December 2024 Newsletter – Prepare to Give Him Our All

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

In so many ways we are in a time of preparation. There were preparations for Halloween, All Saints and All Souls Days, Thanksgiving, and we now prepare for Advent, the Nativity of the Lord, the New Year, and Epiphany. It truly is a wonder we get it all done. On top of that are our weekly preparations, work, normal shopping, cleaning, and cooking as well as the good works we do with our Food Pantry partnership and our CarePortal work that serves families in crisis. With all that understood, it comes down to approach. I have learned through many a lesson in the pitfalls of forgetfulness that a well documented list of to-dos helps. I like making shopping lists, or taking the ones sent me (can you pick up some milk on your way home) and then deleting the items as I accomplish them. Gives one a certain sense of satisfaction. On top of all the preparing and accomplishing we tend to be influenced by expectation. I know that too – remembering the search for Cabbage Patch dolls and Teddy Ruxpin – and that was when there was no online shopping outlets.

I am not going to deride the preparations, the work involved, or even the expectations around us. The work is typically done with love and concern, a way to make our loved ones’ days brighter, an effort to ease their burdens in life. The expectations are really a call from the heart – a desire to be seen and acknowledged – to be loved.

Jesus did the same and asks the same. Let us be careful to ensure He is on our lists and let us make every effort not to cross Him off the list. Let us be careful so that when Christmas arrives we are not surprised, shocked, or whispering to ourselves – that went so fast. Our efforts done out of love for Him need to reflect all He has done and continues to do for us. From His incarnation to His death it was all for us. Let our lives then be all for Him and His gospel way. Prepare, He is near.

 Welcome to our December 2024 Newsletter. It is indeed a time of preparation as we begin a new Church Year on December 1st with the First Sunday of Advent. The Opłatki (Christmas Wafers) and Advent Wreath are prepared. As the new liturgical year begins we look forward to all our Advent activities and our entry into the Christmas season.

Join us for Rorate Holy Masses by candlelight on Wednesday mornings at 7:30am. We have an American Goulash sale on Sunday, December 8th starting at 11:30am. Get your pre-orders by clicking here. We hold our annual Vigil / Wigilia Dinner on Sunday, December 15th after 10am Holy Mass. We hold our Greening of the Church on Sunday, December 22nd. Fr. Jim celebrates his 10th anniversary of his ordination to the Holy Priesthood on December 6th.

We continue in our charitable works with our food and clothing collections. Join in to support our music director and the Thursday Musical Club as they perform Night Divine at the First Reformed Church of Schenectady on Saturday, December 7th at 2pm. Get a Memory Cross for the parish Christmas Tress in memory of a departed loved one. There are still Christmas Vigil tickets available. If all 100 sell the prize will be $2,500. You can also get advance tickets for the Valentine’s Raffle supporting our parish youth – put one in a card to someone.

Please remember annual dues and Epiphany home blessings. …and, see what else Fr. Jim is up to.

All this and more in our December 2024 Newsletter.

Bible Study for the 1st Week of Advent 2024

This week’s memory verse: Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! — Psalm 27:14

  • 12/1 – Isaiah 40:31
  • 12/2 – Micah 7:7
  • 12/3 – Habakkuk 2:3
  • 12/4 – Titus 2:13
  • 12/5 – Romans 8:25
  • 12/6 – Galatians 6:9
  • 12/7 – James 5:7

Pray the Week: Lord Jesus, grant me a spirit of active waiting in preparation for Your return. As I look to the East, for the new dawn of Your day, strengthen me and keep me from drowsiness and anxiety. Amen.

Reflection for the 1st Sunday of Advent 2024

“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Welcome and Happy Church New Year.

For months we have talked about our seven summer Sundays and Jesus’ instruction on how we, who receive Him, are to live out our lives.

Advent brings a change in direction and focus. We have four Sundays to contemplate the word Advent and all its implications.

Advent has several shades of meaning. It can mean beginning, revelation, expectation, dawning, and a start. Throughout this season we will be led through the various ways we will prepare for and encounter Jesus in this new year.

This week we focus on our Advent preparation for Jesus’ return. Jesus instructs us on how we are to act and react on that day.

Jesus tells us that our reaction to His return in glory is to be assured, and confident. We are not to fear His return or the judgment He will impose. He tells us to stand erect and raise our heads because our redemption is at hand. That confidence comes from our preparation and active waiting.

Active waiting is something we engage in. We are not sitting idle nor are we being passive. Our faith tells us that preparation and active waiting require a constant state of action and movement – working and pushing the expected fulfillment of the Kingdom forward.

