BIBLE STUDY: CANCELLED THIS WEEK!

It's one of those unfortunate things that we've had 2 weeks without Bible study now ... but I certainly didn't drive anywhere today, and I don't want you to do that, either.  So, for safety's sake, there will be NO BIBLE STUDY TODAY ... and we'll pray for better weather next week.

If you're an eager beaver and want to check up on what we WOULD have done, the readings for Sunday are here ... and St. Sophronius (a bishop from olden days) has this to say about the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord:

(By way of context, this Sunday we will process into church with lighted candles to celebrate the entrance of Jesus into the Temple with his parents. Then we will undergo that great Catholic tradition, the Blessing of the Throats in Honor of St. Blase. But I digress ... back to St. Sophronius -- ) 

In honor of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.

Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.

The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.

The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.

The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor.

So: for the rest of this week, if you ever get back to school and I ever go back to work in my office, let's be aware of the ways we can bring the light of Jesus' love and hope to those around us. And come to think of it, maybe we should look for that opportunity when we're NOT back at school, and have the opportunity to show that love and care to the family members we don't see a whole lot on a normal day.

Be safe and warm today -- I'll see you on Sunday for 5 PM Adoration and 6 PM Life Teen Mass!

How Ordinary is Today?

As of Monday, the Church began the season of Ordinary Time. We're back to those beautiful green vestments again! But in the new translation of the Roman Missal, we call these weeks "The Weeks through the Year." We hear again the invitation from the Church to keep walking with Jesus as a disciple.

But we just heard on Sunday about the Baptism of Jesus. We were reminded that the focus of our discipleship is drawing deeper through Him into the relationship of the Trinity ... coming closer to that eternal relationship of love that created us in the first place. We learned once again that each of us, through our baptism, is "my beloved son (or daughter, as the case may be), in whom I am well pleased."

So, the question is, halfway through this First Week of the Year, can we accept that invitation? Can we see the actions of our life -- ordinary actions on an ordinary day -- as steps which help us to walk with Jesus as His disciple? Can we live and act from this identity of a beloved child of God in small moments as well as big and important ones?

Sure we can ... because we're walking "through the year" with Jesus, toward the love of the Trinity.

LUKE 5:29 BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT!

Hello, Life Teen high school students!
Luke 5:29 Bible Study starts
TONIGHT, at 5:29 PM
in the Youth Room above the Parish Center!

Come, pray, and eat! Bring a friend or three!
And if you think of it, bring your Bible and Rosary with you, too.

We'll be discussing the Sunday readings ... if you want to pre-read them, they're here.

New Beginnings

As we start this new year, I can't help but think of the words of the great (and old) Church hymn, the Te Deum. They express our tremendous thanks to God for the many wonderful things He has done for us throughout the year 2013, and they remind us that our invitation and response is to give God our best and our all in the New Year. For myself, I am tremendously grateful to God for calling me to the Priesthood and for sending me (through our bishop) to St. Michael's parish. What a learning experience this has been, and what a blessing it has been to be involved in so many ways!

Though in spite of the praise and thanksgiving this hymn inspires in us, there are some interesting phrases. "The chorus of martyrs praises you"?  They sure do ... and, like St. Stephen last week, they remind us that a live given totally in service to God and our neighbor is our greatest hope of Heaven.

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS

     You are God: we praise you;
    You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
    You are the eternal Father:
    All creation worships you.
    To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
    Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
    Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
    heaven and earth are full of your glory.
    The glorious company of apostles praise you.
    The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
    The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
    Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
    Father, of majesty unbounded,
    your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
    and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
    You, Christ, are the king of glory,
    the eternal Son of the Father.
    When you became man to set us free
    you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
    You overcame the sting of death,
    and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
    You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
    We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
    Come then, Lord, and help your people,
    bought with the price of your own blood,
    and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.
    Save your people, Lord;
    and bless your inheritance.
    Govern and uphold them now and always.
    Day by day we bless you.
    We praise your name for ever.
    Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
    Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
    Lord, show us your love and mercy;
    for we put our trust in you.
    In you, Lord, is our hope:
    and we shall never hope in vain.

But, of course, if you're so inclined, you can find the original Latin chant on YouTube.

Happy New Year, and God bless you!