2021 Bulletins
    • 2020 Bulletins
    • 2019 Bulletins
  • Bishop Bergie Letters
  • Donate
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact Us