Jesus makes it
quite clear in Matthew 24:36: “No one knows the day or the hour, not
even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the father.” Our Father in
heaven is the only one who knows when his creation will come to a conclusion.
But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be prepared for the end. In today’s second reading, St. Paul tells the
people of Thessalonica that the day of the Lord, the end of time, will come
like a thief in the night when people least expect. Perhaps time will not end
before we die, but when we die, our own personal time comes to an end. We spend the month of November praying for
our loved ones and all the souls of the faithful departed who have died. Death is a reality everyone has to face. How
then, should we prepare for the Lord to come whether it is at the end of all
time or the end of our own personal time?
Instructions are available, particularly in today’s Gospel. Jesus is
speaking about the end of time. Today’s
Gospel is the Parable of the Talents.
The master entrusts his possessions to three of his servants, and then
goes on a journey. When he returns he
calls them to see how they invested them, rewarding the first two who had
returned more to him than he had given them, and punishing the third who buried
the talent in the ground. By burying the
talent, the ancient law said that the servant was no longer was responsible for
it. That is why the Master in the
parable was so upset with the third servant. The Lord tells us in the parable
that the Master will come for an accounting of how we used the gifts and
talents He has given to us. The first
two servants in the parable returned more than they received, allowing the
Master’s possessions to grow. God is
calling us to develop what we are given to allow His Kingdom to grow. We can’t be concerned with worrying about the
exact day or hour. That is not up to
us. But what we have to be concerned
with is doing our part to prepare for the Lord’s coming, either at the end of
all time or the end of our time. If we
develop the talents he has entrusted to us, the day will come when He will say
to us, “Well done, good and faithful servants.”
ADVENT – Thanks to those families who have signed up to light the advent wreath
candles. There are still a few times to be filled in.
CROSSES
FOR FIRST COMMUNION STUDENTS – On the weekend
of November 29-30, the first Sunday of Advent, our students receiving First
Communion in 2015 will receive their crosses. There is a short ceremony
involving all the parents/guardians and the children. This will be done at all
3 Masses, 5pm Sat. Evening and 9:30am and 11:30am Sunday morning. Please be
sure to attend with your children.
ARCHDIOCESAN
DAY OF CONFESSIONS – On Wednesday December 10th
Confessions will be heard at all parishes in the Archdiocese. The particular
times here are: 10am – 12 noon, 2pm – 4pm. A PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE WILL
BEGIN AT 7PM. Please check the websites of other parishes if you wish to know
the times there.
TREE
LIGHTING
– We will have the tree lighting ceremony on Atwater
Avenue and our evening with Santa for the children on Saturday, December 13th
after the 5 PM Mass. Refreshments will be served in the hall for everyone.
CHRISTMAS
MASS TIMES – Since many have been asking about the Christmas
Mass Schedule this year I am publishing the times now but will include this on
an information sheet in December with the Mass/Office schedule over Christmas
and New Year.
CHRISTMAS
EVE – WED. DEC. 24th 5 PM (Children’s
pageant), 7PM, 9:30 PM and 12 Midnight
CHRISTMAS
DAY – THURS. DEC. 25th – 9:30 and 11:30
I hope you have a good week
Fr. Phil