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Fr.
Charles
Puthota
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From
the Pastor's
Desktop
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A
Message from
Father Charles
Puthota
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December
8,
2024
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Dear
Parishioners of
St.
Elizabeth,
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Advent: Delving
deeper into the meaning
of the season of Advent,
we realize that it is
all about the coming of
Jesus to us. The word
"advent" itself means
"coming" or "arrival."
Remember the words of
Jesus before his
ascension into heaven:
"I'll be with you
always." Jesus is with
us always. Only we do
not see and recognize
him. We do not hear and
touch him. We can
imagine him saying: "You
have eyes, but you don't
see; have ears, but
don't hear." There are
many things in life that
could prevent us from
being in touch with
Jesus. Our
preoccupations and
anxieties may leave us
with no time or space
for Jesus in our lives.
That is why the concept
of "coming" is very
helpful. It has the
sense of dynamism built
into it. It has the
meaning that it is
happening in our lives
now, in our present
situations and
circumstances. As we get
ready to celebrate the
first coming of Jesus
and look forward to his
second coming, we cannot
miss Jesus coming into
our lives now,
encountering us, calling
us, challenging us,
sending us, fulfilling
us, and blessing us. As
we go about our daily,
ordinary lives, how can
we prepare ourselves in
our minds and hearts for
his coming? Or as we
face difficult
situations such as
disease, death in the
family, failure,
rejection, depression,
panic, and all sorts of
sad experiences, how
could we let Jesus come
into our lives today so
that he could make a
difference and lift us
up with his grace and
love?
Advent
Quote: "Jesus
stands at the door
knocking (Rev. 3:20). In
total reality, he comes
in the form of the
beggar, of the dissolute
human child in ragged
clothes, asking for
help. He confronts you
in every person that you
meet. As long as there
are people, Christ will
walk the earth as your
neighbor, as the one
through whom God calls
you, speaks to you,
makes demands on you.
That is the great
seriousness and great
blessedness of the
Advent message. Christ
is standing at the door;
he lives in the form of
a human being among us."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
God is in the Manger:
Reflections on Advent
and
Christmas.
Monday,
December 9, The
Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception of
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
a Holy Day of
Obligation, Masses at
8:30am and
6:00pm.: Please
do come join the Masses.
The usual December 8
feast has been moved to
December 9 because
December 8 this year
falls on a Sunday.
Word of God,
Second Sunday of Advent,
Year C: John
the Baptist is the voice
crying out in the
desert. Echoing Isaiah,
John's rallying cry is
to prepare the way for
the Lord. Crooked paths
will be made straight;
mountains and hills will
be made low; valleys
will be filled; rough
ways will become smooth.
Everyone will see the
salvation of God. Such
impossible things would
become a reality for us
in our present times, if
we but let Jesus into
our lives. Prophet
Baruch too expresses
similar sentiments of
incredible blessings for
Jerusalem, in the
context of the
Babylonian exile, and by
extension, for us, by
way of hope, justice,
mercy, and peace. Do we
desire for such
blessings that could
lead to happiness and
fullness of life?
Thanksgiving Day
2024 Mass
Collection:
Thank you for generously
donating $1,833 at the
Thanksgiving Day Mass.
As promised, on your
behalf I have promptly
forwarded that amount
with a personal note to
"Maryknoll Fathers and
Brothers," a highly
dedicated Catholic
religious society that
works effectively as
missionaries,
proclaiming the Gospel
and uplifting the
poor.
Notre Dame de
Paris Reopening on
December 8,
2024: Last week
President Emmauel Macron
of France gave a
much-publicized tour to
a select group of people
of the 12th century
Cathedral that has just
been renovated after it
was engulfed in fire on
April 15, 2019. He spoke
eloquently about the
meaning and metaphor of
Notre Dame and how it
has come to represent
art, culture, and
religion for not only
one country but for the
whole world and is a
precious treasure for
the human family. The
cathedral is set to open
to the worshippers and
public this Sunday
December 8, 2024, though
some renovation will
continue into the next
few years. To me
personally, having
visited Notre Dame a few
times, it is metaphoric
of the highest ideals of
the human spirit and of
what we could do to
renew and renovate life
in the aftermath of
awful crises and loss.
May this cathedral
continue to draw
millions of people
around the world and
renew them in faith,
truth, beauty, and
goodness.
Simbang Gabi
Masses: These
Masses will be held
December 16 through 24
at the regular 8:30am
Masses. On Sunday Dec.
22, it will be at the
10:30am Mass.
Coordinator of these
Masses is Gloria
Trinidad with her team
members May Devera and
Beth Pasco. If you'd
like to sponsor or
participate in any way,
please do contact them.
Let's make our Simbang
Gabi tradition a special
way of preparing
ourselves for
Christmas.
Fiesta de Nuestra
Señora de
Guadalupe:
Thursday, December 12 is
the Feast of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, Patron Saint
of the Americas. Please
do join the morning Mass
at 8:30am. There will be
a light Mexican-style
breakfast after the
Mass. Que Nuestra
Señora de
Guadalupe nos mantenga
siempre en su amor!
A Story
Ponder: When the
English playwright Oscar
Wilde arrived at his
club late at night after
witnessing the first
presentation of a play
that had been a complete
failure, someone asked,
"How did your play go
tonight, Oscar?" "Oh,"
said Wilde, "the play
was a great success. The
audience was a
failure."
Humor: A
family ran into their
pastor at the mall, but
their son couldn't place
him. It was only later
that it hit him. "I know
that man," he said. "He
goes to our church."
Thinking of you,
thanking God for you,
and sending you
prayerful wishes for an
Advent season of God's
grace and our great
expectations. Come, Lord
Jesus!
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