First Sunday of Advent (1 Corinthians 1:3-9) “Come Lord Jesus”
First Sunday of Advent (1 Corinthians 1:3-9) “Come Lord Jesus”
We might not have been aware that we begin another church year when we drove to church today. But we do. The lighting of the Advent wreath is a signal that we are starting over again. The wreath is round so it represents a circle of life. As Roman Catholic Christians our lives revolve around the liturgical cycle we begin again today.
We might feel like we aren’t ready for the challenge of another year. We may also have a sense that the Advent wreath represents how we just run around in circles. Even though there is a three-year cycle of readings we may think like we have heard it all before. We may have a sense we know all there is to know about our Christian faith.
Many would criticize the set pattern we have in our worship. Some would say that the ritual is boring. Every Sunday we come to Mass. We have the readings. We have the sharing of the Boby and Blood of the Lord. We certainly don’t engage in what our Protestant brothers and sisters call contemporary worship. We see the signs on many churches. Traditional worship at 8 a.m. Contemporary worship at 10 a.m. Why is it that people who pray in a set liturgical fashion always get up earlier in the morning? Are things always the same in our liturgy? No, something changes. What is it?
Perhaps it’s like going back to a place that we traveled to often in our childhood. We might have been to this place dozens of times. Maybe it is the home of an aunt or uncle. We are sure that we can find it. When we get to the neighborhood, however, everything looks different. New buildings have gone up. Roads have been widened.
Finally, we may stop and ask directions. When we arrive at our destination the house is might be painted a different color. Maybe there is a new addition. The homes around our relative’s former house have all changed as well. Perhaps the house we are so familiar with has even been torn down. If it is a house in the country, there might be a corn field so we can’t even identify the spot at all. In the end we feel disoriented. Something has been lost. We might be sad.
As we approach another holiday season, we may feel like saying here we go again. We may say to ourselves, “I’m not ready for this. The Christmas movies began when Halloween ended. We might not see one the week before December 25th. Many of us went to our first Christmas concert before the first day of Advent got here. The Santa parade has come and gone. We may say to ourselves, “Can’t we just slow down?” I feel like I just went through this.
But is it all the same? It really isn’t every year we are in a new circumstance. Perhaps someone we loved has died during the past year. Children might have moved out of our house. Maybe they have moved back into our house after being gone for several years. I might be dealing with a chronic illness that I wasn’t struggling with last year. The path I am walking seems so familiar, but the landscape has changed.
We have gone through so much the last year. New wars have broken out around the world. Natural disasters have happened. One thing that doesn’t seem to have changed are the politics that divide us. But then again, the faces have changed that create the headlines.
We long for stability. One of the things that make us feel like the world isn’t spinning out of control is the liturgy we engage in. Even though the readings are the same, a word or a phrase may strike us in a whole new way this winter. The rituals are repeated, but we may draw comfort from participating in them one more time. Our worship can be the one thing we can depend on. Maybe that is why religious people aren’t necessarily excited about innovation.
So, are we ready to begin again? We actively wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what gives our life meaning. As St. Paul says in the Letter to the Corinthians today:
“God will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord.”
Jesus remains a rock we can cling to. Jesus continues to walk the path of life with us. How might we feel if we embraced him? Let’s say again this Advent, “Come Lord Jesus, come.”
Reflection Questions:
What major changes have occurred in my life in the last year? Were they positive or negative?
Do I like religious rituals? Why or why not?
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Dear Parishioners,
In April we close a year when we have observed the one hundredth anniversary of the dedication of Sacred Heart Church. Much has happened in the last few years as we have renewed our worship space. Many people have made many sacrifices as people have donated time, talent and treasure.
As a part of this anniversary, we would like to put a permanent record in the St. Damien Center. A book with metal plates will be put in a niche in the hallway. Maybe you have noticed a wooden niche there. This is where the book will be placed.
Our capital campaign committee has compiled names of all those who have given to the Sacred Heart TTT campaign and to the Centennial drive so far. This list has been placed on tables in the Damien Center. We have it there for your review. If we missed anyone’s name or if there are other mistakes, please let us know. We want our list to be as accurate as possible.
The list will be in the Damien Center the first three weeks of December. Call our office if there is some mistake in how you are listed. We have listed people who donated specific items and we have listed general donors. Keep in mind that if you donated a specific item your name will not be on the general donor list. If you said you wanted to be anonymous, we did try to respect your choice. If you have changed your mind about how you wanted to be listed let us know that information.
Thanks for your cooperation in this effort. We pray that St. Damien will continue to pray for us as we seek to decrease the debt that remains.
Blessings,
Fr. Mark