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

The Christmas trees, the wreaths and the poinsettias will again adorn our sanctuary this Christmas.  We offer them to honor the birth of Christ and to glorify God.

It is also a way to remember your loved ones and share the beauty of the season with the whole community.  We invite you to memorialize members of your family, friends or other loved ones with a donation for our Christmas decorations. Donations and the names of those received by December 20th will posted on our parish website for Christmas.

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

May the Lord give you peace.

This is Gaudete Sunday! It is a time to rejoice in the experience and the presence of God. Our Advent reflections invite us to the joy of the Gospel. With the community and friends of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, we rejoice!

We light our third candle this weekend. We are halfway through our Advent journey. How are you doing? The dynamic energy of this season draws us out of ourselves and opens us to greater time spent with family and friends. It also invites us to consider more intimately the presence of God within and among us. Parties, shopping, decorating, and festive meals are wonderful opportunities for us to gather. Reflecting on our experiences can lead us to prayer.

We also see ourselves among homeless people, migrants, and refugees. Wars continue throughout the world, and division is our daily experience. We are invited to reflect on our world and culture as we pray. The text from Isaiah states, “say to those whose hearts are frightened, be strong, fear not.” We ask ourselves, how can we be the strength and the hope for all whose hearts are frightened? The transformation of this Advent is both celebrating the goodness and grace of gathering with friends and family as well as working toward a reconciliation that gives hope to all who struggle.

Isaiah says, “be strong, fear not.” Paul writes, “be patient.” Jesus tells the disciples of John to “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” Once again, we are encouraged to reflect on our giftedness. We are strong, hopeful, patient, and aware. These wonderful gifts are ours through the presence of God’s Spirit lovingly dwelling within us. In a season of gift sharing, we share God’s presence. We share the grace of God among our family and friends. That same gift is ours to share with all we encounter along the way.

Mark your calendar! We still have two Mondays for Soup and Scripture. The Simbang Gabi novena begins on December 15th, and our Carols with the Choir is on December 18th. We have opportunities for reflection together, prayer, and musical celebration. I hope you can find time to participate.

Blessings,

Fr. Tom, ofm