Jesus reminds us that engaging in preparation and active waiting will keep us from both drowsiness (i.e., sitting idle or just giving up) and anxiety (i.e., fear from dwelling on the wrong things and expecting the worst things).

So, He says: “Be vigilant at all times and pray for strength.”

St. Paul reminds us that our Christian family life centered on love will be the very thing that strengthens us. Think about that. When we actively love through words and deeds, through outreach, evangelism, and charity we have no time for drowsiness, no room for anxiety. It is key, as St. Paul says to conduct ourselves to please God.

Jesus is returning in glory. The preparation and active waiting of Advent urges us to participate purposefully in Jesus’ call to transformation, so we are ready for the day of His return. We must not be passive or drowsy or unfocused, but engaged, reflective, and growing in the waiting each and every moment.

Let us then prepare for Jesus’ return, the needed changes in our lives, growth in our evangelism and Jesus’ immediate immanence.

Bible Study for the 34th Week in Ordinary Time 2024

This week’s memory verse: On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. — Revelation 19:16

  • 11/24 – Hebrews 1:1-2
  • 11/25 – Hebrews 1:3-4
  • 11/26 – Revelation 17:14
  • 11/27 – Psalm 47:2
  • 11/28 – Isaiah 9:6
  • 11/29 – Revelation 11:15
  • 11/30 – Psalm 22:28

Pray the Week: Lord Jesus, grant me humbleness of heart. Make me Your servant. Grant that I may witness to You by telling all I encounter about the joys of Your Kingdom where we worship and adore You. Amen.

Refection for the Solemnity of Christ the King 2024

“…have others told you about Me?”

For seven Sundays this summer we journeyed with Jesus and His apostles coming to understand that we receive Him.

Jesus’ journey continued as He moved from Galilee into Judea and on to Jerusalem. He is now at the end of His journey, standing before Pilate, awaiting torture and death. Along the way of this journey Jesus has discussed the many ways we are to apply His presence within us.

Pilate begins his interrogation of Jesus by questioning Jesus’ kingship. We have an opportunity here to explore a bit about Pilate. 

He was a member of the Equestrian Order which were Roman Cavalrymen who came from the landed gentry. That means he was educated and already had wealth, and political and social connections as a young man that further grew through his service to Caesar. He was appointed governor and prefect of Judea which gave him immense power over the military (who were really police), taxes, judicial power including the power to condemn people to death. He could mint coins and grant certain measures of control to local authorities.

Like many politicians, Pilate was skillful, competent, and manipulative. He reigned as governor for ten years, which is quite long, this thought owing to his skill. Historians from Pilate’s time also note that he was a cruel and obstinate man. 

One interesting note is that he liked to poke the bear in that he would purposefully provoke the Jewish leaders and people.

This little vignette of Pilate is intended to show that he had absolutely no interest in the Jewish religion, nor did he have any regard for it. This is why Pilate clearly says: “I am not a Jew, am I? 

Pilate knew nothing about Jesus, His claims, teaching, miracles, or of the Kingdom He said, “is at hand.” All he knew is that an accused man was presented before him for execution.

Jesus’ question to Pilate was somewhat rhetorical. He knew that Pilate knew little to nothing of Him. That question however confronts us with how we live out our obligation of witness to Jesus and His Kingdom. Hear Jesus saying this to us: “Have you told others about Me?”

The presence of Jesus within us calls us to a life of witness, of talking about Jesus and inviting those we encounter to join us in meeting Him and entering His Kingdom. 

Indeed, if Jesus is our King, Leader, Ruler, and ultimate Judge we need to be telling everyone about Him. Come to church with me. Meet Jesus, the King.

American Goulash Dinner, December 8th

Fr. Jim is digging out some old family recipes and will be providing a take-home/take-away American Goulash dinner on Sunday, December 8th starting at 11:30am until sold out. Drive up and pick-up. Food will be brought to your car or you can stop in to the church hall. This filling and comforting dinner is just perfect for the season. Dinners are available in a 64oz family size or individual 16oz servings accompanied by fresh bread.

Be sure to reserve your dinner by pre-ordering below. We look forward to serving you.

Individual 16oz dinners are $10 each.

Family 64oz dinners are $30 (save $10).

All dinners include Italian bread.

Order Family Size Dinners

American Goulash Dinner

Family Dinners Order Form

$

Order Individual Dinners

American Goulash Dinner

Individual Dinners Order Form

$

Bible Study for the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time 2024

This week’s memory verse: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” — John 14:3

  • 11/17 – Hebrews 9:28
  • 11/18 + Matthew 24:14
  • 11/19 – Acts 1:11
  • 11/20 – Titus 2:13
  • 11/21 – Daniel 9:24-27
  • 11/22 – 2 Corinthians 5:10 
  • 11/23 – 2 Peter 3:10

Pray the week: Lord Jesus, we await Your return in glory. Grant that we may witness to You in this day and in every way. May we live lives endued with Your Divine wisdom and justice. Amen.

