The Family Foundation School Catholic Community Bulletin
Pauca Verba – ( A Few Words)
We are in the darkest days of the year, at least in our hemisphere. It seems that all the emphasis and energy is spent on the preparation of the outer Christmas – the food, the shopping, the spending of money, the wrapping of gifts, decorations, the expectations for visits. This is nice, (secular) but not really what it’s about when all’s said and done. Pray we understand the need for the readying of our souls – to get ready for Christmas inwardly – the Christmas of our inner man – woman. Advent and Christmas (indeed, being Christian) are about responding to the Revelation (sharing) of God in the Child of Bethlehem! Jesus Christ! Will you read the words to this great hymn and see if you can feel it. Come to Christmas out of having spent some time with these words – understanding them in terms of yourself and our weary and dark world.
Ah! Turn me not away, Receive me tho’ unworthy: Hear Thou my cry, Behold, Lord, my distress! Answer me from thy throne. Haste Thee, Lord to mine aid, Thy pity show in my deep anguish! Let not the sword of vengeance smite me, Though righteous thine anger, O Lord! Shield me in danger, O regard me! On Thee Lord, alone will I call. O Divine Redeemer! O Divine Redeemer! I pray Thee, grant me pardon, And remember not, remember not my sins! Forgive me, O Divine Redeemer! I pray Thee, grant me pardon, And remember not, remember not my sins! Night gathers round my soul. Fearful I cry to Thee; Come to mine aid, O Lord! Haste Thee, Lord, haste to help me! Hear my cry! Save me Lord in Thy mercy; Come and save me, O Lord. Save in the day of retribution. From death shield Thou me, O my God! O Divine Redeemer, have mercy! Help me, my Savior!
The Feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. December 8th. How many so-called Catholics still don’t know what it means! That from the moment of her conception, God kept Mary free from our original condition – that we are somehow all kind of “cracked.” The Church calls the condition, “Original Sin.” “You got to start somewhere.” And God started with Mary – keeping her sinless in anticipation of Christ’s coming -keeping Mary a kind of “Heaven on earth” for Jesus. Does this mean she wasn’t human? Not at all. But more than anything it says and demonstrates that God has gone to unimaginable lengths to find us and to bring us (me and you!) back to himself. WOW! HOW CAN I REMAIN INDIFFERNT TO THAT!
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12th. A novena booklet was given out a week ago describing the wondrous story and the prayers for the nine days leading up to the 12th. Maybe you took the prayer leaflet and have done nothing with it. Maybe you started and like so many people, you quit after a few days. God takes our laziness very seriously. The guy in the gospel who gets the money from the king and does nothing with it – except bury it – doesn’t get off lightly. Read about it! Luke 19: 11-25.
