Dear Community and Friends of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Peace and all good in this New Year! Welcome to 2023!

Over the years, the Feast for this day has changed. When I was young, it was the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus. This was to keep memory of Jesus’ rootedness as a child of Abraham. His family roots embraced the Covenant with the liberated people wandering
in the desert. It marks him as belonging to the people shepherded by David and the voices of the prophets. The psalms were, for him, a way of prayer. The revelation of God to the people Israel was imprinted in his being.

Shortly after the Second Vatican Council, it was the World Day of Peace. We need to remember our constant prayers for a just peace. Our nation, church, and world are terribly divided. The war in Ukraine, the unrest in Peru, and the thousands of migrants fleeing violence and poverty cry out for a new world of compassionate peace. The shootings of school children, racist violence, and the safety of our streets echo the cry for peace.

Today, we are asked to remember Mary, the God-Bearer, “Theotokos.” We celebrate Jesus coming among us, having taken flesh from his mother, Mary. In his praises of the Blessed Mother, St. Francis speaks of Mary as Jesus’ robe, his tabernacle, and his palace. We remember the blessings of Mary and her primacy as the God- Bearer. We also know that we, like Mary, have been overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and are empowered to be the bearers of God’s presence in our world.

Let’s can combine these images. We are members of the Body of Christ, the People of God, through our baptism. Our shared history with Jesus marks us as a people of the Covenant. Our Covenantal bond transcends the Law of the tablets of stone and is inscribed on our hearts. We are bound to the Covenant of love. The prophets’ voices, the psalmists’ prayers, and the Evangelists’ words call us to live the mission of Jesus in our time. We belong to Christ and to one another. Jesus’ gift to the disciples in his resurrection was and is peace. It is peace through compassionate justice. It is the peace that Pope Francis discusses in Laudato Si’, a peace in communion with all of creation. Finally, through the gift of the Spirit, we are sharers in Mary’s experience of bearing Christ into the world. By our lives, we embody his loving presence.

May 2023 be a year of grace and peace for all. May we live our call as the People of God, peacemakers, and God-Bearers. Thank you for all the many ways you bring his love into being in our world.

Peace and all good,

Thomas M. Gallagher, ofm

Dear Community and Friends of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi,

May the Lord give you peace this Christmas.

Prayers and blessings for you and your loved ones as we gather to remember the birth of Jesus and celebrate the great love our God has for us. We have journeyed through our Advent season as the nights grew longer and the weather colder. We were warmed by the hope-filled messages of the Prophet Isaiah and the beauty of Matthew’s Gospel. We were invited into the mystery of God’s unfathomable love for all. John the Baptist heralded the coming of Jesus. Even John was amazed at the mission of Jesus, who came as one who would bring healing, hope, and inclusion. He is the fullness of God’s love.

We celebrate the “Word made flesh” and are invited to embody that same Word in our day-to-day lives. We realize this in our prayer, care for one another, and generous hospitality. Like Jesus, we offer healing, hope, and inclusion. We are sharers with Jesus in the love of God. Thank you for all you do for the Migrants, the Bread Line, and the Food Pantry. These ministries are a great blessing. Thank you for your ministry of hospitality, reading, ministering the Eucharist, serving at the altar, and praying for the community. You bring the Word to life for us all.

While many of us party and celebrate these days, we remember our sisters and brothers for whom this season is difficult. We remember those who have lost a loved one; are lonely; have a recent diagnosis that weighs heavily on them and their family; have been marginalized by family, or struggle with the season. I remember my experience in Hartford after the Sandy Hook deaths of children and teachers. Understandably, many people were not in the “Christmas Spirit.” I am sure this is true for many communities, including Uvalde, Colorado Springs, Ukraine, and Russia. Our loving prayers for healing, hope, and inclusion are especially significant for all who suffer.

With the Friars, the Pastoral Leadership Team, and the staff of the Church, I wish you a blessed and happy Christmas.

Peace and all good,

Thomas M. Gallagher, ofm

Dear Community and Friends of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, May the Lord give you peace.

We light our fourth Advent candle and have completed the wreath. How has the journey been for you? Each Advent is an opportunity for a new beginning and deepening of our relationships with God and our world. How blessed we are to make this journey together.

I thank you for your participation in the life of the community this season.

Please join us on Sunday afternoon for the annual Carols with the Choir. Our musicians have prepared a spectacular program to engage our imaginations with beauty and wonder.

One of the blessings of this Advent has been the Soup and Scripture gatherings on Monday evenings. Meredith has prepared delicious soups, and the conversations have been very engaging. Each table had time to get to know one another and to share their insights on the Gospel. Many also shared how the text opened them to new ways of seeing themselves and the presence of God in their lives. I suspect we will begin again in Lent.

This Sunday, we hear the Annunciation to Joseph. Unlike Luke’s Gospel, where the Annunciation is to Mary, Matthew tells us of Joseph’s encounter with the Angel. Joseph is told not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. He takes her into his home, unaware of the unexpected journey that this affirmation of God’s invitation will mean. He will encounter homelessness as they arrive in Bethlehem, become a refugee as he flees into Egypt, and experience the parent’s fear of a lost child. When we say yes to love, we never know where it will lead. Saying yes to love is saying yes to the one who says, do not be afraid; what you are about is nurturing “Emmanuel” —God with us.

As we approach Christmas, let us continue to pray for peace. We pray for peace in our homes, communities, nation, and world. Jesus, Emmanuel, the bearer of God’s peace, liberation, and healing, was born into a violent world. He died a violent death, and when he was raised, he offered peace. Our message continues to be peace rooted in God’s love for all.

Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Christmas,

Thomas M. Gallagher, ofm