Up to the House of the Lord
DECEMBER 2010
During the Christmas season it can seem like we are besieged with charitable appeals. God’s gift of Jesus should inspire our generosity toward others. Here at St. Augustine’s we have second collections this weekend for our Christmas flowers, next weekend for retired religious, and later in the month for retired priests. Then there are the appeals from charitable organizations such as the Salvation Army, St. Jude Hospital, CARE, and Save the Children.
We cannot possibly give to all these very worthy causes so we need to pray about choices then give wisely and generously. As we near the end of the year please consider a special gift to your parish of St. Augustine, either the general fund or 21st Century Capital Campaign. There are always utility bills, emergency assistance needs, and a long overdue renovation of the parish kitchen.
Already we are entering the 2nd week of Advent and maybe asking ourselves if we have done anything to prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus. The days are busy with so many tasks and activities. Do I have time and space for Jesus in my life? In the Gospel of Matthew Joseph has similar concerns. But then “. . . the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.’’ (Mt 1:20) Last week’s bulletin insert offered some practical ways to make time and space for reflection and prayer. Lets look at some of those suggestions again.
MAKE TIME
Wake up fifteen minutes earlier or go to bed fifteen minutes later
Examine whether I waste time making unnecessary trips in the car? Watching TV?
Texting, phoning, surfing the Web? Reading pop magazines?
Spend our extra fifteen minutes of newly found time in brief meditation at bedtime or rising, saying a prayer, doing spiritual reading, visiting with someone who may be lonely
MAKE SPACE
Post short prayers where you will see them throughout the day Bathroom mirror Back of your cell phone Visor of card .Your bed stand Your purse, pockets, backpack your computer screen saver
Light a candle in someone’s life. It is Advent.
Peace.
Fr. Bob
Pastor
Have a wonderful week.
December 5th, 2010
This week we will again set up the Christmas creche in the narthex. I have seen photos from past years and now look forward to seeing it for real. I understand it is a unique Nativity, specially carved for St. Augustine Parish, and reflects our African-American heritage. It humbly inspires all of us, especially the children.
From various sources I have assembled some of the accounts of the origin of the Christmas crèche. The origin of the Christmas crib (or manger, nativity, creche (French), presepio (Italian), krippe (German), or nacimiento (Spanish) is often first ascribed to St. Francis Assisi who in 1223 directed that Christmas be celebrated in a new way that led to a new devotional custom. In a cave in Greccio he celebrated midnight mass. “It now seems good . . . that we should celebrate this feast together . . . I desire to represent the birth of that Child in Bethlehem in such a way that with our bodily eyes we may see what He suffered for lack of necessities of a newborn babe and how He lay in a manger between the ox and ass.” His biographer, St. Bonaventure, wrote, “Many brothers and good people came at Francis’s bidding, and during the night the weather also was beautiful. Many lights were kindled, songs and hymns were sung with great solemnity so that the whole woods echoed with the sound, and Francis . . . arranged that mass be celebrated on (the manger), . . .and preached to the people on the Nativity of Christ, whom he pronounced with infinite tenderness the ‘little Babe of Bethlehem.’”
By the 16th century the crèche was no longer confined to churches and it became common in Europe to arrange the krippe underneath the Christmas tree. Children like to arrange Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, animals and other figures closer each day to the stable in anticipation of the arrival of the Christ Child. In many families the figure of the baby Jesus would remain hidden until Christmas morning when the children would “discover” him in the manger. The animals, traditionally part of the crèche, usually an ass and an ox, are not mentioned in the gospels. However, as early as the 4th century animals were represented in Christian art. The OT prophet Isaiah (1:3) spoke, “The ox knows his owner and the ass his master’s crib, but Israel has not understood.” Another custom evolved of having children prepare soft bedding for the manger. Each night a child would place a strand of straw in the manger for each act of devotion or virtue performed during the day. The baby Jesus was to find plenty of straw bedding to soften the hardness of the manger.
There are certainly many more traditions involving the crèche which space does not allow us to describe. In the coming days of Christmas visit our crèche. Say a special prayer for the children of the world
Fr Bob
December 19, 2010
Christmas 2010
Dear Friends
Merry Christmas to all the wonderful people of the St. Augustine Parish family. I hope and pray these days are warm and enriching with gatherings of family and friends. May the special blessings of the Christ Child renew our faith and open our hearts. At the St. Augustine School mass last week the children and I talked about how we know Christmas is here ---- December 25 on the calendar, grandma comes to visit, birthday of Jesus, Santa brings toys, etc. But the children also understood and appreciated that when, like Mary answering the angel Gabriel, we say “yes” to God, then Christmas happens ---- Jesus is born into our lives!
A Blessed New Year to all too. I don’t hold with New Year’s resolutions but I do believe a new year can present new challenges and opportunities for growth. This can be true for our parish. So in the coming year I am praying for the healing of members’ hurts and the welcomed return of those who left in the past year, care for the sick and aging members of our parish, new membership growth especially of young adults, and outreach and service to our neighborhood. Jesus says ask and you will receive. So let's ask for these blessing in 2011.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
Fr. Bob
December 26, 2010
