December12-25, 2002
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Thanks..Grazie..Mesi..
Gracias!
So
many people have worked so hard these past weeks to prepare for our
Christmas celebrations. From those who gave gifts in our advent Angel
program, to those who distributed them, to those who decorated for Advent
and Christmas, to those who provided music and to those who prepared
the liturgies...
Thanks..Grazie..Mesi..Gracias!
Schedule Online
Our
Advent and Christmas Schedule is now online, thanks to Ed Gonzales who
transformed the printed mailing into a web page. We’ve also posted
photos from the Procession and Pageant. The beautiful Presepio is also
online so you can show your out-of-town friends and family (though it’s
worth a visit in person) Check
it out
Donations
Still Needed
A
number of local businesses and organizations have contributed over $10,000
toward our parking lot project. We still need further donations to afford
this project. If your company or organization can help us at this time,
please give a call.
Away
at College?
We'd
love to stay in touch.
To receive the “letter from home”, take this bulletin with
you to college as a reminder to send in your e-mail address. Just Click
Here!
Technology Ministry
If you’d like to give your time and expertise at helping our parish
connect its telephone systems or work on its website, you can let us
know by filling in our
online form
Want
to e-mail Father Ralph?
Past Columns:
Dec 15: Viva!
Dec 8: Advent Spirituality
Dec 1:Praying
at Mass
Nov 24: Doing
Thanks
Nov17: Faith
Has Its Awards
Nov 10: Parking
Lot Update
Nov3: Daughters
of Mary
Oct27: Father
Richard
Oct 20: Changing
Seasons
Oct 13:Technology
Update
Oct 6: Youth Ministers
Sept 29: Who's
Here?
Sept 22: God
the Unfair
Sept 15: The
Joy of Judy
Sept 8: Facing the
Terrible Day
Sep 1: Sharing the
Faith
Aug 25:Empty Shelves
Aug 18: Comemmorating
Sept. 11th
Aug 11: Taking Time
To See
August 4: Moving
Music
July 28:Meet
the Missionaries
July 21:
Press One Now
July 14: Having
Our Say
July 6: One
Nation Under God
June 30: Anointing
the Sick
June 23: Giving Thanks
to God
June 16: Father's
Day
June 9: Fall Mass
Schedule
June 2: Summer Plans
May 26: Spreading
the Faith
May 19: Passing Grace
May 12: Changing
Times
May 5: Reason for Hope
April 28: Changing
Ministry
April 21: The Poor Are Hurt
Again
April 14: Celebrating
50 Days
April 7: Where have
they put him?
March 31: Alleluia!
Alleluia!
March 24: Hardly
Hosanna
March 17: Roll The
Stone Back
March 10: Here's
Mud In Your Eye
March 3: Our Local
Drought
Feb 24: Welcoming
Bishop Murphy
Feb 17: We Will Rise
Again
Feb 10: Very
Good Now
Feb 3: The Multi
Cultural Church
Jan 27: Appealing
Words
Jan 20:Our
Wonderful School
Jan 13: Changing
Times
Jan 6: Farewell Father
Augustine
This past week we had eleven funerals and
it feels somewhat cruel to be facing so much sorrow the week before Christmas.
This will be the first Christmas that families will be without their mother
or father, uncle or aunt, sister or brother, grandmother or grandfather,
husband or wife. As I was thinking about the sadness they are feeling,
the radio was playing the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
and it dawned on me that our faith makes that a reality in a few ways
ways...
First, heaven is our home. Earth is just
a temporary tent where we learn to live and love. But eventually we’re
headed for the eternal home. And so all those who died recently can be
singing with the saints and angels, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”
Yes, it’s their first Christmas in heaven. They’ll actually
be with Jesus, Mary and Joseph this Christmas. They’ll get to hear
the real choir of angels!
Second, while our loved ones go off to heaven,
they are also with us. We say in the Creed that we believe in the “communion
of saints.” That means that though we are separated through death,
we are also in common-union with those who are with God. “I’ll
be home for Christmas” also means that our loved ones WILL be with
us in our homes here on earth. So it’s good to take a few minutes
amidst the carolling and gift-giving to say a prayer together as a family
and remember our loved ones who have gone before us. Join together and
pray the “Our Father” and rejoice in knowing that our loved
ones are looking after us and are praying for us.
Finally, since heaven is our ultimate destination,
the church family is the way to experience “tastes of heaven”
while we’re here on earth. Doesn’t the music here uplift your
soul? Doesn’t listening to the Word of God strengthen you and touch
your heart? Doesn’t receiving Jesus, “the Bread of Heaven”
fill you with God’s very presence? Then “I’ll be home for
Christmas” is a real way to live in God’s love in the year ahead.
For the church, especially our wonderful parish of St. Brigid is “home”
to you and your loved ones -- not just at funerals, but each week. If
it’s been a while since you’ve been at “home” here,
we’re happy you’re here now and together we can be a whole family
again in the days ahead.
May God bless you and your family this Christmas!
