Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, Sunday, December 27th, 2020

 

                         Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, 

                        Sunday, December 27th, 2020

Did you ever hear the expression:  "You are like an open book;" or "Your life is like an open book?"  I say to my wife frequently, "I know you like a book."  In other words, when I tell my wife this saying I am telling her that I know her.  I know what she is most likely going to do in a given situation.  I know what she is usually thinking.  I know what she likes and doesn't like.  It means that I know her so well, she is similar to a book that I have read numerous times over and know what the book is about and how it ends.  "I know you like an open book."  On December 27th, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. The Gospel appointed for this Sunday is the final chapter of the Gospel of St. John . .. . the Twenty-First Chapter . . . . and the end of the Gospel goes as follows:  "I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."  (St. John 21:25)  Of course, St. John is referring to all the things that Our Blessed Lord did during His life time that were NOT written about.  In other words, his meaning is that if every single thing that Our Blessed Lord did during His life time was written down, there would not be enough room for all the books necessary for such an undertaking.  I suppose that the Evangelist was correct.  You see, there were many things written about in the Bible that Our Lord did during His lifetime:  His preaching and teaching; His miracles; His interactions with people; the places He visited and traveled to; etc.  There are a LOT of things that Our Lord did that we can read about in the Bible.  But what about the ways in which Our Blessed Saviour has affected your life?  How about how He has affected my life?  What about all the ways in which Our Lord has influenced the world in the two-thousand or so years since Our Lord walked the earth?  Each one of us, I suppose, if we sat down and put pen to paper .  . .  . . or fingers to keyboard . . . .  I would say that each one of us could write down an entire book on how Our Blessed Saviour has worked in our lives.  But, of course, we would have to take notice and try to remember all of the details before we could attempt such an undertaking.  A good biographer has to get all the details of a person's life before that person's biography can be written.  Thus, it is good for each one of us to reflect on how God has influenced our life; how He has affected us; how He has guided us; nourished us; strengthened us; sustained us.  How has God influenced your life?  God knows us like an "open book."  He should . . .  He created each one of us.  But the question is, do we know Him?  The only way to be sure of this is to get to know God in a personal way; read Holy Scripture on a daily basis; pray often and frequently; and try to be the person that God wants us to be.

PLEASE NOTE:  St. Margaret Church will NOT meet on Sunday, December 27th, 2020.

St. Margaret Church is still being affected, as is the whole world, by the Coronavirus outbreak.  Specifically, our church is not allowed to meet as we would like due to CDC and State recommendations.  But despite these recommendations, our members still continue to pray to Our Heavenly Father.  Our members still continue to reach out to their neighbors and loved ones.  Our members still continue to be the face and hands and instruments of the Lord throughout these troubling times.  Additionally, Fr. Todd also continues to post his sermons and reflections online.  So, please continue to pray for St. Margaret Church and all the Christian Churches throughout the world that we may continue to stay close to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.   

And please remember that you can still show support to St. Margaret Church by sharing these posts on social media . . . sharing the sermons and reflections of Fr. Todd on social media as well.  In this way, despite any sort of "lock-down," you will help St. Margaret Church continue to spread the Gospel and continue to tell the world about our love for Our Blessed Saviour!

 

Fourth Sunday in Advent, December 20th, 2020

The year 2020 has been something else, to say the least.  For some, it has meant having their business closed down.  For some they have lost their jobs as a result.  For others it has been "business as usual."  For some it has meant sickness.  Whether it be someone in your own family or perhaps it is a friend, we all probably know someone who has gotten sick this year.  For some it has meant that we have even lost a loved one.  Again, it might be someone in your family or a dear friend, but someone has even died during this year.  It seems that it has put a new perspective on things for most people.  Things that we took for granted before are more appreciated now.  We have a new-found appreciation for "essential workers."   These hard-working souls have turned out to be the heroes of 2020.  Whether they be medical staff such as doctors and nurses or hospital staff.  Whether they be police officers or fire-fighters.   Whether they be paramedics or EMT's.  Our military men and women, they truly are essential.   We could also look at truck drivers who bring in the items and supplies we need on a daily basis.  Beginning this year, we have a new-found appreciation for those who work in retail.  Those who stock the shelves in the stores so that we can buy what we need.  For those who work in the nursing homes taking care of those we love so dearly, these are heroes.  And if I could also point out the brave men and women who work for the Department of Corrections throughout our land.  These truly are essential workers.  We could all come up with our own lists but I am sure that each and every one of us has a new-found appreciation for all of our "essential workers."  For, you see, essential workers go about their tasks with little fanfare.  Essential workers go to work every day with little appreciation.  When was the last time you thanked a police officer or a fire-fighter for what they do?  When was the last time you thanked a nurse for the service he / she provides?  When was the last time you thanked a clerk in the store for the service they provide?  The year 2020 has shown that essential workers the world over who go about their duties quietly with little fanfare.  They do what they are called to do and receive little attention for it.  They continue going to work day in and day out because they know the job needs to be done.  

