December 17 - 18, 2011
Dear Cathedral Community,
This beautiful time of Advent has gone by in a flash. We have one more wonderful week to ponder the readings from the Sacred Scriptures preparing us for Christmas. In reality, this four week period of Advent is a preparation not only for the event of Christmas, but more importantly, it is an introduction to a life long attitude of vigilance as we await the return of the Lord in glory at the end of human time.
This attitude of vigilance helps us to put all of life into a Christian perspective reminding us, among other things, that we are destined to share the kingdom of God as our ultimate home. What we do in this world and how we live all points to that fact that this world is a passing experience not intended to be an end in itself but a passageway into a greater reality of God’s eternal love. To live faithfully in the present, with gratitude for our past leads us into hope for the world to come. When these points are in balance, so are our lives.
As I mentioned to the participants at the Common Leadership Meeting last week, we will be hosting a good number of visitors for the various Christmas liturgies especially at the 5:00 PM Christmas Eve and Midnight liturgies. Many of these folks come only once a year to the Cathedral. Some come from other parishes as part of a family tradition. Others are not Catholic, but who appreciate the liturgical experience. Some fall into the category known as “un-churched”. There, of course, are always the “Christers”, that is, Christmas and Easter only participants, or as my cousin of happy memory, Father Jim Sweeney, used to say the “non-season ticket holders”. (Imagine their surprise, we they hear the new texts!) In any case, WE WELCOME THEM ALL! As the Cathedral community, let’s put our hearts and souls into welcoming and giving the gift of hospitality. This just might be a time when those lingering at the edge of church participation could be drawn in by our kindness and joyful welcome. We all share this responsibility.
Thanks to all who joined in the December 10 creche project and church cleaning. The Heavenly Dusters live on! Thanks to Morna Patrick and Judy Cunningham and their respective crews. Great job, folks!
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Father Noah
December 17 - 18, 2011
Dear Cathedral Community,
This beautiful time of Advent has gone by in a flash. We have one more wonderful week to ponder the readings from the Sacred Scriptures preparing us for Christmas. In reality, this four week period of Advent is a preparation not only for the event of Christmas, but more importantly, it is an introduction to a life long attitude of vigilance as we await the return of the Lord in glory at the end of human time.
This attitude of vigilance helps us to put all of life into a Christian perspective reminding us, among other things, that we are destined to share the kingdom of God as our ultimate home. What we do in this world and how we live all points to that fact that this world is a passing experience not intended to be an end in itself but a passageway into a greater reality of God’s eternal love. To live faithfully in the present, with gratitude for our past leads us into hope for the world to come. When these points are in balance, so are our lives.
As I mentioned to the participants at the Common Leadership Meeting last week, we will be hosting a good number of visitors for the various Christmas liturgies especially at the 5:00 PM Christmas Eve and Midnight liturgies. Many of these folks come only once a year to the Cathedral. Some come from other parishes as part of a family tradition. Others are not Catholic, but who appreciate the liturgical experience. Some fall into the category known as “un-churched”. There, of course, are always the “Christers”, that is, Christmas and Easter only participants, or as my cousin of happy memory, Father Jim Sweeney, used to say the “non-season ticket holders”. (Imagine their surprise, we they hear the new texts!) In any case, WE WELCOME THEM ALL! As the Cathedral community, let’s put our hearts and souls into welcoming and giving the gift of hospitality. This just might be a time when those lingering at the edge of church participation could be drawn in by our kindness and joyful welcome. We all share this responsibility.
Thanks to all who joined in the December 10 creche project and church cleaning. The Heavenly Dusters live on! Thanks to Morna Patrick and Judy Cunningham and their respective crews. Great job, folks!
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Father Noah
