Dear Parishioners:
Next weekend will truly be a banner weekend in the life of our Parish Family. So many things are happening of great note for St. Timothy Church that it is hard to keep up with them!
The formal opening of our Golden Jubilee will take place as we welcome Bishop Frederick Campbell to our parish on Saturday evening. The dedication of our Rosary Prayer Garden, Mass, Dinner, and a look back on our Parish History will highlight the graces and blessings we have received in our 50 years.
The First Sunday of Advent will bring the promulgation and first use of the new English version of the Mass. With the new Liturgical Season, we will enter into a new Church Year.
We will also celebrate the Rite of Welcome for the members of our R.C.I.A. group, those who are preparing to become Catholic at Easter. This year’s group is overflowing. (Is anyone hearing God’s call to serve as a sponsor for a new Catholic? Contact Rita Feige – the need is great!)
This weekend, we are witnessing a step forward with our 8th Grade Students in our School and PSR, as they make their commitment to enter into the time of special preparation for their reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation.
All of these events are a sign of the life and vitality of our Parish Community. As we experience them, we need to be sure that we are reaching out to all who are with us. Have you taken the time to welcome a new member? If there is someone you don’t know sitting near you in church, take the initiative and introduce yourself. Say, how long have you been at St. Tim’s? You may be meeting a long-time member (we still have many Founding Members among us) or someone new to the community.
As we welcome many guests next weekend, let us show them the renowned St. Timothy Parish hospitality. May our life together be a little taste of the Kingdom for all!
Countdown to our Golden Jubilee: Getting to know Saint Timothy.
“This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” (II Timothy 2:11-13)
The Paschal Mystery is the heart of the Christian Life. St. Paul reminds St. Timothy that the Gospel that he has heard is the Truth. Christ’s Life, Death and Resurrection belong to us. If we embrace the dying, we shall also receive the gift of living a New Life. Our cooperation with His Grace will lead us to the Kingdom, where we shall reign with Christ.
Paul makes clear that it is a matter of choice. Faithfulness to Christ means standing with Him in the face of a hostile world. Our fidelity will be rewarded, but it is always possible to lose our place by our failure. Nonetheless, Christ is ever faithful, claiming us as His own.
Reflections on the Liturgy:
The Mass is a tremendous gift that is often taken for granted. The change in the English version that we will experience at the beginning of Advent will challenge us to pay close attention to what we say. It is an opportunity to renew our understanding of the depth and meaning of the Liturgy. This effort to understand also serves to call us to a deeper attention to our prayer outside of the Mass.
All the forms of prayer that Christians experience must flow from and prepare for a worthy celebration of the Mass. It is important to realize that Mass is the highest form of prayer, because it is the prayer of Christ Himself. In these last weeks before we begin to make use of the new Roman Missal, we can prepare by looking into the forms of prayer that make up our daily lives.
There are four primary ways of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication.
Thanksgiving is the heart of the Mass. Eucharist means Thanksgiving. In the act of giving thanks, we acknowledge that all we have and are comes from God. We accept the gifts that we have received precisely as gifts, not as something we have earned. We turn to the Giver and enter fully into the relationship that is offered. The Communion that is established through the act of giving thanks opens us to a greater capacity to receive and to share freely what God has given to us.
The attitude of thankfulness is one of humility. It is part of a heart that is open, ready to be filled. Such an attitude must be cultivated. Every moment that leads up to the celebration of the Mass, and every moment that comes after the Mass is ended must be seen as preparing for the supreme act of Worship, Christ’s rendering Thanks to the Father, and as flowing from that one supreme act that unites Time and Eternity. In the Mass, this becomes one single reality and we are taken up to experience the Heavenly Liturgy with all the Saints and Angels, who give God thanks and glory.
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