Monday, December 31: New Year’s EveVigil Masses of at 4:30 & 5:30 PM
for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Masses at 8:30 and 11:30 AM
There are no Confessions on New Year’s Day.
May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Today’s feast is new as feasts go, and it sets us this year in a very modern crisis. Amid conflicting schedules and commitments, a young man, testing the limits, has strayed from his parents and gone off to the big city. Mary and Joseph search frantically, only to find the child Jesus in the temple, conversing with the elders and scholars of the law, who are amazed at his wisdom.
In the time of Jesus, the temple was the religious center of Jewish ritual. Outside of Jerusalem, people gathered in the synagogues, centers of learning, for daily prayer and study.
Still, everyone longed to journey to the temple to participate in the offerings, and to fulfill certain obligations of the law that could only be done there. On this feast, we catch a glimpse of the family of Jesus: parents dealing with the normal stresses of raising a child, and yet completely grounded in the ways of faith and tradition.
There has always been an appreciation in Christianity for the value of pilgrimage – the journey to holy places that is a symbol of our life’s journey to God, and a sense of connection to important events in our family history. During the Christmas season, many of us undertake pilgrimages to the family homestead for festival meals, to the parishes where we were formed in the faith, or perhaps even to a beautiful manger scene or festival of lights. There are few better days than this in our calendar for spending time with the family, especially on a short pilgrimage to a favorite place. Just make sure that no one gets left behind!
-James Field
© J. S. Paluch Co.
We need a spirit of holiness capable of filling both our solitude and our service, our personal life and our evangelizing efforts, so that every moment can be an expression of self-sacrificing love in the Lord’s eyes. In this way every minute of our lives can be a step along the path to growth in holiness.
Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self. To depend on God sets us free to recognize our great dignity.
Do not be afraid to set your sights higher, to allow yourself to be loved and liberated by God. Do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Holiness does not make you less human, since it is an encounter between your weakness and the power of God’s grace.
We celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family this weekend. The Scriptures don’t tell us much about the day to day life that Jesus, Mary and Joseph experienced in their home. During the past week we heard from the Gospels about the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. Today’s Gospel focuses of the finding of the child Jesus in the temple. Later, we will hear about the relationship between Jesus and his mother, especially her faithfulness to him during the time of his execution. Their lives were not easy, but God’s love was at the heart of all that they experienced. Family life today can be a challenge. Many families today extend their boundaries to include other people rather than relatives. This can be a blessing for both.
I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas with good memories. Thank you for the greetings, the cards, the gifts, your presence. So many people have to travel at this time of the year and many times, it can be taxing. Enjoy the time that you are together. Now, we face a New Year: 2019. Midtown Manhattan will be filling up as it does every year. As we face the challenges of a New Year, it is important to live it day to day. Make prayer an important part of your daily routine. A stronger relationship with God can be a blessing for you. Take advantage of opportunities to be of service to others and to be kind and thoughtful when in public. 2019 can have many opportunities for you each day. Don’t let them pass you by; they could be real blessings for you. Happy New Year!
-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.
Monday-Friday
7:30-8:30 AM; 11:00 AM-1:00 PM; 4:00-5:30 PM Saturday: 11:00 AM-1:00 PM; 3:30-5:30 PM Sunday: 8:30-9:30 AM; 4:30-5:30 PM
Vigil Masses of Christmas at 4:30 & 5:30 PM Choral Music at 11:30 PM followed
by Mass at 12:00 Midnight
There are no confessions on Christmas Eve.
Masses at 8:00, 9:15 (Korean), 9:30 (Lower Church), 11:00 AM and 12:30 PM
There are no Confessions on Christmas Day.
Masses at 8:30 & 11:30 AM There are no Confessions.
Church offices are closed.
The friars and staff at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi would like to wish all of our parishioners, visitors, friends and families a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
It is right to give thanks to God for all of the blessings we receive each and every day: for the gift of creation in all its wonder, the gifts of the fruits of the earth that sustain us, the gift of all of the animals, wild and domestic, that share this world with us, and for the gifts of our family and friends.
At St. Francis we are especially grateful for all of the wonderful people who make up our community here on 31st street.
And of course, it is always right and just that we give thanks to the Father for the gift of Christ Himself, the good shepherd who loves us all.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Psalm 118:
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”
5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense[a];
he has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.[b]
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up[c] to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Join our LGBT and Young Adult ministries as we delve into the scriptures of Advent.
Sunday, December 2
3:00 PM
Clare Room
All are welcome.
Join us for one of our most beloved events of the year: Christmas Carols with the Choir.
Sunday, December 16th
3:00 PM in the Upper Church
This is a free event, but a free will offering will be taken up to support the St. Francis Music Ministry. We appreciate your generosity.
Click here for the weekly bulletin for Sunday, December 30, 3018