Reflection for the 33rd Ordinary Sunday 2024

“They will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory, and then He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds.”

For seven Sundays this summer we journeyed with Jesus and His apostles coming to understand that we receive Him.

Jesus’ journey continued as He moved from Galilee into Judea and on to Jerusalem. He is now very near the end of His journey. His arrest and crucifixion are  now hours away. Along the way of this journey Jesus has discussed the many ways we are to apply His presence within us.

In certain ways we can understand the darkness of Jesus’ discussion with his disciples. His life was quickly coming to an end, and He knew it. Just prior to today’s gospel passage, the disciples were pointing out all the magnificent stuff around them in the Temple area.

We would be wrong to just say, well Jesus is in a dark time and write it off with that. Instead, we are called understand what Jesus is talking about and is asking of His disciples and us. He wants us to take our focus off stuff and place it on what is most important.

Those important things are the traits He says the elect will have: Knowing that He is near; We will all awaken from death; The wise will shine brightly; and Those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever. It is also important to know and acknowledge the alternative.

So, what about us? We can certainly know He is near. That is no problem, but am I wise, and do I lead many to justice?

I think back to those days when I helped my children with their school projects. I thought I could lead and that I was wise. What I quickly learned was that I was not wise or a great leader when the grades they received with my help were – well let’s say – not great.

Most of us can connect to those thoughts. If I am not wise and leading people to justice, if I’m not all that great, how will I ever make it?

What needs to happen, is like the disciples, we need to change our focus. We place emphasis on greatness, accomplishment, stuff, and success. Jesus never asked us to be great – rather servants. He did not ask us to be accomplished or successful, but rather to be disciples and witnesses. He did not ask us to acquire stuff, but to sacrifice all we have for the Kingdom.

We are the elect because we do as Jesus asks. We are those wise leaders when we give example, live in Christian witness, and stay focused on our real home.

Bible Study for the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time 2024

This week’s memory verse: And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. — Psalm 9:10

11/10 – Proverbs 3:5-6

  • 11/11 – Romans 15:13
  • 11/12 – Psalm 28:7
  • 11/13 – Mark 5:36
  • 11/14 – Romans 8:28
  • 11/15 – Joshua 1:9
  • 11/16 – Hebrews 11:6

Pray the week: Lord Jesus, Grant me the full trust in You. Grant that my life be marked by eager anticipation of the fulfillment You will bring. Clear my life of those things I cling to uselessly. Amen.

Reflection for the 32nd Ordinary Sunday 2024

So also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

For seven Sundays this summer we journeyed with Jesus and His apostles coming to understand that we receive Him.

Jesus’ journey continued as He moved from Galilee into Judea and on to Jerusalem. He is now there about a week before His arrest and crucifixion. This is Jesus’ ultimate journey to the sacrifice He would offer for our salvation which the Letter to the Hebrews speaks of. Along the way, Jesus has discussed the many ways we are to apply His presence within us.

Today we hear of God’s great provision. We start in First Kings with Elijah’s visit to the widow of Zarephath. Jesus would speak of this visit and God’s provision when He went back to His hometown of Nazareth. Jesus pointed out to the Nazoreans that this woman acted in faith toward the One true God despite her desperate situation – and because of that she was rewarded. It was not because she was Jewish – in fact she wasn’t. The people of Zarephath worshiped various gods and stone columns. Yet she changed, not based on facts or teaching, but rather based on inspiration. The people of Nazareth refused that inspiration and the asked for change in their lives.

Our witness to Jesus’ presence within us is how we changed in our reactions. For us, we must act as the widow – inspired by trust in God’s mighty provision.

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus points to the trust of the poor widow. He is reinforcing the call to trust. The opposite of that, as Jesus points out, is the self-preservation and the building up of the Scribes egos.

Listen carefully to our prayer over the gifts today where we will hear: May we realize that we are truly rich only when we are truly Yours.

Our witness of trust is best exemplified in our ability to give of ourselves beyond measure, beyond respectability and caution, against practicality. The Letter to the Hebrews points out Jesus’ total self-giving and speaks of our call to eagerly await Him.

Over the next two weeks Jesus speaks of the end times and approaches His crucifixion and death. The journey from Nazareth to Galilee to Judea and Jerusalem comes to completion and we are saved.

Now we await Him, His second coming not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him. How we witness to Him in us and await Him counts. Let us, like the widows, do so unburdened and with trust.