I can think of another "essential worker" in history.  In other words, someone who came to do what needed to be done.  Our Lord came to earth with little fanfare.  He came to earth in the humblest of ways . . .  being born in a stable with common farm animals as witnesses.  He grew up as a little boy unknown to the world at large.  He spent the majority of his years working as a common carpenter working on ordinary projects.  And even when He began His "ministry years" He did not spend this time with kings and princes and influential people, He spent His time with the common, ordinary people He would come across as He traveled.  The only time there was any acclaim or excitement upon His arrival was when He entered into Jerusalem the final time.  This was when He was going there to die on the Cross . . . . to atone for your sins and mine.  But other than that, Our Blessed Lord also did the job of an "essential worker" and did what needed to be done with little fanfare and very little appreciation.  In the eyes of the world, He was not important.  He was not a king or a prince in the  eyes of the world, at least.  He did not have a grand army.  He had Twelve Disciples . . . .  one of whom would betray Him.  He did not have a majestic palace in which He lived.  In the eyes of the world, He was not extraordinary.  In the eyes of the world, He was simply ordinary.  And yet this Man came to save us from our sins and to teach us about God, Our Heavenly Father.  He died an agonizing death on a common, ordinary cross as a common criminal.  But in this way Our Blessed Lord turned the "ordinary" into something truly "extra-ordinary."  

PLEASE NOTE:  St. Margaret Church will NOT meet on Sunday, December 20th, 2020.

St. Margaret Church is still being affected, as is the whole world, by the Coronavirus outbreak.  Specifically, our church is not allowed to meet as we would like due to CDC and State recommendations.  But despite these recommendations, our members still continue to pray to Our Heavenly Father.  Our members still continue to reach out to their neighbors and loved ones.  Our members still continue to be the face and hands and instruments of the Lord throughout these troubling times.  Additionally, Fr. Todd also continues to post his sermons and reflections online.  So, please continue to pray for St. Margaret Church and all the Christian Churches throughout the world that we may continue to stay close to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.   

And please remember that you can still show support to St. Margaret Church by sharing these posts on social media . . . sharing the sermons and reflections of Fr. Todd on social media as well.  In this way, despite any sort of "lock-down," you will help St. Margaret Church continue to spread the Gospel and continue to tell the world about our love for Our Blessed Saviour!

Third Sunday in Advent

 

Third Sunday in Advent, December 13th, 2020

In the Eleventh Chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, we hear of the interaction between St. John the Baptist and Our Blessed Lord.  As St. Matthew describes the scenario for us, he tells us that St. John has been placed in prison and he sent to of his disciples to contact Our Blessed Saviour.  And after He had given St. John's disciples the message for St. John, He continued to speak about St. John the Baptist.  Our Lord says in Verse Ten:  "For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."  (St. Matthew 11:10)  Here, Our Blessed Lord is quoting the Prophet Malachi from the Old Testament.  Our Lord is paying the ultimate compliment to St. John the Baptist by telling all those listening that he is the messenger which was foretold of by the prophets.  

But the question remains what kind of messenger are we?  All of us are messengers.  We all convey messages whether we realize it or not.  At work I convey messages on behalf of my boss.  I pass along messages which need to be  relayed to others.  When we enjoy a fabulous meal at a great restaurant and we tell our friends, we are passing along a message that this is a good restaurant.  "You should try it too!" is the message we convey.  When we are hosting an event such as a dinner or a rummage sale, we send out a message whether that be via announcement, sign or post on social media announcing the details.  In days past we would send messages via letters or telegram.  Now we are more likely to send messages via email or text.  But the point is still the same.  What is the message we are sending?  What message are we trying to convey?  Our Lord said of St. John the Baptist that he was the messenger which was called to prepare the way of the Lord.  Do we pass along any messages when it comes to God?  Do we let others know about God?  Do we allow ourselves to ever become the messenger of God?  Maybe we are too busy to pass along any messages.  Perhaps we do not receive the messages ourselves.  Is it because we are not listening?  Is it because we don't care to receive the message?  At this time of year, Advent provides us not only with the time to wait for the Lord but to also take account of what kind of servant we are.  What kind of messenger are we?  

