WOW! Christmas is almost here! We’ve been observing the Advent season to prepare for the coming of Christ - into our lives – not just at Christmas, but when He will call each of us either to be with Him for all eternity– or NOT. Sometimes we realize that our own disposition toward Him has not been the best, and that we have put a priority on things as more important than God. Our failure to keep HOLY His day and worship Him each week on HIS day is only one of the ways in which we seriously offend Him, and this is by neglect. There are many willful ways in which we set Him aside and put something or someone ahead of Him. We’re not asked to have a “I’m going to be good and do good because God has a reward for those who do so,” approach to curry favor with God that should motivate the goodness of our lives, but a returning love for all that He has first given us. Each day should be like a Christmas, because it’s each day God is lavishing His love upon us – gifts galore…that we often ignore or don’t consider. And if each day is like Christmas in the gift-giving sense, then how do we express our gratitude? How often do we actually stop to think about and thank God for these gifts? What gift shall we bring Him for His birthday? We need to recall this when people wish us “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” type of greeting, throwing a “damper” on the joyful spirit that these coming feasts in the next few weeks should really exude. Don’t throw away your tree and decorations before the season has ended on January 9th!

Sadly, This Advent season, Planned Parenthood president, Cecile Richards, has penned a letter to her supporters proclaiming: “Choice on Earth.” Emanating from the head of the world’s largest abortion chain, Planned Parenthood’s “Choice on Earth” stands in direct opposition to the song that burst forth from heaven at the birth of the Christ Child: “Peace on Earth.”

Admitting in her letter that Planned Parenthood has never had such a year as this one, she refers to so-called “relentless attacks on Planned Parenthood and women's health,” while daring to make an appeal for more money for her billion dollar-a-year “killing machine” in order to continue her relentless attacks on the preborn. Her appeal for Christmastime donations for the nation’s largest abortion chain reflects a coldness of heart that can only manifest when one is wedded to the “Father of all lies.”

While we continue to pray for the conversion of all those who support and work at Planned Parenthood, we pledge to do our best to bring “peace” on earth by eliminating the abortion business known as Planned Parenthood. Doing so will be a huge step toward bringing peace on earth to all people of good will. This Tuesday, December 20th at 7:00 in the evening, we’ll have an opportunity to express our sorrow for not always appreciating the gifts that God bestows upon us. We’ll have a community celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. There will be about 10 priests available for Confession, so please use this opportunity before Christmas to be reconciled to the Lord and His people. In that way you can present yourself to the Lord as a pleasing gift for Christmas, and avoid the last moment Confession and its long line on Friday morning after Mass.

On Monday, December 19th, after the 8:30 A.M. Mass, we’ll decorate our church for the season of Christmas. I welcome all people “of good will” who wish to join in decorating to do so; and we will provide a lunch for those who stay to help.

Our Middle School pre-teens and teens from our “EDGE” program will present their annual “LIVE NATIVITY” on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 24th) from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. outside our church by the 10 Commandments monument. This is their unique way of showing their own appreciation of the birth of the Savior. May God bless them for their wonderful presentation!

Please note that there will be NO 5:30 p.m. Life Teen Mass on Christmas Day. The same will apply for New Year’s Day, the following Sunday. We do have the extra Mass on Saturday, Christmas Eve, at 9:00 P.M. (our substitute for Midnight Mass). On Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, therefore, we have the regular 4 morning Masses, but not any in the late afternoon.

Since Christmas falls on Sunday this year (as does New Year’s Day the following weekend), we have only the 1 (Christmas) collection. So, we lose out on our regular Sunday collection. If your generosity would allow it, your “little extra” donation in that Christmas collection envelope will help us manage the costs to maintain our parish. This weekend, we set aside an envelope for Christmas flowers and decorations for church. The donation in that envelope never really fills the gap left by a “lost Sunday” collection, so your extra at Christmas will surely be a blessing. Thank you very much.

Father Danis, Monsignor Anderson, Deacons Lee Levenson, Rusty Skinner, Bruce Turnbull and I wish you and your family all the choicest of blessings for the Christmas season (which begins December 25th and concludes on January 9th, the Baptism of the Lord). May the true spirit of this season be a lasting source of grace and consolation to all who have need of them.

May you enjoy a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

Very Rev. Canon Tom