Christ the King Parish

In his November 25th Bulletin letter Fr. Paulson quoted Pope Francis’s Advent invitation to make space in our lives “to have a little silence” and to “listen to the language of the Lord” and hear it. On this second week of Advent, we’d like to offer a path to that silent reflection through today’s gospel and some questions for personal reflection during the coming week. 
 
Advent isn’t about visions and great manifestations of divine power. Nor is it about human acts of heroism. Rather, Advent is about the grace of waiting. It’s about a pregnant mom readying herself to receive her newborn into her arms. It’s about a dad’s anticipation and sel fquestioning: “Will I be (am I) a good father?” It’s about each of us searching out what our God wants for us and from us today and as we go forward in our lives. Reflect  (1) How do I identify with this very human aspect of Advent? What new insight does it give me about the value of “humdrum” tasks in my daily life?  (2) In what respect has my life changed since Advent a year ago (loss, gain, joy, sorrow)? (3) If life forced me to change course in some way, how did I deal with that “interruption”?  
 
Listen to Luke 3:1-6  “The word of God came to John in the desert. He proclaimed a baptism for repentant people to obtain forgiveness of sins.  It was just as is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: ‘Listen to this voice crying out in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight.’” Reflect  (1) Who prepared the way for me to find Jesus? (2) Can I recall a time when I made a conscious effort to “prepare the way of the Lord” in someone’s life (spouse/partner, child, student, friend, relative, coworker, etc.)? What form did this “preparing” take?  

The words of John the Baptist echo today: “Make straight the way of the Lord. Clear him a straight path.” So, the torch is in my hands now. Listen to Caryll Houselander (The Reed of God), “Sometimes it may seem that there is no purpose in our lives, that going day after day for years to this office or that school or factory is nothing but waste and weariness. But it may be that God has sent us there because, but for us, Christ would not be there. If our being there means that Christ is there, that alone makes it worthwhile.” Yes, a smile, a promise of prayer, an encouraging word, a hug, a random act of mercy, performed with love and with faith that Jesus acts through us, can change the course of another person’s life. We may never know the effect we had. No matter, God knows. Reflect   (1) How does Houselander’s statement, “God has sent us there because, but for us, Christ would not be there,” make a difference in how I might see the routine dailiness of my life during the coming week? (2) How might I turn ordinary encounters into works of mercy and compassion?  
 
Have a joyful, reflective Advent. 
 
Al Garrotto

Weekday
8:00am
Saturday
8:00am, 5:00pm (vigil)
Sunday
7:00am, 8:00am, 9:15am, 10:45am, 12:15pm, 6:00pm - Youth Mass
Holy Days
8:00am, 12:00pm, 7:00pm
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
First Friday - 4:00pm-6:00 p.m. 
First Friday Mass
8:00 am, 6:00pm
Reconciliation:
Saturdays, 3:30-4:30pm

Christ the King Parish is offering to all parishioners an opportunity to donate a personalized engraved brick to help with our capital campaign. Personalized bricks are available for a donation of $250 and will become part of the Brandon Street entrance walkway to the remodeled Ministry Center building.   Forms are available after mass and on-line for you to participate. A personalized brick is a beautiful and long-lasting way to show your support for Christ the King Parish and help finance our Ministry Center Remodeling Project. There are a limited number of bricks and there is a deadline for getting these to the fabricator so act quickly to secure your personalized brick.

/documents/2018/2/DedicationBricksOrderFormV1.1-1.pdf