PLEASE NOTE:  St. Margaret Church will NOT meet on Sunday, December 13th, 2020.

St. Margaret Church is still being affected, as is the whole world, by the Coronavirus outbreak.  Specifically, our church is not allowed to meet as we would like due to CDC and State recommendations.  But despite these recommendations, our members still continue to pray to Our Heavenly Father.  Our members still continue to reach out to their neighbors and loved ones.  Our members still continue to be the face and hands and instruments of the Lord throughout these troubling times.  Additionally, Fr. Todd also continues to post his sermons and reflections online.  So, please continue to pray for St. Margaret Church and all the Christian Churches throughout the world that we may continue to stay close to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.   

And please remember that you can still show support to St. Margaret Church by sharing these posts on social media . . . sharing the sermons and reflections of Fr. Todd on social media as well.  In this way, despite any sort of "lock-down," you will help St. Margaret Church continue to spread the Gospel and continue to tell the world about our love for Our Blessed Saviour!

Second Sunday in Advent, December 6, 2020

 

Second Sunday in Advent, December 6, 2020

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."  (Romans 15)

Did you ever order something or send away for something and the item finally arrived and you open it with great anticipation.  And when you open the package and see what you ordered, the item that arrived does not match up with what you thought it would be.  You were "under-whelmed," so to speak.  "This is it?!?"   "This is what I've been waiting for?!?"   As we have spoken in the past, the faithful Jews were indeed praying for a Messiah to save them.  They were anticipating the arrival of the Messiah.  They knew that God would save them and they were waiting.  But they had a preconceived notion of what the Messiah would look like, I would imagine.  They expected the Messiah to arrive as a great warrior riding in on a powerful horse, surrounded by a mighty army in support with flags waving and banners raised.  They expected this messiah and his army to wipe out their foes and save them from their misery.    And yet we know that, yes, the Messiah did indeed arrive as promised but Our Saviour arrived as an innocent little baby, born to a common family, born in a lowly manger on a cold winter night  because nobody would take them in otherwise.  In fact, the actual arrival itself was so "low-key" that hardly anyone knew about it at all except for the angels and a few shepherds.  I mean let's be honest here.  In regards to anticipating the arrival of the Messiah, I am sure that none of us would picture the Saviour of the world arriving as a small baby, born to an impoverished family, with nowhere else to stay other than in a place for animals.  But, then again, if we look at a dying man hanging on a cross, if we didn't know any better, we wouldn't picture that as "victory," either.  It would seem more like "defeat" than "victory."  And yet we know through our faith that hope was born in that little manger at Bethlehem and we know that victory truly was earned on that Cross at Calvary.  Sometimes, hope is deceiving to our physical eyes.  The important thing for us to always remember as people of faith that we have to look at hope through the eyes of faith if we really want to see how God is working in our lives.  So, use this holy Season of Advent to look at things in a brand new way, the way of faith.

PLEASE NOTE:  St. Margaret Church will NOT meet on Sunday, December 6th, 2020.

St. Margaret Church is still being affected, as is the whole world, by the Coronavirus outbreak.  Specifically, our church is not allowed to meet as we would like due to CDC and State recommendations.  But despite these recommendations, our members still continue to pray to Our Heavenly Father.  Our members still continue to reach out to their neighbors and loved ones.  Our members still continue to be the face and hands and instruments of the Lord throughout these troubling times.  Additionally, Fr. Todd also continues to post his sermons and reflections online.  So, please continue to pray for St. Margaret Church and all the Christian Churches throughout the world that we may continue to stay close to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.   

And please remember that you can still show support to St. Margaret Church by sharing these posts on social media . . . sharing the sermons and reflections of Fr. Todd on social media as well.  In this way, despite any sort of "lock-down," you will help St. Margaret Church continue to spread the Gospel and continue to tell the world about our love for Our Blessed Saviour!