‘Forgive as the Lord Forgave You’

The Weekly Gospel

Luke 3:1-6

"'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

Scripture Reflection for Dec. 1, 2024, First Sunday in Advent

Father Joshua J. Whitfield

Friday 29th of November 2024

Aside from being one of the fathers of monasticism, St. Benedict is also one of the more profound spiritual doctors of Advent. At least I have long considered him thus. I think of him every Advent; I listen carefully to him, like a son listens to his father.

Read the "Rule of St. Benedict," the prologue at least, and you'll see what I mean. Of course, the whole of the Rule is a masterpiece, but the prologue is by itself a rich treatise on the Christian life that has over the years inspired me, sustained me, and even picked me up off the floor a time or two. He was writing for monks obviously, but the genius of St. Benedict was that he understood that monasticism isn't anything extraordinary; monasticism is simply the Christian life lived in radical simplicity. Anyway, my point is that you and I can read St. Benedict, too. He is a spiritual guide good for us, too.

Again, read the prologue. St. Benedict teaches that the Christian life, the monastic life, begins between a father and a son, a servant and a master, a monk and his abbot -- that is, it begins in relationship. Between the soul and God interiorly, but at the same time in community, God calls each soul to conversion, calls each of us to run to him.

Now as with any real spiritual masterpiece, the metaphors are mixed. The imagery of dialogue between father and son, monk and abbot, for instance, is woven together with the imagery of the heart. And the heart senses God; the heart hears and sees, St. Benedict writes. What he's trying to describe is how the soul responds to God; he's trying to describe conversion, how it happens within us and through us.

Which is why I consider him a spiritual master of Advent. Because he describes so powerfully the first virtues of Advent, which are watchfulness, wakefulness, vigilance, responsiveness. In the prologue, St. Benedict even cites Romans 13, an ancient text the Church still reads during Advent likening conversion to waking up: "it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep" (Rom 13:11). The picture St. Benedict paints is of an early morning, the sun lighting upon closed eyes.

"Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice that every day calls out," St. Benedict writes. That's what must happen first if we're ever to find God looking for us: we must wake up, open our eyes, listen.

Again, this is the first simple lesson of Advent. That's what this passage from Luke is all about. Jesus is again talking about the end of the world -- about frightening cosmic signs, nations "in dismay" (Lk 21:25). Whether he's talking about the literal end of the world or metaphorically about the chaos of the world generally -- a chaos which harries each soul seeking the truth -- or whether Jesus is speaking about both: whatever are the exact referents of the "signs," nonetheless, the virtues required of believers are the same.

"Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man" (Lk 21:36). That's what Jesus was telling his disciples to do to prepare for the full revelation of God on the Cross. It's what all believers are to do in preparation for all the advents of Christ -- Christ's appearing to the soul, to the church, to all things in the fullness of time. We are to be people who see the big picture and who are strengthened by it. We are to be people who hope because we have faith in the beginning and the end; because we know.

Which is knowledge that should inspire us to live a moral life. In the prologue, right after St. Benedict talks about conversion, he talks about morals -- turning away from evil, doing good. It's interesting that in this passage from Luke, Jesus weaves closely together conversion and the moral life too -- keeping free from "carousing and drunkenness" (Lk 21:35). Here we pass from the first virtues of Advent to the first fruits of Advent -- the beginnings of moral living.

And so, what are we to learn this first Sunday of Advent? Both Jesus and St. Benedict teach the same thing. When God calls, answer. Stand up straight, look up and live right, for "your redemption is at hand" (Lk 21:28). This is the simple call of God at Advent. It's just that it's been Advent every day of your life; it's Advent now. So, wake up.

Monday

December 9, 2024

is a Holy Day of Obligation,

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Masses will be at Saint Kateri at 9:00 AM and Saint Peter’s at 7:00 PM.

This Advent we will be having

“The Light is ON For You”

at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha on

Wednesday, December 11th

Monday, December 16th

Monday, December 23rd

from 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Please come and celebrate the

Sacrament of Reconciliation this Advent Season.

Bible Study Anyone?

Fr. Joe’s Monthly Bible Study meets once a month for 9 months from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM at St. Peter’s Parish Center (lunch is included). The next meeting is on December 19, 2024. Please contact Kathy at 508-746-0663 ext. 401 if you would like to register for these sessions. 

The Children's Liturgy of the Word has resumed and all children are welcome to participate during the 9:30 am Mass at St. Peter.

After the opening prayer, the priest will invite the children to come forward and they will be led to the lower church for the Liturgy of the Word. They will hear the same readings and will have a discussion about the Gospel at their level.

Parents are welcome to accompany young children and those who are nervous.

The children will return upstairs around the time of the offertory and return directly to you. 

Parishioners and Friends of Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish can now make a one-time or a recurring gift directly on our parish website. Stop worrying about weekly envelopes or mailing in special donations or ministry program fees. Instead, give a gift at any time (from any device that connects to the internet) using a current email and checking account/credit card. It’s simple and secure. You can even turn your tithe into an automatic gift that gives when and how often you’d like with your own online donor account. Visit https://maryqueenofmartyrs.org/online-giving to see how easy it is.

