December 7, 2008

Dear friends in life and in ministry . . .

I've been treading water this week, trying to make a dent in several projects that are at deadline. As I've experienced before, without doubt - everything will come together in the end. But, I'm in the middle and tonight it seem s like I'll never get there.

That said, I'll invite you to read this week's column which offers some information on the Feast the Catholic celebrate tomorrow, December 8 - The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. I've also included a cute Top Ten list for lax bible readers and some Advent thoughts.

May your Advent be filled with hope and great expectations.

TRAVEL WITH US IN 2009
Pat and I invite you to join us on a "Lands of the Bible Cruise" that we've scheduled for November 11, 2009. Follow the link below to download our itinerary. Then, if you are interested, drop me an email and I'll send you a brochures and registration form. (http://www.deaconray.com/travel.htm)

This Week's Column: December 7, 2008

The Immaculate Conception

On Monday the Church celebrates one of its universal Holy Days of Obligation - the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. For many people, there is confusion as to just what we are celebrating. Was it Jesus’ conception?

No. Nine months before Christmas we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation . Our scriptures for that day are taken from Luke’s gospel (Luke 1:26-38) when the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and announces to her that she has been chosen by God to give birth to the long awaited Messiah. Mary’s positive response results in the conception of the Lord in her womb.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary’s conception in the womb of her mother (St. Anne). This is one of those doctrines of the Church that resulted, not from a direct reference in sacred scripture, but through a gradually revealed theological understanding of the implications of God’s decision to choose Mary as the vessel of his incarnation.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it as follows:
Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854: (CCC - 491) “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”

At Saint Mary’s, we’ll celebrate this important Solemnity with Mass at 5:30 p.m. Saint Gabriel’s will offer a Holy Day Mass at 7:30 p.m.

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At Mass last weekend we blessed Bibles and invited parishioners to commit to reading the Gospel of Mark. Information on context of Mark’s gospel and a list of suggested readings was distributed. (Copies are still available.) Coincidently, this week I came across this take off on David Letterman’s Top Ten list which many of us might find all too familiar.

TOP TEN SIGNS YOU MAY NOT BE READING YOUR BIBLE ENOUGH
#10 The Preacher announces the sermon is from Galatians . . . and you
look at your snow boots.
#9 You think Abraham, Isaac & Jacob may have had a few hit songs
during the 60's.
#8 You open to the Gospel of Mark and a WWII Savings Bond falls out.
#7 Your favorite Old Testament patriarch is Hercules.
#6 A small family of woodchucks has taken up residence in Psalms.
#5 You wonder why Charlton Heston isn't listed in either the index or
the table of contents.
#4 Catching the kids reading the Song of Solomon, you demand: "Who
gave you this stuff?"
#3 You think the “minor prophets” worked in the coal mines.
#2 You keep falling for it every time when pastor tells you to turn to
First Condominiums.
And the Number ONE sign you may not be reading your Bible enough:
#1 The kids keep asking too many questions about your usual bedtime
story:

"Jonah the Shepherd Boy and His Ark of Many Colors"

ADVENT THOUGHTS
In this weekend’s Gospel, John the Baptist calls out from the desert - “Prepare the way for the Lord.” Again we are reminded to “stay alert” for Christ’s return may be like a thief in the night. We should behave as those who know that the Lord is coming.

Like many people, I find it very hard to wait for things to happen. Waiting wastes MY TIME. I have so much to do. I hate to waste a minute. Our Sunday readings challenge me to think about my impatience? Do I put my own expectations before that which God has placed in my path? Does my personal time-table put me at odds with the way of being the person that God wants me to become during this in-between time? Something to think about during Advent.

Deacon Ray

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Bulletin: Dec 7, 2008