From the Pastor's Desk: December 6, 2020

2^nd Sunday of Advent

The journey of Advent offers us great opportunities to more authentically prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ.  Today, we listen to John the Baptist, who prepares the way of the Lord by preaching repentance- a change of heart that will get us ready for the coming of Christ.  We need to be people full of the Spirit of Christ, people in “partnership for the Gospel” (Phil 1:4). The Gospel is the Good News because God became one of us that we might become participants in His life! God wants us to live ever more fully, ever more joyfully and ever more lovingly!  He wants us to cooperate with His grace and allow our nature to be perfected. To experience God’s desire for us, we need to engage as collaborators with Christ to proclaim the Good News.

Today we focus on the message of John the Baptist – the call to 'repent'. The Greek word ‘metanoia’ literally means a “change of mind” or a “change of direction.” What we need is a profound change from the past life of sin - sin as falling short of God's plan for us, as selfish reality with its destructing powers that leads us to an edge of our human dignity and honesty - to love Him with our whole being, and loving other people like ourselves.

This repentance, however, involves not only a conscious decision to turn away from a life rooted in sin or even being sorry for sinning, but rather a total and radical change of personal disposition in our relationship with God and other people. This is what brings about a radical and genuine renewal and conversion of heart. This is what the metanoia is all about; this is the message at the heart of the Second Sunday of Advent.

On Tuesday, December 8^th, the church celebrates a wonderful “patron” of Advent – The Feast of the Immaculate Conception - a Holy Day of Obligation.

“We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which asserts that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from every stain of original sin is a doctrine revealed by God and, for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful”. With these words, spoken in 1854, Pope Pius IX, in the Papal Bull Ineffabilis Dei, declared Mary's Immaculate Conception to be dogma.

Mary is a wonderful "patroness" of Advent. She invites us during this season to keep vigil for her Son's coming, as she herself awaited His birth in history.

On Wednesday, December 9^th, we celebrate the Advent Penance Service at 7:00 pm. We have invited a number of priests from neighboring parishes to assist us. To comply with COVID-19 guidelines of social distancing we will offer opportunities for confession inside and outside of the church. Please look for the information as you arrive.

For most of us, the time leading towards Christmas is a special time of charity and giving.  We prepare many gifts for our families, relatives, and friends.  There is a tremendous fulfillment in giving!  I would like for you to consider your own of St. Luke Parish- to offer a special Christmas gift to support the future vision and mission of our faith community. Please, think about the CARES Act tax benefits among others for your consideration of giving.

Have a blessed Second Week of Advent!

With prayers,
Fr. Andy