This week from Father Baier..
November 28, 2021
Advent has arrived! Recently a friend of mine said to another friend, “I can’t wait for Advent”. The second friend responded, “But Advent is a season of waiting! So you are waiting to wait?” She replied, “Yep!” Advent is a season of waiting. What are we waiting for? The coming of Christ! In three ways: his coming as a baby at Christmas, his coming a the end of the ages, and his coming into our days in ordinary ways every day of our life. Christ is coming brothers and sisters and we are waiting vigilantly to receive him. Advent adds a busy suspense to our lives that Jesus is around the corner. Waiting isn’t always easy but it can add suspense to our lives. And certainly when Jesus arrives in one of these three ways we will truly be grateful! It is true that capitalism has capitalized on Christmas making it for many a consumer event without a focus on the coming of the Lord. It’s no surprise then that on December 26 when we are just getting started with Christmas, many in the secular world have already moved on, changed the music they listen to, taken down the tree, and so on. Shortly after becoming a priest I went to visit a friend at the Safeway where I used to work and although it was December 27 I said “Merry Christmas”. A man next to me loudly pointed out that Christmas was two days earlier. I responded, “Actually, liturgically Christmas lasts until the Epiphany. Have you ever heard of the twelve days of Christmas?” This is a time for us to witness to our faith and to celebrate as we wait and hope for the coming of the Lord! You probably noticed (I hope so) that I wasn’t here this weekend. I asked Fr. Jim Coleman to cover the weekend and school Mass here at our beloved parish so that I could head to the coast for a few days. I’ll be gone until the 3rd of December! I’m hoping to read, pray, celebrate Mass, and do some crabbing with friends as well as walk on the beach. Blessings and Peace, Fr. Scott Baier
November 28, 2021
Advent has arrived! Recently a friend of mine said to another friend, “I can’t wait for Advent”. The second friend responded, “But Advent is a season of waiting! So you are waiting to wait?” She replied, “Yep!” Advent is a season of waiting. What are we waiting for? The coming of Christ! In three ways: his coming as a baby at Christmas, his coming a the end of the ages, and his coming into our days in ordinary ways every day of our life. Christ is coming brothers and sisters and we are waiting vigilantly to receive him. Advent adds a busy suspense to our lives that Jesus is around the corner. Waiting isn’t always easy but it can add suspense to our lives. And certainly when Jesus arrives in one of these three ways we will truly be grateful! It is true that capitalism has capitalized on Christmas making it for many a consumer event without a focus on the coming of the Lord. It’s no surprise then that on December 26 when we are just getting started with Christmas, many in the secular world have already moved on, changed the music they listen to, taken down the tree, and so on. Shortly after becoming a priest I went to visit a friend at the Safeway where I used to work and although it was December 27 I said “Merry Christmas”. A man next to me loudly pointed out that Christmas was two days earlier. I responded, “Actually, liturgically Christmas lasts until the Epiphany. Have you ever heard of the twelve days of Christmas?” This is a time for us to witness to our faith and to celebrate as we wait and hope for the coming of the Lord! You probably noticed (I hope so) that I wasn’t here this weekend. I asked Fr. Jim Coleman to cover the weekend and school Mass here at our beloved parish so that I could head to the coast for a few days. I’ll be gone until the 3rd of December! I’m hoping to read, pray, celebrate Mass, and do some crabbing with friends as well as walk on the beach. Blessings and Peace, Fr. Scott Baier