At the beginning of my time here, I mentioned I did a little gardening. This year, the gardening has been more challenging. It was a late, cool spring, so everything got planted a little later. I also do not have as much time to garden, because of my ministry here. However, I enjoy my time here and I am still making progress. I am happy to report that the week of Memorial Day I planted my vegetables and tomatoes. This past week I started to plant my annual flowers. I also have some raspberries and strawberries. I’m always open to some good tips on gardening.

I will conclude by sharing with you a morning offering which I pray every day:

My Daily Offering

Most loving Father, I thank you for the
gift of this new day. Please help me to
use it for your honor and glory. By your
mercy may all my thoughts, words, and
actions be pleasing today in your sight.

In your unfailing kindness, Lord almighty,
forgive my past failings, preserve me this
day without sin, and protect all your
people from every evil.

May the ever-blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of our Savior, keep us under her
special protection. By her prayers and
the aid of all your Saints, kindly keep
us ever intent on doing good today
for your name’s sake.

These great blessings we ask in
confidence through your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen

I hope all of you have a good week!

I want to congratulate our 6th graders, who graduated from Our Lady of Victory School last Friday, May 31st. I was happy to preside at their graduation Mass. I got to know the class quite well, because I visited their classroom almost every Friday after Mass since I came. They are a good class, and I enjoyed our discussions on religion. My prayers and best wishes go with them as they continue their journey of faith and education. Thanks also to the staff of OLV School and to the students’ parents for their care and dedication.

There is a new position open. We are grateful for Gerry Bermel being with us the last half of year. He did a wonderful job as our Maintenance Custodian. He has taken a new job elsewhere. Thus we are looking for a new Property Manager. Along with cleaning and maintenance, there will be some added responsibilities. Interested parties may pick up a job description in the parish office. Resumes will only be received through January 31.

To do homage is to lower oneself before another, to acknowledge that the one in front of you is greater than yourself. Back in history in the feudal system it was an acknowledgement of a feudal lord by their vassal or insubordinate. In the Church, it is the deepest form of reverence shown to the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Homage is what we do each time we genuflect towards Christ in the Eucharist. When we acknowledge the presence of Jesus in our Tabernacle we offer him a genuflection with our right knee touching the ground while making the sign of the cross. If we can visibly see the Blessed Sacrament, as in a monstrance, then we offer him a double genuflection touching both knees to the ground with a solemn bow of the head.

Now that we have our tabernacle in the front, the Church asks us to genuflect towards the presence of Christ when we enter our pew for the first time and then again as we leave. For those of you who are unduly burdened by genuflecting a deep bow is acceptable.

Note that during Mass we pay all our attention to what is happening at the altar until we put the remaining Hosts away in the tabernacle; meaning we do not genuflect during Mass except for when the tabernacle is closed after communion or when the liturgy instructs us to do so such as during the creed on the Feast of Christmas.

“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”

In Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth there was disturbance in the land.  The country was under Roman occupation, there was poverty, some had leprosy, and others were blind.  The list could go on and on.  And yet, the angel assured the shepherds not to be afraid.  But why not?  Because God has become one of us; He is with us; and He is our Savior!

As you and your family celebrate this cheerful holiday, take a few minutes to recall the story of Christ together.  Read a passage from the Gospel of Luke; sing a couple religious Christmas carols; be silent for 60 seconds while adoring Jesus in the nativity scene; or just look at the beautiful lights on the Christmas tree remembering the Star of Bethlehem.

In short, let Jesus in His humble form minister to you and your family.  If there are troubles in your lives, give them to the newborn babe.  He will love you through the tough times.  He can heal broken hearts.  He can mend unforgiveness.  Come to Jesus today!  May you be overtaken by his love, joy and peace!

People who practice stewardship as a way of life are a “joyous people.”  They are grateful; they focus on their blessings, not their crosses and burdens. When one sees the good side of life, it is difficult not to be happy.

As Christians we focus much of the energy and excitement which comes with this season into what we are really celebrating — the arrival of Christ. Advent is about hope. It is not just hope that things will get better or hope that our burdens will disappear.  It is hope that Christ, who was born in a manger, gives greater meaning to our lives. It is the hope and understanding that there is an incredible existence to be gained beyond this life when Jesus comes again.

Therefore, may we be like St. Paul who says, “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I shall say it again: rejoice!  Your kindness should be known to all.  The Lord is near.”

In today’s gospel we hear Pilate’s question to Jesus, “Then you are a king?”  Surely Pilate did not understand, so Jesus explained: “My kingdom is not here. … For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.”

In other words, Jesus is not a king that will reign upon a throne.  He is a king who will reign upon a cross.  He has true authority; He is a true leader – giving himself on the cross out of love for us.

We praise Jesus as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  To emphasize this our second reading declares that He is the “Alpha and the Omega … The one who is and who was and who is to come.”   In praising Christ, we recognize the irony in His kingship.  He came to serve, not to be served.  In this, He shows us His true kingship.  And He shows us what we must do if we truly desire His kind of greatness.

In his letter, Archbishop Kurtz wrote, “I write to you in the name of Cardinal Dolan, who with the other bishops of New York and New Jersey and the leadership of those states is working hard to help the grief-stricken in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  As we see continually on TV, the effects of the storm are far worse than any of us could have imaged.  Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families in this time of struggling and loss”.

To show our solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering as a result of this hurricane, Bishop Kinney is asking that every parish of the Diocese of Saint Cloud take up a special collection on the weekend of November 24-25.  The proceeds of this collection will be sent immediately to the Chancery and they will then be sent directly to Catholic Charities USA.

Checks may be made out to “OLV – Hurricane Sandy Relief.”

In the name of Christ, thank you for the gracious support that you show to those whose lives have been affected by this devastating storm.

She stands as a great example to us. We are called to give our all. We give not because we have extra left over like many of the wealthy people in today’s gospel, we give – of our time, our talents, and our treasure -because we are grateful for all God has given us.