For those parishioners who use our online giving system for their collections and feel like they need to put something in the collection baskets, we now have laminated cards available that you can put into the basket. These will be available at the front of all our churches each week.

We are people of faith, called to live the Gospel!

DIAPER PANTRY

FACTS ABOUT THE

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS DIAPER PANTRY 

Our mission is to provide supplemental support to families in need of baby diapers and your generosity has made it possible to assist an average of 20 families at each pantry. There are now two ways to give! If you prefer to make a monetary donation, you’ll find ‘Diaper Pantry’ envelopes at the church entrances. You may put these either in the offering basket, the St. Vincent de Paul donation box, or drop off at one of the church offices.



If you would rather donate diapers directly, they can be dropped off at the entrances of our three churches before or after Mass, or at the church offices during open hours (St. Kateri on Monday and Thursday from 8:30am – 12:30pm, Our Lady of Lourdes on Tuesday and Friday from 8:30am – 12:30pm, St Peter on Monday through Friday from 9:00am – 12:30pm.

 Diaper size needed this week:

Size 6

For questions contact Jeanne at 508 – 591- 3510 or PCCDiaperPantry@yahoo.com

Thank you for your generosity!

Note: Our latest Diaper Pantry Update and Report to Parishioners is now available! To view the report, please click below, visit our parish website, see the parish newsletter, or pick up a hard copy at our church entrances.

                                                                                              Diaper Pantry Hours

 The 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the Month (held on the same day as the food pantry, so our clients can have easy access to both vital services)

9:30am–11:00 am at

Saint Kateri Parish Office

HOLY HOUR

SUNDAY, December 15, 2024

Please join us at a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration on Sunday, December 15th from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at St. Peter’s 

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR KNITTERS!

Thank you to all of our talented and generous knitters who are contributing to our drive for handmade items for human trafficking victims and others in need in our area. We’ve had a tremendous response, and many are still busy at work! Each item has a ‘handmade with love’ label, with the name of the knitter on the back. We want all recipients to know who these beautiful gifts are from.

Advent - Little Blue Book

In this time of waiting and anticipation, prepare your heart by spending time with God each day of Advent. The Little Blue Book guides you through this joyful season by following the infancy narrative from the Gospel according to Matthew. Each day offers interesting information about people, traditions and practices of our faith, followed by the Gospel reflection. 

The 2024 Advent/Christmas book starts on December 1, 2024, and goes through January 12, 2025.

Please take a copy for Advent

Copies are available in all three churches

Dear friends of The Pope Video,

“Christian hope is a gift from God that fills our lives with joy.” In this last month of the year, and on the threshold of Jubilee 2025, the Pope reminds us how vital it is to cling to hope. “The world really needs it a lot!”

Pope Francis invites us to seek those encounters with Christ that revitalize our being, that encourage us to make a pilgrimage toward hope during the upcoming Jubilee, so that it might be a year to strengthen our faith.

In The Pope Video for December, produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network in collaboration with the Fondazione Pro Rete Mondiale di Preghiera del Papa and the Dicastery for Evangelization, Pope Francis encourages us to fill every nook and cranny with the hope of the Risen Lord and to share that hope with whoever needs it most – for “hope never disappoints.”

“Let us pray that this Jubilee strengthen us in our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in the midst of our lives, transforming us into pilgrims of Christian hope.”

Click above to watch the Pope's Video Message.

FROM THE BOSTON GLOBE:“MEET THE NONPROFITS THAT HOSTED THE LARGEST FOOD PACKAGING EVENT IN NEW ENGLAND IN 14 YEARS”

The November 24 edition of the Boston Globe featured an article about End Hunger New England and Community Food Packaging, another nonprofit fighting food insecurity, who joined forces to package meals for 345,000 people over the Nov 23/24 weekend. It was the largest packaging event conducted in New England in 14 years, with close to 1,000 volunteers filling the EHNE Pembroke warehouse during eight shifts. Many of our own parishioners participated, along with those from neighboring parishes…THANK YOU TO ALL! Our parish is a proud supporter of End Hunger New England – please watch for more announcements soon on how you can continue to help. Visit EHNE Nov 24 Boston Globe.pdf or scan the QR code below to read the full article. (photo by Debee Tlumacki)

  Prayer Requests

 There is a link on our Mary, Queen of Martyrs website available for prayer requests. Please click on the link and you may write out your request.

There is also a Book of Intentions available at each of our churches. You may write your prayer intention directly in the book.

There are prayer angels in our parish community praying for all the intentions and ALL intentions are remembered at all the Masses in our parish community!

The Prayer Life Team

As a Parish We Pray for:

Mary Queen of Martyrs Knights of Columbus Council 9822 meets every 2nd Thursday of the month at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Hall at 7:00 PM.

Secular Franciscans meet at St. Mary's Parish Center, 327 Court St. in North Plymouth at 7 p.m., the first Tuesday of every month. If you think you might have a vocation to be Secular Franciscan (a person who strives to live the Gospel by following a rule of life written by St. Francis and approved by the Church) or would like to know more about the Secular Franciscan way of life call Ellen McDermott (774-216-9671) or stop by on our meeting night. We would love to see you.