December
17, 2006
What
about us?
Where
there's smoke...
Two weeks ago we had no heat in church for several days due to some
failed parts in the boiler. It was fixed and then this past week, dark
smoke came pouring out of the chimney! This got fixed and a few hours
later, white smoke came out. (Rumors of a new pope were untrue.) Then
at night, more smoke -- a helpful person called it in to the Westbury
Fire Department who dutifully arrived with festive lights and sirens.
A story went out on the police scanner that there was an “active
and open fire” in the church -- which brought our insurance adjuster
who wanted to see me in the middle of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass
-- at which 500 were in attendance. It was quite an adventure. But the
good news was that there was smoke but no fire.
Christmas
Collection
Might this be a good time to urge generosity in our Christmas collection?
Online
Masses
We are now going to be able to stream masses and other events live over
the internet to homebound folks and to relatives who live in other lands.
If you’re interested in this, in this, click
here.
Away
at College?
Are you or your child away at college? At St. Brigid’s we like
to stay in touch via occasional e-mails as we send photos and news from
“home”. College students wishing to be connected through
our “Letters from home” can sign up online here
or you can mail or
e-mail thecollege names and e-mail addresses to Father Ralph and he’ll
put them on the list.
Census
Continues
Of the approximate 6,000 families we usually send mail to, we’ve
received completed Census booklets from over 4,000. So we’ve got
a ways to go.
Is your booklet in?
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
December
10: To Whom Do We Look?
December 3: Drowsy Hearts
November 26: Looking Ahead
November
19: Giving Thanks
November12: Putting Our
Two Cents Worth
November 5: Our Youth, Our
Hope
October 29: A Dark and Stormy
Night
October 22: Washington Trip
October 15: Marriage Help
October 8: Fall Fix Up
October 1: Cut Off Week
Sept 24:War Begins At Home
Sept 17: Who Do You Think
You Are?
Sept
10:God Be With You
Sept 3: Back to
School
August 27: Merry Christmas
August 20: Wine or No Wine
August 13: Mangia...
August 6: Mixed News
July 30: Impossibly Little
July 23: Come away!
July 16: Got a Mission?
July 9:Missing God
July 2: Jesus Interrupted
June 25: One Here, One to
Come
June 18: A Father's Gift
June 11: Charity Begins
At Home
June 4: Turning Silver
May 28: Eight Years •
Eight Months
May 21: If Any
May14: Celebrating Mothers
May 6: Celebrating Priests
April30: Baked Fish
April 23: What we hear
April 16: Out of the Tomb
April 9: Jesus, Our Source
of Peace
April 2: NOW, Can you Hear
Me?
Mar 26: Can You Hear Me
Again?
Mar 19: Can You Hear Me
Now?
Mar 12: Now Take 4Steps
March 5: Take A Step
Feb 26:Coming Home
Feb19: Visiting Heros
Feb 12: Passing Pastor
Feb 4: Annual Appeal
Jan 22: Abandoned Nets
Jan 15: Everlasting Life
Jan 8: I'm not going to
jail..
Jan 1: Happy New Year
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns from
2003
Columns from 2002
Do
you wonder why soldiers and tax collectors are rushing to ask John the
Baptist, “what should we do?” in today’s gospel? They
seem all too anxious to get on the right side of God. Maybe it’s
because of the previous line in Luke’s gospel that isn’t read
at mass today: John tells his hearers,“Even now the ax lies at the
root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Ooooh! Now we can see
why everyone is interested in knowing what they should do -- what is the
good fruit that they ought to produce to avoid being axed and thrown into
the fire?
It is not fashionable these days
to preach about impending fire and brimstone. But if we brought back that
“good old John the Baptist style” of preaching back would
it make a difference? Would any of us actually do what he said: give half
of what we own to charity? As the song says, “fish gotta swim, birds
gotta fly” -- and John is telling tax collectors and soldiers to
go against their natural instincts of power and greed and give up their
lucrative exploits.
Initially they’re all “shook
up” over his message but do they really change? Perhaps some do
choose to alter their lives. But the gospel never tells us that any do
change.
So how about us this advent? If we asked John “What about us? What
should we do?,” what would he tell us to change in order to be ready
for Jesus to come into our lives? Would we like his answer? Would we actually
follow what he tells us to do? What part of our lives would we be called
upon to give up?
If there is anything that you’d
like to change right now and you’d like to make a new beginning,
this Monday, December 18th, we’re spending the whole day offering
the Sacrament of Reconciliation starting at 7:30am and finishing with
a Penance Service at 8pm. Here’s a chance to prepare for the celebration
of the birth of Jesus by leaving behind anything that we’re not
proud of, any hurtful behaviors, any bad habits. Jesus wants so much to
reconcile us with one another and give us a fresh start. Why not stop
in on Monday and begin again?
